Advance America Reviews

Pros

This company now has great leaders who care about their people and improving the technology within the centers.

Cons

Frequent misperceptions about the industry from people without a clear understanding of how we help our customers.

Advice to Senior Management

Create more positive ad campaigns to help others better understand what we do. Add more products for the customers and update back office computer infrastructure.

Pros

Nice people to work with. Most of these people are competent and a few were really good. Company management at the very top is pretty good. Some of the VP's and directors are Prima Donna's especially in HR and IT but the vast majority are good people. The men are required to wear ties and the girls can wear anything but blue jeans so everyone looks mostly professional. Nice building with alot of nice paintings like in a museum. The location is in the downtown so there are some nice places to eat within walking distance. We have a parking garage and the company pays for parking.

Cons

IT Department does not remotely follow the company creed and favoritism is rampant. Lots of backstabbing and drama. Accounting is about the same. Both areas are a revolving door for employees and they do go through alot of employees in IT and accounting. Avoid this company unless you can't find something else and are simply desperate. Company can't attract local applicants in Spartanburg/Greenville because of a bad local reputation and alot of people in IT are desperately secretly looking elsewhere for a job. IT Department is a terrible place to work, absolutely terrible. Benefits used to be great but suck now especially insurance.

Advice to Senior Management

Are you actually reading the employee reviews? Check on why so many people are getting released. Surely there are not that many temporary IT projects. I was recently part of a necessary project that was nearing completion and suddenly almost everyone was let go and the project died. I have seen lots of this.

Pros

you get to sit down a lot, they offer benefits standard to other employers, it's not a difficult job, every day is pretty much the same

Cons

management was very disrespectful, too much pressure to achieve unrealistic results, two-faced expectations, very long hours and you don't always have the help you need at your center, I felt underpaid and overworked a lot of the time, if customers wouldn't answer their phones you got blamed for poor collections

Advice to Senior Management

you need management who genuinely care about their employees and do not treat them nicely one moment and then the very next moment gripe them out for things that are not in their control, the upper management doesn't care if you work way to much and it feels as though they are just getting to sit at home and relax while you do all of the hard work, more communication would have been greatly appreciated, also do not say one thing one moment and then go back on what you said the next

Pros

Up to date, almost leading edge Technology is used in the company. Most non-management people you deal with are nice and professional. All men have to wear ties but anything else goes including ratty shoes and un-ironed shirts. The users have fairly new PC's and new software. The building is nice and it's secure. The building is in the uptown area of Spartanburg.

Cons

Seriously, the pay is crappy, the benefits are terrible, IT management doesn't give a crap about you or your work/life balance, the stress is unimaginably high, the task load impossible and the deadlines are unrealistic at best. Been that way for almost 6 years now. Take a cue from the people that work in the IT Department now; find someplace else to work just like they are trying to do. If you are looking for a secure IT job, just keep walking. There is a revolving door in the building but it's located in the IT department. Lots of people come and go in this IT Department. Lots of overtime is expected and required in most of IT. I have worked lots of nights, weekends and holidays. Comp Time is a huge joke as in: "I'll just work 20 hours of overtime and "bank" it to Comp time. ha, ha, ha, ha, ha." You'll never see that time again nor the vacation time you give up and certainly not the Holidays you had to work.

Advice to Senior Management

Does management actually care about their employees? We don't think they do. One group gave their boss a terrible review. Over the span of 6 months he got rid of the people that worked for him. Problem solved wasn't it? I feel for the next group that has to work for this jerk. You might want to look into that.

Pros

I started with Advance America in 2002 when they had great leaders paving the way and everyone was treated fairly, both employees and customers.

Cons

Current Regional and Executive Managers don't have a clue on how to run the company and they treat everyone with ZERO RESPECT!!!

Advice to Senior Management

Bring back the former leaders that started Advance America. These Executives worked in the stores shoulder to shoulder with all employees and led by example and treated everyone fairly. I don't know what happen but the top three guys left in 2004 and 2005 and the company has never been the same!!!!!! The Chairman of the Board of Directors is the only one left and believe me when I tell you he is asleep at the wheel, and has no clue as to what is going on.

Pros

Great hours, low stress environment. Vacation is also very good. Two weeks are given after 6 months. Overall nice place to work.

Cons

It's still retail, so hours can be hard sometimes especially during holidays. Some customers do not appreciate you, and can be hateful at times.

Advice to Senior Management

Everything is great! Thanks for new products to keep it interesting. I appreciate the culture you have set up in our stores.

Pros

Lots of qualified folks who had skills, knowledge and desire to make the company better than it was.

Cons

Not to bright senior management who removed those folks mentioned above and replaced them with lesser qualified folks.

Pros

My customers are what have kept me at AA this long! I love my customers and my employees!

Cons

My collections are NEVER good enough. Sales are NEVER good enough. You are NEVER holding enough checks! Heaven forbid something goes wrong that was out of your control,,,,but you are still held accountable for everything! I have wasted too much time at this place....missed weddings, birthdays, and funerals because I couldn't have off. I put my life on hold for a company that doesnt give a crap for their employees or customers. Don't waste your life for this place....get the heck out while the getting is good!

Advice to Senior Management

When your staff does a good job TELL THEM! Get off your butts and work in a center for a few days a month and deal with the crap that we have to! Give better direction on what needs to be done. Quit fussing about everything every meeting that we have! Learn to have respect for the people that are getting you your bonus money!

Pros

I loved the customers. They always keep me going!!!

Cons

PAY and MANAGEMENT needs to definitely change immediately!!!!

Advice to Senior Management

LEARN how to appreciate your employees!!!! Yall need to pay people more.

Pros

Decent work hours, room for growth.

Cons

Stay later than assigned depending on store manager.

Advice to Senior Management

Make sure everyone can leave at assigned shift and not have to stay later due to store manager not releasing employee.