The Product and the Business Model
- Is it a people search? A mobile caller ID app? A family tree making project? A source to append missing social data? Half of the people working here don’t believe that Spokeo actually helps reunite anyone, and none of Spokeo’s ideas are original. Rather, they appear to be an amalgamation of multiple companies that already exist.
- Just like other reviews have stated, the billing practices that Spokeo utilizes is deceitful and completely user-unfriendly. The Founders and higher ups need to sit down with Customer Care and listen to the calls that come in from customers who have been duped into paying unconscionable amounts of money for monthly subscriptions or upsells they weren't aware they even signed up for.
- "Is He Cheating on You?" This marketing tactic and tagline ethically fails beyond all measure. It is inconceivable how one would uncover if their significant other was cheating on them by simply searching an email or username. All that would return (if anything, due to Spokeo's terrible data quality) would be social media accounts and photos--which the user would likely already know about. This marketing scheme preys on unsuspecting individuals who aren't tech-savvy, but are desperate for answers. This is but one of the many horrendous marketing strategies Spokeo employs.
The Culture
Blatant Favoritism:
- No matter how hard you work, don't expect any type of recognition, acceptable raise, or promotion, unless you obsequiously brown-nose your way to the top. You can be an employee who has worked here for years, but if you refuse to play into the politics, or suck up to your boss(es), then forget about ever advancing your career.
- "The Inner Circle”: spouses, siblings, old friends, employees who have been working at Spokeo from the beginning--all get special treatment and essentially run this company. They lead or manage projects without having the proper qualifications expected of an outside hire and are even allowed by The Founders to come back and hang out at the office after being FIRED.
Zero Accountability:
- Some employees come in around 10-11, leave by 5:30, and are gone from their desks for exorbitant amounts of time during the day. Certain individuals also spend hours playing games in the lounge.
- Managers either don't notice, turn a blind eye to individuals they are friends with, or don't care enough to say something to address this glaringly obvious issue. It is the norm at Spokeo to go to someone's desk, and have to ask "Where is ___?" multiple times a day.
- This lax environment promotes a culture of unproductiveness and animosity within and between teams.
Managers/Founders Out of Touch with their Employees:
- Most managers have no idea or don't care about the issues that their employees face on a day to day basis. They truly believe that their employees are happy because individuals can't speak up about the issues that come with working at Spokeo. If you go against the grain and say something, you risk becoming a pariah, and your managers/leads/other teammates who buy into the cult mentality, will treat you like an outsider. (This can mean lower raises/bonuses than the rest of your team, open disrespect, and limited to no opportunities for advancement—even if you deserve it).
- Some managers care more about how they appear to the Founders, than protecting the interests of the people they manage.
- Manager/employee one-on-ones are mandatory, but don't fool yourself into believing this is a safe form of communication. There is NO forum to voice your thoughts and concerns without being ostracized for it, so people come to Glassdoor instead (though there will likely be fake positive reviews to follow this one).
Drinking on the Job:
- This is totally acceptable, and goes unpunished, even when employees return completely drunk from lunches, or get sloshed at work (excluding Customer Care, who are the only department with strict rules on alcohol consumption).
Misogynistic and Distasteful Jokes:
- It is completely normal at Spokeo to hear people use the R word to joke about someone with disabilities, openly make sexist jokes about women, or shout at others to shut up when in disagreement.
- Once again, no manager, lead, or higher up does anything to prevent this from taking place. Instead, they choose to further perpetuate this insensitivity by proclaiming the all too familiar mantra: "This is just Spokeo's one-of-a-kind culture”.
