customer service representative

warehouse/driver

truck driver

warehouse associate

branch manager

Ewing Outdoor Supply

I worked at Ewing Irrigation Products for three years.  I started-off as a total newb in the industry, though I was able to use many of the skills that I developed over the course of my life.

Ewing is a sales-based company.  The only non-sales jobs are at the corporate office in Phoenix or in the few distribution centers located around the country.  Nearly all of your training as a Service Professional will be sales-oriented.  You are expected to grow sales for your branch.  Therefore, this is a relationship- and attitude-based job position.  It's a lot better than working at "big-box stores," in my opinion, which I have done before.  A Service Professional is basically a Sales Associate position like what you would find at The Home Depot, though with greater value, better opportunities, better relationships, and more fun.

Ewing puts its money back into its business.  When I first started, the benefits package was mediocre.  To Ewing's credit, as the company has grown (and it has grown quite a lot over the last few years), it has re-invested a lot of money into itself.  The benefits package right now is great - you will go to the doctor or the dentist, and they will tell you that you have a great plan.  The company contributes money into your 401K account, which you won't see from most companies in their industry.  There are also additional educational opportunities for you that the company sponsors, sometimes including travel.

If you have and can maintain the right attitude, Ewing will invest in you and support you.  Like everywhere else, you will have to prove yourself.  But once you do, Ewing puts some back.  While I started at the entry-level position, I was able to grow rather quickly financially and in my position.  If you are honest, reliable, and hard-working, then you will see the rewards for that.  Make yourself valuable, and Ewing will recognize that.  That is what happened with me.  It is up to you to make your job enjoyable and profitable, just like anywhere else.  Take care of others, and you will be fine.

I highly recommend a job at Ewing if you don't have a college degree (and aren't planning on getting one) and need a good job that won't break your back.  I have seen guys in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s do fine as Service Professionals.  (I'm in my 40s.)  You'll have to work in the yard, the warehouse, and at the counter, so you'll be dealing with the elements and with variable personalities on a daily basis.  You will have to carry heavy things sometimes, but your co-workers will help you, that's not as frequent as the other counter sales work that you will do, and it won't be the hardest job that you do in your life.  With a good attitude, you just get tougher and can deal with these types of things more easily.

The Service Professional position is designed to develop you into a Branch Manager.  If you are finding that only manual labor positions are available to you right now, and that you are not able to use your personality enough throughout your day, then a job at Ewing will give you opportunities to take care of other people and find the best ways to serve others - even the people who don't deserve the best that you have to offer.  It will make you humble, which is a quality that all good leaders have.  And that is what Ewing is looking for: good leaders who can reach people.  But good leaders make themselves.  And Ewing will help you with that.

I can honestly say that whatever you put into a job at Ewing will come back to you and then some.  You can have faith in this company.  As I always said, if you do the right things, then the money will be there.  So focus on having a good attitude and taking care of others, and Ewing will take care of you.  It was a pleasure for me to work at Ewing every day - my co-workers and the company made it all worthwhile.  Eight hours a day in one place means that it should be a good place.  It is up to you to make that a good place, just like any place that you go in life.  You will be rewarded for doing that at Ewing. 
 I believe that if this was true for me, then it could be true for you, too.

The culture of this company was once second to none, fostering a collaborative and vibrant workplace that employees genuinely enjoyed. However, over the past few years, that culture has noticeably degraded, which has been disheartening. A significant issue is the lack of effective communication between the home office and the branches. This could partly stem from my direct superior’s poor communication skills and lack of motivation, but it points to a broader disconnect in the organization’s structure. Clear, consistent communication from leadership is essential to keep branches aligned with company goals, and its absence has led to confusion and frustration among staff.

The work itself is manageable and not overly demanding, which allows employees to focus on building strong relationships with customers. These interactions are a highlight of the job, bringing a sense of fulfillment and making daily tasks enjoyable. However, the branch manager’s role is pivotal in shaping the work environment, and their leadership—or lack thereof—has a profound impact on team morale and productivity. A competent branch manager can inspire and motivate their team, fostering a positive, supportive atmosphere where employees feel valued and empowered. Conversely, a manager who fails to communicate effectively, provide clear direction, or address employee concerns can erode trust and enthusiasm, leaving subordinates feeling unsupported and disengaged.

The branch manager’s responsibilities, such as setting expectations, providing feedback, and resolving conflicts, directly influence the day-to-day experience of their team. Poor management decisions or a lack of accountability can create a toxic environment, where employees feel undervalued and unmotivated. For example, inconsistent enforcement of policies or failure to recognize hard work can breed resentment and lower morale. On the other hand, a manager who actively listens, supports professional growth, and cultivates a sense of teamwork can elevate the branch’s performance and make it a rewarding place to work. Unfortunately, the current leadership at my branch has struggled to meet these expectations, which has significantly diminished the overall employee experience. 

The company offers great educational courses for the products they provide to customers as well as leadership courses that you can use to advance yourself up the ladder. The courses are relevant to professional growth overall and if implemented you can be successful. 

Overall my experience in the past 10 years has been positive except for a few hiccups which I can expect any job to have. The biggest detriment I’ve had is managements lack of motivation for both business and professional growth. 

Working with Ewing Irrigation, like many other jobs is like playing Russian Roulette... You might love it, or you might hate it. I, personally, loved the work, loved the people that I got to see on a regular basis, and even liked my co-workers. But, the one thing that made this job impossible, was the management that I was directly under.

A typical day at Ewing normally starts at 6am. Always try to get there about 15 minutes early to turn on lights, start up computers, and check employee emails. Then at 6am, the doors unlock, and the store starts to fill up.
Normally, there are between 2 to 3 people working in the store at any given time of the week. That means that you are running from the moment you clock in until the moment you clock out, because the company supports gardeners, landscapers, contractors, and other outside-job type businesses. Finding the time between customers to restock shelves, receive and count inventory, package and ship items to other stores, back to manufacturers, or to customers, and to eat lunch is a hassle. Often times, homeowners will walk in looking for a way to fix their home irrigation cheaply, but have no idea what to do, and require a lot of time for you to discover what it is that they need, explain how each item works and how to install it, and to gather their items.

Management is broken down into several different areas: Store Managers, Regional Management, District management, and area management. I worked under several managers during my time with Ewing since my job was to Deliver Items to customers around the valley as well as to other stores. Often times, the store would be packed full of people, and I would have to stop what I was doing to assist with the throng of irritable customers. During those times, I gained the appreciation, friendship and respect of the managers at these other stores because although it was in the job description to assist if need be, many times delivery drivers did just that.

My direct manager, however, didn't appreciate me as much as the 4 other managers in the area did. He felt I needed to be at work more often than I was able to be, despite my prior obligation to the Navy Reserves. I also claimed that I was lazy, taking too long on Deliveries, assisting customers, and taking care of my other job requirements.

And it is to this end that I am still looking for a job today, despite the unlawful act of firing a vet based on their obligation to drill with their military group to maintain military training.

Ewing is a family-owned company and for the first few years I was there it felt like it. Recently, however, that feeling is changing and it is beginning to feel more like a big corporate company. Benefits are great (very generous sick time, vacation time is fair, insurance is fairly priced in my opinion) and the work week isn't too bad if you are lucky enough to be at a slower branch that can't support being open on the weekends. Depending on the location you will be M-F or M-S. Branches usually open between 7 and 8 and close for the day between 4 and 5. 
My main gripe is the feeling of being disconnected from and misunderstood by upper management. The branches are all in very different markets and there is no "one size fits all" model when it comes to certain things like fertilizers and chemicals due to differing state regulations and market trends, but the big push from upper management is to standardize those offering across the markets. Most upper management staff have worked in the branches before at the counter or behind the wheel of delivery trucks, so that is a good sign for those of you who are looking to move up through the company, but it seems as if they forget what it is like in the market once they start to work from home. The Branch Manager is the bridge between blue collar and white collar for this company, and it often times isn't easy to balance the expectations from corporate and still treat the hourly guys working at the branch fairly. The company also host a yearly conference in Phoenix that leaves some of the branches short-staffed for an entire week. In my opinion, that information can be more efficiently shared via Teams calls and emails rather than in a week-long series of business meetings. In my experience, choosing not to attend as a Branch Manager can have a negative impact on how connected you feel to leadership and upper management. My last major gripe is that the company seems to place new branches in extremely saturated markets with multiple competitors rather than in underserved areas. I know that growing the business isn’t easy, but you are always facing an uphill battle trying to get market share for this company and it is frustrating.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Going home. Delivery drivers get to escape the terrible management that takes no time to train but all the time in the world to call you "worthless" for not being trained....expecting you to do training videos, etc. off the clock from home.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Not being trained efficiently leading to dealing with (rightly) frustrated customers AND the management that failed to train you.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
No idea. Refuse to patronize or refer anyone to that place knowing how they'll be treated. They despise and mock homeowners behind their backs, whether they're a good customer or not. Like Autozone after working there and being treated like crud, I'll hopefully never have to go back.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Try to stay busy doing deliveries to evade worthless manager. Even tenured coworkers act as though training is beneath them.

Management is horrible. Manager steals from cash customers with no accounts. Tickets are updated till after they leave and ticket is changed to existing account customers. Customers with accounts have lower pricing so the manager keeps the difference. Manager is middle age pervert who gets excited when a pretty woman walks in. That's the only time he'll step out of his office to help a customer. Other than he does not want to be bothered by customers. Management is rude and does not look forward to helping customers. They will not go above and beyond to help a customer they don't like. There was no sense of team work. Would be told to go inside when trying to help co worker when loading pipe. I was told by Assistant Manager that the Store Manager would constantly tell him not help me with any questions or any loading with big orders. During slow season and rainy days the only thing that goes on is bbq'n and beer drinking.

Ewing is a family owned company but the employees are not part of the family. Management does not listen and when you approach with a problem or resolution not listened to. Sometimes what you tell management is repeated to the persons you have discussed in confidence with your manager.  You don’t feel
Safe as an employee. Very toxic environment and some employees have different expectations from the rest of the team, unfair. Employees that work hard or asked to do more when the other employees not working can continue to not work. We cannot pickup their slack of work.  Management won’t do anything about these employees because they have been there for a long time. Watch out what you say to management because it will come out to the other employees you work with!! Be very careful!! 

Starting pay is a joke. If you want to make the bare minimum then this job is for you. If you want to work through your breaks and have to help on lunch without the pay incentive then this job is for you. If English is your only language good luck getting hired. If you want to work while your manager sits at their desk on YouTube this job is for you. To get raises you have to pass tests. But if you boss doesn’t have the time you’re not going to take them. If you pass all 3 modules you’ll go up a 1.50. I was there a few years and only was able to do one set or tests because the manager never let me take them due to being “too” busy. If your manager doesn’t help out on Saturday’s then get ready to work every single Saturday. The only time I was paid fairly was when a lot of people left the company and I was the only one working. Being extremely overworked. They bumped my pay because I was looking for another job and getting ready to leave and they couldn’t afford to lose me. 

A typical day was opening the shop getting everything started up every day and letting the fun begin ! I learned everything and anything you need to know about caring for your landscape. I had the best boss in the world, all the other managers was cool but I got very lucky. I had great co-workers, it was always a fun day at the shop. The hardest part of the job was definitely remembering all of the part numbers! there are so many it's easy to become overwhelmed trying to remember them all, (they do have other ways of looking up product) every item, down to your last pvc fitting has an 8 digit part number you can memorize. I had a lot of them down for the two years I was there. The best part of the job, was working at Ewing. They really firmly believe in running a successful business. If your willing o dedicate some of your time to them, they will take care of you. It was the best company I have ever worked for !

If you're wondering what's missing at Ewing, just name it, and then continue to add to the list; it'll take a while to acknowledge all the cons. I had the two worst managers of my entire career here. If you are not part of the good ole boys club, and/or don't have a family member that works there, good luck. The only way to make it work there otherwise is to suck up the fact that you get paid dirt and cannot advance. One good thing I can say about working at Ewing was the fact that I learned a lot, but that was my credit alone, as I sought out knowledge and new skills, they were not offered. I only wish I would've gotten out earlier.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Customer service representative 72 salaries reported	$19.83 per hour
Warehouse/driver 52 salaries reported	$19.19 per hour
Truck driver 54 salaries reported	$23.83 per hour
Warehouse associate 13 salaries reported	$19.62 per hour
Branch manager 32 salaries reported	$69,951 per year

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