Pros
Armstrong has been recognized year after year for providing award-winning customer service. The fast-growing company remains privately owned by the Sedwick Family in Butler, PA. From my first day in training, it was evident that Armstrong is very proud and passionate about its heritage and reputation. I believe they are a great company to work for and also feel they are well respected by the communities we service.
As a Technical Support Representative, my primary duty is to answering phone calls from residential and commercial customers who need assistance with their high-speed Cable Internet and Digital Telephone services.
New agents will begin their paid training in a classroom setting for approximately three weeks. During this time you learn how to troubleshoot common service issues, use the computers and software, log your calls, and a large amount of emphasis is put into your communication skills.
The company has invested a great amount of time and resources into training and mentoring its agents, which is likely why our quality of service exceeds that of our competitors. There are "help desks" which are online knowledge bases, filled with answers to any question you could think of. And when in doubt, there is a dedicated "Lead Line" of experienced agents and supervisors who are always willing to help you when you get stuck!
Although I chose to dress professionally most of the time, the dress code is very relaxed and almost never enforced. On most days it is totally acceptable to wear jeans and comfortable shoes!
Every agent gets to work in a large, cubicle with a comfortable ergonomic chair. Depending on your shift, many agents do share their cubicle with somebody who works the opposite time of day. I have been fortunate enough to get my own cubicle which is very nice, because I can decorate and make it my own!
Patience is virtue, but hard work clearly pays off! I have been with the company for a little over a year, maintained good attendance, performed my job well and continue to do so in a positive and upbeat demeanor. Starting as a Part-Time agent with few benefits and 30 hrs per week, I was recently promoted to Full-Time status, which lets me enjoy the following perks:
My Full Time Employee Benefits:
- Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
- Long Term Disability
- Company-Paid 6% Retirement Pension
- 80 hrs of Paid Vacation
- 40 hrs of Paid Sick Time
- Paid Holidays
- Education Assistance (Armstrong will pay for you to go to college!)
- FREE Services, including: Cable television (Every option available), High Speed (Over 50mbps!) Internet, and Telephone services
There are a lot of agents who have worked at Armstrong for many years and have yet to advance or receive full-time status... these are usually the ones you hear from the most when reading online reviews. If you are considering a career with Armstrong, please don't let let their reviews deter you.
If you have a positive attitude and perform your job well, you WILL advance in this company and will do so QUICKLY. In a way, I feel that I am an example of this. Armstrong Group of Companies is a very large enterprise, employing over 2,300 people in numerous industries.
I am confident that wherever my career path leads me, Armstrong will have a position and place for me to meet my full potential.
Cons
Dealing with the public can be stressful at times, and we tend to remember the small percent of customers who mistreat us compared to those who are kind and appreciate of our support. Maintaining your personal integrity is a MUST sometimes.
The Armstrong Customer Service Center is a 24/7/365 facility, meaning it NEVER closes.The only downside I've experienced is that sometimes you can be drafted to work major holidays if enough people don't volunteer to work them. I can hardly complain though...
Don't worry, even though we're always open, you'll never work before 7AM or after Midnight - there is a separate overnight team that's hired specifically for that shift!