Pros
The customer service experience can be used as a stepping stone into a better job. Commission is nice when you actually reach the 20-loan goal for the month, which is usually around back to school and Christmas seasons, but goals are harder to reach in offices with more employees to compete with. There are opportunities to advance within the company, although you have to be prepared to move wherever they send you. Most of the employees I met were fairly nice, but the not-so-nice ones can ruin the entire experience if they're your boss.
Cons
Within a week, I knew Tower wasn't a long-term option. Others with better management might have better experiences, and that's great for them, but working at Tower Loan was the most miserable time of my life. A couple of friends that worked in different branches have said the same. Managers will say, "this job isn't for everyone", and that's true. But it's not because they're weak-minded or can't handle it like they imply. It's because most people will not continually subject themselves to the workplace bullying and constant negativity that seems to be ingrained into the company culture. Turnover is high, and everyone is replaceable. Employee retention is not a priority. The trickle-down effect is prominent. Directors micromanage supervisors to get numbers up; supervisors micromanage office managers, who then breathe down the necks of CSR's and MT's to "get it done". There's more negative motivation than positive. It's about numbers, not about hard work. I was told, "I didn't have to start you out at [insert amount $2/hr lower than CSR's from local competitors make] an hour, so get some loans." They act like you can force a customer to get a loan through repetitive solicitation served with a smile. Although they've been "working on" improving customer service, I've still seen managers yell at delinquent customers, calling them names and questioning their character. The office culture seems to be stuck the 60s- it's all about constant, fast-paced productivity. 100 solicitation/collection calls a day is the quota, and that's on top of answering the phone, helping customers, and clerical work. If you meet your goals, "great, make some more calls." It's draining. "Chit-chat" is to be kept at a minimum; I watched a coworker be berated (on a slow morning) for quickly showing a holiday photo of their kid. I also picked up on sexism and discrimination- females have to wear a certain heel height on their shoes, certain hairstyles can't be worn (most of which are part of African American culture). CSR's are never male, and it's because CSR's are the sweet young ladies that "look pretty and greet the customers at the door." And if you haven't heard about the transgender man filing a lawsuit against Tower in Lousiana last year, you should Google it. The computer system is flawed, but nobody will admit it. Even though it bugs out on a regular basis, it's always attributed to a human error an employee made. When you're responsible for money, it can be a nightmare. I was once accused of stealing after an overage resolved itself. I caught computer errors several times, one of which, had it not been found by me, would have made me personally responsible to replace over $200. Drawer shortages are supposed to come out of the manager's bonus, but supervisors find it perfectly acceptable to force CSRs to pay for drawer shortages out of their own wages. Who cares if managers make over 30K more annually? Speaking of wages, that is yet another thing that seems to be several decades behind. A 25-cent raise annually for a CSR is not uncommon, yet they want good CSR's to stick around to keep the offices running smoothly. Working 4 years to get a dollar in raises is not adequate motivation, especially with the loan goal for commission being mostly unattainable year-round for the majority of CSRs.