CenterPoint Energy Reviews

Pros

Has opportunities to grow and be promoted and if you are able to relocate to other areas we serve you can move up even faster with this company.

Cons

Older work force that will take a lot of knowledge with them when they leave and most of the information they have learned isn't written down so the lack of cross training may hurt us later on.

Advice to Senior Management

Cross Train and show up unexpected to interview different employees on their turf to see how they really feel about the areas they wprk in and materials they work with,

Pros

CNP is a good place to start your career. Good training and good pay as compared to the job market and recession.
Good back office support if you know the right people.

Cons

The retailers are ill trained as a result irate customers are directed to CSR and there is no back office support or back up to give answers or feedback. So customers get tossed to retailers and to CNP time and again. Good CSR skills go unrecognized as calls are not recorded but one complaint can land you in troubled waters. CSR are looked down upon as if each and every issue was the fault of customer service agent.
At times customers are given wrong information about how things work from CNP field employees. There seems to be a lack of communication and training. The field workers need to have some knowledge as to what is taken care of specifically by CNP call centers and what are the time frames that have to be given to customers.
Lots of issues in communication in short.

Advice to Senior Management

Please have individual interaction with the staff and try to retain those who are good those who go out of the way to serve customers. Giving a small raise or an extra incentive would help to raise and maintain the morale of the people who listen to irate customers day in and out .

Pros

Benefits, great training, community service oriented

Cons

Audit Services is a terrible department to work in. Highly stressful, favoritism, and little to know recognition for hard work or a job well done.

Pros

If you start in any other part of the company except customer service, its a great place to get experience in a large successful organization.

Cons

Customer Service department is not looked upon or treated well in the company. They are looked down upon and as such is very difficult for most individuals to get out of (promoted), unless and individual has extraordinary networking abilities and skills.

Advice to Senior Management

Use the information your employees can provide to you. Information is a valuable resource and if used properly, can save a company a lot of money. Instead of jumping on the bandwagon with the next new implementation, check with your employees to determine your requirements. That way what you implement will be EFFECTIVE vs constantly trying to band aid or patch it to work part of the time. Just because someone was successful using a procedure at another organization doesn't mean they will have the same success at CenterPoint Energy

Pros

Ability to work in a Team Work environment.

Cons

the opportunity was a Short Term contract

Advice to Senior Management

n/a

Pros

Ability to network within your own organization.

Cons

So large that some of the tasks that should only take a moment to accomplish takes a lifetime.

Advice to Senior Management

Ensure that departments are grouped in a way that focuses on team building relationships, not separate empires.

Pros

Stability within the company
the pay is utility based but you are compensated fairly
Very family oriented company
Not too much pressure, slow paced enough which give you the opportunity to learn the job

Cons

No established processes in a lot of departments
poor communication with employees
Pyramid society in which employees are treated as if they are not equal
DIVERSITY does not exist at CNP
No job movement/promotion

Advice to Senior Management

Respect your employees and treat them as your equal. Encourage an open door policy and accept ideas of younger generation. Train all departments on understanding and appreciating diversity.

Pros

CenterPoint Energy is a great place to be employed in these tough economic times. We are continueing to grow and prosper when other businesses are folding and closing doors. The working hours are great because you can always know where you will be Monday - Friday, unlike factory or sales work.

Cons

I have found that there is still some of the "good ole boy" system still left in the company. Not all employees are treated the same from supervisors.
When someone contacts HR in response to a problem, fingers get pointed. But very little is done to resolve problem.
Promotions and pay raises are not distributed fairly.

Advice to Senior Management

The senior management is doing a very good job. I have seem major improvements since joining the company.