Marketing or Sales applicant?.... READ - Marketing Railbookers Group Employee Review

1.0
Jun 10, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

This is a great job for first-time job experience or someone fresh out of college.

Cons

I was at Yankee for over a year and although I loved my friends I was scared every single moment of it. I was scared of demotions, lay-offs, public embarrassment and sexual harassment because I saw it every single day. Ultimately I hope this helps you make an informed decision going into marketing or sales. Environment: VERY old school 50’s sexists mentality - toxically competitive. Company motto “don’t reinvent the wheel”. Sales was bad but marketing was who you’d find crying in the bathroom. No looking at your phone and expect personal conversations to be addressed publicly in team meetings. Verbal abuse goes unpunished. Salary + Pay: Marketing makes $20K under the industry standard. Sales have insane commission caps (just ask). Know that if you take a company trip and decide to leave for any reason after (like moving or accepting a new job) you will be forced to pay the company back several thousand dollars. Sexual Harassment: This is such common knowledge that we’d joke about it in front of management to cope. Official complaints were called “gossip” and were punished without concrete evidence. Detailing how Yankee handles sexual crimes will trigger/disturb some so I won’t go further, but yes perpetrators are still at the company today. Raises: Comically unlikely. I had friends with the company for over 5 years that were denied raises every year. Your manager will tell you, you have to “fight for it” - any other company will recognize and reward you for your hard work. Layoffs: (Before COVID) were very regular throughout the year & created this intense atmosphere of fear. Management would NEVER warn people when it was coming or tell you why it happened. People would go home for the weekend and simply never come back. It was a consent “who’s next, me?” concern from my very first day to my last. Some people just never unpack their desk or make friends as a result (understandably). Growth: DEMOTIONS are common! I’ve never seen this at any other company but saw it multiple times (sometimes to the same person) at Yankee. People who were amazing at their jobs. Promotions come at a cost. Management puts two employees up for the same promotion and have them actively compete for several months. I’ve never seen a woman win. This ultimately creates resentment and destroys friendships, trust and comfort in the office. I believe this is why leaders have allowed managers to yell and verbally abuse each other in front of us, they caused it. Work-life balance: you’re a workhorse now, Giddyup! Sales were bad but nothing compared to marketing. You are not allowed to look at your phone during working hours or just catch up with co-workers. There was no such thing as “downtime” because of the unrealistic workload and looking relaxed had consequences. I truly hope this helps you make an informed decision. It is better to know now, than after you sign on the dotted line.

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Railbookers Group Response
6y
Thank you for taking the time to review YLG. With that said, I am very disappointed in some of your comments as they do not share the full truth of YLG. I am also disappointed in the fact that you waited until you had asked myself and a number of our management to write you a letters of recommendation and be a reference for you , which everyone happily did , and then wrote this after you got a new position. At YLG our company takes great pride in investing in individuals that have the drive to learn and grow and I have seen MANY people climb the ladder in this company. I myself started as a Marketing Assistant and have moved my way up to Director and can say firsthand that YLG offers fantastic growth opportunities for those who want them. Work-life balance is important to us and in fact, our employees have over 3 weeks of vacation time when they start with us along with many other benefits. The comment you have made about sexual harassment is something that we take very seriously. If there was an instance that is brought to our Human Resources department, it was (and any will be) investigated thoroughly. In terms of texting on your mobile phone throughout the work day, this is unprofessional and something that many co-workers complained about. I do understand that this is an adjustment when you launch your professional career and are now part of a team that relies on each other. As you navigate your career you will see that not having lots of “downtime” or the option to text on your phone all day, is very common. One other thing I would like to add is that with the current Covid-19 situation that we’ve all endured recently, this company and all its employees have stepped up to be even more united and stronger than ever. I could not be prouder to be part of this team and I am sorry that you did not feel the same way during the six months you were employed with us. This is why we wanted to help you get a new job in writing you a recommendation. I am happy to say even during these difficult times we have brought back many staff who had been furloughed as we continue to see demand for travel come back. Thank you again for your post. We hope you are safe and are happy for you in your new role. We hope our recommendation and reference helped you as our goal is always to do the right thing for all our staff former and current as our motto will always be- Be Kind, Be Helpful and Be Responsible. Feel free to reach out to me directly to discuss further. Regards, Kaitlyn Audley Director of Marketing

Explore other reviews about Railbookers Group

5.0
May 11, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Employee FAM trip annually for customer-facing roles Healthy work culture and environment Best leadership ever Paid travel Great benefits and bonus potential Opportunities for advancement

Cons

Salary on the low end of most businesses development roles

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Railbookers Group Response
1mo
Thank you for sharing your experience and for recognizing the fantastic culture, great benefits, leadership, and opportunities at RBG. We’re thrilled to hear that the FAM trips, paid travel, growth opportunities, and supportive environment have made a meaningful impact on your time here. We’re grateful to have you on the team and appreciate the contributions you make every day. Best Regards, Ja’ Net McGhee Employee Engagement Manager
1.0
Feb 20, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Remote. Hourly + Commission. Health Benefits.

Cons

High performance metrics were not the primary factor in employment decisions. Leadership communication was inconsistent and lacked transparency. Policies prioritizing customer satisfaction leaves you feeling undervalued and used. Rapid operational changes occasionally impacted team stability. Goals and priorities were sometimes ambiguous and would change suddenly without explanation. Organizational changes created confusion and conflict to the work culture. Inconsistent enforcement of policies and standards. Constant increase to work load with no additional scheduled time to complete new assigned tasks. Management is mostly comprised of individuals who failed as successful Account Executives but got moved up to management. They impose unrealistic expectations that they themselves couldn't keep. You aren't just selling Rail Vacations you are teaching customers about how train travel works on the phone, this leads to very long phone calls and over time. Website pricing is misleading which leads to a lot of mad customers calling in taking it out of the people that answer the phones. Mandatory weekends, and monthly changes to schedule with only 2 weeks notice which leads to a bad work/life balance.

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Railbookers Group Response
4mo
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience did not reflect the culture we strive to maintain. Our top priority is providing respectful, professional service to every guest we speak with, and we hold our team to clear expectations in how they represent our organization on the phone and in all interactions. When concerns are raised about behavior that does not align with those standards, we review them carefully and take appropriate action. Our decisions are always guided by our commitment to our guests and to maintaining a positive, respectful environment for both customers and employees. We remain dedicated to delivering a high level of service and appreciate feedback that helps us continue to improve. Thank you! Jesse Avalo Senior Sales Manager
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