Avis-Budget Call Center (Howe, May: car rental, rental, wages)

[JimCarey]

Any employees out there? I see there looking for people, but I'd like to learn more. Any feedback?

[tookey]

Originally Posted by JimCarey

Any employees out there? I see there looking for people, but I'd like to learn more. Any feedback?

Have you ever worked in a call center before? Would you be interested in the reservation end of it or customer service? I have reasons for asking as I have worked for them.

[JimCarey]

I don't believe they're expanding, which means turnover, but I could be wrong.
And the differences between a res center and call center?
I can't say for sure which might be better for me. Ever since my last call center I've been hesitant.
What'd you see as the pros & cons there?
Thanks much!

[tookey]

The whole thing is a call center. On the reservation end you would be taking car reservations and upselling all of the specials, upgrading to a larger car etc. you would be required to include this in your conversations with the customer. You will be required to follow a script from the way the phone is answered to the way the call ends. On the customer service end you would handle all of the issues that come up during or after the rental. That end of it is quite detailed and requires viewing several screens at the same time in order to process the call. You must be fairly proficeint in a windows based program. Again there is a script that is followed in handling the call. There is what is referred to as call handling and time spent in the call which is carefully monitered. As I recall in reservations you should keep it down to 3 minutes per call. The training was in my opinion so-so. Most of what you will learn will be on the res floor. The pay at least for me was rather low, I don't know if you would still receive any bonuses when I was there the bonuses were based on monitering scores, number of call taken during the month etc. Be prepared to be micro-managed right down to the breaks and such. I do know that many people that had been there for many years were layed off a couple of years ago. Turnover is the same as any call center it is quite high due to many issues. You will do well if you are familiar with the way a call center operates.
This is a fair job the cons being that the wage is low and how well you get along with the supervisors depends on how well you will like the job. It is stressful, basically the schedules are a crap shoot they are based on senority, and call handling scores and such. Be prepared to work nights at the start regardless what you are told at your interview. Do not plan on taking any sick days, or any unsheduled time off during your 90 day probationary period. For a call center it is not bad but it isn't that great either.

[JimCarey]

which side one will work? Is TUL their one call center? How long were you there?
The ad states $13! Not too bad to me, but did wonder what might be required for that.
Can you elaborate on the "many issues" re turnover. Maybe they were some of what you'd already mentioned!
Might just need to look into it closer and decide from there...

[tookey]

Originally Posted by JimCarey

which side one will work? Is TUL their one call center? How long were you there?
The ad states $13! Not too bad to me, but did wonder what might be required for that.
Can you elaborate on the "many issues" re turnover. Maybe they were some of what you'd already mentioned!
Might just need to look into it closer and decide from there...

Tul is the headquarters, correct me if I am wrong, so yes they have only one call center here. I was there nearly a year although I had worked at another car rental call center for 16yrs and they are pretty much the same. I left because the pay at the time I was there was not that high. Some of the people that worked at the same call center I was at for 16yrs went to Avis after lay offs at the previous call center they also were there for a yr at the most, mainly due to low pay. Now regarding the turnover some people leave on their own because they find the job is not to their liking or the hours do not fit within their lives. However, one can find ones self out the door for many reasons. Excessive abseteeism, low monitoring scores, although the supervisors will be willing to work with an agent and go along way in helping to achieve higher scores, being late on a daily basis, on time and ready to work is a biggie, as is clocking in back from lunch and breaks punctuality is a must. Also call avoidance is an immediate termination this means you hang up on a customer or put your phone on off work to avoid taking calls. Insubordination, as I stated before, you are micro managed while at work as long as you put forth your best and obey and I mean really obey all the rules it could become a long term job. The 13.00 per hr surprises me they must have come up in wages a couple of years ago the starting wage was 9.00 per hr. I did find that management was quite pleasant but alot is expected from an employee.

[Pavel92]

I worked in that hellhole for several years and can only say I never could have done it sober. About half the calls are cranks or just plain *******s. The sad rate of pay makes it even less pleasant, and so many co workers are uneducated hillbillies. I was paid the same? Arghhh! Also management on every level is poor, I remember the head honcho of the place even committed suicide. Not much of a recommendation. Avoid this joint if you value your health.

[tookey]

Oh in my original post I forgot to mention one needs magnifying glasses to even read the screens. Avis set the size of the print on the screens so small you simply cannot read the screen and there is no way you can adjust this to a readable size. I very nearly went blind reading the thing.

[JimCarey]

Still considering a move there, but really torn because of what I hear. Have a phone interview tomorrow, and will go to the information interview next week.
Any info's appreciated...