First Data Reviews

Pros

Flexible, good technology in product development

Cons

If you care about your customers beyond the point of when they sign the contract, it is not a good career move.

Pros

Best in Class Products, Strong Management. Ability to effect change and speak your mind

Cons

Large Complex Organization. Many platforms make synergies difficult

Pros

Benefits are adequate and low cost to employees. 401(k) matching is still given. Remote access to the network enables work from home to better manage personal appointments, but some managers treat it as a perk as opposed to a benefit, which limits the usefulness to the employee.

Cons

As much as senior leadership would like to think all of the varied platforms can be run the same, they cannot. Each platform need a level of expertise to be navigated effectively, but senior leadership sees no extra value in the experienced employee. Omaha old-timers do not play nice with Wilmington, which makes projects difficult to complete when both venues are needed. The Wilmington facility on Carr Road is filthy.

Advice to Senior Management

Put metrics in place and use them. Actively provide leadership training to all managers.

Pros

At the time I worked there, I had a great management team that was all fairly new and they were committed to making things better.

Cons

They closed our entire site at the same time they were moving people to it. One person still had a truck driving cross-country with his house full of stuff.
They weren't even doing the basics in the IT department such as monitoring for problems or taking backups.
Took almost a week to get things needed to do my job.
Lots of the staff, while nice people, never had formal training to do their jobs.

Advice to Senior Management

Take a serious look at your IT processes because you are going to end up being front-page news one day. Stop the cost-cutting - sometimes you have to spend to protect your company.

Pros

Great opportunities, good benefits and good management.

Cons

Pay can be more, career advancement can be better.

Pros

Before the buyout FD had great opportunities and it felt like they were going somewhere. You could make progress in your career and get promoted. The benefits have always been good but started to drop some. Work life balance was good.

Cons

Opportunities gone after buyout. Severly restricted growth potential. Little reinvestment in the employees by senior management. Put more work on less staff.

Advice to Senior Management

Find good employees and empower them. Lead the charge for real gains in employee productivity and hire smart and open the doors for new staff and opportunities for all.

Pros

Fair pay and benfits. Good team mebers to work with.

Cons

Lack of training, Everyone is a VP, very top heavy. Knowledge sharing is limited and those who have been there a long time are resistant to change. Lots of Off shore IT jobs, so local IT with the knowledge are limited and over-worked. Very siloed and frequent layoffs.

Pros

Pay is comparable for the location.

Cons

Constant layoffs.
Management upheavals.
No promotions.
No raises.
Too much top level management - directors and above.
Inner circle mentality.

Advice to Senior Management

Retain top performers.

Pros

Technology oriented company is great for geeks
Great benefits
Tenure of existing employees adds lots of experience to the workforce

Cons

Uncertain legislation
Regions need to be treated equally
Work from anywhere not supported

Advice to Senior Management

Remove the home depot attitude

Pros

It's hard work but you will gain knowledge and experience which will help further your career. Respectable team members!

Cons

Work delegation to individuals who are already maxed out. Not having anytime to spend outside of work due to overload

Advice to Senior Management

Need more balance. Don't over escalate responsibilities to one person just because they are knowledgeable.