Grand Circle Reviews

Pros

The company encourages the following: open communication; risk-taking; attitude over skills. It is a very philanthropic organization, which instills pride in its employees. Nice perks such as a free trip after 5 (?) years of employment; good benefits.

Cons

Downsides of working at Grand Circle include: favoritism and unfair treatment of selected, dedicated employees. Insecure environment in that employees aren't always warned about layoffs.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat all employees with fairness and deal honestly with them.

Pros

Opportunity to Travel at a discount
Friendly Coworkers
Generally nice and friendly customers
Stimulating work environment

Cons

Unreasonable Performance Measurements
Although they stress corporate values of "Open and Courageous Communication" and "Risk Taking", there is still the same level of politics and throwing people under the bus, and talking behind their backs, that there would be at any other company. They need to actually live by the values, rather than give lip service to them.
Associate Responsibility only goes so far. Work/Life balance can be very difficult with the workloads, and crazy, constantly changing priorities.
Zero job security

Advice to Senior Management

Take a look at what's going on in your call center, people are not happy at all. You preach about the "values", but I found that there was the same level of behind-the-back griping, and corporate politics that would be at any company. You also need to manage your staffing and hiring better. Laying people off after only 1 month with the company, or hiring and firing three people in the course of two months for the same position, or hiring 25 new Associates for the Call Center and then firing them all, it's not a good way to build company loyalty.

Pros

Location Is great - right on Congress st near Lucky's, 50% off any tours they offer for you & 1 companion, Good Benefits & very Casual Dress code

Product Training trips to see how the tours run!

Plenty of Room for advancement if you can last here! There is so much Turnover that Eventually you will be management by process of elimination.

Cons

1) Owner is Acting CEO now & he has his hands in everything. The CEO after Vince was fired after about 6 months, then took Alan to over the Helm! Been Mayhem ever since!

2.) Grand Cirlce is very unstable and is still laying off people! They will hire a new Class of sales people, then after the busy season, they will start to lay people off, or come up with a reason to let you go.

3.) At GCT - You will need to live & Die by the company Values which are just Excuses to screw with your Financial stablity & also to throw you under the bus! The Values: "Open and Courageous, Communication, Risk Taking, Teamwork,Thriving in Change,Speed, Quality"

4.) Commission Structure Changes every other month & Half the time you won't even know what your being paid on or what your making.

5.)This place is like the love boat, everyone dates each other & is a very immature atmosphere. Everyone is all about your business & will talk about you behind your back. Its unreal

6.)Shifts here are 8 to 4pm, 9 to 5pm, 11 to 7 or 12 to 8pm - But they you get slammed with the Mandatory Overtime so plan on working a ton.

Everytime you take one of GCT's Trips & come home someone is always gone from the office...its an inside joke there.

Advice to Senior Management

Get a new CEO from outside the company.....

Pros

Great people. Casual dress code. Very philanthropic company - i.e. Grand Circle Foundation. Great benefits for long-term employees - i.e. paid sabbaticals every 5 years. Opportunities to travel around the world at a discount.

Cons

VERY intense culture - emphasis on company's core values almost cult-like. Very high turnover; don't get fooled by the 43% of associates who have been there 5+ years (many of them with 10+ years of service); the remaining 57% turns over constantly.

Open and courageous communication crosses the line more often than it should. Can be unprofessional at times and it's intimidating to see associates get thrown under the bus by other associates or senior management in front of others.

The SPEED by which things move can be overwhelming. Change happens so often and so quickly that it's very hard to keep up. You work long hours with little downtime; it's a very exhausting place to work. It's all about "what can you do for me NOW?!?" - it's a very REactive environment.

Technology is VERY outdated; senior management outside of IT doesn't understand technology - still too much focus on direct marketing.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't be a bottleneck. Take a step back from day-to-day operations and trust/empower your associates to make key tactical decisions without constantly telling them to bring to your attention for review, revisions before approval.

Pros

Senior management, mentorship, product, benefits.

Cons

Lack of committment to strategic direction

Advice to Senior Management

Cut the cord on the direct mail model. Integrate, invest in analytics, reduce acquisition costs, and grow channels showing opportunity.

Pros

Good Pay, Friendly environment, okay benefits

Cons

No job security, you never know when you will be next to be laid off. You have to suck up to management in order to advance while it should be about performance.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more understanding towards your employees in regards to family emergencies and time off, do not show favoritism,and lastly xhow your appreciation and understanding to call center agents as we have the hardest job.

Pros

Location, Cheap travel, Benefits, casual enviroment

Cons

1) Company is not stable. They laid off 100+ people last year due to economy.
2) A group interview where you have to "make a raft with straws and save egg" to measure your teamwork/communication skills. Very strange.
3) Very gossipy office environment.
4) You have to "MEMORIZED" companies values which are "Open and Courageous, Communication, Risk Taking, Teamwork,Thriving in Change,Speed, Quality"
5) Company has "Teamwork Build Day" once a year and you have to do "TRUST FALL".
6) Co-workers are very fake to each other. Very uncomfortable.
7) You have to stay and work late - ALWAYS, ALL THE TIME
8) They like to see cheerleaders/football players type of personality.

Advice to Senior Management

I think it is time to change the focus from company 6 values to long-term business management.
I think that is more important than keeping "teamwork" within the company???
Also, GCT business is very unstable that make current employees feel very insecure for their position and future with the company.

Pros

It is an extremely fast paced, and challenging work environment. Company is committed to improving the lives of associates and customers alike; serious about participation in community service events and fundraising drives.

Traveling and seeing the world.

Cons

Job instability.
A high turnover rate.

Advice to Senior Management

Make the effort to create a much more stable environment. Plan long term - execute short term. Manage long-term growth to build a stronger organization.