Allied Building Products Reviews

Pros

Good benefits package
Broad product mix

Cons

"Just do what we say" attitude
Very rigid

Advice to Senior Management

Respect your branch level staff

Pros

Salary was decent. Benefits were very good. Managers were efficient.

Cons

It was a very stressful atmosphere.

Advice to Senior Management

Be specific when requesting work that needs to be done. Understanding and empathy is needed sometimes.

Pros

Have freedom to travel. Are aloud some leeway to be creative. Company is financially stable. Most of the people you work with have the same goals that foster a good team enviroment.

Cons

Construction industry can be difficult and unrewarding, if price becomes the only purchasing factor. Often times you are not just a sales representative, you are credit, operations, and a peacemaker.

Advice to Senior Management

I think management does the best they can. I would just be concerned about hiring people from outside the industry. It takes a while for these people to have a positive impact, until they are respected or complete the company/industry learning curve.

Pros

Its a job.with vacation time

Cons

Horrible management..low pay compared to other companies in the same industry. Management doesn't care about employees..just their bonuses

Advice to Senior Management

Humble yourselves

Pros

Benefits were good (union). Only good thing about the place.

Cons

Mnagement does not care about you. All about the $$$. It is NOT family oriented. Do as your told and dont dare make a suggestion. They treat the customer the same way as soon as they walk out the door.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop hiding behind your desk. Give back to the ones that keep you there once in awhile

Pros

Family feeling work environment that makes you feel at home.

Cons

you have to speak up for pay or you will never be treated right.

Pros

Good Benefits
Good contacts with Vendors in the Building Materials Industry.

Cons

Not a place for someone outside of the buidling materials industry.
Don't try and change move into this field with Allied.

Advice to Senior Management

Take a close look at yourself as a person and a leader. Remember what your leaders have you do to your employees can easily be you one day.

Pros

Good benefits. Management has an understanding of products.

Cons

Please avoid working at Allied at all costs. I was misled from the minute I started the interview process till the time I left. Keep in mind; if management can lie to you without thinking twice about it can you imagine what they are telling the customers. I've been in sales a long time and strongly believe the quickest way to lose customers is to lie to them. They haven't caught on to this concept yet. I believe they have the mindset that since the economy is such bad shape they can pretty much do whatever they want regarding their employees and get away with it. Once the economy starts turning around I believe they will lose a ton of employees. I've spoke to many people that are unhappy, but are afraid to make a move right now. .
Expect a very long interview process. If you think you are going to apply and have a job within a few weeks think again. Their background checks are intense. If you have anything you think might be an issue, don't waste your time. You could go through three interviews, tons of phone calls and emails thinking you have the job and not pass one of the final checks. So just beware.
If you decide to go forward with applying, here are some tips. Keep documentation on everything said in the interview or meetings discussing your performance if you get/accept the job. Also, make sure to get everything in writing regarding the offer letter. If there is something you do not agree with, speak up. Don't wait till you have the job because it will be very hard to have it changed at that point.
Since this is a large company, understand that everyone has a specific job. No one wears a lot of hats. I can't stress to you how important it is to keep great notes. If you do end up having an issue you can go to HR with dates and times of what was said. In addition, like most HR depts. they are keeping notes of everything you say. If you do need to speak with them ask them if they can keep your conversation confidential. HR is not on your side, they are there in the best interests of the company. If you are in a union I would recommend talking to your shop steward or union rep.
If you have a family I would urge you to please look somewhere else. If you're single and figure you have nothing to lose give it a shot. Good luck everyone.

Advice to Senior Management

The companies promoting within policy seems to be working well. Your hiring outside managers at bloated salaries is not.

Pros

Very difficult to come up with 20 positive words about this company. If you want to work for a large company with hundreds of locations, this my be for you.

Cons

No teamwork. No concern for employee well being. No concern for the customer. No interest in the community. It is a cold and ruthless environment where $$$ are manipulated for the Allied bottom line and employees are starved out in the process.
The one and only goal is Allied's profit.

Advice to Senior Management

Upper managers need wake up and get involved and pay close attention to the practices at the branch level. I would guess that labor laws are being violated hourly in some cases.