Technical Support Representative | Orlando, FL | Nov 4, 2019
Please stay away from this company
Spectrum does not care about you at all. If you are a call Rep in the Tech dept your working conditions will be terrible. While you are working extremely hard sometimes taking back to back calls for hours you get the pleasure of watching the managers and supervisors do nothing.
The Customers when they call aren't just upset, they are angry and rightfully so. Technicians don't show for client appointments. If they do they don't complete the job or show people how to use the service such as wi fi that seniors are clueless about. A lot of our calls is “We just got the service installed today and it doesn’t work.” When I hear that I ask myself why didn’t the technician check this before he left, or why didn’t the customer check everything? So as Call Center Technicians we must take the heat for another departments fowl ups. To make this fair you can’t totally blame the technicians the company’s priority is time and the techs only have a hour window to install or repair. So basically, a customer can call 3-4 times a month after techs have been out to repair the issue only to say their problems are not fixed and they are angry.
Rules to abide by or your fired avg handle time 9 min, which means you must get the customer off the phone in 9 min on AVG in a month. You must stay at your desk 92% of the time you are there. A new rule they just came out with is you must record why you transfer a call. The troubleshooting you do is basic; however, you must use there over cumber
This review is of the Indianapolis branch. When I started out with Spectrum as an outside sales rep it was my first sales job and I was very excited to start working. When had me so excited was the local leadership and the commission plan. I was able to make six figures within my first full year here which was money I had never seen nor thought I would see for another 6 years.
Typical word day
When I started we were told we were to work from 1 pm to dark or when we made a sale. It was very flexible in that regard because if you make a sale and need to go home early, you could. It's hard work because you generally deal with people who might want service but don't have the money to pay for those services at the door, so you really have to hound people for payment and check in to see when they get paid. Over time, they started making the start time go from 1pm to 12pm, and now 11am. This does not include the conference calls you have to do almost every morning an hour beforehand, so your workday is actually starting at 10 am. The most frustrating change though is Spectrums HUGE push to sell mobile service at the door. This was something they had going on since I started more than a year ago but it is now something they stress sales reps about to a ridiculous degree. So much so they are critically watching your metrics and want proof you tried to sell one every day if you haven't sold one for the month. This is what makes the job almost unbearable now because you have to sacri
ProsReliable Local Management, Healthcare, PTO, Good Pay
ConsMoving Towards Micro Management, Weekends are Unclear, Overworked Sales Territory
They go out of their way to make you miserable and wonder why you don't like it
I am a long-time employee going back to the pre-merger days. Since the merger there have been a number of thing that the new company has done to change us from an enjoyable place to work into a "Well, at least the check clears" environment.
1) A top-down approach to management makes everybody work the same across the company whether it makes sense or not. I work in an environment where there are certain times of the day that are way more busy than others during certain times of the year because of weather patterns. Rather than allow each region to adjust for the influx of work at certain times they believe in a wholesale shift change over the course of a half hour which leaves the second shift holding the bag for the work left over from days and then adds to their misery by having them deal with the afternoon storms and the 5PM everybody-else-wants-to-go-home surge. It makes no sense to not have this be managed locally.
2) Silly dress code policies. While I understand business casual being the norm on a weekday it doesn't make a lot of sense for someone working overnight on a weekend in a department where you don't even deal with customers come in in slacks and a dress shirt. Even when our local group wants to allow it we can't unless we get approval from an EVP, and that won't be granted because the largest group in our building (which is under entirely different management) doesn't want to allow jeans. (This is especially funny as people there consistently not only vi
ProsChecks clear. Local management is pretty good
ConsUpper management couldn't find their own butt with two hands, a map, and a sherpa
1.0
Customer Service Representative | Wisconsin | Dec 2, 2012
I do not recommend working here.
There is an extreme lack of communication which results in a very negative, stressful and confusing work environment. This goes hand in hand with being only a number to the corporation, unreasonable performance requirements, decreasing pay opportunities, little to no room for advancement.
Two things you can expect are inconsistency & bad communication. In policies, enforcement, from one supervisor to the next you'll receive conflicting answers. You'll have to know more about your job than the person managing you.
You are a strictly a number, management couldn't care less about you as a person. For example, if someone in your family dies and they are not immediate they will not approve time off. It doesn't matter how close you are with that family member. If you have a family reunion planned and request over 1 year off in advance, chances are extremely high that you will not get granted time off.
Upper management consistently under staffs the call centers. In the 5+ years I've worked here they never figured out that under staffing leads to a negative impact on not only their employees, but most importantly customers.
Because the staffing is so bad, mandatory overtime is required all the time. You can not opt out. This will impact your family and personal life. When you are at work it is so busy that you do not even get 5 seconds between one upset customer hanging up and the next one on the line. It is back-to-back to back calls, non-stop.
Your every move and minute, down
Prosbeing employed, insurance, free cable & internet
Consdecreasing pay, no communication, you don't matter, stressful
1.0
Inbound Sales Representative | Akron, OH | May 2, 2016
Joke of a company filled with illegal actions
This review is written based on my experience as an inbound sales agent at the Akron call center for time warner cable. After my experiences there I have no issue in saying Time Warner Cable is the absolute worst company I have ever worked for. Between being ordered onto a medical leave of absence by an HR person (illegal seeing as only licensed physicians can order medical leaves), to not being paid for said medical leave even though I was told I would be (even have the paperwork given to me when I was put on the medical leave documenting that I was to be paid during this leave), to them changing the length of a commission cycle so you don't earn the money you worked for. Because of all of the above and more I have no issue saying that Time Warner Cable was the worst employer I have ever had the misfortune of working for. Worse than any other employer I have ever had, hands down bar none.
Time warner cable DOES NOT value their employees or their customers. Just take a look at what I've gone through (and that's not all, that's just the most recent items that have pushed me over the edge to the point that I am now building a case with my lawyer against them) And as far as the customer aspect, look at how they treat their existing customers (they will continue to charge you more and more year after year while new customers get sent advertisements for better prices). Time warner also uses the bait and switch technique heavily. They will tell you they can get you this deal f
ProsYou can get their awful service free of charge!
First the prices of the services provided are extremely overpriced. We are taught and trained to lie to customers, we are taught to save 80 percent of clients (even though they claim its less if you really want top tier commission that's where you have to be in order to get it), the other 20 percent are the people that move out of area (must be verified or people who are deceased). Everything is about money. Nothing about this job is about customer service. They rarely do anything to help the customer out but they expect the reps to show sympathy and empathy. And let me explain the real deal with spectrum mobile, it is not a savings okay it is not. They claim it is and it is far from it. They only use it to gain more money from customers. When customers call in to cancel either tv or internet (mainly tv cause thats the most expensive product), they expect mobile to be pitched to save that line (ex) even though in the long run its not going to save the customers money. Ive seen it firsthand it does not save money! They want mobile before anything else, yeah it may save them on their current bill they are paying but at least be honest about it, dont but they arent and they never will be honest. They dont know how to be honest.
They are not an honest company. Everything comes out of your commission, if you give dollars off it comes out of your commission, if you cancel the account, it comes out of your commission even if its a move out of area disconnect or regardles of reasao
Not a job for everyone, especially if you have a family
When you go to work in a call center, you obviously aren't expecting it to be amazing, but working at this call center was so stressful I eventually had to quit due to being concerned about my own health. Pay is decent, but just after I left, everyone took a pay-cut and commissions were all but eliminated for my department.
A typical day involves taking any number of calls, busy days were usually 100+. While I worked there, we were still retention agents, not billing or whatever they have decided to call the department now, so we pretty much took any kind of call except phone repair and new sales. 90% of the customers are actually at least decent, many were pleasant to talk to. The 10% were the ones that would give you stories to tell when you got home, but as to be expected when you take disconnections, payments, and general complaints.
Management was... interesting. How well you did really depends on what supervisor you get, and there are definitely some to steer clear of (anyone working there can tell you who). I was very frustrated on many occasions by 2 things with management: never getting a straight answer and getting anything done was like pulling teeth. I asked my own manager once to do something very simple (I knew how to do it but the system was changed to prevent the agents from being able to do so), and she didn't know how. My assistant supervisor turned and looked at her, couldn't believe she didn't know how to do it, then offered to show her, to whi
ProsDecent pay, 401K, OK health care, 2 weeks vacation
What can I say? Reports, reports and more reports. You will NEVER not be on any of them. When you are, (and believe me you WILL be) you’re constantly being reminded how you’re not doing well enough. Truth be told, I have no bosses. Microsoft Excel is all of our boss. I’ve been a Field Technician for 8 years now and have watched this place go from bad to worse. All management cares about is being green on the spreadsheets. I can’t even remember the last time they said that making the customer happy is ultimately the bottom line. This place is epitome of being set up for failure everywhere you turn.
My day consists of:
1) signal level uploads on the Viavi meter- the ultimate micromanagement tool. If you aren’t 100% on this at all times, you will hear about it. No one even looks at the signal levels, they only care about looking good on the report
2) doing a checklist on every job on things that they require be done, more micromanagement
3) making sure all jobs are up to quality assurance specifications, more micromanagement.
4) making sure you meet your production goal for the day. This is impossible most of the time because you have to make sure you can pass a quality assurance check on your work. Quality and speed don’t go hand in hand but this place wants their cake and to eat it too.
5) making a special trip to the warehouse every week to turn in cable boxes, modems, etc. that have been on your van for over 30 days, again cutting into your production for that day.
6)
The only upward mobility in this position is reserved for either former Time Warner Cable employees in North Carolina, or those who have a personal friendship with a director or directors. There has not been 1 corporate recruiter promoted in St. Louis for at least 5 years. They talk a big game about promoting from within, but they don't really mean what they say. There have been two opportunities in St. Louis for a recruiter to move into a management role since 2017, but they chose to go with Mr. External Hire each time.
HR and Recruiting have a contentious relationship. "Keeping the peace" is the main goal for recruiting management, so the recruiters end up doing more than double the work necessary to complete the recruitment cycle. Management doesn't really care about the work load, so long as they don't have to resolve any problems or stand up for the recruiting team.
If you work as a recruiter for this team, you will hear the term "trusted adviser" over and over again. Of course, there really aren't many quantifiable metrics to determine whether or not a recruiter has mastered the "trusted adviser" role so it's really a subjective opinion of one's supervisor to determine how well the recruiter fit into the trusted adviser role. So, in easy terms, if your supervisor likes you, then you are certainly a trusted adviser.
Performance reviews are a joke. Around April or May, management will tell you what the goals are for the year (not sure if you caught this, but by t
Decent pay for highly stressful and emotionally exhausting work
The wages and commission structure are what drove me in. Way back when I was in training I immediately learned that this company is very strict with attendance and adherence to policy. I heard many times that "we understand life happens" in regards to having to be late but that wasn't really true. If you're late twice during the 8 week training program you could have your employment up for review to be terminated. A recent training class began at 16 and dwindled to 5 before they were done. Although that is uncommon even for Charter that doesn't negate the fact that Management will leave you feeling expendable.
The morale of the call center is also quite poor. The supervisor staff try their best to lighten the mood with art on their cubicals and positive upbeat attitudes but the culture is still very negative. It is something you have to actively separate yourself from or you'll end up dreading coming to work.
During weekly coaching sessions with your supervisor you'll leave feeling like you made so many mistakes even when you met all of the expectations during the call you reviewed. I always have this pending uneasiness that I could be terminated even though I traditionally perform well.
Inconsistencies with management during calls is very frustrating. If you need assistance during a call, you could get 3 different answers from only 2 different supervisors. That is if you actually get help from a supervisor who is on the floor before the customer you are with gets
ProsFair Pay, High Potential for Commission, Great Benefits
ConsStrict Schedules, Highly Stressful Environment, Inconsistent Communication from Management, Negative Work Environment
Questions And Answers about SPECTRUM
What is the best part of working at Spectrum?
Asked Oct 10, 2019
Money is good but you never know when you are going to be home. Lots of vacation time if you earn it
Answered May 16, 2022
The people you work with?
Answered May 16, 2022
What is the work environment and culture like at Spectrum?
Asked Feb 25, 2016
Gloomy and depressing, there is no cohesion and everything is digital
Answered Dec 7, 2021
Management tries to ease the tension in the call center with snacks, puzzles and even coloring sheets for holidays.
Answered Nov 26, 2021
What is the interview process like at Spectrum?
Asked Jun 17, 2016
Our interview process varies across roles and business units. For many of our frontline roles, a recruiter may conduct a screening before the first interview, to make sure expectations about things like shift, training, and role are all in alignment. In some cases, a more in-depth interview will immediately follow with that same recruiter; in other cases, the interview will be conducted at a later time with the hiring manager. For some of our non-frontline roles, recruiters may still conduct a screening before a first interview. The next step would be an interview with the hiring manager, and you may be asked to participate in additional rounds of interviews after that. This would depend on the specific role and business unit you’re applying for. Interviewers will want to learn about your experience and work history, and also discuss your fit for the role in more detail.
Answered Jun 1, 2022
Mine was over the phone with a Manager out of state. It was comprehensive regarding the position and expectations.
Answered May 25, 2022
How did you get your first interview at Spectrum?
Asked Jun 16, 2016
It was over the phone
Answered Nov 21, 2021
Craigslist
Answered Oct 13, 2021
If you were in charge, what would you do to make Spectrum a better place to work?
Asked Sep 28, 2016
Schedule no more than five days in a row, give daily positive advice, and listen to your employees.
