This job is only manageable if you are very money motivated
During the training period, this job was great. It made me think that not only would i succeed, but also enjoy my time here. All kinds of encouragement like "youre not just a number here!" and so on. Then once my actual job started, I was whisked away to sit alone in a corner, talking to the worst of the worst consumers each day for over 9 hours.
The program I worked for offered incentives, but these incentives can only be met if you let yourself get talked to by racist and homophobic customers all day. You cant defend yourself, and are discouraged to hang up (in order to hit the incentives).
The atmosphere of the job is HORRIBLE. In my short time working there, I had several customers comment "it sounds like youre working in a sweat shop, its so loud!" because it is SO loud you can barely hear who youre speaking with. The walls have random paint spatters and holes in the ceiling, you arent allowed to have anything on the floor of your job. No paper, pens, books, not even a cardigan on your chair is allowed.
I will say, the staff are extremely friendly, its very diverse- HOWEVER in terms of "youre not a number!" is an utter lie. The managers get paid LESS than you do. You work one of the most annoying/frustrating jobs ever, and you barely get above minimum wage, will never meet any upper management, your breaks are "15 minutes" but theyre so tight its closer to 12 minuets, and the surrounding area is horrendous. Lastly, the hours are 12-9PM, which leaves you
Many drawbacks, not much positive beyond co-workers
A typical day at SGS:
Have to arrive at least 30 - 45 minutes early and be on your way up because of the impossibly long wait for the two elevators - and there's usually only one in service - so you can be upstairs and have everything set up before you start your shift, since you're expected to start answering the phones the second the clock ticks over.
The stairs are steep and awkward, so walking up 22 flights of stairs to the 11th floor is a bit over-the-top. (But 100% props to you if you do it!)
If you start after noon, you'll have to spend at least 20 minutes trying to find a seat with a working computer.
"Working" being a relative term because the computers can't actually handle the poorly coded tools that are required to do the job, and they freeze/crash all the time.
Now, the main ordering system can only launch one instance of ordering, and it is very slow and has a tendency to freeze up the entire program if you're not careful. My position had me handling 2-3 of these orders at once, with the clock running on how long it was taking to clear each.
If your computer is being extra problematic that day don't expect to be allowed to move seats. Managers are hard to find, and harder to convince of anything.
The only positives I have to say about this job is that when you take away the issues with the systems ( in dire need of an upgrade ) the actual job is easy, and the tools are not very complex. Comfy ergonomic chairs came in half way through my time at SGS, a
Proshire anyone, paid training, easy job, interesting people
ConsLong hours, impersonal, no support, hire anyone, weird dress code
1.0
Customer Support Representative | Remote | May 11, 2021
Poor Workplace Environment
Although I loved the idea of working from home, this is not a good company. Typical call centre that is strictly focused on performance and metrics. No care for the employees and everything you learn in training can go out the window as then you get in trouble for doing what you were taught. They set you for up for failure and there is a true lack of support when you need it. They do not care at all about you as a person or an employee. They are super strict, even if you're one second late you get talked to about it and they use scare tactics. There is no understanding around appointments and there is no life balance. Expect to not have a life or to see your family because they expect you to be on calls well after the end of your shift. Long hours and no consideration for your home life. They have a very long and intensive interview process and then tons of software to download to your PC. I did not enjoy my time here. Trust me, if you have any respect for yourself, do not work here and you can do better. They do have a decent benefits package but that's about it. When you need help, you literally have to jump through hoops just to get told you have email someone else. It was not fun, full of stress and always on edge to ensure you were on time and maintaining your performance. Slightly more than minimum wage but it's not enought to live on and its no where near enough for the kind of stuff you have to do and the amount of stress, it's just not worth it. I was tech support fo
First of all, I have a master's degree. I decided to change career to IT right after graduation and I needed a job badly at the time. I'm grateful that Sutherland gave me an opportunity while seemingly no other company would (small city, end of year, COVID, etc.)
Good words end here, unfortunately. Because of call centre nature, call taking agents are usually very busy and stressed. I took calls for two months and (were asked to) switched to emails. Life is much quieter and relaxing, although for some it could also mean boring and dreadful. I enjoyed my email days until new opportunity knocked my door.
The management is a mess and it's my biggest complain about the company. Team managers only seem to care about their metrics/performance. When agents need them for things like paid time leave, reschedule, or even freaking resignation, they are unresponsive to say the least. I've had a couple of TMs and only one is exception. In short, the management is ignorant and cold blooded.
The pay, there is nothing to write home about. Lowest across industry and no pay increase during my year. Other benefits are pretty standard, but as I mentioned before, good luck scheduling PTO with your team manager.
All in all, I only recommend this company if you are new grad, looking for a job badly, no one's willing to take you, you plan to self-study off work, and plan to leave for better job as soon as possible.
Prosno commute, no dress code, email team is relaxing
Conscall taking agents are stressed, management is unresponsive
2.0
Call Center Representative | Windsor, ON | Aug 14, 2015
They have some improvements to make.
A typical day at sutherland involved accepting inbound calls from AT&T customers. Customer can be fairly angry or upset and can project their feelings on you. Representatives need to be skilled in problem solving, reassuring the customer and deescalating callers.
A disadvantage to working here is the emotional burn out you will feel when you resolve the customer's issue but the customer may still not give you a positive survey, or may not fill out a survey for you at all, which will negatively affect your score. Sutherland takes these scores seriously, and there is pressure to keep yourself in range. If you don't stay in range, they will fire you. It can be stressful, as some customers are satisfied but just chose not to fill out the surveys, or some are angry entering the call and are still upset even after a solution is presented. With the pressure to stay in range, and upset customers lashing out at you for something that is not your fault, it doesn't take much to feel overwhelmed and burnt out. In my opinion, their score system is flawed. It is understandable that scores should be important to sutherland, as it's the only way to review the agents, however people should not be fired because of neutral callers. Maybe in the future they will improve their score system, but as of right now, it only creates more stress to an already stressful job.
Customer Service Representative | Ontario | Mar 9, 2022
Very stressful don’t recommend working at this place!
This job is very, very stressful I don’t recommend working at this place!
If you love to be yelled at and like to be sworn at on the phone it’s the perfect job for you! The money is below average for the abuse an agent takes for calls 8 hrs a day! If you are very sensitive to people being angry and upset swearing putting down others on the phone this job isn’t for you at all! The mental stress from callers is out of this world for a human to withstand this much mental stress for callers complaining and anger management issues. The mangers are ok some don’t care about anyone just how long a call takes and how many calls are finished in an hour. Even if your an amazing agent you still get coaching for taking to many bathroom breaks. I feel everything is super disorganized one day your told one thing then the next day it’s incorrect. The only thing I love about the job is the nice callers they are the best and very respectful. The angry customers who call swear at the agent and go off the handle! The positive is working from home which is nice. The company doesn’t supply any equipment no headset, no monitors, no computer of any kind. Must have cell phone, high speed internet. They have a referral program to get people to work at the company. When you got to give the link it doesn’t work at all. The system they want us to work on always freezes and you spend your days with tech support etc..
2.0
Customer Service Representative | Windsor, ON | Dec 11, 2018
Typical Third Party Call Center
This is just another third party call center. Work morale is extremely low as most call centers are that run on small budgets and push for low billable shrink. Definitely somewhere to go as an in-between or beginner job. Call volume is fair but can get super busy at times. Metrics are fairly easy to obtain. Lots of unprofessional coworkers that act like kids and it just goes tolerated by management. Makes the environment feel like a daycare.
The major problem with these major corporate third party call centers is that they're not getting any better with time, but worse. As the cost of living and minimum wage hikes up, they're falling behind in job advantages, and Sutherland falls under this umbrella.
At this place, you can expect to feel the full force of both the low economic prowess of Windsor and the lackluster experience of working at a high stress call center environment. You can tell that the managers and trainers are stressed big time, and it shows in how they approach their roles.
Their call quality process is pretty crazy, too. They really try to find reasons to push for disciplinary action.
However, Sutherland does have a few great advantages to working there. Listed in the Pros section.
ProsFree indoor parking, full benefits 3 months in
Sutherland Global Services is a call centre in Windsor, ON. I specifically work as tech support for AT&T Uverse resolving issues with cable, phones, and the Internet. AT&T places unreasonable quality demands on the company and those demands lead to a very stressful work environment, high turnover rate, unrealistic expectations, and a haven for buck-passing attitudes. That said, SGS provided satisfactory benefits despite the low wages and several opportunities to advance within the company, though the turnover rate among higher positions was still unusually high. I have not climbed the ladder within the company because I have found success and relative stability in my position. The satisfaction of resolving a customer's issue, while short-lived due to the number of issues to be resolved daily, provides sufficient motivation to answer the next call or chat. Sutherland has justly earned a poor reputation in Windsor as an undesirable place to work, not least because of the building's frightening history with bedbugs, but it's one of few places in Windsor that offers stable, full-time work with benefits.
ProsGood benefits, accessible location, adequately managed and supervised
ConsMinimum wage work, severe turnover rate, stressful environment, bedbug outbreaks, regular program/tool failures, inconsistency in rewards and discipline
1.0
Customer Service Representative | Windsor, ON | Feb 27, 2019
The worse company I've ever worked for
The job itself is easy. However, it's a toxic work environment.
I was hired to work in IT but when I went to sign my papers, I was told that the position was no longer being hired for and I could either take a "customer service" position or wait 3 months when the position would be open. HR knew weeks before I went to sign the papers. They were VERY unprofessional. Imagine a group of teenagers running the HR. Due to my personal situation, I had to take the position.
As for the "customer service" position. It's not. It's high pressure sales. There are managers that walk down the rows and screech about how you'd better get their sales. You cannot talk to your coworkers, and are in competition with them for sales. I attempted to transfer to IT when positions became open but was told that I didn't have enough time with the company to transfer from HR. They had told me that I had to be there 6 months yet people I started with had no issue moving. Found out that I was kept in the toxic environment because my sales were high.
Don't expect to get weekends off. Your schedule is based on your team's sales not on your own merit. The only way you move up in the company is if you're a s up or a f up.
Not one person I started with is still there...there were 28 people in my training class. There's a reason this company has a VERY high turnover.
ProsCommission
ConsEverything else
4.0
Customer Support Representative | Remote | Aug 17, 2021
Good job
The training is awesome. The trainers really know their stuff and make learning fun.
After the training you are pretty much thrown to the wolves. You have support but it's through chat and you never know if your question will be answered with the correct solution. This makes it stressful while the customer is waiting and wants an answer . At this point they don't want to hear more small talk because they're angry.
I would suggest after we are done nesting (training) that every week after we go back for 1 day of training because EVERYONE will have so many questions and they need the expertise of the trainers to help them. The trainers have the time to detail everything without pressure which makes for a better learning environment. I would suggest after nesting (training) new employees work 2 days then go back for 1 day training followed by 2 more days of work. I would do this for 1 month and then reduce it down to 2 hours with trainers once a week for another 2 months or basically your whole 3 month probation period. After the 3 month period meeting up with the trainers once a month for 1 hour more advanced training would be awesome.
Honestly I believe the employees would be much better trained and be able to make customers happier quicker and much more efficient. The motto would be "FASTER, BETTER, HAPPIER".
A typical day working at Sutherland began by logging into the dozen or so glitchy, outdated, and unlicensed (stolen) tools or software that was part of clocking in, doing the job, etc.
I learned here that anybody with a pulse can be hired by Sutherland, and that every individual in the company underneath the top tiers of management are completely replaceable, not viewed as human, and lied to routinely. It rolls downhill in every hierarchy in existence, but the people above you at Sutherland will really pile it on. More on that in a minute.
Management was hit or miss. I expected each of the managers to be as fake, plastic, and full of misplaced zeal as the employees they parade in front of you during orientations. You know the type: promises of being flown to the Philippines by the company, etc., if only you work hard! Surprisingly, many of the managers were very respectable people, willing to help with issues inside and outside of their scope. That is on one hand. On the other hand, if you didn't play Xbox or Magic the Gathering with the managers, you weren't going to have a very good time of things. I was lucky enough to get along with the managers at Sutherland, and was treated wildly preferentially to employees with more workplace integrity than myself, just because they weren't part of this activity or that activity. I had no reason to complain, though this is a wildly unprofessional and dishonest practice. Managers would tell me stories of how they slept with X wom
ProsCo-workers were fun
ConsEvery single thing imaginable
2.0
Technical Support Representative | Palayan | Jun 11, 2023
A Challenging Experience at Sutherland
My time at Sutherland was marked by a number of frustrations, including low salaries, incompetent management, and a lackluster HR department. While the company had its flaws, I must acknowledge that it provided me with some valuable learning opportunities.
Pros:
Unfortunately, the positive aspects of working at Sutherland were overshadowed by the challenges. However, it is worth noting that the company did offer some valuable learning experiences. The nature of the work itself provided an opportunity to develop certain skills and gain industry-specific knowledge. Additionally, interacting with colleagues from diverse backgrounds was an enriching aspect of the job.
Cons:
One of the primary concerns during my tenure at Sutherland was the issue of low salaries. Compensation packages were below industry standards, which made it difficult to feel adequately rewarded for the effort and time put into the work. This lack of competitive compensation was a significant source of dissatisfaction among employees.
Furthermore, the management at Sutherland was frequently incompetent and displayed a lack of effective leadership. This led to poor decision-making, inadequate support, and an overall disorganized work environment. It was frustrating to witness the disconnect between management and the employees, which impacted the team's efficiency and morale.
Moreover, the HR department was particularly disappointing. They seemed ill-equipped to handle their responsibilities and lacked the
Orientation day was fun, everyone was excited to start and be there. The first week of training was fun also, our trainer was really sweet. But after that it turned into a complete nightmare. My whole team was being trained as Resolutions 1 and then immediately switched to Resolutions 2 which is a very hard department. We were told so many different things and bounced around from class to class via Zoom. Management is horrible and there is TONS of miscommunication. Training is boring and they pile you with so much information that none of it even makes sense because you don’t even get a chance to apply what you learn until the very last week. They shove surveys down your throat before you even have a chance to finish training to be able to give them good word, so they pressure you into giving them good ratings because you’re new and don’t want to be fired. Our training center as supposed to be for 4 weeks and then two weeks in nesting and then production. On the beginning of week 3 we were shoved into nesting so we were robbed of a week of training. The week they call “nesting” is the week before production and you have to take two calls in front of QA in order to pass and move to production. The problem with that is, you don’t know what you’re doing because training was such a chaotic disaster. The job is stressful, there’s 0 work life balance, the calls you are taking and the amount of work you have to do is not worth what they pay you. You have to follow what they call “wo
Decent Starter Job, Not a Career, Could use much improvement
I worked at Sutherland for just under 5 years. Starting in 2007. And I am writing this review based on my experience there. To start off, The starting pay is low, However if you need a Job, it is a good starter job. When I started in 2007 it was actually not that bad but the commission structure has changed greatly year after year, and during my first couple of years in addition to our base salary I was able to earn between 1,000 - 1,500 in monthly commission. It was not easy though and while there were some making more, most would be making much less, with my guess of about 50 % of reps getting basically nothing, due to absenteeism or not hitting metrics. I didn't feel micromanaged, but there are many, many, many metrics we were judged by, and in many cases, not hitting certain levels for one or all of those metrics could severely affect your commission. I didn't have any issues with management and I have met alot of great people in my time there.
There is a very high turnover, partly because there is very little room for advancement, and the raise amounts are minimal on a yearly basis. There is not alot of job stability, I worked for 3 programs or clients and at one point was laid off for a month in between and was then called back about another opportunity. There was even one program I was on and we came into work one day and the phones were just off, nobody was getting calls, and our managers said the client has stopped sending calls to us, and that was followed by a l
I got a job at Sutherland doing what was advertised as a technical support position in an inbound call-center. Training went well and I was very excited to start doing well at my new job. I was warned during training that it was probable that around half of us wouldn't be on the project after the busy season ended. This seemed fair but I was determined to be one of the ones who stayed on the team because it looked like a great opportunity to do something I was good at. Fast forward to about one month on the phones: I wasn't doing so hot on the metrics (customer experience), my manager talked to me and we set up a performance improvement plan, we spoke about how I could better do my job and then he made it clear that in one month I either had succeeded in the plan or it would be elevated to a more serious disciplinary plan (as in he explicitly stated that I needed to improve within the next two months or I would probably have to find somewhere else). Five days later, after I was trying really hard to improve, I was called into the hiring manager's office and "laid off" because apparently they had over hired (which made sense as we weren't that busy). Mind you I was told a week before that I wouldn't be let go for TWO more months even if my performance didn't improve (this was very explicitly stated). Not a big deal, I totally understand that companies must turn a profit and it would make sense to get rid of the underperforming employees first. Both the hiring manager and the H
ProsCoworkers
Consdishonest/misleading management
1.0
Customer Service Representative | Houston, TX | Apr 16, 2018
Whatever you do, don't work for AT&T Program
I went over the reviews and they are completely full of it. If your in a corporate or upper management position than the reviews could be true. I originally came to Sutherland for the Veterans Choice Program getting $17 hrly, but 6 months in Sutherland took about 200 people, dropped our pay to $12, and put us in the AT&T program.
They lied all through training and said sales wasn't required, yet multiple people were fired for a lack of sales, they force you to sell DirecTV and products that customers don't want or need. It's a stressful environment because so many reps lie to consumers for sales and you have to listen to the complaints.
Management is awful, I mean horrible. Sutherland doesn't base your advancement on your skills and tenure with the company, it's about brown-nosing and making friends with the right people, which is why more than half the people in the program are poorly trained. Literally, managers do not know anything. Which is sad?
The Account Manager is completely unprofessional, she's emotional and based all her decisions on her connections with people. And she doesn't know what she is doing. Which is why upper management for AT&T is always there because the center is always having problems. They have issues with theft all the time and fraudulent sales, but they won't do anything until the client makes a huge deal out of it, the fraud is always people they praised to high sales but find out months later that they stole customer's info and m
ProsI get a check every 2 wks
ConsBonuses, Staffing, No advancement, unprofessional, ghetto
Other than the review it was nice to have a job and the overtime hours were plentiful.
You were constantly under pressure, if your numbers were not 100% on a daily basis you would soon have to sign an agreement called a (PIP) form, stating that you agree with being terminated at the end of a 30 or 60 day period, or transfer out of that particular office, which I believe created a stressful situation within me. I felt if I did that, I failed at being a good employee and at being myself.
In hindsight, I wish I would've just transfered out.
You also were not allowed to view and prepare what we called macro's (a set of selected verbiage used to help customers with the most frequently asked questions) during overtime hours AND the time was limited during regular hours as well. Most of the time when new product was launched, they did not have the answer either.
When I was let go, I was not given a warning or suspension which one of the managers suggested however, they decided they were sticking to company policy and insinuated that I misused company time. Which I though unfair, writing a letter to the degree that I thought it unfair. What I learned was to never go the extra mile, unless I looked into it further to be sure that I would never compromise or sacrifice my job or position, in doing so.
I enjoyed the people I worked with and I enjoyed the job also. I thought management to be professional except in the handling of this particular situation, there was miscommunication and I feel everyone involved should have been at the meeting before issuing a terminatio
Prosconstant training, meetings, updates on products
It's one of those learning experiences that don't add up to what you walk away with.. (Not worth it)
What is the best part of working at the company?
The job went full remote during the pandemic (and stayed that way), and a few (very few) of the people were nice, honest people.
What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
- 80+ work weeks (to them remote meant: if you're home, you're in office)
- minimum pay for maximum effort (you usually had to work a position for about a year before you actually got the pay increase and title promotion)
- constant threat of lay-off or termination (The company itself was bad at this, the clients were worse)
- weekly operations meetings were more of beat-down sessions
- very little to no support
- expertise lacking in multiple areas and departments
- poor-functioning, extremely outdated equipment (PCs and networks out at least once a week)
-note: you'd think I was disgruntled, but they sent me out the door with a lay-off, and I couldn't be happier! All of the above is true, but systems like these have a way of keeping you stuck where you're at, by offering you just a touch more because you're about to leave. Most of the time, it was just title changes with no (or little) pay increase. I personally went through most of these things and witnessed the others. STAY AWAY FROM SGS
What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Erratic, disorganized, poor communication, loud (on site), untrustworthy
What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Fixing broken systems, getting people's computers online and w
I am a seasonal employee that works from home for them and all in all its a good company to work for. They offer you 401k and all that. They usually will hire you back for each new season. but the time that you work is short usually only a month long than they hard cut you. My issues with them is their scheduling. Its really hard to plan for things or go places during your time with them. Like if you need to see the doctor its really difficult to schedule an appointment when you are working as a seasonal worker with them because your schedule is always subject to be changed without any notice given and it states in the contract that you sign with them that they are allow to do so. So pretty much I would say if you are going to be a seasonal work for them plan to be staying at home during your time with them. Its great if you want to make some extra money while sitting at home. The tasks you preform are simple. They give you free software but word of warning the software is very intrusive so I would have a computer setup just for this job or any WAH job you many do and another for your personal use. You will need a headset, they request that you use a USB one but any headset will do. Having a background in customer service and being a people-person is a big plus, and will help you to do this job well. They only give you a week of training to learn what you need to know but it can seem like less because you do end up waiting on the others who many have tech issues to actually g
ProsEasy $9 an hour job, offers benefits, lots of Overtime, lots of great coworks, Work from Home
ConsNot enough training, scheduling makes it hard to plan for things, poor notifications, position is not secure
Questions and answers about Sutherland
How often do you get a raise at Sutherland?
Asked Nov 8, 2022
Basically none
Answered Sep 23, 2023
Merit Increases every October pending performance review
Answered Jun 22, 2023
What benefits does Sutherland offer?
Asked Nov 20, 2018
Insurance for employees
Answered Sep 2, 2023
insurance
Answered Aug 30, 2023
What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Asked Nov 13, 2022
Good work conditions
Answered Aug 18, 2023
Back to back calls
Answered Jun 30, 2023
Why would you want to work at Sutherland?
Asked Apr 30, 2017
Because i know they are the good company to move my future up and at same time they are very good people's indeed
Answered Oct 19, 2019
I worked for Sutherland in 2006 in Vernon, BC. They came here with promises of being an employer that needed lit if staff. Well they did until one of the contracts went to the Philippines and then they just let people go never said a word to staff on the floor. After a year of sevics and 104% on my review I didn't get the full $0.15 raise because I didn't bake a cake and bring it in. I was a single Mom and was not in a financial position to do such a thing. So my opinion if this employer is not that good and they no longer are here anymore. So when times are a bit rough, Sutherland gets out!
