I had the opportunity to work for REI both in their brick and mortar stores and in a remote customer service role, and my experiences were drastically different. In store, I found REI to be a supportive and enjoyable environment that truly values both employees and customers. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for their remote customer service positions.
The remote systems and programs in place are not structured for employee success. In fact, they often work against it. The tools and processes required to perform the job frequently interfere with employee metrics, ultimately lowering overall performance scores. For example, the virtual desktop environment crashes periodically, which negatively impacts not only the employee’s metrics but, more importantly, the customer experience.
Additionally, the technical support department, which is intended to assist employees, was largely ineffective in my experience. Many issues went unresolved, and I was often left to troubleshoot problems on my own. This lack of reliable support made an already challenging system even more difficult to navigate.
With over 20 years of experience in customer service, I understand how to authentically build relationships with customers. REI uses a structured system called CLIMB to guide interactions, which can be helpful for those developing foundational skills. However, strict adherence to every step is required, and failing to do so results in lower scores. This rigid approach does not account for experienced professionals who already excel at customer engagement. Despite maintaining customer satisfaction scores in the high 90s, my internal performance metrics remained in the low 60s because I did not follow the CLIMB process exactly as prescribed.
Employees are also expected to use multiple internal systems during calls to find information, which increases call handling time and further impacts metrics. These systems do not always provide clear answers, requiring additional outreach to other departments, again taking more time and negatively affecting performance scores.
While I value REI as a company and would highly recommend their in store work environment, I cannot recommend their remote customer service roles. The current structure does not adequately support employee success or reflect the realities of providing high quality customer service, particularly for experienced professionals.
