Desert Schools FCU Reviews

Pros

I've been with the company for over 5 years and I do feel that they care about employees and try to provide opportunities and bonuses when they can. Overall treatment by mangement is really good and I've been happy and proud to work for this company.

Cons

After a raise freeze in 2008 and 2009 and an effort to tailor efficiencies in spending, I don't feel as though the salaries here are competitive. When the raises did come back they are much more strict than they used to be. It seems to be difficult to increase your salary by very much at all, unless you leave.

Pros

Lots of advancement and training available for branch employees. If you want to stay in retail banking, this organization provides lots of support and advancement.

Cons

If you want out of front-line banking, there are not many opportunities to move into back office roles. Or, once in a back office role, little training or development available for you.

Advice to Senior Management

Better communication with employees. Quarterly meetings with all staff isn't efficient. Using video instead of talking to us? That's cowardly.

Pros

Good teamwork enviroment
Pretty good benefits for fulltime
Easy to get time off
Paid holidays
Flexible scheduling
Bonuses are somewhat attainable

Cons

Tuition reimbursement discontinued
Senior management somewhat incompetent
Decisons to implement new things are not well thought out
Pay is not competitive with similar positions at other companies
Incentive program needs reviewing

Advice to Senior Management

Involve lower level employees in decision making
Think things through better to ensure higher employee satisfaction

Pros

The pay is ok but on the low side for technology. Flexible hours working around projects or task and personal life. So many nice folks to work with.

Cons

Several years back they stopped being a credit union and became more like a bank. The atmosphere is competing with other national big banks out there. You never hear them compare us to other credit unions in the state. Well except for Navy Federal credit union and USAA are now here in AZ and on the managements radar.
Over half the technology used is over a decade old. People refuse to change to newer technologies, the famous line is "we have always done it this way" which seems to be the motto. Several years ago the core banking system was changed but then modified to act like the system they replaced. Updates to the new system now takes weeks to implement because of how heavily the modifications were made.
Senior management is large and has been there for a long time. No one moves up without someone retiring or dieing.

Advice to Senior Management

Start up those computer training classes again. Not some power point or DSVU multiple answer junk. Real live person who knows how to use a computer and start teaching the staff how to use a computer. Computer experience is NOT a requirement for our new hires but it sure would make a HUGE difference if it was.

Pros

Solid company, benefits even for part time positions, still offers small pension after 5 years vested, did not fire anyone during downturn, despite mortgage losses, restored raises once the company returned to profitability. Sales incentives/bonuses are good, but vary quite a bit depending on branches - some are much busier than others. Members are generally very courteous and have good feelings about the organization, and most branches seem to have good teamwork. Most staff in higher-level positions stay for quite some time and seem quite satisfied.

Cons

Jack-of-all-trades sort of position with multiple expectations that often are not well prioritized. Hours and schedule can often be inflexible and involve working evenings and weekends -- 9:30 am - 7:30 pm M-F and 8:30-5:30 rotating Saturdays in the instore locations. Not great hours for families with small children. Most branches are in WalMarts although some are stand-alone (which have shorter open hours). Instore locations can be distracting and noisy depending on location within the store. This is not a job for introverts or people who are easily distracted - consistent sales and referrals are expected and there are sales minimums just as in banks. Salaries in lower to mid-level positions are not high and in the less-busy branches, maintaining minimum sales points consistently can sometimes be challenging.

Advice to Senior Management

Completely separate MSR and Teller functions in in-store locations, and redesign existing locations to allow more privacy and quiet for members. Selling in a noisy environment is not easy. Develop mobile banking options. Put more attention on communication between front-line branch staff and senior management to better understand how initiatives will impact and be implemented by branch staff.

Pros

The best part of working at Desert Schools FCU is the interaction and relationships built with members and other employees.

Cons

You aren't allowed to have compassion for members. There is no gray area with Desert Schools. Whether you are looking to change around your schedule for school or family, or when your talking with a customer and want to go above and beyond to get something done for someone, they will shut you down.

Advice to Senior Management

Realize that your employees have other important things in there lives. Yes working is important, but so is family and education. Most people aren't trying to abuse there schedules, just trying to make it easier and less stressful. Also, there needs to be understanding to customers, the fee charges are unreal and unfair in some situations, and they need to realize and help out those who are good members, not just one of the 7 fees being charged.

Pros

Flexible with scheduling, offers benefits to part time employees, locations throughout the valley, at one time there were quarterly bonuses and tuition reimbursement (good if it comes back).

Cons

Difficult to advance within company, unprofessional upper-management, too much bureaucracy-too many managers, you aren't empowered to make decisions on your own, system issues/problems, very rude members get away with too much, increased cost of benefits, company withheld pay raises and continue too (supposedly until Q3-2011), discontinued quarterly bonuses and tuition reimbursement, closed and potentially closing locations, incentive compensation not comparable to other financial institutions-pay much less at DS, management 'cliques' remind you much of high school.

Advice to Senior Management

Respect and treat all your employees much better than you have. Maybe after that is accomplished your high turnover rate would be reduced.

Pros

They are mostly flexible with my schedule when I need time off. There used to be quarterly bonuses that all non-management could get if we hit certain goals as an organization, they used to provide 401k matching, tuition and book reimbursement, and carpool incentives.

Cons

There have been no raises in 3 years and it's unlikely we'll get one next year. They have "suspended" all of the incentives I listed above and on top of that our healthcare costs have gone WAY up. So it's virtually a pay cut. Aside from that there is no opportunity for growth unless you know someone.

Advice to Senior Management

Right now, it's been made clear by management that with this economy we are "lucky" just to have jobs and basically, if we don't like it there are plenty of other people willing to take our place. My advice would be to treat their employees better, because someday this economy will turn around and after this treatment, people aren't likely to be loyal to them when it does.

Pros

Great Benefits Package, Friendly Fellow Co-workers, Lots of Community Involvement by the Company, Community/family feeling within the company. Plus there's an onsite cafeteria that serves decent food for what you pay. Overall it is an enjoyable environment to work in.

Cons

Management to Staff Communication Issues (though this is common with almost all companies), didn't always appreciate the little people in the less prominent departments.

Advice to Senior Management

Great job overall.

Pros

- good work / life balance
- decent salaries
- friendly co-workers
- training provided in some areas

Cons

- lack of communication throughout the organization
- no room for career growth
- poor benefits with high premiums for employees
- no clear direction for the future

Advice to Senior Management

Management needs to restructure the top of the pyramid and realize some of these position are not necessary to function productively.