It's a pretty good environment, the pay is good for entry level, and there is strong encouragement to self improve.
Pros
They're increasing in size right now so it's a great time to apply. There is a wonderful training environment, where you are encouraged to take on extra duties as they suit you to enable you to move up in the company, since the support center is viewed as the entry into the company. There are many employees in engineering, IT, sales, and management, who started in the support center. If you want extra hours, overtime is allowed and since it's paid by the hour that can be a nice pay bonus. Calls are recorded and can be marked as good/bad by customers, but your job is not dependent on statistics, and the manager takes into consideration whether a bad review is a teachable moment or something the agent has no control over. The management is open to suggestions, and if you repeatedly have good suggestions you might find yourself being promoted. There is a great nerdy environment and relaxed attitude between employees when not on calls. There is no script or dialogue you are meant to follow, just to find the customer a solution for their needs. Your pay is not dependent on commission, because there is none. Every agent gets to take a projector to use at home in order to get more experience with the products, and we get to play with the bigger products like the MondoPads at work. If you ever get stumped by a customer's issue, you're encouraged to go grab the model from our library and give it a try yourself, learn about the product and its capabilities and find the customer a solution. This is great for me since I'm a hands-on learner.
Cons
The HQ, where the support center is, is in Tigard. The repair center is outsourced and customers hold us in the support center accountable when their repair takes too long. As with any call center there will occasionally be someone who calls in who had a bad day and decides to take it out on the agent. The management is understanding and supportive when this happens, and encourages you to walk it off or take some time before getting back on the phones. The computers and office equipment like chairs that we are provided are not the most modern, but we do get two monitors.
