delivery driver

customer service representative

software engineer

senior client specialist

account executive

Xerox

I've been working at Xerox for over a month now, and so far I'm still not sure what to make of it - I'm on the Xbox Project. One of the trainers I do feel came up extremely short, and there are several co-workers of mine that I still feel are a walking HR nightmare, although upper and middle management does not seem to care about that.

Other things to note: the breaks are short - you get 30 minutes for lunch and 10 minutes each twice per shift. Honestly, 10 minutes is not much time to pull yourself together to jump back into handling calls and other work-related things. I had thought that state law allowed for two 15 minute paid breaks on shift, but after checking, by law you're allowed up to 10 minutes each for your two paid breaks. This fact does honestly kind of suck, although at the federal level you are allotted up to two 20 minute paid breaks while working. Obviously, federal law kind of supersedes state law, so I wonder how long it will be before someone makes an issue out of this matter.

Continuing on: if you have to use the restroom outside of your two allotted 10 minute breaks and your half hour lunch, corporate policy at this time now dictates that you clock out during that time frame. While personally I don't have any personal issues with that, I have to take a stance against Xerox on that matter - it seems to me that Xerox is not factoring in potential medical issues employees may have, and that could be another law violation right there - not to mention age as a factor for some employees (I'm thinking primarily of the 50 and above crowd) and women who are going through their period.

Quite a few individuals I've talked to out in front of the building (I currently work at the Garden of the Gods and 30th Street location), along with several other former employees I'm friends with, have mentioned several times how they had a medical emergency come up or serious illness that required they take the time off from work to recover (one major case involves a woman I know who had a doctor's note for her health issues, and another involved a woman who was ordered by a doctor to take time off for several weeks before and after pregnancy) - all cases that did have written confirmation from a medical physician - and yet these people would be written up for taking the time off despite medical proof of their core issues, or terminated for too much time taken off as ordered by a personal physician. While I do note that in the training materials Xerox had me go through over a 3 week period that the company, at least on the surface, is big on adhering to the law, the cases I am familiar with from others I know associated with the company does concern me. Concerned, in the sense, that there may be possible FMLA violations done on behalf of Xerox. If so, this does not bode well for Xerox in a legal sense.

Yet another topic to discuss here: management and pay range. I have already noted my fair share of supervisors (and at least two trainers) who do not appear to be suited to be in management at all. I do admit that yes, I took up this job because my prior one simply was not paying the bills at all (and I do miss the professionalism and outstanding level of work and commitment to duty that all of my co-workers there had), but still - coming out of an environment where promotions were based on proving yourself through hard work, dedication and leadership to an environment where promotion seems to be based on who sleeps with who is a bit of a bitter pill to swallow. Same goes for certain co-workers of mine - I would at least think they could steer clear of sexual harassment, over-the-top swearing and acting as if they're there to screw around instead of working, but sadly I am not seeing those traits in many of the people I work with. Small wonder several of the more serious people I work with there are not planning on sticking around, and even smaller wonder why the previous Training Supervisor (as well as payroll specialist) left the job without warning. The atmosphere of unprofessionalism, unrestrained sexual harassment and jokes/comments that are out of line in every sense of the word is simply unacceptable. 

With regards to the pay - going through the initial interview, the impression was that all of us would be bumped up to $10.00 per hour after our training period was up (6 weeks total of both classroom and "A-Bay" training). Instead we have been informed (three times, no less) that we would remain at the same pay rate that we started out at, although we could theoretically "earn" up to $14.00 per hour after positive customer surveys (Top Boxes, from what they are referred to) kick in. Today, we were informed that those bonuses would not be paid out until after our first initial 90 days into the job. Again, the company seems to be going back on it's word there.

A final note: for anyone who hasn't hit their 90 day mark, expect the following: if you have to work on a holiday (New Year's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas) before you hit your initial 90 days are up, just a word of advice - you won't get paid time and a half for working that holiday. Topping that, a wonderful gem they throw in is that (this applies to Thanksgiving as an example) if you do not work that day, you are out of a job. I suspect the same implication will be made for Christmas, as well. Now, back on track - no, you don't get paid time and a half for working on a holiday because (and this is Xerox's justification) you have not made it to 90 days yet. This appears to stand in direct contradiction to both federal and state law regarding full-time employees, both public and private, that mandates time and a half pay for anyone in a full time position (emergency public services being the exception to the rule) who has to work on a holiday. This has been the case at every job I've held in the past, both in Colorado and in Michigan. One only has to wonder how long it will be before someone takes this matter directly to the state and federal government.

That being said, most of the work is fairly simple - you help customers out with technical issues regarding their game consoles, help them with the occasional password recovery process, and at times you may be called upon to help out with the billing side. It all depends on what kind of night it is. Some managers are actually pretty decent and will bend over backwards to help you succeed, provided you can prove to them that you're worth the risk through showing leadership skills, time and effort. A pretty good percentage of the people who work there in customer care positions are decent to work with - unfortunately for me, I got a handful of bad seeds for co-workers.

I almost forgot two other things: your first check from Xerox is a paper check unless you sign up for a prepaid card. You still have to deal with one paper check at a minimum if you sign up for direct deposit. My advice? If you go to cash it out at a bank, make sure you speak with a personal banker, as chances are you may have a hold placed on your paycheck for several weeks because (and this was my experience) the bank sees Xerox ACS checks as running a risk of being returned unpaid. Same goes for cashing them out at a check cashing location, whether it's a store that physically cashes out checks for you with no questions asked or at a Wal-Mart, Safeway or whatever else you select - make sure the person doing the cashing out process calls in the check just to make sure it's good and will go through with no problems. Otherwise, you're in for a world of hurt. Second - the company is very bi-polar with respect to dress code - one day everyone is wearing normal street clothes, and the next they are adamant that you wear business casual. Just play it safe and dress nicely if you end up working here.

Second to last bit of advice, I promise: try not to get too involved with too many of your co-workers. I saw a lot of unprofessional behavior with some of the people I went to class with, and it's not something you want to associate yourself with. I made the smart choice and stayed above it all. It's not worth the extra stress or drama.

Final piece of advice to give: from the looks of things based on personal observations both in the stock market and from inside, Xerox is fighting hard to stay afloat. Get into college if you can and get a degree - I'm finishing mine out (major in criminal justice), so I'm seeing this as a temporary stop until my degree is finished and I can move on to becoming a law enforcement officer. Use your degree to get into something you can personally be happy with. From everything I've observed since starting here, I admit I'm glad I won't be around too long (I hope). But while I am on board with Xerox, I'll at least make the best of it and try to learn some new skills I haven't had before. Just don't let everything get to you if you're a person going to this place for a job. You've all been forewarned.

(FYI: If you have any volunteer commitments besides school - which even for me at this point they don't seem too keen on working around - prepare to drop those commitments - you get two choices for a schedule, and that's either from, as of now, Tuesday through Saturdays at 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM or Sunday through Thursday from 2:30 PM to 11:00 PM - after A-Bay you're at the mercy of whatever days your supervisor decides to give you for work, and the hours may not be something that works out at all if you have a second job or are an active volunteer somewhere out there in the area. Choose wisely.)

A typical day would start with greeting my team. Even though I was the closing supervisor, my team lead and I made arrangements to be there before our team / employees. In a leadership position it is important to show your team that you can be on time (and even early) on a regular basis. 

One of the most important things I learned with this position was that everyone has an individual learning style. As a supervisor I had to make sure my team was meeting satisfactory or above in all performance categories i.e. accuracy, calls per hour, adherence, and customer service. Most of these areas came with time and tenure, as well as being a great leader. However, with “accuracy of the information” it is important to understand how a person comprehends and retains the information. As a supervisor it is important to not forget the ones who consistently meet standards and provide praise to them from time-to-time, as these employees can be easily forgotten. It is also equally important to provide struggling employees the opportunity to receive additional coaching with utilizing S.M.A.R.T. goals and consistent coaching plans, along with tracking of progress or lack thereof. In addition, it is important to stay on top of warnings (escalations, closures of such, and terminations) for those who are not meeting company standards and “set” goals and guidelines within that active writing or final written warning. All of this is a balancing act. The key to all of this is consistency and neutrality. You cannot go wrong when you stick to company policies across the board and never show favoritism. Lastly, seeking out those who are great at their job, those who have the drive to advance within the company and then providing them with developmental coaching while watching that employee hit all their goals and strengthen their skills is one of the best feelings (I feel) as supervisor or manager can have. 

Our management was strong and each one of us was there for several years. Our solid team we had installed trust and respect within our CSRs and staff.  We all worked well together. When someone new was being considered to join our staff all supervisors were part of the interview process. Since we had to work side-by-side with them we got some say in it. We did not have the final say, but our input was held in high regards. Also, as a management team our meetings were productive. We were organized. If there was an issue a meeting was held, the problems were identified, and a plan was set in place. We had deadlines and goals. We met them most of the time. Tracking our progress was very important,. If something was not working we moved on to the next plan. Also, we were consistent with addressing policies, staying on top of coaching plans, rewarding good behavior, having fun and making our staff smile with fun games and incentives, and terminations for those who did not consistently meet standards. I was proud to be part of such a great team. 

In regards to my co-workers we each knew what our job was when we walked through those doors. We never got caught up in gossip. If there was ever an issue (which was rare) we knew how to properly address it with our manager and walk away stronger with broader intellect and knowledge. We were never too proud to ask one another for tips on coaching, or what worked and did not work for them, or ask for advice if we saw their team of people was meeting outstanding in a particular performance area. (The call center I worked in was set up of four teams. Each team consisted of about 30 CSRs, one team lead, and one supervisor. We had one manager who oversaw all 120+ of us.) We all communicated well; communication is “key” in a leadership position. Some employees will try to play supervisors  against one another, like a child from a split home does with their divorced parents.  Being on the same page with your co-workers and keeping lines of communication open, shows your CSRs and staff that you are a strong management team. Another thing we did - which I loved - was when we saw the phone lines were busy (and in danger of not meeting contractual obligations) we stopped our supervisor duties to jump on phones to help out. This showed our CSRs team work in action, and that we all need to work together to meet call goals and talk time. Plus, seeing a CSR’s facial expression when you go sit at a cubicle out on the floor, next to them, and start taking calls side-by-side next to them as an equal really is priceless. It keeps them all talking in the break rooms, and they find so much joy in it. Also, I would randomly pick desks where someone called off that day and take calls once in a while. This kept me on my toes with showing myself and my team that I could also meet all standards, allowing me also to stay fresh with my phone skills, (which I did at an outstanding level). Providing coaching, we would sometimes hear CSRs say “I would like to see you make 14+ calls per hour while meeting accuracy.” So I showed them that I could do it and it can be done. I did not have to prove myself or do this all the time, but once in a while it is good to do. They talk about it for weeks on end and it spreads by word of mouth anyways. I still had my own supervisor responsibilities and deadlines to meet. Again, it is all a balancing act. 

The hardest part of my job was terminating employment on a dependable employee who showed up for work everyday and tried their best (they just could not meet performance with accuracy or calls per hour). As a supervisor you have to balance compassion while keeping that distance and not displaying favoritism. I was good at this, because my manager was a great leader too. Employees come to you with their personal issues. I had an open door policy, yet it was viable to maintain control with face-to-face communication. I actively listened to their personal home life issues, but just like a customer on the phone I showed empathy, controlled the conversation with them and pulled them back to topic with their focus on their job (taking calls). I actively reminded them to maintain great attendance records, because if an issue was bad enough where they were crying in my office not knowing if they should leave for the day, it was nice to be able to tell them their job was not in jeopardy if the decided to leave since they never take off. I still encouraged them to stay. I always told my people that if they asked me if they should leave or not, then I will always respond with "we need you, so please stay if you can". If an employee is that bad they will come to me and straight out tell me they are leaving. However, there are employees who call off for everything little thing so some employees had to sit in my office and choose between getting back on the phones or losing their job. That was tough, but this is why it was so important for me to stay on top of active warnings with addressing attendance issues. I never wanted to see one of my CSRs have to choose. There were however unique situations where I could open an Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) claim or obtain a leave of absence approval from upper management, but this was rare. The toughest part was terminating employment with an employee who tried really hard to meet goals in their coaching and active warnings, then them not meeting them within the required time (further escalating the warning). It was my job though. I knew in the long run I was also doing them a favor, because obviously it was not the job for them. They needed to move on as well and find something more fitting. This did not happen often though. I was able to address learning styles through online quizzes and establish personalized coaching plans. Most of my people I was able to get to satisfactory or above in all performance areas. The remainder of the people did not want to be there or even try. You will have this in all jobs though. Some people just want a paycheck until something better comes along. This is inevitable. 

The most enjoyable part of my job was my CSRs and team as a whole reaching their goals. I really enjoyed helping an employee advance within the company. I had someone surpass me too. Some may be jealous or feel some sort of way, but I was proud to say I had a hand in making someone else a great leader and role model.

There was a job posting on Snag a Job that was for customer service from Xerox. Filled out the application and next day was emailed to come in on specified day. Probably one of the 1st Red flags with a job interview process is minimal communication.
I didn't know this was a Apple Tech Support job until after some test in my computer proficiency.  Long story short. You have to sit through 3 weeks of paid training to learn Apples devious tactics on making money through customer service, pretty much those Pay Per Incident plans that cost $19 for basic trouble shooting, yeah... you are trained to properly place your words to sell the PPI plan to customers who's warranty is up. 

Work life is not flexible at all... unless your an Apple golden employee that has no Dissatisfaction on customer calls. Everything is performance based, ludicrous shift bids that change every 6 or less months, the company has no courtesy for your life outside of work. Don't like the Shift that was given to you? Then you quit. 

I was the most knowledgeable amongst a group of new employees that were hired in with me (25 to be exact) that we all had to "Graduate" to be "authorized" Apple Tech Support you have to pass 3 tests maybe more and have to "Be aware of the information" not necessarily know it. Myself and 3 others were the most knowledgeable and we were able to choose from the best shifts when we were ready to go on the call floor. 

The work was repetitive. rude Apple users that know nothing tell you that YOU know nothing when you try to help them with something. Or they are just so ill informed and uneducated that even in lamens terms does no good. you get some good customers, don't get me wrong, but you deal with a lot that have no idea how to turn off the phone or even know what the home button was. I swear there were more than i want to admit who didn't know what I meant when I said "Press the Home button". Every call you take is heavily logged by the iLog system and YES you do use nothing but Mac computers and YES iLog is a proprietary phone logging software developed by apple that is the up most unreliable piece junk of software and always has problems. 9 times out of 10 each call you take sends a email out the caller asking them to do a survey. THIS IS WHERE IT GETS OUT OF HAND. 

You will get dissatisfaction surveys for no logical reason at all. The ones i received, I did not deserved. It could have been that grandma did not know how to fill out the survey correctly and gave you 0 stars instead of the 5 stars you deserved, it could have been that another adviser got a call from the same customer and case number and provided poor service to them and in return the customer angrily filled out the survey in their inbox pertaining to YOUR services and you get nailed by someone else insubordination and poor job. Or it could have been that the customer was in a rush and was not patient enough to stop, driving, eating, working, or what not to take time out to work out what the problem was and left you a bad survey because he or she didn't care to work with you to help them. Or a customer wasn't able to reset their password because they forgot their security questions, they also cant access their email to reset it, they also don't have the credit card they used for itunes purchases to verify. So they stick you with a bad survey. The lists goes on! THIS IS 100% true. I have had people call while doing the most time intensive tasks, or an activity demanding 100% of their attention like driving, working, going to a funeral, taking care of a crying kid or baby etc. OR it could have been that they literately have no clue, that they couldn't follow your instructions in the most simplest way possible. and gave you a bad survey. Or you could have gotten a bad survey if a customer wasn't happy with another companies service that caused their iphone, ipod, computer etc. not to work. Everything that was out of your control was held against you as an employee and you were like a shield for Apple, taking all the penalties for "poor performance" and then have to take training courses over again because of it. If Apple releases a buggy update, you get held accountable.You have to have the up most patients to work a job like this. I cant say there was anything enjoyable about working here other than what it seemed like were the only 2 co-workers and my supervisor was very supportive.

All of the above affects your pay, your shift time, your days off, and the team you are on and supervisor. It is the most unethical way to work and do business and Apple should be ashamed that they operate this way. And NO, you cant talk to your supervisor or any higher up about removing useless surveys from your name even if the caller mentioned a different name in the survey. While cheesy apple store employees get paid more than the tech advisers that go through way more training, is a slap in the face. I litteraly had Apple employees call in from Apple Stores trouble shooting stuff for customers. What does this tell you? Yet you as the tech adviser get the lower wage, while Sally stands around in a blue shirt with the Apple logo and an iPad for $14 hr. You will never make the salary they say...EVER. If you are in a tight position and need the job, then that's ok, but don't plan on working here if you are looking for advancement or a good workplace. The people i worked with were not all the honest ones, employees would steal, or try to get you fired by doing something to your computer if you didn't lock it when you walked away. Steal or throw away lunches in the cafeteria to make room for their own oversize pizza box they brought. There was literally a heist of thieves that broke into the call center and stole over 8 mac computers and iphones and ipods. It HAD to have been an inside job, because they were good at doing it, knew exactly what to take, and what to do to break the Kensington locks on all the computers to take them. and they got away with it too. and dont forget the awesome discount on apple products of 6%.

I must admit that I'm a bit jealous of some of you who've had great experiences with Xerox. I wish I could say the same....

Training was easy breezy, kind of boring at times, but beneficial overall. They do all these fun activities and games, you meet all these great people and forget that you are about to be thrown into a call center atmosphere. Yes, the first day of taking calls was HORRIBLE. We were virtually untrained in almost every important aspect at that point and felt completely not ready. Thrown into the wolves; we had to transfer 90% of our calls. Imagine being that customer on the other line after waiting thirty minutes to speak to someone...yep.

The environment is super unprofessional. Xerox is a casserole of different contracted companies. I've seen people with club clothes on, borderline pajamas, people almost coming to throws (fighting) with no one stopping them. They hire any warm body. Those who try to be professional feel undercut by others who care less, and it just overall makes you feel like you aren't important at your job. Compensation is meager considering the stress level of the job. You do get benefits, however, the insurance comes with a $1500 or so deductible so basically you'll be paying out of pocket for while. The prescription insurance is pretty good for generics though (got mine for free!) so kudos on that. You have to work there for two months before getting paid sick days and PTO. Mandatory overtime stinks. They add it to your schedule (that you can only view at work) the same day and you are required to stay and fulfill those hours. It doesn't matter how many hours you already work on a daily basis, you'll still get the same amount of overtime. I once worked a 13.5 hour shift. And yes, you still get the same 30 min. lunch. And no, there's no overtime hourly rate increase. And yes, you will have to clock out unpaid if you need to use the restroom between breaks. They monitor every minute to the second that you are not taking calls. They put a lot of pressure on you to be in compliance with % goals. There's a lot of emphasis on bonuses, but the actual process of attaining said bonuses are almost impossible unless you're the quantity over quality type. I'm more of the type to stay on the phone for an hour if it's necessary in helping these customers, especially knowing that their insurance plans are so bad (I will never recommend this insurance company to anyone). 


You deal with angry people all.the.time. I never realized how disrespectful some people can be over the phone. It was always nice to be able to make them happy by the end of the call, but every now and then you get that person who can not be satisfied--the type that answers the phone screaming at you like a crazy person. You're not allowed to press mute, and you just sit there waiting for the member to run out of breath so you can get a word in. It's bananas. Then you have those really polite members that make your day so much better. Now, whenever I need to contact customer service, I am always patient and if given good service will give a kudos to their supervisors. I guess that's another pro from working at Xerox. I often left work exhausted and mentally drained. One of the hardest things to do was to tell a member that their life-saving prescriptions were no longer covered by their plans, or that seeing a certain type of specialist would not be covered. Every once in a while you get a call about a deceased member, someone's dad or wife. It can get depressing, but you have to try not carry those emotions from work to home.

You ask someone for help, and they are silently judging you only to go back and tell another person how you don't know what you're doing. Very high school.Don't even get me started on supervisor calls... They will go through the Himalayas to avoid taking a sup call. They feed you a lot of b/s to tell these customers, only resulting in you getting chewed out by a now VERY angry member. You have to basically tell them that you've exhausted all options and there is nothing else you can do to help. When they finally do help, it's not without an eye roll or attitude. Never mind the fact that while you're struggling to get a sup to take the call, the supervisors are hanging out and LAUGHING, having fun and horsing around doing absolutely not a dang thing. Ridiculous. They offer the occasional promotion, but they are few and far between. They choose favorites for sure; they'll choose someone with subpar scores over someone with a spotless record if they like you. If someone higher up (i.e. floor support) has a problem with you, they share it with other higher ups. Scores don't matter. Proficiency doesn't matter. They can ruin opportunities for you. Don't get entangled with the concept of moving up at this job. They'll keep feeding it to you during training to make you feel like this could be a career. I've seen people who've worked at Xerox since it opened with great scores who have yet to be promoted, yet newbies with limited experience get promotions. It's a sad sight. 

I met a lot of great people at Xerox, some who are now great friends. The trainers were great, and some of the team leaders were awesome! The job itself is just stress, poor work/life balance, and not near enough money/benefits for the workload. I honestly don't see how people can do this for the rest of their lives. Respect. BUT, you will never see me voluntarily be a customer service rep ever again. A job's a job and if you're desperate then go for it. Just know that it's completely different after training. Go there, do your job, ignore the drama, and go home. 

And take lots of Xanax. You'll be fiiiiiiiiiiine. lol, but really, I hated it but it's different for everybody. Good luck!

Here is the problem:

1.	When I voiced a concern about not feeling like I was getting all the information that the others in my T bay area was getting I was asked if I needed a babysitter.
2.	Being on some list about breaks and having that put in my face without regard to my extremely expressed concern the information was incorrect or even if the information was correct being shown what I could have been possibly doing in CTI that would made this happen. 
3.	Being concerned with a credit that was supposedly given three times to a customer and when I asked about this because it popped on my screen I was told in a stern fashion that the information was correct the credit was handled and to get on the phones. This moment could have been if not right away a teachable moment that would have allowed me to learn what I possibly enter incorrectly to have this happen.
4.	Being told that remarks in an account about the ‘previous rep” was that I didn’t do my job when all it said was that the customer was unhappy with the previous rep
5.	Being scolded and not listened to when I expressed what I had learned in the five weeks of training regarding the buddy system when a team mate loses or misplaces their badge.
6.	It basically being suggested that I wasn’t truthful about the badge issue because after speaking with the trainer that was claimed it wasn’t said.
7.	After having an issue with a plan situation and following what was shared with the training class from vzw employees themselves I went to a vzw employee to ask if I should be actively promoting nationwide plans. This was a plan issue with vzw and I made clear in my explanation of the situation that any issues with Xerox wasn’t what I was talking about. Vzw said their door was open to asking about anything regarding vzw and that is what I did.
8.	Being pulled off the phone to be told about a chain of command when I didn’t believe I or intended to step out of when speaking with vzw about the plan question.
9.	During this chain of command discussion it was brought to my attention that I take things personally.
10.	During the same conversation it was suggested again that I needed in the supervisors words “I don’t know the word for it… but babying… something.”
11.	Then when I asked the supervisor to elaborate on why the supervisor felt that way in order to gain some insight on how I had been performing I was told that was neither here nor there.
12.	Being told that I never speak up in debriefs, which is true, but the one time I did I was insulted instead of my question/concern addressed.
13.	Debrief being a joke because it was mostly conversation about everything else but concerns regarding any issues. 
14.	During the same discussion it being suggested that I run my mouth around the call center with my concerns and frustrations that I take strong issue with because this is completely untrue.
15.	Being given wrong information when I have needed help finding information because after using my resources such as doorways I couldn’t find the right information. Once getting the wrong information passing this information off to customers.
16.	The feeling like at every move I am going to get in trouble/written up for something.
17.	The lack of support from direct supervisor and it being uncomfortable to ask for support from them.
18.	 When I was ill and had to leave it was more about stressing that I would get a point, which isn’t what the Xerox guidebook says. I appreciated Al wishing me good health.

The fact is that to my surprise I loved being on the phone and helping customers and working through their issues. I enjoyed providing the best service possible to Verizon customers.  It’s just a complete drag that the site doesn’t live up to the support structure that is posted everywhere and that scare tactics are in place to try and achieve results which only hurts the site and company in the end because it breeds a culture of people that don’t care and only want a paycheck. When you do get those that do care they don’t want to stay because it is clear that nothing that was trained into them or promote, as a site wide cultural pursuit is seemingly even true.

I work diligently to stay professional at all times. I vent just like the rest of the people on earth that’s just human nature but to feel like I have stepped out of bounds for expressing myself is not okay. Further,  I feel that I have an excellent grasp on how to handle myself in a professional manner and I have the interpersonal skills required to work in this or any other environment. So it is beyond me why anyone would first think it is okay to speak down to me and second make comments that are what I would consider inappropriate in a situation when a serious question or concern is being expressed. 

I am not perfect I have tons to learn. I can take things on a personal level sometimes mainly in my private life but in this situation I don’t feel at all that any of these issues are me taking things personal. They are issues that corrode the culture, undermined the client, make for disgruntled working conditions, unsupportive, training that doesn’t prepare, and fear to ask for help when needed.

So it’s not that I have taken it personal it’s just that I have clearly identified many areas that need improvement. I’ll be the first one to step up to say when I need improvement or when I am wrong. But I am confident that I am seeing a situation in this center that will ultimately create a large amount of turnover, lack of dedication from representatives, as already is happening loss of revenue, and finally closure. That’s just my opinion.

Avoid this place at all costs unless no other employer will take you due to the teardrop tattoo or the fact that you wear a Dragonball flame shirt to job interviews.The hours are long, the work is incredibly stressful, and the management consists almost entirely of childish imbeciles. If you want to be yelled at by racist elderly people over the phone over a $2 service charge while management breathes down your neck for taking an 11 minute break, this is the career for you. There is very little opportunity for advancement, despite what the recruiting material says, and a horrific workplace culture that has spawned the motto "fake it until you make it". This attitude is so widespread that I have even overheard supervisors and administrators espouse this awful slogan, which seems to embody the entirety of the questionable business practices employed by this company. The one thing which has kept me as an employee here is the fact that some of the senior staff such as my own supervisor and other senior agents are actually caring people with decent work ethic, a trait not found in many of the motley idiots that replace these experienced and skilled team members and leaders as they move on to other more worthwhile employment with companies that actually value seniority and experience. The entire goal seems to be to squeeze as much profit out of employees as they can by placing as much pressure on them as humanly possible with before they inevitably burn out, quit, or get fired over a variety of petty and innumerable rules and policies. The company hires new employees continuously to replenish the pool of cubicle slaves with waves of hastily-trained misfits that attest to the seemingly record lows of recruitment standards this company practices. The frequent introduction of new hires to replace the constant flow of experienced workers leaving on a daily basis means that there is very little sense of teamwork, or even any point in remembering anyone's name except for your boss and maybe that really cute girl that always asks if you have a cigarette when you're on your ten minute break. Chronic absenteeism and employee turnover results in extra hours of mandatory overtime at sub-par wages, and the ABC "incentive" system is a draconic excuse to cut wages as much as possible. The system of performance compensation is heavily weighted against the employees and based around performance metrics which often you have very little control over. Poor survey results (which are often unavoidable when dealing with irrational customers) and longer handle times will result in your pay being reduced to as little as minimum wage, even at top tier it is unusual for a phone agent to make much more than 10-12 dollars an hour for the hours that actually do get properly recorded by the incompetent workforce managers. Frequent mistakes and an intentionally confusing compensation system results in frequent pay mistakes, driving most employees to carefully review their time sheets every pay period to avoid being scalped. Pay disputes aside, management staff will often hand out corrective actions like candy, going through the bureaucratic motions of performing disciplinary action in order to impress the higher-ups and provide the illusion that they actually have any control over the constant chaos and unprofessionalism occurring around them. The constant arguments and dramatic blow ups, cliquishness, and inappropriate inter-office relationships lend an atmosphere befitting a high school classroom to the production floor, doing little to attest to the culture of a company that used to be one of the shining gems of corporate America. Now that most offices have gone mostly paperless, Xerox has been forced to scrape the bottom of the business world to squeeze a profit anywhere possible, and it truly shows in what is hands-down one of the worst workplaces I have ever experienced. Run fast, run far, and don't look back.

Working at Xerox is/was strange. The job was advertised as a temporary job, but it turns out that wasn't quite the case. At first, you go in and you open mail all day long. Not really a big deal besides paper cuts and the like, but you can get over that. Then you are taught to sort mail. Once that happens, it seems as though all hell breaks loose. The co-workers at my particular facility were keeping a heavily trained eye on the trainees, waiting until we could sort somewhat decently before they decided to full out try and get over on us by giving us the harder work, lying about how much work was left, complaining to management because trainees left earlier, and making snide remarks constantly. You see, Xerox works on a system called ABC pay. You get whatever pay is consummate with your speed. If you are going too slow, they can drop your hourly rate to minimum wage (or here, that is 7.25 an hour). Training for us started at 8.00 an hour, obviously not the best pay in the world, but the recruiter made it sound like it was going to be cake getting better pay. WRONG. At the speed myself and other trainees had topped out at, we were still going too slow and would "never make it to production" with the speed we were going, which meant if we somehow did, minimum wage was in our future. Please tell me how you can take a step back on the pay scale with formal training??? They gushed about how a top performer of theirs was making over 50 an hour. That's great until you realize if you're going that fast, you aren't getting that many hours because there won't be anymore work. Other things that rubbed me the wrong way included a very creepy and overly dictator-like boss, who insisted that everything ever that went wrong was your fault, I guess to make you feel like his position was so grandeur and spectacular and you were just a lowly trainee, and the fact that there was a "no talking" rule he instituted, regardless of the fact that there wasn't anything in the interview, recruiting process, or handbook saying talking was not allowed, and other co-workers did it all the time. If a different boss was in, people would talk. What else can you do when you're just sorting mail in a repetitive manner all day long, with no guarantee when you're getting off? (Could be 3 hours, could be 16, usually it was around 9-10 hours). When I asked about this, every boss, superior, and even the Operations Manager suggested it was not an actual rule that was required to be followed, but "That was just how he is". And to make matters worse, this boss would complain that the reason why he asked us to be quiet in the first place was because we weren't getting any work done and we were going too slow. Last BS Thing...again, there is no guarantee when you get off. Since this mailroom works on a "clean-desk" policy, that means no matter what, if you have to pick your child up from school, if you need to go check on your sick grandmother, if you're in school and need to be back to do homework or go to class, you can't leave unless all the work is done. Some bosses were more pardoning than others about this, but it is still frowned upon, and if you have a more reoccurring reason why you need to leave by a certain time, like getting your kid from school, little Sally is just going to have to sit there by her lonesome until someone can go get her.

The good things:

You are allowed to listen to music on the job, so you can bring your mp3 player, cell phone, and headphones to work with you. Also, you can take breaks or lunch whenever you want, though your lunch is only 30 minutes long. Some bosses are really nice and will do all they can to make sure you are well and comfortable. If you are a recluse and like being left alone, this is a good job for you.

No strictness regarding policies and poor handling of grievances and complaints which take them nearly two years to resolve and even then they can't manage to review, investigate and deal with the many lies and contradictions throughout which is alarming 

Despite supposedly being so strict/zero tolerance on its policies as they make you take their nonsensical courses such as: 

Business Code of Conduct 
Diversity 

Which given the amount of inappropriate and disgusting behaviour is clearly a waste of time and not worth the time or the effort to send out as most see these courses as an excuse to pass the time or to avoid actual work. In my view there should be a stricter approach to implementing these courses and a test should be taken to ensure people understand these clearly instead of seeing it as an excuse to pass the time. 

The lack of honesty is also off putting you have people there that will sell you down the river and blame you for mistakes and errors whilst learning the different aspects of the role. The training that is also supposedly the same as what everyone else has or had which is a lie which relates to the Order Verification Process and Order Processing which is a lot more complicated due to the varying different scenarios and issues you will come across in their backdated and the out of date systems they use. 

Other companies I have worked for have a far more simpler and up to date way of training with up to date systems and processes unlike here where they feel like they belong in the stone age. It also doesn't help when the training is inadequate and given by those who are in no position to be training at all given the complex nature of the role and then there are those attitudes regarding training others or when you merely ask for their help or assistance

It's almost like you should feel privileged that you are actually trained in a job that isn't exactly easy or straight forward there is either no or a complete lack of support 

The amount of disgusting, inappropriate behaviour, and bullying I incurred led me to believe that the supposed zero tolerance policies don't protect anyone and the action taken to incorporate these policies and procedures leave a lot to be desired.

There should be more strictness on timekeeping and people shouldn't be allowed to just stroll in at whatever time it suits due to most being on a fixed contract of set hours (9:00am - 17:30pm) but this is a matter of whether you are friendly with the management or beneficial to management or one of the ones with a mouth on you that likes to be heard and show off in the office then the management will excuse your lateness as well as the behaviour.

I can only hope with the supposed restructuring that they re-evaluate  and incorporate a more stricter approach to their policies, procedures and actually standby the supposed zero tolerance approach that these supposedly hold. I seriously doubt it though and they will instead keep rewarding those with undeserved salary increases and positive yearly appraisals who don't deserve it due to their questionable behaviour and performance. 

Instead of actually rewarding those that do work hard and then don't get noticed or recognised for their hard work and accomplishments throughout the year because they're not part of the "in crowd".

The only people who care in my building is the GM, Tbay sups, and trainers(excluding the training managers who dont care at all). All CMS does is sit and watch people on phones, watching you by the minute, and screaming across the floor to "check on your customer" and eating up a storm watching you on your calls, and there are ALOT of lazy supervisors I see them sitting at their computers, eating on the production floor, ignoring the raised hands of their team chatting with the management. All they care about is someone being there to answer the phones. They are just to strict for a call center, its ridiculous. Work attire is dress down but their is so many dress code rules but no one follows them. They focus on the wrong things. They act like they are oh so professional but once you go into that building you see people who dont comb their hair, smell like they havent showered, and the break rooms smells horrid of old food. They give you this fantasy of a job when you go into the recruiters office. Agents are at the bottom of the food chain, yes they claim advancement within the work place but honestly once you get promoted you forget where you came from and act like your too good to be on the phones all day getting yelled at by customers. Allthey care about is keeping customers happy no matter how escalated they get. I was told to try and save a customers line who recently died and their family came into alot of bill and need to disconnect their line. And a SUPERVISOR told me to try and convince them to keep the line acttive because Im a smart person. word for word they told me to tell the customer "Oh Im sorry for your loss but would you maybe be interested in turning that line into something else, such as a tablet, or jetpack, or hey maybe even turn it into a prepaid account". I WAS DISGUSTED!!! I did not save that account because that was so heartless, the customer already called in crying and sad trying to make funeral arrangements and your telling to offer them to turn that line into a tablet?!??? No Ma'am! Yes I am in my 5th or 6th week of Tbay but honestly I would not be sad if this job did not work out. My social life died once I started working here I spent a really big chunk of my life 5 days a week in that cold dark building with no windows. And the breaks are too short for my liking along with the lunch breaks, if im working a 10 hour day I deserve more that two 10 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch. Their turnover rate is horrible,  and I would rather work a part time job making less money then working for them. If your married, w/ or w/o kids, in a relationship, then say goodbye to spending time with them. The only things I like is the food truck (Vantes Inferno), Panda Express Tuesdays, leaving after I clock out, and times away from that phone. Everyday I dread and get ready for work. Even though I hate the job with a passion I still try and do my best to take care of the customers.I advise if yor going to apple to this job, DO YOUR RESEARCH. I was flabbergasted once training was over and I was on the floor the expectations were not set clearly, I love my trainer to death and he prepared me for the worst but still there are things you just cant prepare for.......

I have worked for this company for 12 years in multiple work environments and I am currently working 3 positions while getting paid for 1. I have worked from a stand-alone area in the US rural west, to a high volume area on a tropical island, to a color production area in a metro area in the southeastern US, and all areas have taught me that I DO NOT MATTER. The more work you do, the more they expect you to do... without legitimate compensation. Yes they do provide overtime and standby pay however if you are willing to work these hours you are almost automatically expected to work 24/7 with no personal life. Many employees skate by with the bare minimum to  be employed while those with drive take up the slack to make the business run. Over the past five years people with 30 + years experience have retired while the remaining workforce has had minimal training and support as an aging workforce is either forced to leave under growing pressure or has run away due to a changing politics within the company. As a TSR you are CONSTANTLY measured by metrics, some of which are out of your control and are determined by the customer operators of the machines that you are responsible to maintain. Most Operators take the responsibilities given by Xerox as suggestions rather than obligations yet management refuses to uphold contracts that customers sign at install of their equipment. Also many customers have learned over the years that if they complain loud enough that they can get whatever they want from service as management has no backbone and will cave to any request. This causes undue stress on field technicians who end up operating machines for customers for free.
On a similar note, as a product specialist I tend to do jobs that other technicians would rather not do. The system is set up for non experienced techs to ask for help from specialists who are generally more experienced or capable than the are. However in practice, many technicians use this as an excuse to shove off work that may take too long(effecting their metric scores) or is difficult, and therefore relies on the specialists to complete their shoddy or sub par work even though specialists have the same amount of training and sometimes less field experience than the TSR's.
If you have the mind that you will move up within the company strike it from you conscious immediately. You are expected to stay at the position you are hired, at the salary you are hired for as long as the company can keep you there. Only with drastic location changes is a salary change possible and never guaranteed. A change from a mid west state to a high cost of living area might give you a bump but then moving to a southern state will be lateral. Moving up to higher position will net you a 5% raise max even if you make significantly more at the lower position with overtime. There is absolutely no reason to move up the corporate ladder for anyone with lower than a masters in business or engineering  and if you have these degrees and are seeking a position within Xerox... may god have mercy on your soul because you will not be long for this industry.

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