bilingual customer service associate

Advantage Communications

Here goes...
PROS :
Great co-workers : As with any call center, the other reps you work with are great, friendly people. Yes, supervisors and management (for the most part) included. HR were particularly nice... too bad they're 100 miles away.
Casual dress code : Not all that important, and actually detracts from productivity, but it's nice to be able to dress in your normal clothes.
Laid back : In and of itself, the job was actually a good job, you were helping people out all day every day... not like you were doing surveys or forced to try to sell anything (even though they say you are supposed to, it didn't count against us).

CONS : Poor scheduling : Schedules printed a month in advance could change immediately without consent. If you didn't check it (which they disabled the ability to do from home) it was your fault. I have never been late for work in my LIFE before they started this nonsense, well there goes that.
Non - Secure site : Strangers were walking in off the street to use our bathroom... Very unsafe.
No recognition : In my time with Advantage, I brought up the fact that there was VERY low morale and suggested an "employee of the month" program no less than 4 times. I was ignored completely. All that would have been necessary was a piece of paper and 20 seconds to print it off.
No chance for promotion : All higher level jobs are in different centers, you have NO chance of promotion despite job performance and knowledge about the job itself. Enjoy the bottom rung.
Training issues : Weekly reviews happened about once every 3 months, mandatory weekly training sessions were completely ignored leading to reps confused or unaware of new promotions and processes. If you missed a day with a special AM training or something, it was rarely made up, so you never got that training... don't ever get sick, I guess... this especially sucks for students and part-timers. I WAS a trainer at prior jobs... this disregard for basic training is amateurish at best and completely inexcusable at worst.
Raises handled poorly : You get a raise at increments of time (1000 hours, then 2000 and so on). If you passed the threshold for a raise, it was ignored until they felt like giving it to you... could be MONTHS. You will get the money they owe in the end, but you MAY have to do all that work yourself. New hires off the street were making more than I was after 2 months.
No seniority : Not a student? Hope you like night shifts. There is no shift bid and they will schedule you whenever they want to. Looking at a past schedule here... Mon/Tues/Fri 13:00 - 22:00,
Thurs 12:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 17:00. This was not uncommon and could change at any time. Also, after working a week of all closing shifts, a lot of the time you were scheduled first thing in the AM the following week (sometimes the very next day). Days off were frequently spaced out as follows SUN-MON off, work all week, with the FRI-SAT of the NEXT week off. People would get the appropriate number of days off, but it wasn't uncommon to have to work for up to 10 days straight between them.
Poorly handled complaints : This one will get wordy, so I apologize, but this is the MOST IMPORTANT PART. There is no in house QA (there is a reason why, but I won't say... rest assured it's ridiculous though, and hearsay as I wasn't there personally) or HR dept. One of the more "questionable" co workers at my center was sexually harassing a temp for about 2 weeks before he quit of his own accord. This issue was raised but nothing was done to resolve the issue as the rep had already put in his notice. Should have been fired ON THE SPOT, but no on-site HR, remember? Disputing QA scores was next to impossible as the supervisor (not a QA) who would go over the issue had no idea what the issue was (didn't know our job), and usually defaulted back to "well, the QA is probably right." I have horror stories about getting in trouble for doing my job properly, but I'll spare you the details... by the way, your QA scores directly affect your raise amount.

In The End : Above, you have read what I loved and hated about this job... not very balanced is it? In truth, I did like the job and would probably still be working there if not for a mishandled situation they threw me into that I had no control over. I sincerely hope that this gets to the top of the food chain, as it were. I don't feel that anyone there should be fired for the way my situation was handled, but I feel it will be beneficial if someone is dispatched to investigate these claims. Based on my writing style, and my specific complaints I have no doubt they know who this is and can probably think of a few ways to get a hold of me if they should so desire. I would be more than happy to discuss this with someone HIGHER UP in the company and try to explain what went wrong and why I had to quit this job.
I'll leave you with this as a clue.
From Wikipedia, RE : Constructive Dismissal
"In employment law, constructive dismissal, also called constructive discharge, occurs when employees resign because their employer's behaviour has become so intolerable or heinous or made life so difficult that the employee has no choice but to resign. Since the resignation was not truly voluntary, it is in effect a termination. For example, when an employer makes life extremely difficult for an employee to attempt to have the employee resign rather than outright firing the employee, the employer is trying to effect a constructive discharge."
And that's all I have to say about that. Good day.

I have worked there twice on seperate accounts. I enjoyed my time there. For me, it was not work, it was more of family, my home. Easy to communicaye with management, not feeling as if there is a head over you. People will say bad because they are young, with age I know better and see quality when I do and Advantage Communications has that about them. The best call center in Jamaica. Their practices explain my views of greatness and I will keep spreading the word. Its rare when you have a company that has different people from different backgrounds, with different personalities but has the same goals and actually working to achieve the goals with each other. Great teamwork and I will be getting more qualified so I can be a part of this wonderful team. In love with this company. I want them to have a branch in every leading parish. I hope they go worldwide. Not just Canada but all over the world. The world need to expeience greatness and to do that, only Advantage Communications can deliver that promise with quality, integrity and style.

Most stressful job. Low wages . Worst mangement the team leads know nothing at all they just come sit watch tv talk and go home if you need any help basically THEY ARE OF NO USE .the operations manager super hopeless female. I mean in short the ENTIRE MANAGEMENT SUCKS TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT U WILL FEEL LIKE running away at once

I have been working for Advantage Communications for 9 years and I still enjoy coming into work everyday.  My day is spent assisting a team of agents to reach their work goals, while I achieve goals of my own.

I have learned that an organization is only as good as the people that work her.  I have learned that change is a big part of my job, encouraging other's as well as myself to always do your best in everything that you do.

The management is just like an extended family, they are here for us when we need them the most.

The hardest part of my job is to see people not try their best when I know that they have so much more to offer us.

The best part of my job is certainly the people that work there, I love going into the center and seeing of those smiling faces.  I like that we all work together as a team.

Training: Should be longer, more time spent on practising the applications, 

Salary: If they wish to remain competitive and get people they will have to offer a much higher wage. 

QA: Too picky and there is no need to be QA every week; twice a month is sufficient.

Overall I like the place. The program I work on has answers for pretty much all issues. There are flow charts and staff support when issues get tricky. Easy place to work and very quiet; the quietest Call Centre I have worked at. 

The building is run professionally and the Janitors do great job keeping the building very, very clean.

The only thing that gets you through your shift is your co-workers. When needing help, if you ask three different people in management the same question, you'll get three different answers. The training is generalized/poor/inadequate and has little bearing to what is encountered on the floor. Numerous QA audits are sent via email and you have no idea what call they are referring to. Marks lost are from performing your duties as taught in training, only to find that information is incorrect. Shift times are erratic making work/life balance very difficult and we won't even talk about the pay.

I love working for Advantage Communications. I am a virtual employee who has been given the opportunity to travel and collaborate with my co-workers in the regions we operate.  I am challenged within my role, and I am supported when I want to learn something new to enhance my skills.  As a virtual employee I truly feel like I am engaged daily, but I am not micromanaged.  I have been promoted 3 times in less than 3 years with ACI. My journey started as a Trainer.  My career growth is important to me, and I never feel like I am lacking opportunities to grow professionally and personally.  I enjoy most the collaboration across cultures and I truly feel like I am a valuable contributor to a thriving Global BPO. 

Gossip culture, unhealthy. Dirty and bugs in location. Has been spray for bed bugs at least once, possibly twice in past 5 years. If you do not fit into the clique, you will find you are picked on. Always under a microscope. Calls listened to, supervisors always being critical and not offering solutions. Everyone is dating each other or related.New staff makes the same as older staff. Don't expect fair pay. Don't expect a raise. Since starting, at least 3 HR managers have quit, looking to hire 2 more. Since starting most managers have only lasted until three month. Most new jobs are at the other spot, outside of canada.90 percent of staff are there under 2 years.

I really enjoyed Advantage as a company. They were great to their employees ( provided lots of activities and ways to interact with the staff). 

I learned lots of technical support and electronics. A typical day consisted of providing customers with assistance on their phone, internet, and cable via telephone. 

My co-workers were fun and very helpful when I needed them. 

The hardest part of the job was the people who were upset and/or unable to follow the directions we provided; although, I liked the challenge. 

The most enjoyable part of the job was continuous learning. Every day there was something new to learn and achieve.

I am on the toughest campaign here. When I started in Nov 2018 I had no clue what I was doing with the campaign I am on. I have worked in 4 different call centres. This is the best one that I have worked in. In the other campaign that I have done it was customer service and sales and very little technical support. The campaign I am on is all technical. I am little older that then other agents on the campaign but they are wonderful when I ask for help. When it is bad weather they will pay for your trip to work and home and free food.
The team leads are great too. I only thing I don't like is I have a 40 minute walk everyday

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