outside sales representative

sales professional

funeral director

sales manager

sales representative

Service Corporation International

Working for SCI (DIRECT) has been a good experience overall. There is opportunity for growth, advancement, and ample opportunity to do better as an employee.

Employee Compensation:

Compensation at SCI Direct is typically more than fair and more than competative. The company tends to pay their employees very, very well compared to the competition. This is great! Overall, the benefits are pretty darn good. 401k matching, health insurance (which is expensive, but the company covers the majority of it), employee discounts, ADD, Life Insurance options, and additional options provided. The company is continually assessing and looking for areas of opportunity, especially for LGBTQAI+ individuals - it is slow progress, but I'm grateful for the continued effort. That speaks volumes to me. Income caps are a challenge though, I wish more opportunities for creating space for advancement existed.

Employee Experience, Retention, and Work/Life Balance:

The company makes massive investments to educate new employees to start at an entry level and grow from there; however, after months of training, employee retention can be tough. Often times, interested job seekers apply to SCI Direct Cremation Services due to promises of work life balance in the death care industry. Even though the balance is better compared to most mom-and-pop funeral homes, it is still tough at times. I do have additional challenges that I've experienced, but I will share that with someone from SCI Direct if they reach out.

Work Culture:

Work culture is very centralized from each location. The location that I work for has a wonderful culture of support and caring for one another and our families. I can speak to that. I appreciate that the invitation to reach out to folks in the corporate office is always available. Again, I do have additional challenges that I've experienced, but I will share that with someone from SCI Direct if they reach out.

Families First Mentality:

SCI Direct is doing everything possible to be the best in the industry, not only for the families we serve but for the families of the employees. (Again, plenty of opportunity here too). The amazing thing is seeing the motivation that the services staff have for putting families first, going above and beyond to create connections with families to provide their loved one with exceptional cremation services. If you are interested in working for SCI Direct and you have a strong motivation to put families first, this is the company for you. Just be aware, you may burn out. It may happen several times due to the intensity and dedication we have. It is important for any person who joins SCI Direct to provide feedback on their experience and have the safety to share that experience. It is also equally important that the corporate office provides the necessary framework for work/life success. To listen, not ignore. To lovely encourage, not disregard. Let's not survive, let's thrive. SCI Direct is working towards this.

Tools for Success:

The Company provides tons of tools to help employees be sucessful, from HMIS+ and Dignity University to In-Office trainings (when there is time). There are plenty of tools to help an arranger or funeral director to do their job efficienty and with high quality; however, trainings a few and far between. I have plenty of ideas on how to create improved training, SCI Direct, again, I'm willing to provide this feedback.

All in All:

Most importantly about all of what Im writing is that you would be joining a company that isn't perfect. And I would argue that there isn't a "perfect" company out there. There are some that may provide better support to their employees than others, but SCI Direct is always willing to listen and try. THIS INSPIRES ME DAILY!

You would be able to do what you do best, which is serving families. You would be joining a company that is trying to do better, be better and serve their employees and families better. There is an immense opportunity that could be missed if you didn't apply to work for SCI Direct, because they are such a good company and they are doing everything they can to support the company mission, growing the brand and providing the peace of mind that comes with a cremation plan through SCI Direct.

I was hired from outside the industry. Started selling cars in 1998 and worked my way up to being a general sales manager and then general manager in the retail automotive industry.

I was hired to be a sales manager in a Florida location that was horribly underperforming and hasn't since SCI purchased from another company. 

I was eager to leave the retail auto industry after relocating to Florida and realizing that the car biz was extremely aggressive and the turn over was high based on how people were treated. 

I accepted the position and was lied to about my onboarding process and was incorrectly compensated for over 6 weeks. Signed an agreement for a ramp up that eventually got paid but was on sales person's salary. 

I was told I would receive training from a month and half to prepare me to take over the location. Two days before the end of the month and two weeks into training of which consisted of following around another sales manager and watching how he manipulated upper management by telling them what they wanted to hear but doing what he wanted. 

I was then handed over to the general manager that was slightly insecure, control freak, that talked out of both sides of his mouth. The sales team was a combination of seven people that most were recently hired with no real training other than the online courses and on the job training. No leadership, no management just reactively doing their jobs.

After struggling for two and a half months to learn the job, I was threatened by being fired if I did not make quota. I worked everyday the next month. We all worked hard and during this time I narrowed my team from seven to three. 

We sold 169% of quota. Part of what was sold was deliberately stolen in board volume bonus and commission from the sales person. But I was determined to make this location profitable. Even knowing I was the third sales manager within less than a year. Also second or third general manager. 

Finalizing the month and hitting those numbers I avoided a termination and was awarded by having to leave the location for almost a month sales manager school in Texas. I was removed from the location and was reassured that the general manager and his assistant (whom got themselves into some other trouble at another location and was being quietly hidden until things passed over). 

Well they were both almost immediately pulled from the location during my absence to work on things at another location while I was away by their market director. This did not help my area of responsibility and at that time no one worked. I had four sales people and they were rarely even there unless they were on rotation. There was no accountability. 

The general manager did have his sales manager from another location come in and nose around and ask very unusual questions. I found it peculiar but remember I was to be submerged in my sales manager school and not worry about the location because the general manager would make sure we would stay at quota. 

Along with the sales manager from the other location coming by, he made some changes with staff NOT to follow certain company guidelines and this also reflected in no sales getting done. 

Upon my return I find out that the location was barely at 40% of quota. I spent the next several weeks attempting to get everyone refocused and committed to our cause. Had a lot of resistance because of schedules and what the sales manager said and put into place of which made it very difficult.

Long story short, there was a hidden agenda all along of the general manager and the sales manager to both have both locations. The general manager unfortunately is misleading, inappropriate with staff and may appear to be a good employee is only pleasing himself and the boys' club. 

So many families are upset, lied to, and have suffered due to these self serving, and self fulfilling people. This also includes the people that work there and have suffered with poor leadership from the market manager on down.

It's sad and possibly just a local thing. I have let a lot of wonderful other people in SCI that really walk the walk.

SCI sells what is called a lawn crypt. It is a pre installed concrete vault , with drainage. The sells team , leads the family to believe these lawn crypts will not hold water , and that any water that does get in will drain out the preinstalled drain system. By theory , this is true. But they dont bother to tell the purchasers that SCI installed an inferior drain system that does repeatedly fail. I personally expirienced the drain failure on 3 different occasions when I was employeed there. Two of the times I was able to fix the drains and get them draining again. The last time was after a 5 year drought in our area. When the drought finally ended , it rained for 2 weeks straight. Set record rain fall in wichita falls. The lawn crypts were flooded and We couldnt get them to drain like we had before. The GM at the time , instructed me to not report this to corporate. He said we dont need cprporate sending in engineers and corporate people snooping in our business. After months of dealing with totally flooded vaults in the Garden of Cross , I went to the GM one more time and told himwe had to report this and get it fixed. He told me to not call corporate until I was ready to lose my job. At this time I had been the superinitindent at this SCI location for 37 years. I could no longer sit by and see families being buried in these vaults  , not to mention the hundreds that were already interred there , and completley under water. So I called someone I knew in human resources and told hin what was going on, and the GM would not report it or let me. He flew into town under false pretense , concealing the reason for his trip to the GM , to protect me . He investigated , and saw hundreds of pictures of flooded vaults that I had taken Hetold me he would report this to the area Manager over all of texas. The next week I got a call from this manager wanting to set up a meeting with me. He came to town the following week and brought a SCI attorney with him. We met for 4 hours in my office. I told them everything , including the GM did instructed me not to report the problem to corporate. It just so happened the we had a burial in this garden the next day. The man from corporate stayed with the corporate attorney. They asked me if I thought this one would be flooded. I told them that I gaurantee it would be. When we opened up the double depth lawn crypt tp put the second casket in , the casket that was already in the crypt , was completeley under water. After this we did call a plumber with cameras to run up the drain lines to find the problem. A collapsed line was found and repaired , and the water started draining. It was old black greasy stinking water. You could tell the bodies had been flooded , and the area drained for over 2 weeks , thats just how flooded it was. And it drains into a pond on the cemetery property that over flowed into the neighbors ponds. and  neighbors ponds were also filled completely up and run over due to this lawn crypt area draining. The neighbors are not aware of what drained into there ponds , that they , there children , grandchildren and friends fish from and eat the fish. And also swim in. That is they do not know as of yet. But Im sure they will in the near future, as will the EPA and sate and local puplic health offices. Anyway , this area will flood again and again due to inferior drainage. And after reporting this , I lost my job of 39 years plus . The GM that didnt want this reported is still there. SCI claims to be transparent with there puplic dealings , but I can assure you , they are all but that. I will als o reveal other things reported to the SCI corporate attornies , that were not even investigated. I will continue this review when time permits , exposing other wrong doings of SCI. SCI owes me for 4 years of pay for wich I was planning on working there until I was 65 , but can no longer do , because of them terminating me. This is how they treat a person that devoted his lifelong career with SCI. Wich I will get into on my next of many more reviews.

When I started I had no experience in HR, or as a Recruiting Coordinator. It meant so much to me that they looked past my experience and believed in my abilities to become a great employee. After being promoted from Appointment Setter to make 16 an hour at the corporate office I was  beyond excited; It felt like I was finally getting what I deserved for the hard work I put in at my jobs. 

Since I am a quick learner I picked up on things rather quickly, and after three weeks into my jobs the real test began. The first round of system testing was being conducted, and my trainer had to go down for testing. She just started doing the on-boarding/ background process for a company that we were acquiring. In one day I learned the systems to complete that process and was responsible to pick up her responsibilities, plus still complete my responsibilities. I managed to on-board 11 corporate new hires, and I was receiving 3-7 new hires a day to process for the other companies locations. I resolved any issues that transpired due to her not having access to her emails and phone, and I also supported 5 recruiters with their job postings requests. It was such an accomplishment to complete these tasks, and I proved myself to all my coworkers. 

After, a few months into the job I received a 3 dollar, and 4% raise, because my manager and the director believed I deserved every dollar of it. That was an amazing day, because my hard work was appreciated and I was valued. Things just got better from there. I started to learn more about the systems, and take on more tasks to assist people. I was chosen to be a System Matter Expert for a Command Center (call center) that was held to support all the locations in the field, as well as corporate, after we launched our new systems. I was on a team of 4 girls that  got pulled out of the command center to manually process background checks, and complete the on-boarding process for 300 new hires that was trying to be processed during the "black out period". We also managed another inbox, in our outlook, during this time called the Recruiting Support inbox. We were getting all sorts or questions, and requests that we had to respond to in a timely manner. Once we completed this task, I was the only Coordinator that still managed to keep up with the inbox. 

Prior to my leaving the company I created reports for open and closed requisitions for about 8 different markets. Then I added those reports to the dashboard, as a pie chart, for the Managers through Executive level employees in each of those markets. It was a huge accomplishment for myself, as well as the company. 

I really enjoyed all my co workers, and my job as a Recruiting Coordinator with SCI. I learned so much! There wasn't really anything that was too difficult; it was just a lot work. However, I brought that work and responsibility onto myself by showing others I was able and willing to learn and assist.

SCI Direct otherwise known as Neptune Society, is a sister company of Service Corporation International. In December they will officially become SCI Direct. I worked in a small office upstairs the main office where people would come to pick up their families cremains, and meet to sign up for our services. When my grandmother passed it was an awful experience for our family, and I felt like this job was an opportunity for me stress the importance of pre-planning with others who thought it was important too. We would receive mailers, and email requests for more information in Volocify as warm leads. The leads would contain their name, address, city, state, and if they were a veteran. I made over a 100 calls daily to set appointments for 5 Independent Sales Reps. My goal was to set up 3 appointments for each of the ISR's. 
The most appointments I booked in one day was 21. For each contract that was sold I received commission. I worked split shift with one girl for about 2 months, and then she quit. I still worked split shift, but I worked from home in the evenings. I was the only Appointment Setter for about 3 months, and then we brought in another employee. Prior to us bringing in this new employee I created an extensive training binder to go over the best ways to search through Volocify, what rebuddles to use while on the phone, among some other training points. My boss trained with the new employee(s) for two days, and then they sat and trained with me. 
The hardest part of the job was having continued patience after being hung up on numerous times throughout the day. Of course it was difficult to re-buddle with them to convince them to set an appointment, but I had more good days than bad when it came to that aspect of the job. I loved my co workers, and the fact that I was respected, and trusted to work from home. My boss really did anything he could to make sure I was happy. 
About two months before I got promoted to work at the Corporate location I got a new boss, who was not familiar with the Appointment Setter program, because my original boss was the creator of it. It was a bit of challenge to get him to understand how difficult it really was. One day he decided to make calls on his own, and commended and respected me for my work after that day. 
I enjoyed worked as an appointment setter, however it got old and I was not able to excel within the location I was at. My manager assisted me with getting an interview at corporate and after a couple interviews I was set to start two weeks later. If it wasn't for my experience and growth with Neptune I would not have been able to proceed with the promotion I had received. I am forever thankful for the managers I had, and the ISR's I worked with at SCI Direct (Neptune Society)

My schedule was in the hands of other Funeral assistants. They would be the ones who would ask me, "Hey, can you work this coming Wednesday and Thursday?" What was up that garbage?  My manager would tell me, "I am going to try to give you as many hours as possible." He did not involve himself when I would work or not work. The funeral assistant is a totally on call position. The jealously among co-workers was so apparent with that stench. My manager did me a favor one day, the co-workers who were other funeral assistants who were training me, found out and totally stopped calling and asking me to help on funerals. Then the co-workers lied to my manager who was out of town that week, that I had worked all the previous week. I did not work once that week and was never called to come to work. I addressed my manager about the lie and I am told, "Sorry, you feel like you were singled out and that you feel that way."  feel that way? I only had 15 hours on my paycheck for a full 2 weeks. That is not a feeling of being singled out, that is a fact and my paycheck is the preponderance of  the evidence. Then one of the other funeral homes that is managed under SCI called me in to do their "Spring Cleaning" basically I was their cinderfella to clean the parking lot, pick up trash that had blown in onto the landscaping, clean the refrigeration unit, haul old office supplies down to the basement and store them. Take paint, small paint brush and cover up water stains on the ceiling tiles throughout the funeral home and I was hired as a funeral assistant? Uh huh!  Then the little gal that was not even a manager who gave me the itemized list to be completed on the spring cleaning roster cut me off the next week and told me, "Oh it's okay we got the rest. The funeral manager's husband can come in and finish up the rest. We don't need you anymore at this time." She was cold and matter of fact about it. Whatever!  I placed in my two-weeks notice after 3 weeks of not being called for any work and then I am asked by an office manager at the funeral home I was their cinderfella to come in and sign, Mutual Resolution process form. I am not signing a thing. I know what that is. I told my manager about it and he passes it off, that the office manager was just making her contacts and I just happen to populate on her list. RIGHT! I do not buy that and that is a legal document that I would sign away my rights. Terrible place to work! The favoritism and brown nosing is rampant. My two-weeks notice was the easiest I ever gave because they did not call me one time to come to work. According to my manager that the reason why I was not getting called is because things have been really slow. Fine, I did not believe that because the obituaries were full.

Unless you have a 4 to 6 month reserve in your bank account don't bother. And if you do, take your time to find a better career because you will burn through that nest egg before you start making any money. I have been with this company for quite some time. I personally have done very well for myself financially but most if not all that start here last just a few months. The culture is very cut throat and many of the veterans will find a way to run off new people to "keep the number of sales people low" it's an 100% commission job that you don't get paid if you don't sell or make quota. If you can make quota there are different bonuses that you can qualify for but you have to be extremely consistent with sales. The culture is who you know and not what you know. There is a ton of favoritism and if you aren't one of the click then don't plan on doing very well. You will go through several months of training on a hourly wage $10, before you can even start selling. And selling in a business with no experience you are certainly going to struggle. Management is for the most part not very helpful and the company just throws the next person up into the role. Just like they will hire anyone with a heartbeat. You have to have a life insurance license and real estate license (cemetery) in order to sell anything with this company and they hire most people without them to start. Between the company's ridiculous amount of training and getting those licenses most people leave in the first 30 to 90 days. Once you do start selling you will have a million things to do that aren't sales related including standing funeral services for the "most part" ungrateful families that you are trying to help and sell to. You will spend a majority of your time listening to complaining families about the pathetic and poor condition of the cemetery grounds that you are trying to sell them. This company doesn't care about it's employees and only cares about corporate profits. You have a better chance with a cardboard sign on a street corner making money than with this company. I have never seen a company completely ignore their mission statement just to make a profit. There is no integrity, ethics and little to no compassion or even a "thank you" for the amount of work you have to do. You are expected to pour every ounce of your compassion into the families you help but will get very little in return. Helping families can be rewarding, but only a select few can survive in the negative environment create by this company. The management would rather keep it's profit than spend it to improve the situation or purchase more properties for the share holders. Which ultimately is the most important thing for this company.

I have never been so dissatisfied with a job in my life. 
For starters, I was lied to in my interview.  The interviewer made it seem like this was going to be a decent-paying job.  She claimed the "average" was $40-60k per year for a family service counselor.  I'm not sure where that number came in, but I don't know many (if any) people making that.  Most people are barely making above minimum wage.
The quotas are unreasonable.  In a given month, 1-4 people per market (from what I've seen in my market) will hit the actual quota. These crooks find any way possible to cut your commission.  For example, if you sell $10,000 in spaces, 20% of that immediately comes off of the top, meaning only $8000 of that would go towards quota.  
You're expected to do a ton of free labor in the hopes that families will want to buy from you in the future.  When meeting with families, you're expected to charge a fee if they didn't prepay to cover the grave opening.  That amount is no less than $1200 and goes up depending on where your location is.  When they pay when a death has occurred, you make NOTHING on that fee. 
You'll get chained to the desk doing so much paperwork while being expected to push for sales, sales, sales.
Speaking of sales, this company expects us to be pushy and use all of the same sales tactics you'd use in any other sales job.  It's no wonder sales are dropping rapidly - people are seeing through the charade and nobody trusts this company anymore. When sales goals aren't met, you get barked at and forced to do extra work in the evenings or on weekends.  You're expected to telemarket to bring people in. 
Looking at the other funeral homes, I don't see how SCI firms do as well as they do.  Regionally, I see other funeral homes setting up seminars and events and sending out mass-mailers to the community.  Their pre-planners are simply expected to show up and make appointments.  Here, the counselors are responsible for everything - marketing, setting up seminars, setting appointments, etc.  All of this for a lower commission rate than most other funeral homes. 
So, what happens when sales goals don't get met? Prices and quotas get RAISED.  You're struggling to hit quota? Too bad, here's a few thousand dollars more you need to sell.
The company doesn't give a rat's behind about their salespeople.  You are nothing more than someone to generate sales.  There's a reason the turnover rate is as high as what it is.  It's close to 100% within a year in this position. 

If you're looking for a job to help people, you definitely can do that here.  But if you're looking for a job where you can advance and support your family. this ain't it.  Run fast and run far.

The hours of the day could be long, past 10 to 12 hours or more to complete the work. Short lunch breaks usually. In my location no overtime allowed only comp time and was hard to make up. Co-workers were friendly, but mostly only did their own tasks. The Staff in most locations has been cut back to keep the "bottom line". So there was some "severe multi tasking" needed by the Director. This was becoming the norm from years gone by. 
SCI process by growing is to acquire more companies and locations and in doing so eliminate some competition. But there is internal competition, within the company locally. There are many markets under the "Giant Umbrella"  to strategize. Prices are raised across the board and in the Main Market, prices are so out of reach, without the company funeral benefit, even most employees couldn't afford to use their service.    
The Company likes to play "games". They have lots of resources, for ex; so they will call the location to "mystery shop", it's scripted to make all locations answer Pricing Calls the same way basically. It looks like there was concern for the consumer, but it was to get more money in the door. This was done by their Communications department and you were critique by individuals with no actual experience in the Funeral Business, even commenting on how your voice sounded sincere or not. 
There's Sr. management at the Corporate level, Middle management which oversees a certain Market area and Location management. So lot's of Bosses. 
Middle management, usually not there for very long, will come up with different things or games. Market criteria such as Package Sales, Collections, Customer Service, Catering take up, etc. Not a bad tool, but it was used to critique you in front of your peers.
There is continued education that is always available, mostly mandatory and brain washing for better sales and how great they are. 
No Respect shown for long term or older employees, Funeral Directors with many years of good experience.

You have to walk a VERY FINE and THIN LINE while working here, if not, they will Fire you. With no citations or probations. And since they are Huge Conglomerate, you can't get another job in the Company. 
As you look on any or all Job Sites, you will see they (SCI) have a lot of openings because of the way they treat people, not the size of the company.

A typical work day with Service Corporation International(SCI) consist in lead calling, cold calling, scheduling appointments, presentations, emailing, and prospecting. 
I was told many things when beginning this position. To begin: I would have 6 weeks of paid training, the team would have all supplies necessary to work and be successful, That our drive time would be compensated for prospecting, appointments and additional training sessions, and our cell phones would be reimbursement for the use. 
So far I have found all of these items listed above to be false or misleading.

I did training for 2 weeks on what to say during presentation, after which I felt ill prepared. The team I am working with had no direction, management or instruction on expectation for approximately 6 weeks. Having no; computers, printers, price lists, phone compensation, ability to write contracts, or anything you would possibly need to complete your tasks was not given. I personally went out to buy; Ink, Stamps, Paper, Envelopes and any other supplies necessary to try and do my job. 

We continuously asked for assistance from managers at other locations with little to no response after they stated"come to me if we need anything". I took it upon myself to figure out everything from pricing to the computer system and helped the others on the team be successful, without being successful myself. 

So now 3 months later we have a manager, who was our trainer for the 2 weeks in the very beginning. He tries, but now I am having to show him the system and share the information I learned on my own. To me he should know what his sending us in to the field to complete. On top of everything, others on my team have made sales and then had to rewrite the sale. This was due to us not knowing all the items needed to be completed when a transaction was to occur. And they have not be properly compensated for those sale they wrote. 

As it stands right now I am not being paid to help and teach others how to do their jobs but that's what I have been doing. I have not been properly compensated for purchase or mileage that have transpired. 

I have no problem doing sales but when I spend more time being a manager then doing my job that's an issue.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Outside sales representative 169 salaries reported	$91,437 per year
Sales professional 204 salaries reported	$83,246 per year
Funeral director 26 salaries reported	$23.41 per hour
Sales manager 50 salaries reported	$104,062 per year
Sales representative 70 salaries reported	$123,250 per year

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