They have over 80% turnover - Account Executive UniFirst Employee Review

2.0
Apr 15, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

In comparison to other companies and their sales organizations I cant honestly think of one pro that Unifirst offers.

Cons

Wow, where to begin. I guess first thing is just look at the reviews its either five star or one star. Very little middle ground. Unifirst is very concious of their image as it relates to their ability to attract new salespeople and as such will "encourage" current employees to leave rave reviews and check on them later. Now the "Cons" Unifirst has a horrible rate of turnover that tops 80%. At that clip it's time for Unifirst to look inward because the system is broken. I'm also confused by the folks that think the training program is great. It consists of watching video lessons in the office for five weeks and then being told to go into territory. I have been in sales over ten years and was shocked at the poor quality of training Unifirst provided. They really believe they are on the cutting edge of technology by employing a cloud based CRM system. I was told that i was mistaken when I informed them that every competitor had adopted salesforce at least a couple of years before. These guys really do define the the stereotype of blind homers that fail to see the real world competitive landscape. Overall just not a very bright group of people in mid management. Their base pay is by far the lowest in the industry. No matter what your geographical location the starting salary is $35k. They will give you $160 a week for gas and car and if you are among the 3% that meet the weekly quota you can make another $10k. That added together is where most of the competition starts their salespeople. One other quick thing to remember, if you do happen to join them, is during the first five weeks of training. You receive none of the gas allowance and will be paid $12 an hour. They like to wait until your first day to tell you that There is also this creepy almost religious like devotion to the company founder. They have have a founders day party and posters with his likeness and sayings everywhere. The guy passed away a decade ago but he is spoken of like he is still in control. Its just one of those things you have to experience to understand.

avatar
UniFirst Response
12y
UniFirst Corporation encourages employees to share information with co-workers and with those outside the company for the purposes of gathering information, generating new ideas, and learning from the work of others. While we feel that we have in place a sales training structure that enables our employees to be successful, we are continuing looking for better ways to help our employees meet and exceed their own personal goals as well as organizational goals. Many factors cause employee retention problems and here at UniFirst we are continuously working diligently to provide opportunities for our employees to understand the organization 's goals and to recognize how their individual roles fit into the big picture. UniFirst values what each individual employee brings to the overall success of our organization and will continue to invest and explore ways to uphold morale while producing a positive working environment that fulfills personal and professional success.

Explore other reviews about UniFirst

5.0
May 17, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

A great place to start and learn about industrial equipment, plant operations, sensors, electrical control boxes, PLC's, conveyor, steam, and water treatment systems. The company recognizes and awards it's employees with parties and providing great food to celebrate birthdays and holidays.

Cons

Very hot environment at times and cramped work areas.

avatar
UniFirst Response
2w
Thank you for sharing your experience, we are so happy to hear you enjoyed your time at UniFirst. Your feedback is appreciated!
2.0
Feb 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They are better than the competition in a lot of ways. You get a $50.00 voucher for Thanksgiving groceries every year. Very little micromanagement . You get a lot of free time to improve your skills. If you get a sales manager who cares they will help you be the best . Sometimes they do a great job and customers are very happy. Great group meetings that really fire people up. Branch manager is amazing . Regional sales director is amazing.

Cons

You'll be embarrassed when every other account you sell has an issue on the first day of installation. What they teach you in training sounds amazing, but often what your customers get is comedically bad. Like it was scripted for a movie about a company that is so bad that its funny how unbelievable it is . When you sell an account , you'll sometimes be given an update as to when it will be installed. But most of the time you are left in the dark, and so is your customer. Management emphasizes your numbers over and over but doesn't work to make you better . Management belittles sales reps in front of others. Big emphasis on selling , but when you have a question that you need to move a sale along, they tell you to wait and don't get back to you. Processes change and no one tells you, causing you to have to redo work. You will work have to work at least 12 hours every day if you want to be successful.

avatar
UniFirst Response
3mo
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We're disappointed to hear about your experience while working at UniFirst. UniFirst takes this feedback seriously. If you would like to discuss further, we encourage you to contact Employee Relations at hremployeerelations@unifirst.com or via the online portal where you can anonymously communicate any concerns. This portal can be accessed at UniFirst.ethicspoint.com.
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All