designer

installer

design consultant

customer service representative

sales representative

Closets-By-Design

What is the best part of working at the company?
I love working with clients, problem-solving their space and using design and creativity to create an enjoyable and functionally space for them.  

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
There was no real training and this is a HARD SELL (used car tactics) position. You are expected to spend 2 1/2 to 5 hours in the client's home (sometimes against their will, but they are too polite to say GO).  Then when they aren't prepared to buy that day, you have to call a sales manager. That's when the used car tactics come in.  Suddenly the 3 or 4 hours you've spent earning the client's trust and building rapport, sometimes goes down the drain.  Then,  if you don't sell at least 50% of your leads, you are sidelined - they don't give you new leads! Tough when you're working straight commission. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very fast paced. Very labor intensive.  No room for mistakes or errors - a given when you have not been fully trained.  Lots of paperwork! And this franchise is still very paper vs digital dependent.  The other sales people are nice,  friendly and helpful.  But you only see them once a month at Sales Meetings. 

In addition,  this company likes to operate on your dime!! No car allowance, no cell phone, no tablet, no toll reimbursement, minimal mileage allowance. Therefore,  all the expenses are yours,  but you are W-2 not 1099, so much more difficult to offset.  

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
You are provided one new lead per day. You are required to be available 15 days per month. You must provide your calendar 30 days in advance. You are told you have a "flexible" schedule, when in fact it is quite the opposite. You endbup scheduling follow-up appointments (2nd visits) on the days "off" because you have no idea what times are available on your scheduled work days - because you don't find that out till the afternoon before.   They don't tell you anything about your appointment for the next day until 3 pm today. Then it's just a name and an address and time (could be 10 am or 2, 4 or 6 pm) - no phone #. So if the client isn't home,  you have to call the office,  and have them call the client.  Then you are required to wait at least 20 minutes if they can't get ahold of the client.  Thankfully that hasn't happened often,  but it does happen.  More frequently,  the client calls the office to cancel the appointment the night before or the morning of.  Then,  they do attempt to find a different appointment for you,  but that generally doesn't go well,  because the clients weren't really prepared for you to come today.  

Then,  you arrive at the client,  you go with them to the closet and discuss their needs and complaints.  Then you spend roughly 30 minutes measuring,  analyzing and photographing the closet.  Once this is accomplished,  you ask for a place to draw so you can hand draw designs for their space.  Depending on size and clients need,  this takes some time - at least 30 minutes and sometimes a couple of hours. Once that is accomplished,  you take client back to the closet and discuss the proposed design. If all is good you price out the design - another half hour of your time invested.  Once you have the closet priced you sit with the client again to discuss price. If all is good,  (which rarely happens at this point) you write up a contract and client signs all the paperwork.  In more cases than not,  you do some minor price/design adjustments or negotiating to fit clients budget. In the majority of cases,  a phone call is made to the sales manager so they can ask questions and negotiate further till client either agrees to purchase or you say goodbye and go home without a sale.  But,  you then have to invest another 30 minutes to an hour documenting that process in the CRM.

I started at Closets By Design as a designer / sales team member with no background in design but plenty in sales.  The training process was intense but covered a lot of what is expected as designer.  I came from a sales background of 100% commission compensation and was floored with the opportunities available to driven sales people!  I loved the bonus structure that rewarded success with 1-3% monthly bonuses based on your performance and meeting minimum schedules.  I did have to work to get to that level, but having my work recognized and monetarily rewarded was a huge change for me in my sales career.  Process wise, I was informed in mid afternoon (3PM) the day prior of my appointments giving ample preparation time for the lead. My previous experience was 4:30PM release of next day leads.  There was a support system for improvement and education session to learn and improve at your own pace.  Since I was new to design it took me longer than some other designers to show mastery and learn new areas.  Though it kept me from being put into situations where I wasn't comfortable selling.  It is a system in which you can work hard and find continued success.  I bought into the sales process just as I had with my previous position which proved to be successful in both places.  My lead distribution was initially a training schedule and later based upon how well I was selling.  I enjoy a challenge so it was a good fit for me to prove myself and be rewarded.  I was able to see more appointments and be in front of more clients as I sold more and maintained a higher closing percentage.  It wasn't an overnight success and I did have to overcome challenges, but I was able to get there with help.

There was definitely an adjustment period as this was a much different type of sales job than my past experiences. Getting a closet or garage or home office was much more of a want than the "needs" that I sold previously.  But there is a system in place to teach you how to do the job both in design and selling.  While I had the sales experience, I needed a good amount of additional training in the design aspect. There was always the chance to go to the office and work with Performance Coaches to learn and grow with my design knowledge.  This is definitely a full time job and having a commissioned job in the past had me starting off with that exact mindset and manage my schedule accordingly.

The culture was very focused on making sure that you were supported if you asked for it and helping those who want to improve.  Lot of friendly people and I found support when I asked and was willing to listen and learn.

You don’t get your schedule until 3pm the day before . You have no idea where your going. It could be close , it could be an hour and half away . You are expected to pay tolls and gas. There is no reimbursement in place . So it cost you money to do this job . Especially if you don’t close the sale. Average Closing rate is 50%. You also will open up your schedule and may never receive  a lead or a cancellation.  There is definitely no rhyme or reason to how they distribute the leads.  One could say it feels like favoritism.  You can not work part time for another company while you build your business as by the time you get your schedule it will be hard to commit to another job.  You only receive half commission up front and second half  at install which could be 3-6 month out. It is commission only and on a sliding scale of 10-4% . And a bonus if 1-3% which is very hard to obtain if don’t close 12 deals. average sale is in the $4k range . Do the math. The money is not there.  They give you 5 days of training and expect you to be a pro and frustrated with you when you may do something incorrectly. Creates high anxiety by the time your drawing gets to plan check and of course more time on RE design  They hire in droves because there is such a high turn over. You are only a number to them.! They don’t care because it will always work to their benefit . When you leave it is up to them whether you get to keep your second half of your income that you previously sold. You are basically hanging on so that you can get your second half but you keep getting deeper and deeper. So at some point you have to cut your losses.  Things were not disclosed , and lots of bate and switch. The design process is grueling as you sit there in front of the customer and design and redesign and they may never buy so hours upon hours spent with a customer who never had intentions or just want to steal your ideas.  Tons of paperwork.  Expect to work at least 8 hours on one design. There is an insurmountable amount paperwork and tech is super outdated !  I’m sure you can get quicker the longer you are there. Please don’t put yourself thru what I went thru. I had high hoped for this job and hung on way too long and gave it 120 % and came from a sales background.  I am not bitter so trust this review. My main  goal is too help future applicants who go in with rose color glasses like I did.  Best bet find another job 

Working at this company is a great first step to improving carpentry skills, working with saws to cut down wood to precise measurements nearly every day was great practice. Working with complex projects, including trim work, built in lighting, and overall touchup work was a really good way to improve my eye for small detail and overall appearance. However, once I made my way to an installer position after 6 months of in-depth training, it felt like things were falling apart. This was in part due to the company's decision to move to a much larger warehouse, this created unforeseen issues in both our installations in the field, and our back office. 
Things became a frenzy of issues, where installers could no longer finish a job to completion, due to either our material being abysmal in quality, or it just not even being available in time for our job. This discourse between the work force trying to do their job and the management trying to sort things out reached new highs, and due to the managements seemingly indifferent stance on our inability to do our jobs, some of the top installers quit and started working for a competitor. 
This absence of skilled workers created even more problems, forcing high complexity jobs on newer, inexperienced installers. This created even more stress on the work force, pillars of skill and talent for their craft were now gone, and there was no one to replace them, except for the untrained new hires. Their ambition was apparent, but the daunting, overwhelming responsibility caused most to quit withing their first month. This left only 3 higher skilled installers, me and 2 other less skilled installers, and 3 undertrained installers. The company at this point focused more on having an installer faster, rather than a properly trained one.
These grievances and faults of the company is what drove me, and others, to leave the company. This is not necessarily indicative of the current state of the company, nor should it reflect the entire conglomerate, this is just a heads up on the affairs I faced in my time working. 
Overall, it's a great first step into carpentry, but I wouldn't recommend staying too long.

What is the best part of working at the company?
After learning basic closet design in the first 3 days... nothing! They say you will have 4-6 appointments a week, but that's has not happened consistently. Salary expectations are WAY OFF... you will be making minimum wage or lower when you calculate all the time you put in for;  design reviews, travel, scanning, documentation to clients, drawing your top views (not done at the customer's home), calling in credit card info, calls back to  plan check, weekly sales reports. Oh, and they ...don't pay for travel!  Some appointments are downright in dangerous north  philly neighborhoods (house value of $55,000). One of the biggest problems are canceled appointments by clients, and by CLOSETS BY DESIGN !  They do not let you advance to use CAD drawings (need training and computer), so they make you jump thru hoop after hoop. It makes it very hard to compete with other closet companies . Management says they are there to help, but  that's all showmanship.  They hire hoards of designers, and only let a few stay... by dropping off your appointments to like 1 a week, so eventually you will leave. Not even a good job for just getting out of college!

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Not knowing what your commission will be - because it will change if they decide something needs an upcharge, you forgot something in the bid, an obstacle needed a cutout (all has to be done by hand, and the price sheets keep changing).
Also, not knowing what your schedule is until 8pm the night before.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Club-like (don't bother to try to fit in unless you are there for about a year).  The message that ruminates... you are expendable.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
You work out of your home. You gather your paperwork for client night before. When you arrive at client, most of the time it is not what you expected. A walk-in closet becomes a room conversion. Someone decides they want a Murphy Bed (and you aren't trained in Murphy Beds). You'll spend about 2 hours with the customer drawing on graph paper, writing up a quote and doing a 1 call close. Write up a contract, call in credit card info or get a check (needs to be mailed in). Then scanning work from home, getting an Install date for customer and lots of other paperwork.

There are so many things wrong with this place. A lot of these reviews say what needs to be said, but I’ll add on. The management thinks their business model is top notch and if you’re struggling with selling closets it’s somehow your fault. You’re given only one week of training, and then sent out to people who are under the impression that you are an expert at what you do, almost guaranteed to make amateur mistakes and setting everyone involved up for failure and disappointment. No shadowing, no reimbursement for mileage and wear and tear on your vehicle (they say that they try to keep it within 30 minutes of where you live, but it’s almost always an hour or more). They incentivize you to pressure people into buying $4k closets in one day, but people don’t work like that, especially in the economy we are currently in. Meanwhile, the customers are always under the impression that it’s just an initial, hour long consultation, often with a 3D model at the end (we do everything on grid paper because it’s “cheaper” and we would be at their house for up to four hours depending on the size of the closet and complexity of their needs) because the receptionists don’t tell them anything about the appointment, so a lot of the time you would drive an hour just for the customer to be blindsided. It’s not fair to the designer, and not fair to the customer. Also, the “make your own schedule!”  thing is laughable. You have to plan your whole life over a MONTH in advance, while not getting notified if you’re even working until the night before, sometimes even the same day! They also make you use your personal phones to contact clients, which is super sketchy especially if you are a woman. You don’t know who these people are or what they’re capable of, and it’s 2024, provide an app or something for that! Overall, just a really toxic work environment that’s physically and mentally exhausting. I realize that sales isn’t for everyone, but this job made me never want to try sales again. The only good thing I can say is that once you leave, the bar will be set so low that any job you get afterwards will seem great in comparison. Good luck out there!

From my time here of over 8 months, I have observed high turnover rates from my fellow designers. I am sure there are many reasons why my co-workers left, but I want to believe that the unpredictable nature of this job is much to blame. 

Starting off, the pay is based solely on commission, so if you want a livable wage you have to cross your fingers. You will definitely have good months and bad months (mostly bad ones). Even if you think you will make a good commission off of a sale, design errors or production limitations will be taken out of your commission. I cannot believe how many times I thought I was going to make a decent commission, but I ended up bringing $0 home. 

Next, are the appointments themselves. Designers have no idea about their scheduled new clients until the afternoon before. It is extremely hard to personally plan your week because you will not know where or when you are meeting a client until the last minute. Yes, clients can cancel so there should be some fluidity with the system but there should be more control over this process.

Lastly, are the sales managers. In 8 months, I have had 6 different managers each with their own leadership style and salesperson-y techniques/gimmicks. Due to the fact that designers are required to contact their managers at a client's home, it takes adjusting to make sure we can steer the conversation in the right direction to get that "one-call close". It is hard to reach the company's goals with leadership that is always in rotation.

The only thing that is predictable about this job is the fact that you will be driving way more than a normal job. You will always have clients, different departments of the company, and managers notifying you non-stop. You will always have to figure things out on your own. You will always have to provide your own supplies (iPad, laptop, Adobe Acrobat, DocuSign). You will always have to rely on luck. 

Avoid with a ten-foot pole!

In the morning (7am) I would look over customer projects for the day and find several items missing. Items were either not produced in the shop and/or they were not ordered in time for installation. Important deadlines for when to have special items ordered are rarely met and the only person in charge of ordering (the owner) forgets to do so and makes last minute rushes to buy products from Home Depot (Same day as installation). The company is highly understaffed and improperly trained. No training was given to me when I started, yet, I was required to complete projects. The person doing the scheduling (the owner) for customer's installations does a terrible job. Too many projects will be scheduled for the same day and it always results in customer's being skipped and rushed service. Product quality is poor because personnel in the shop is rushed all day and behind. I had to make several service calls to complete and fix incorrect installations and missing items. There is a terrible disconnect between designers and the installation crews. Designer's don't know what they are promising and charging for, and the owner doesn't know how to install what he purchases for customer's projects. Unfortunately for Installation personnel, they have no choice but to apologize every installation and tell customers their closets that they paid thousands of dollars for will not be completed. They have the difficult task of trying to make miracles happen. A typical work day would start at 7 am and easily take until at least 7pm everyday. I tried telling the owner all the difficulties that make installations challenging to help improve his business but he never listened. He would always state its easy and simple and should never take as long as it always does. I do NOT ever desire to work for a company who treats both its customers and its employees the way this company does!

**Job Review: Closets by Design**

Working at Closets by Design has been a generally positive experience. Here's a breakdown of my time with the company:

**Pros:**
1. **Supportive Team Environment:** One of the highlights of working here is the sense of camaraderie among colleagues. The team is supportive, and there is a collaborative atmosphere that makes the work environment enjoyable.
2. **Training and Development:** The company provides good training, especially for new hires. They make sure employees are well-prepared and have the necessary skills to succeed in their roles. Continuous learning opportunities are also available.
3. **Creative Outlet:** For those in design roles, the job offers a creative outlet. It's rewarding to see projects come to life, from the initial concept to the finished product in clients' homes.
4. **Customer Interaction:** Interacting with clients can be a fulfilling aspect of the job. Helping them design and organize their living spaces often leads to positive feedback and a sense of accomplishment.

**Cons:**
1. **Commission-Based Pay:** For sales positions, the commission-based pay structure can be a double-edged sword. While it offers the potential for high earnings, it can also lead to income instability during slower months.
2. **High Expectations:** The job can be demanding, with high expectations for meeting sales targets or completing projects on time. This pressure can sometimes lead to stress, especially during peak seasons.
3. **Work-Life Balance:** Depending on the role, work-life balance can be a challenge. Sales consultants, in particular, might find themselves working evenings or weekends to meet with clients, which can interfere with personal time.

**Overall:** 

Closets by Design is a solid company for those who enjoy design, sales, or installation work. The positive team environment and opportunities for creativity make it a good fit for many, although the commission-based pay and high expectations might not suit everyone. If you're self-motivated and enjoy client interaction, this could be a rewarding place to work.

No benefits/insurance.
No compensation for commuting long distances - they can send you 2 hours out without compensation and if you don’t sell, you don’t get paid for spending 4 hours on the road and 2+ hours with the lead because it’s “considered your commute” since you don’t report into the office everyday. 
 No compensation for using your personal cell to communicate with clients - you’re expected to call/text your leads and clients from your own phone so if a client wants to reach you at 11pm then they will and your personal phone will be going off that late.
Strictly commission pay only, if you “earn it” while they’re having a promo period - they’ll give you a gas card, around the holidays they’ll give cash raffle prizes but no bonuses unless you hit higher than 50% closing ratio
No PTO, you just won’t get scheduled/paid unless you make a sale on your own time
You don’t know if you’re working/what time/where you’re working until after 5pm the night before so it’s extremely difficult to plan the rest of your life and have a routine aside from this job that’s described as part time. 
No room for advancement, there’s 3 tiers of designers - after 6 months you get moved up to the second tier, in order to get to the 3rd tier you have to have at least a 50% or 60% CR for 6 months straight, after that there are only the management position other than the owners position to move up to which the managers basically work 7 days a week 10 hours a day since they’re on call all the time. 
They add on more responsibilities to the job without increasing pay. 
Work weekends always, Sundays were the only day we didn’t work and they started taking that away from us because corporate wanted us to work Sundays. 
Management was nice and did what they could to help you and accommodate you to the best of their abilities. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Designer 132 salaries reported	$3,940 per month
Installer 52 salaries reported	$17.54 per hour
Design consultant 32 salaries reported	$3,733 per month
Customer service representative 2 salaries reported	$27.25 per hour
Sales representative 7 salaries reported	$4,286 per month

Working at Closets by Design: Company Overview and Reviews

Closets by Design

Closets by Design Ratings

Popular jobs at Closets by Design

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected