Aluminum Ladder Carbis, Inc Reviews

Pros

Great pay, good sales people (if they could still sell). I have never seen a company so against sales people.

Cons

Poeple are treated like a cog in a machine and there is no chance of advancement. Upper Management is cluless

Advice to Senior Management

To risk your company on a half baked idea (Sales Factory) is foolish. The company is loosing market share fast.

Pros

Potential to dominate the market, Many talented people just not in management positions

Cons

4th generarion family run business, where the president has no clue how to manage his personal affairs let alone a company this size. Zero growth in the last few years while their largest competitors which are both former Carbis employees are experiencing double digit growth. No career path for most employees, no formal review process, low pay for clerical and administrative staff, does not honor employement agreements, changes market directions and focus every 9-12 months. Relies on core associates who are overpaid and fearful of losing their jobs to implement his latest operational and marketing plan. Has a habit of suppressing suggestions from experienced employees, running off good talent, firing good employees, and forcing his own children who are destined to inherit company out of the business altogether.

Advice to Senior Management

Create a board of directors that will tell you the things you need to hear and not what you want to hear. Grow up!

Pros

get to work with fortune 500 companies and some of the co workers are very intelligent-looks good on your resume

Cons

family owned company with inept members that change direction every few months without a reason other than someone read a book - they try to control your personal time and monitor all social media-require you to work at home after traveling or working all week- will change the way you are paid at a whim and people have been released if they do not want to pay outstanding commissions- you take more drug tests that pro athletes

Advice to Senior Management

quit promoting your friends and brown nosers into positions they are obviously not qualified for and empower your sales people and technical experts to do their jobs

Pros

There are few manufacturers in Florence, SC so Aluminum Ladder is a decent place to work. From what I could see of the shop, it is a good job for the area.

Cons

Unfortunately, Aluminum Ladder is the only part of the business I would recommend working for. Carbis is a separate division altogether and very mismanaged. Senior management is surrounded by "yes" men and women who have latched on and resent anyone who catches their eyes. Senior management is self-deluded into thinking they have all the answers and do not entertain opinions that differ from their own. I have never before witnessed such incredible cognitive dissonance. They think and believe that they are the most intelligent people in the world and no one who works for them could possibly have anything of value to contribute. They have convinced themselves that acting in a manner contrary to all known ways to develop and build your business is something to be desired and valued. They pay no heed to market analysis and in fact have no marketing department. I have never worked for more unprofessional people in my life. The pay structure for sales reps was changed from commission-based to salary only with the carrot of future evaluations and raises dangled in front of them. Almost two years has passed with not a single evaluation being given and certainly no raises. Senior management holds the belief that they own the employees free time after work as well with the mandate being handed down that paperwork be written on the employees time after work only. There is no proper balance of work and home life. So apparently a sales rep should travel away from home 50% of the time and when they are home, they need to work in the evening instead have spending time with their family. This is decidedly not a family-friendly business.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop changing direction on every whim. Settle down into a reasonably thought out sales process and take care of your employees and clients. Do what you say you are going to do. There is no magic pill, special book, or business genius you need to follow. Treat your employees like they are your most valuable asset, because they are! They in turn should be empowered and expected to treat your clients the same way. This will build your business and lead to loyal employees and clients. It is really that simple.

Pros

Industrial Sales looks good on a resume
Only the strong survive and move on to better employment situations
Experience working with a diverse population with multiple intelligence levels

Cons

Inconstant treatment of employees
Unreliable sales philosophies
Mismanagement of people and resources
Middle management personnel is SHADY at best
Small town mentality

Advice to Senior Management

Create a solid corporate mission statement and attempt to be consistent in the way you operate your business and treat employees.

Pros

The Raleigh office is mostly safe from the constant eye of Sauron that is looking to find fault in the employees.
The salary's seem to have improved and if you are good at sales you can make some decent money
Most of the sales staff are great people and coworkers.

Cons

The third generation family owned business model has serious flaws in that the current generation has no higher education/experience in any sector of the real world.
The management has no respect for the sales staff and the work they do(they have stated this directly to the employees before).
The sales tactics/systems are changed on a whim depending on how upper management feels that month(half the sales staff does not technically sell anymore)
This company will fire you without ANY prior warning. They will not sit down with you and discuss your performance or attitude if they are displeased with it for any reason(They fired multiple TOP sales reps for simply disagreeing with certain sales tactics implemented at the time)
The turnover rate at this company is staggering. For 95% of the employees this is a 1-3 year job which will give you some sales experience, but no long term options. Trust me, the amount of resume's sent out that read Carbis as CURRENT employer is a staggeringly large number.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop changing your mind on sales tactics every 5 months and let your sales people sell.

Pros

Pretty Nice offices
Many Friendly Co-workers
Great opportunity for advancemens, as long as you act like you are freinds with upper management.

Cons

No one ever seems to know what is really going on. One day things "MUST" be done one way and then he next day or sometimes even sooner than that we are asked:"Why are you doing it that way?" Management...Make up your mind!

Also, it doesn't matter how well you do your job, because at the end of the day it is all about who you are friends with. My advice: become "best freinds" with upper management and you are good as gold.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop ignoring your employees. Just because we aren't in your circle of "Best Friends" doesn't make us bad employees. It is great to have friends, but business should be professional.

Pros

Working for Carbis is challenging, fun, and rewarding. Having worked for other companies in industrial sales, I consider Carbis to be the big league that requires me to bring my "A game". If you're motivated and reasonably intelligent person, you'll thrive in this environment. The company’s expectations of you are clear and the rewards are great.

Cons

It's a serious commitment that doesn't suit everyone's lifestyle but it fits mine so I am happy. I guess I could make more money but that is up to me too.

Advice to Senior Management

With the changes that have occurred in the past couple of years being realized now, everything is right on track. Turnover is almost nil, pay is above average, and the company is focused.

Full steam ahead!

Pros

Great product, great people to work with. Lots of challenges and never a dull day. This company is really going someplace with the new direction. The difference in the air is tangible.

Cons

Close knit employee group that is tough to break into.
Everybody knows everything in your personal life.
Hard work.
No room for the lazy

Advice to Senior Management

Continue in the directioin you are going...Great things are happening. Don't forget, though, that people get tired and need some reassurances that things are working well.

Pros

sales representatives are well paid

Cons

Family business is very political. Sr. management is all about who you are friends with and kiss up to, and not driven by accomplishment or ability.

Advice to Senior Management

Your employees are an ally, not the enemy - trust them to do their jobs.