WFM (Work Force Management) is utter garbage and has no idea what they are doing. The phone queues are supposed to be divided up between the different skill levels- 1, 2, and 3. They tell you that the further you move up into the skill levels you do take calls from the previous levels, but more so as back up for when there's overflow in the lower queues. However, once you reach skill 3 it's constant back to back calls and WFM constantly pulls the lower skill levels out of their phone queue to work in the email system (or send them home with Voluntary Time Off ), thus increasing the higher call volume for the higher skill levels. There are almost always customers waiting to be answered and for a company that always talks about making sure that their employees are there and ready to help the customers to prevent hold times- they really don't create the environment that embodies that.
Additionally, requesting planned time off as a skill 3 is next to impossible unless you plan it at least 3+ weeks in advance. They are ridiculously strict with their attendance policy (creating a very high attrition and turn over rate) They provide 2 "buckets" of time off- Sick (40hrs every 6mos, does not roll over.) and Vacation(accrued at 4.36 -I think- hours every pay period ). Sick can be taken at will until your bucket runs out. If you take sick time and you have none left in your bucket- instant write up. No verbal warning like they claim. Then from there if you are late, need to leave early, or miss work for literally any reason you are then reviewed for termination. Now, this goes back towards the Vacation time that is near impossible to request. If you're sick and you know you'll need a few more days to recuperate typically you would just enter in some vacation time and you're good to go. Nope, not as a higher skill level. You're put in a wait list of 20+ people at any given time- unless it's that previously mentioned 3+ week out request. Now, I'm not a psychic so unfortunately I cannot know the next time I'll get sick. Additionally, they do not accept doctors notes. So if you do end up missing multiple days due to the flu, pneumonia, or any other extended sickness and you do visit the doctors for this. Well tough luck kiddo, any day you took off and didn't use vacation time for comes straight out of your sick time. There are very few times that I have heard where a coworker was able to successfully have a doctors note approved.
When you're hired they tell you that there are ample routes to move up in the company and the only thing stopping you is your own determination. Sounds ideal! My kind of company! I'm the kind of person who consistently wants to move up and grow. So I busted by butt to be able to move up and out of customer service as fast as I could only to come to a screeching halt once I hit skill 3. I'm not the only one either. Many of my colleagues are in the same boat. Many of my fellow colleagues that were hired the same time as me over a year ago have straight up left the company for other opportunities due to the lack of movement past Skill 3. Sure, you can go to other departments that aren't on the ladder upwards from service but they're all pay cuts. Usually $2 an hour paycuts depending on where you go. So you either suck it up and take the pay cut or you stick it out and wait for months and months on end hoping and praying that one of the higher positions finally opens up so you can apply.
They are very much the kind of company that creates "Karens". If the customer puts up a fit you HAVE to give in and let them get whatever they want. All to create a "positive customer experience". Old expired coupon? Honor it. Customer is pitching a fit because their $200 sofa isn't as comfortable as a $2000 counterpart AND they want a full refund but don't want to go through the hassle of returning? Honor it. Now, we're supposed to provide different levels of options before jumping to the most expensive, of course. But you also have to keep in mind that there is a veryyy good chance that this unhappy customer is going to get a survey for you at the end of the call, which goes into your overall rating and effects your quarterly bonus. They want you to maintain a CSAT (customer satisfaction score) of 4.9 or higher out of 5. Near perfect. So without giving into the customers every whim, you're probably not gonna get a super high survey score. But you also have a metric based on how many low cost solutions you're using as well. Double edged sword, right? None of this is impossible I will add. It's very much doable, but it is draining.
Overall, I find that Wayfair is better suited for people who don't mind dealing with consistent contacts and are comfortable staying in customer service. Just watch out for the WFM issues and attendance policy.
