abc-amega.com
I was not a customer of ABC Amega, but assigned as...
I was not a customer of ABC Amega, but assigned as a temp for 3 months as a Customer Service Representative. They are contracted to collect debt from various national and international companies by their client companies. Their client companies are some of the cheapest, worst rated companies by the Better Business Bureau. The amount you get yelled and swore at is a fraction of a normal debt collection agency, and sometimes it feels like you might actually be making people's days better. Most times, it just feels like you're another number to get dumped on until they inevitably get rid of you for some of the most asinine policies I've ever had the misfortune of having to curtail to.
It started out seeming like a great place to work; I was involved in 3 meetings my first week which showed me that there was quality communication between entry level employees and management, I was trained pretty well and advanced fast, and the office is absolutely beautiful.
After just a month, it was clear that that week was an anomaly. They say they do monthly "one-on-ones" to talk with you and get feedback, work with you to get better; I never got one the whole time I was there, even though I was told I would have one multiple times. Therefore, other than anything I did wrong, I was never advised of what to do better, what I should continue doing. Which is funny because in the few meetings and conversations I was able to have with a Team Lead or Supervisor, they were always complaining how they're client only talks to them when they've done something wrong.
Further, I was expressly told I shouldn't be expressing my opinion about certain policies or questioning them. For instance, the policy when an invoice is asked for by a customer involved marking the invoice in the system that they had asked, and then moving on. Every customer service rep has access to invoices, yet, we're NOT ALLOWED to send them when they're asked for unless it's the 2nd request. But the customer doesn't know that and we're not allowed to tell them. So they could be waiting months for that invoice. Months.
There is also a policy that you cannot arrive more than two minutes before your shift and cannot arrive more than two minutes later, and you cannot leave even a minute before your shift is over. Now, their working hours are 8:30am-7pm and shifts generally run about 8 to 10 hrs, so clearly the different shifts make sure there is enough coverage on the phones. Completely understandable. But, they have a point system depending on how late you are each time and once you've reached a certain number of points, you're ousted. No matter what kind of a worked you are, no matter if your temp or permanent, no matter if you got caught in traffic, are only ever late maybe once a month, etc etc. Regardless, you're out.
Now this tells me that they care more about having bodies to answer the phone than the actual work that they do. This is further validated when there are employees who have been there for as long as anyone can remember that rarely work accounts correctly. On a daily basis the employee would handle an account incorrectly, making it harder for the customer and the client to get what they needed, and yet the employee is still there. They dont do their job correctly, but they show up on time, and apparently that's all that matters.
So, from an employee's perspective, this company is bogus to work for. If you're looking for easy money, talking to people on the phone, and working accounts that will never truly be right, as long as you can be on time by the minute, this job is for you.
I admit, I'm not the most punctual person, but being five minutes late here and there, not being able to make up the time at the end of my shift like a normal job, does not seem right and, further, unrealistic. I admit, I like knowing all the moving parts of any job I have, but being told I SHOULDN'T express my opinion or even ask about those moving parts is wrong, especially when they pertain directly to my job.
Overall, not the greatest company and they show no inclination to change.
