CUSTOMERS AREN’T AT THE HEART; Thousands of direct mail solicitations are sent to prospective customers that use logos containing the shapes of states, along with local post office box addresses, and that silly “reply by” date have constantly created confused, frightened and unsure homeowners who have been scared into buying HomeServe’s products and services. Delays in receiving emergency repairs, contrary to what agents and the 1-page service agreement promises, or the difficulty current customers have with getting proper coverage documentation, cancelling services or receiving promised refunds or credits DOES NOT show customers this company cares about them.
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT IS NON-EXISTENT unless you count poorly cross-training your existing employees to fill in for other departments when they become swamped with calls. The company DOES NOT provide training that prepares employees to perform their present job better. There ARE NO career development activities that prepares them for job growth and greater responsibilities, although upper management falsely claims to. Where are the classes, workshops, and seminars? Perhaps they are being held when supervisors and agents are busy cavorting inappropriately. Let’s face it: the only things that HomeServe are engaging employees to do and help make happen are extramarital affairs, perpetuating the “good ole boy” system and violating a long list of common HR rules (so long I couldn’t name them here, but I will say that there are plenty of sexiest, racial jokes made all day).
RELENTLESS INACTION is prevalent, combined with dishonesty and ineptitude at HomeServe. With 1.4 million homeowners in the US and Canada, you would think that this company would cover all the basic business functions in house-accounting, marketing & advertising, and sales. IT DOES NOT and participates actively in outsourcing. Communication amongst these departments is non-existent. There should be an interconnectedness, a chain that links every single person in this company, but there isn’t. Employees across various departments there either feel that their position is the most important position in the entire company, or that their role simply didn’t matter. Archaic systems and interfaces leave the basic functions that most companies perform on a daily basis (request for proof of coverage electronically, explanation for missing or failed payments) unfulfilled. A factual and concrete explanation of just how dishonest this company is would point to the fact that HomeServe’s repair department denies a number of emergency repairs because outdated terms and conditions do not explicitly state whether something is or isn’t covered. Professionalism is found in about 2 out of 10 agents. There is always someone violating a dress code or using inappropriate language or having inappropriate conversations on the sales floor. Lots of upper management engage in conversations that are purely meant for after hours (or not at all) and not in the workplace environment. Dishonesty abounds from the scripting authorized for agent use during sales calls (customers aren’t asked whether they would like to be enrolled with auto renewal but told they will be) to supervisors reluctantly going to bat for worthy employees.
HOMESERVE IS NOT THE BEST EMERGENCY REPAIR SERVICE PROVIDER. According to a 2011 article featured online in the Guardian, the company faced compensation claims from thousands of customers it let down during a winter cold snap. The cost for most coverages isn’t equitable to the coverage limits. 3 home warranty companies- American Home Shield, First American Home Warranty, & Old Republic Home Protection's Home Warranty Plan-blow HomeServe out of the water; there’s really no comparison when you consider the range of products and services these companies offer homeowners. Any time the BBB encourages people to proceed with caution when being solicited by HomeServe that has to tell you something.