truck driver

material handler

builder

forklift operator

inside sales representative

Builders-Firstsource

I worked at BFS for over 2 years and I will give my honest personal review about this company. 

There have been massive changes going on within BFS since the time I was hired. For starters, I was hired for a particular position that was agreed upon by me and the management at the time of hire, but once the new director came on I was basically demoted. I was told there was a new vision that he's wanting to send the company so my title was changed despite my skill set. It was a blow since I left my last job early and at the last minute to take a great position that I thought would  allow me to grow, but now I'm doing work that doesn't fit my skill set at all. Actually, the work I'm doing, I learned working in highschool. BFS can be a great company to work for if you're just looking for a job with no immediate desire for advancement or if  need something that will allow you to go to school and/or work on your own business. 

The pay is not bad. It averages $18 - 22/hr for AP/AR roles. however, I know some lower titles receive $16/hr. Benefits can run you about $70 every 2 weeks for healthcare and dental not including Short/Long Term Disability. The company offer you around the amount of your salary for Life Insurance so most opt in to pay for extra coverage. The commute to work can cost you too. AS employees in downtown Dallas we have to pay for parking starting at $48 - $80 every 2 weeks or purchase a monthly bus pass for $50(If you're on bus line). most companies I worked for in the past covered the parking issues for their staff, but the amount we pay is a discount price that BFS was able to receive from the local parking company.  Even though the pay is better than most, the high amount employees spend on benefits and parking makes the pay average if not less. Also, It would be nice if bonuses were given out to staff versus upper management. Some of us that started a couple years ago had to endure many hours of overtime to help out with work. I know some consider that a bonus, but sometimes we couldn't do our work without the OT. We just wanted to go home and be with our families.  Also there is no tuition reimbursement for staff or specialize job training for employees. We have excel classes a couple times thorough the year and training about customer service, but that is something you can learn anywhere.  

These pass couple months have been really tough for some with micro management. Its almost like once we acquired the new companies everything settled and things started changing. For example, were not allowed to have phones out on our desk. I know a couple people watching moves cause the problem, but some of us feel that the staff should have went to them personally versus punishing everyone. This feels like school. I never worked for a company that did this other than government positions and customer service.   We're unable to go on break or lunch without putting up a break sign and we can't stand up for more than 1 minute to hold a quick conversation with our co-workers. Another thing I have a problem with is that management is always gone to meetings. I mean every day and almost every hour their gone. 

With all the new changes and my mini demotion, I'm looking to leave for something with less micro managing, better benefits and a position that I really will allow me to utilize my extensive skill set.

A typical day at work is fast moving, which is nice. We support a lot of older hardware, with AIX, Linux, Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003, a lot of these servers are between 9 and 11 years old so verifying backups, checking status of fans, hard drives, sysplanar boards, RAM failures, battery backups are done in the morning. This takes about an hour to an hour and half to go through this equipment list since there are about 140 servers in the field.

I have learned a lot about AIX and Linux and how it ties in with our serial equipment. We have a lot of locations running Port Server II 16's which connect our serial devices in stores to an HP or IBM tower in one of our data centers elsewhere. Troubleshooting this equipment has been quite fun because it's something not a lot of people know about and it uses old UNIX commands. I have also programmed PSC Falcon 320 scanners for our inventory equipment using the Falcon Flash Configuration Utility and UPG 2.51 to put our software on these scanners. The scanners use old DOS commands, so navigating around these reminds me of the days of Windows 3.1.1 a bit.

I am really project oriented and I get along great with the management. I have had several managers over the course of four years I have been with the company and every manager I have gotten along great with, and they have liked me. The one characteristic I think the managers and I have liked has been the "go-gettem" attitude I have. I believe this is why when there is a challenging project that needs to get done in a timely manner management looks to me.

My co-workers are friendly and they always have a smile on their faces. They have a great knack for welcoming people in the morning, and coming back from lunch. They have a real enthusiasm for helping those around them and reaching out to people in our field locations to get their equipment up and running.

I would say the hardest part of the job for me has been having to many irons in the fire. There are a lot of projects that need to get taken care of, for instance I may be walking someone in one of our field office locations on replacing a hard drive in a server when another server goes down in the field, or someone comes up and needs seven inventory scanners up and running when I am converting a store over from having a server in their office to working on a Port Server II 16 that is coming into one of our data centers. We used to have a team for handling these types of situations, but now we do not. The diamond in the rough here is the day goes by fast, and I figure out better ways to prioritize the critical situations.

The most enjoyable part of my job is the satisfaction in stepping out of work at the end of the day, stretching out my arms, and thinking about what a great accomplishment it was to finish one of the projects I was working on. I also like to reflect on how far I got on other projects and where I want to get the next day. I enjoy working on servers and their applications, but I also like the fact that I can go and work on the same hardware in my server room and build labs for complicated situations in the field. The flexibility of this part of my job is great.

Get clear on what great service looks like:

Hospitality is the professional term for a memorable guest experience outside the home.  At its most basic it might describe the bartender or server that always takes good care of you.  From the hospitality standpoint though, making an impact requires a finite skill set.  Like a good story it has a beginning, middle, and end.  The structure goes like this:

The Beginning:  Strive to see a guest before he or she sees you and have a menu ready.  Anticipating a regular guest’s drink order is a more advanced maneuver but can have a fantastic effect.  Is the cocktail mixed the way the customer likes it?  Are you focused on the right things so that priorities are in order and a second round is already a given?

The Middle:  Try to be intuitive and assess each guest’s needs without verbal acknowledgement.  You’re simultaneously humble and confident in your expertise and are attentive without outshining the moment.  Occasionally, the service industry requires an additional level of soul searching to deal with personalities you’re not appreciating.  If persona non grata is now sitting at your bar/section, get past it and don’t lose sight of the main objective… Service.
People arrive at a bar/restaurant with a multitude of problems and are often looking for an escape.  What happens if you erase the individual subtext and elevate the experience so that worries are left behind?  Let negative energy dissipate and dissolve.  That takes practice but you can easily become a hero.

The End:  How do you know which drinks are still being nursed without asking?  Clearing glassware can easily become an art form.  Nobody orders dessert because they’re still hungry; it’s a way to share more of the experience with others.  Offer after dinner digestives such as Fernet Branca or Kombucha Tea etc.  In the end, it’s the hospitality of the server/bartender that is paramount to making the experience satisfying.
A great experience is rarely forgotten and you’ll notice guest returning because of it.

BFS is a great place to work, if you are busting your butt and have no problems. As soon as you have a problem and no matter how hard or how much you do work, you are completely expendable. There is no one there to take your corner if there is an issue. The way they solve issues is to get rid of you, whether you did it or not, or there is any proof that you did anything wrong in the first place. They take the opposing side and cut you loose as quick as they can and do not pay your bonuses or vacation pay you had earned, before you were let go.

   Most of the people on the  office side are great. But again there are a few that are looking  to jump down your throat for the smallest most insignificant things. But there are plenty there that will help you and go out of there way to try and help you. With my experience that was more the case with the latter and not the former, being pro active and knowing your job is a big contribution to how you are treated, as within any organization I suppose. But just don't stumble and give them an opening because they will cut you loose very quickly. And with very little reason. 

You are required to use your own vehicle and the reimbursement they give you, was barely enough to cover the fuel you use never mind, the oil changes, insurances. And wear and tear and tires are all coming out of your own pocket and if you have a problem with your vehicle they don't offer to help but will let you go. The also make you have an inflated insurance policy, I can't say for sure, but I think it was a million dollars and they do not help with that at all either. 

The starting pay is OK and the yearly raises are minimal and don't really help much, or add up to much. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
the best part about working as a 2-ton driver for Builders first source was being able to identify and resolve problems relating to the transport of building material for various contractors within the region.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Working as a driver for Builders First Source was particularly stressful due to the lack of communication between the sales team and the drivers. Overlooked details often led to major problems, and management struggled to rectify situations effectively. Additionally, working in a mountainous region with the delivery of thousands of pounds of material presented risks, and while safety measures were explained, they were often disregarded.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment was challenging, both mentally and physically. While management created a culture that sometimes seemed welcoming and trustworthy, at other times leadership fostered an atmosphere that could be perceived as heavy-handed and intimidating.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
My day begins with a meeting with dispatch to discuss what I'll be shipping to various job sites throughout the day. Next, I prepare my truck, load the payload, organize it to fit, and finally, deliver the materials throughout the day.

There is always a lot of activity at this business: materials coming and going, truss designs being discusses and accomplished, trusses being built and materials moving around the property for this purpose.  Scheduling was an important part of my job, including employee scheduling, project importance, delivery of projects and coordinating with everyone on office supply needs.  I also kept track of materials, costs, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Collections, input and ran routine reports and where they needed to go.  Mail, phones, and general office duties were included as well.

The office atmosphere is a good one, unless deadlines are approaching for large projects, which makes things tense.  Some employees are treated with more privilege than others, as they are social companions with management.

The aspect of this job I enjoyed was the quick pace and ability to more than match it, as if it were a contest.  That my hard work was recognized and commented upon doesn't hurt.

The most difficult part of working here was the favoritism, and company policies regarding short-term or sick leave, which I required for necessary surgery.  In the end, I resigned my position over these policies.

I was hired in after working on site through a temp labor company. I was appreciative of the steady work and pay at the time (just moved) but soon found that as the new guy to a new department I was forced to work past 10 hours a day. There are no merit raises so the more you learn, the more you're expected to be responsible for regardless of title. Management communication was appalling and often pitted departments against each other in the way of making each look as if not pulling their weight. 
The company culture was non-existent and coworkers often could care less about customers or materials damages 
There were also an amazing amount of OSHA violations that were never addressed due to internal OSHA advisor not reporting or being mislead.
In the last portion of my employment the GM was replaced with a very nice and professional individual who was attempting to make changes to workplace culture and overall management, however I was not in a position to wait for results.
It's a fine place to work if you don't mind long days and plenty of overtime but don't expect to move up quick or to see much change.

A typical day at work is pretty much routine. After about two weeks on the job, you know all there is to know and what to do from that point forward. Not much to learn. You are paid muscle. Not for critical thinking to solve problems or anything of the sort. I cannot honestly comment about management because I do not work directly underneath them. Unless the warehouse supervisor is considered management. In that case, this person is the boss, but no leader. Work loads are bombarded on the same people every work day, while others who have been given job titles to make them seem important like 'lead man' are given a free ride to clock in and ride out the eight hours, doing very little. Only giving orders that come from the supervisor. There is nothing special about these individuals other than they have been with the company for a good number of years and seem to be the supervisors favorites. The lead men are very well capable of doing what everyone else is doing. But because of the title they have been given, they don't do much physical work. Unless the supervisor directly tells them to, which is rare. 
The hardest part of the job is the physical burn out. Again,.......The workload is not distributed evenly among all floor employees. The most enjoyable part about the job is clocking out for the day. 

This place can be a great place to create connections with carpenters and working in construction business. You get to learn about the material that builders use and need in construction and get familiar operating and refueling forklifts. There are semi-truck deliveries of inventory and special ordered material for customers that are unloaded and stocked for the store. There are Christmas bonuses and inventory audits every year. 
Expect to help every clients that walks through the door with a pink purchases receipt. As an employee here you must have great customer service and be able to quickly learn the material the store provides while being able to safely load the material on to customer’s vehicle  

Expect tallying materials that has been returned from jobsites that were not used or needed at the construction jobsites. In order to refund some amount to the existing account.  When days are slow there is always something to do at the job such as sweeping   sawdust, cleaning the saw, taking out the trash, or restacking wood material to loo aesthetically pleasing to customers   work picks up in the summer and slows down in the winter.

I was hired as a Deliver Driver at the Bainbridge Island, WA yard. I had a class A CDL experience with flatbed but, not with lumber and I didn't know how to operate a Moffett. They hired me at an entry level and within about a week I was being yelled at for being too slow. But, in the drivers meetings we would be lectured about driving the speed limit and being safe and giving good customer service. Well you can't have it both ways and they just didn't seem to care about the issues that a driver has to deal with, plus their "super star" driver would throw other drivers under the bus any chance he got.
 So, eventually I just got tired of fighting with them and constantly being on edge about being yelled at for the tiniest of mistakes. After the 4th month during a review where I got tongue lashed for being too slow. I gave them my two weeks notice. I still ended up working there for 2 more months until they could get a replacement trained and hired.
 They repaid this favor by trashing me to other employers where I had applied.
 There is a reason they have an ad for a driver; It's because they can't keep 'em. The pay is low and they expect you to kill yourself getting the work done all the while they keep adding more and more rules of what you can and can't do.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Truck driver 20 salaries reported	$25.62 per hour
Material handler 2 salaries reported	$17.00 per hour
Builder 1 salary reported	$16.50 per hour
Forklift operator 1 salary reported	$14.50 per hour
Inside sales representative 1 salary reported	$40,000 per year

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