Autobytel Reviews

Pros

-Collect a high paycheck if you can convince them you're worth it
-Good benefits (HMO insurance, standard number of company holidays, vacation time)
-Generally low-pressure except when the CEO is throwing a temper tantrum directly at you
-Wear what you want

Cons

Autobytel. A company that has been around since the beginning of the internet, yet has made almost no money except through M&A's. A real "not for profit" corporation, but not because it's a 501(c)(3). Autobytel is a great place to work if you live in Orange County, like mailing it in, and enjoy collecting paychecks. They've managed to shed a lot of bad people through numerous layoffs over the years, but they still have plenty of them left. Highly paid directors, officers, directors of officers, you get the gist of it. I have never worked with more incompetent people in my career, throughout all levels and functions of the organization (though to be fair, there are some shining stars). Autobytel is a total you-know-what show, with upper management that is completely out of touch with the internet, its users, and technology. If you like Buzzword Bingo, Autobytel is the place for you. Excuses, buzzwords, and euphemisms abound for why this, that, or the other failed (or failed miserably). They've recently managed to attain profitability through the acquisition of another highly profitable auto leads company that actually knows what they are doing. The unfortunate fact is that this tiny little company has an entire 100+ person company on life support -- thus rendering said company largely useless. The company's flagship website, Autobytel.com, is visited by virtually no one (which any institutional investor with some smarts and the ability to use Compete.com should be able figure out), while all of the company's "internally generated" leads actually come from little-known websites such as those owned by the auto leads company it acquired.

Advice to Senior Management

Technology and internet are the fast-changing domain of innovators, a group of people seemingly absent from this organization headed up with a largely 65+ Board of Directors. What is Autobytel? A 3rd party leads company that is the friend of dealers? A me-too consumer website that is the friend of consumers? A technology company? While (slight) profitability has been attained, now what? A company with no strategic vision and no answer of what it is or what it wants to be, that is deeply hindered by its status as public.

Pros

The only pro was working out of your own home office

Cons

Working with disorganized management and an outdated product model

Advice to Senior Management

Need to broaden scope of offerings as primary business model is in decline

Pros

Cool industry. Casual environment. Good location. Fair pay. I learned a lot while I was there from some great minds.

Cons

Autobytel has been through some tough times, and i don't believe they are out of the woods yet. It was a good experience while working there, but we went through a lot of tough time and some very good people were let go.

Pros

Due to the financial condition, the company was willing to try new ideas breath new life into the company. There was opportunity for those who were willing to change.

Cons

There seemed to be a split in management between management and it was very difficult to get things done. Some of the workers where too comfortable and the place had a bit of a feeling like you were working at the DMV.

Advice to Senior Management

Management needed to get on the same page and fix the culture. Company needed to help more of an entrepreneurial feel to it and management needed to foster that.

Pros

In prior management regime there was a determination to innovate and change the Automotive Internet space, and the company was making progress until the industry implosion of 2008/2009.

Cons

As Auto industry and our clients were suffering, the company had continued downsizing efforts impacting morale. Despite best efforts of top mgmt to communicate and develop contingency plans, it was a difficult environment to remain excited in.

Advice to Senior Management

Hopefully things are stabilized a bit now, hopefully company can get back to path of innovation and vision that is had under prior management.

Pros

Liked my co-workers and got to interactive with many different areas of the company
Good Benefits
nice location
acceptable pay

Cons

Hated my Boss
Job was not what they told me I would be doing
work was mindless, unsatisfying and tedious

Advice to Senior Management

I was working at ABTL during the Riesenbach era so I can't really comment on current management. I hope the best for everyone still there. I think overall, investors and employees have been equally screwed my management.

Pros

Learning experiences within a turnaround are invaluable provided you can get over the difficult working conditions. Also if the business can reverse their fortunes there are opportunities for growth.

Cons

Working within a turn around can be difficult. Also one must understand you are walking into a situation where the organization is broken and it will be more difficult to get things done.

Advice to Senior Management

The new management team seems to be on the right track. The key is to have a few focused objectives, provide transparency toward rank and file employees. Lastly work to remove the red tap that had hampered the business in the past and make the organization more nimble.

Pros

The location is convenient to all of Orange County. The facilities are adequate. The technology employees are great to work with, as they are smart, motivated, interesting people. Right now, they are a very small company, so you could probably effect a lot of change.

Cons

Website is old version of cold fusion. Some Delphi code is still heavily in use. Management seems to be anti open source. No celebrations for delivering major products. Cumbersome Sarbanes-Oxley compliance tools. The Auto industry in general is hurting. There has been only 1 raise in 4 years. More and more of the bonus is "company performance" instead of "personal performance." I had an incredibly difficult time getting promotions for engineers with 10+ years experience to Senior Engineer.

Advice to Senior Management

Please treat technology with respect as technology is what enables the company to operate.