Lack of Trainng - Work From Home Customer Service Representative Amazon Employee Review

Sink-or-Swim style of training New Hires. Training is not realistic. Does not prepare trainee for live phone calls. After two weeks of watching slides and videos remotely from home, trainee goes live with customers. Easy enough to take calls, but obtaining information to address the myriad of situations arising in calls is impossible. While customer is on-hold, trainee is expected to navigate to an online "Knowledge Center" ("KC") which is essentially a bunch of encyclopedic paragraphs in very, very small fine-print. These are not specific enough for the trainee to know exactly what step to take to assist the customer. There is much pressure to handle the call quickly, which makes sense, but is difficult if trainee does not know what to do. There is no one or no where to reach out for help. Inquiries for assistance from trainers result in the response, "look it up in the KC". Sink-or-Swim environment. Computer provided causes eyestrain due to the tiny print which cannot be enlarged or adjusted, and harsh on-screen lighting. Instructions and guidelines cannot be printed out, hence trainee must rely upon memory and hand-written notes while working. Manager is supportive but hands tied by their own chain-of-command. Manager's bosses clandestinely monitor trainee's calls and then complain to manager about the trainee's shortcomings. Manager then has to counsel trainee about performance defects. Overall a stressful, uncomfortable way to spend an 8-12 hour shift at home.