When I first started with Grainger, the branch, call center, and sales and worked together to support the local market. Grainger changed its structure and now everyones off in their own worlds. They have moved their 3rd party jobs to Panama and the new team was struggling to keep up. They also started closing down smaller call centers and opening up big call centers in only certain areas. The wave of new hires causes customers to have to call 3-4 times to get a problem resolved. They make us perform to scripts on the phone even if the dialogue didn't make sense for the customers request. A couple of my coworkers got up from their desk and never returned. Quite a few, including me, found new jobs because the work environment turned terrible. They don't care how much money you make for them. They care you said the 'script' (which they deny there's a script but there is!!!) correctly and you got the customer off the phone in 4 minutes. They made us stay on the phones 90% of the time, back to back calls with zero breaks to do off the phone projects. They would make us work 3- 3 1/2 hours between breaks often. Have you ever talked nonstop for 3 1/2 hours? It's hell. We would complain and they would just say they're in compliance with the law.Your work would pile up if you didn't keep the customer on the phone for however long you needed to correct the issue 10-30+ minutes at times?! Only 40 minutes a day to take care of after call work, go to the bathroom, and cry. That time would be eaten up every minute you were late for break because a customer call took a while. If it took 10 minutes, then you were docked 20 minutes of the 40 you get. 10 minutes for going late and 10 minutes for com back late. See where I'm going with this? Sales reps were frustrated by the inconsistent support from customer service. They are too focused on the bottom line and forgetting we are here to take care of businesses and people. They give great PTO but you have to schedule it 2 months- a year in advance and even then it's good luck. They don't care if you have a doctor's appointment, they will make you schedule it within the available hours (usually at least 2 months in advance). I had to take half an 'occurance' (get 3-4 of these and you're fired) because I tried to ask for a half day a month in advance for my son's preschool graduation. The day was already booked. My coworker needed a medical procedure done and they made him use one of only 3 sick days he gets a year. He tried to ask for the day off a month in advance. I could tell more horrors but I want to stay anonymous. I've watched them suddenly write people up for things the old manager took care of and he didn't think it warranted a write up. After he left they went through all our files and wrote people up for stupid things. It's like they were trying to push us out before announcing they're laying us off. Very little room for advancement, it takes at least 5 years to move somewhere else on average.
