If you have any sense of morality, leave it at the door. This company absolutely has no desire to help a customer. They pay out enough in claims every year to keep it legal. That's where it stops. For example, just today, a customer called in to cancel their service because they had a claim on a broken water pipe. It was declined. The reason for HomeServe's repudiation? The customer clamped the pipe so it wouldn't flood their house in the several days it would take HomeServe to deploy a technician. The funny thing is that it is mandatory for a rep to say HomeServe has a 24 hour service hotline on every call. This, technically, is true. There is always someone there to take the call and schedule an appointment. An appointment that may be a week or more away. Another requirement is that reps must say we always use local and licensed technicians. This is an outright lie. Most technicians are from areas several hours away. For example, our office is in Chattanooga, TN and the closest TN technician is in Nashville. Google Maps will further illustrate the absurdity. And to further express my frustration with the service HomeServe provides, the "local, licensed, and insured" technicians who supposedly have had background checks done on them are mostly trash.
Another interesting fact about being a HomeServe sales agent is that you are not given access to the very contracts that you sale. HomeServe tells you what to say and you say it, even if it contradicts the contract. For one policy that I sale I have to say that it has an unlimited claim limit. However, after doing some digging with the help of repair management, another agent was able to get a copy of the contract that explicitly states that the contract will only cover up to the cost of the policy, which is a maximum of $379 for a heating system. After the agent spoke to the sales manager he was told not to worry about it because "we would pay for their repair anyway."
Now for the cons of the bonus system. The goals are fluctuated to keep agents from receiving their bonuses. Personally, I have never had this happen. However, I have seen many agents lose thousands of dollars due to a technicality, like forgetting to ask the customer a question on a call. The current schedule adherence goal has over 50% of agents in jeopardy of losing their bonus.
The work environment has steadily gone from relaxed and team oriented to an atmosphere of fear and rigidity. So far, for 2 years, I have managed to stay out of management's crosshair for those who question the company's dishonest policies and its quest to lower the bottom line, however I fear that may only last so long. Out of a training class of dozens, I am one of about 3 that are left.
