Brown-Forman Reviews

Pros

A good company with good benefits. They treat there employees well and have a good outlook on operating in a changing environment.

Cons

As a large adult beverage company it is hard to feel like what you are doing is meaningful, however, the company trys to be very responsible, and supports safe drinking and consumption practices.

Advice to Senior Management

The company does a good job keeping most employees informed of the doings of the company. The company however needs to learn how to manage wine business better, as a large spirits company, they often try to market and treat the wine busenesses they own the same. The fact is the markets are very different and the wine business does not have nearly the profit margin, and inherantly needs more financial input to recieve the returns that can keep the wine side of BF afloat.

Pros

Good learning oportunities.. great co workers

Cons

The dont know what personal life is.. you work over 11 hours a day

Advice to Senior Management

Some managers need leadership courses

Pros

Brown Forman is in general a good employer. They usually offer market competitive salaries, the corporate culture is rather friendly, people feel comfortable there.

Cons

There are lots of politics happening behind the scene. You should be well connected to be able to build your carrier.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more open and less politics

Pros

good people, fairly professional, low employee turnover

Cons

little room for advancement, flat organization

Advice to Senior Management

job rotation program across functions and or territories to keep employees challenged and content

Pros

Most co-workers are friendly and work very hard, benefits were amazing

Cons

Although they speak highly of the work- life balance, This applies mostly to corporate employees. Field Sales positions at a state level provide little opportunity for any kind of balance. They have a great platform for diversity.... but only if you conform to their culture that is very closed door and has an outdated sense of "hiererarchy" . Communications often lost at a Middle Management level.

Advice to Senior Management

A better working relationship within marketing and sales departments- listen to the field employees and invest more money into brand execution. (some markets not even allocated enough money to cover samples for distributor sales people for the year) Front line Sales People have a great sense of what's going on in the market vs analysts. Put more systems in place for financial managers within sales operations to coach and assist on "systems and reports" so that sales people can concentrate on building relationships and executing marketing plans more effectively. Speed up process of innovation. Foster and develop the career goals of your employees.

Pros

Very flexible
Good Work/life balance. They want you to take time for family.
Results Anywhere policy
Friendly coworkers
Fun products
Laid back culture

Cons

Lack of internal promotion
Highly political
Middle management often thinking of themselves first
No 360 evaluations. Only go one way.
Negotiate a good deal before joining the company because that's probably where you're going to stay.

Advice to Senior Management

Overall, Brown-Forman is a good company. HR policies and benefits make it very easy to maintain a work/life balance. The culture is laid back and flexible. Most of the people are very nice, easy to work with and willing to share information. There are some in Management positions (not the senior managers, more the Department leaders) who are out for their own career even if it means stepping on other people in the department. Brown-Forman only does 360 evaluations if the problem is out of hand. A routine 360 evaluation would weed out the bad managers and give Senior Management more insight on what is happening in the departments. It would also be nice to promote internally. Some people take whatever position is open to get their foot in the door and find out after that once in a position that is where they will stay.

Pros

BF is the most respected supplier in the alcohol beverage industry. We pride ourselves on partenerships with distributors, fairness to employees, and no glass ceilings. Professional growth is completely in your control.

Cons

Work/life balances is the biggest downside and is addressed by senior management in every review.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to listen to employees to increase awareness of real life conditions and how improvements can be made

Pros

Well above average pay and benefits, lots of parties during work hours. Most of the people within the company are friendly and want to do a good job

Cons

All decisions are coming from the CEO only. Sr. leadership very, very weak and not at all supportive of the team. Culture has changed 180 degrees over past 2 yrs.

Advice to Senior Management

Look back to how you got to where you are. Leadership is void---everyone manages to numbers forgeting the brand needs

Pros

Good company reputation
Good products
Interesting work
Most people are okay
Good pay
Good for diversity
Opportunity for growth

Cons

Dinosaurs making newcomers life miserable so they leave
Locals vs. outsider’s mentality
Few anti-diversity people at management level
Few politically radicals

Advice to Senior Management

Get rid of the dinosaurs
Keep the talent vs. the political radicals

Pros

-Very organized summer program complete with "field trips" to various distilleries.
-All employees are very friendly and approachable. Extremely supportive atmosphere.
-Unbelievably delicious "Bourbon Street Cafe" for lunch.
-Opportunity to take on real responsibility as a summer intern.
-Brand education programs are open to interns and offer an excellent way to improve your knowledge and pallet.

Cons

-Though the campus is beautiful and historic, it is not in a particularly great/safe part of Louisville. Expect to see armed security guards at every entrance and don't expect to walk around outside of campus looking for a nice lunch place.
-Summer experience varies greatly depending on what group or brand team you are placed with.

Advice to Senior Management

Great summer internship program. Though there are huge benefits to placing interns with one brand team for the summer, it would be nice to find ways to give everyone some exposure to the company's core brands (Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort...)