Affiliated Computer Services Employee Review

Current Employee – been working at Affiliated Computer Services

Pros – Paid training
Decent Supervisors
Easy, easy, easy interview
Recognition for good customer surveys
Depending on how well you do in training, you get to pick your own shift.

Cons – The job itself is awful. It is demoralizing, and time creeps by. You sit in a tiny cubicle for 8-11 hours per day, with very short breaks (sign out and sign back in within ten minutes).

The pay is a joke. It literally fluctuates on a day by day basis (potentially anywhere between minimum wage and $13.80), and is 100% contingent on customer satisfaction. That actually sounds good--I thought so, because I'm extremely good with customers--but it isn't. At least a third of the time, customers call in wanting credits against their bill, for perfectly legitimate charges. And if you can't wipe that whole slate clean, they're dissatisfied, and you're in trouble.

You are monitored every day. There is no room for individual treatment of customers. There are inflexible metrics that you have to meet regarding call time and satisfaction averages, which completely disregards the fact that you have to treat each customer as the individual that they are.

There isn't much respect for the tenured agents. They are referred to as "barnacles", and not in an endearing or even mildly acceptable way. Despite the fact that they are hiring like mad, there is no job security whatsoever; tenured agents are laid off pretty regularly, for reasons that are either ridiculous or could be fixed with proper coaching/training. I had no desire to hang around knowing these attitudes.

The benefits are a joke, with the possible exception of dental. They are expensive, and you're still paying for about 60%-85% of the cost of care.

Overall, ACS is a great quick fix if you need a job RIGHT NOW. But I wouldn't recommend it. It is, however, totally possible that I was just the wrong person for the job.

Advice to Senior Management – Overhaul.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend