High stress, low pay, long hours, blackout months for Client Services Rep
Pros
Job security. So many employees are at ADP for 20+ years and even more have retired with a pension. Professional work environment where everyone is respectful. The managers really try to motivate you to stay focused. You are commended for your work and good work doesn't go unnoticed. Positive work environment, no office politics. Great management team where they truly care about you succeeding. Healthcare starts on the first day of hire. There is no probationary period. After 6 months, you are entitled to a pension that ADP contributes to. I worked there for less than two years and cashed that free money. 10 days of vacation plus 5 float days upon hire. The training is excellent. ADP consistently educates their employees. They make sure you are successful. If you don't perform at your peak, management will be your cheerleader. The job is so secure once you pass the first Level One test. Thereafter, you just test on sections that you missed, rather then retaking the entire test. Casual dress environment. You can be yourself and throw on a hat at work. No one will judge you. Hey, saves you money on work attire!
Cons
About 6 months after training, you are required to take an assessment test. This test bumps you up from a trainee to a Level One Client Service Rep. There are 4 levels. Each level entitles you to a raise. You get three attempts to take a different variation of the Level One test. If you fail the third attempt, you are fired on the spot. They pack up your cube and ship your stuff to you. Thereafter, your job is secure until you quit or do something stupid to get fired. The Client Services position is the most difficult of all other ADP roles. It's essentially a call center where you answer client calls regarding payroll problems. Expect to answer calls back-to-back, nonstop. You are expected to know a lot and to be highly computer savvy. You need to type fast and think fast. All calls have an 8 minute limit duration. If your call exceeds 8 minutes, that lowers your performance numbers. Your breaks and lunches are scheduled for you. Your time-off is dictated. As a result, you are are seated for hours taking calls and staring at the computer. After a year I gained 10 pounds. You get two 15-minute breaks and 30 minute lunch. All are monitored so you must not return late or it will be used against you during your review. You must not be late to work either. However, you get a 6 minute leeway. At year-end: the week after Thanksgiving through second week of February, call volumes are so HIGH that NOBODY can take a vacation. Dates are completely blacked out during year-end. Further, they impose mandatory overtime about 2-3 days per week (M-Th), sometimes even Saturdays (voluntary). Overtime during the weekdays means you either work 30 minutes before or after your shift. On a positive note, upper management really tries to improve morale in the office during year-end by serving lunch, snacks and offering games. You are a work horse who is expected to push out calls. I felt like a slave working there. No wonder there is high turnover in Client Services. By the end of the day you are burnt out and exhausted. I couldn't wait for 5:30 to come!