Pros
I'll never forget what a manager told me during the interview process with Dish: "Good stats are everything. They will get you where you want to go in this company." This is very true--Management will reward you for exceeding goals that help them to increase revenue; i.e. upselling programming, equipment and auxiliary installations, (tv wall mounts, surround sound, router set-up, etc). They look at CSATs (customer satisfaction surveys) and QAs (phone call evaluations from my former department). Beside upselling, CSAT and QA, they look for AHT (average handle time) per call. Consistently doing well in these core metrics will quickly get you promoted to Dr. Dish and beyond, which is what happened to me. Dish has attempted to make strides in improving its image as a not-too-great company to work for by tasking their HR groups with an initiative for more employee recognition. When I left, they were setting up a program to recruit college grads or employees still in school and steer them toward a management/leadership development program. Dish also did away with mandatory overtime, an awful thing for any employee who remembered those last few minutes of their shift ticking away on the clock, only to see a bright-red IM from the resource desk that mandatory overtime was in effect due to call volume. One of the things we frequently did in the QA department was to reward agents who achieved a perfect QA (100) by giving them a certificate and candy. If that agent obtained, say, three or more 100s in a month, then we would give them a $10 gas/VISA/Subway card, etc. Lastly, I've read in some of the reviews that being buddy/buddy with management or going out to play football with them on the weekends are ways to move up, but I disagree--YOUR METRICS ARE ALL THAT MATTER. Many introverted people move up VERY quickly there because they've proven they can consistently perform. You'll see some agents making an extra $1000+ per paycheck because they're maxing out on their PFP (pay for performance; the core metrics I mentioned earlier). Some awesome agents I evaluated weren't even interested in advancing because they were making as much, if not more, than their coaches--without the stress, which I'll discuss in the CONS.
Cons
One of the depressing things about my job in QA was that I was considered part of the management group--I had no direct reports but I received the emails whenever an agent was "termed"/terminated/fired. On average, I'd say anywhere from 3 to 5 people per week were let go for various reasons--Most people were termed due to simply not showing up anymore, which is telling. Other reasons for terms were likely disciplinary reasons related to poor performance in the aforementioned metrics. You'd know it was a term email by how it started: "Please remove access for __________ he/she no longer works for Dish." I'm shaking my head just thinking about some really good people I met there--people who got to work on time, got along with their coaches and peers, even liked by managers--but simply couldn't consistently perform. Like I said, stats are everything; there have been very dishonest people who have thrived there because they value their stats more than their integrity. One agent I evaluated began adding additional programming to a customer's account, never telling him he was doing so in the process. He knew he'd get the credit for the sale and since it was unlikely anyone would take the time to look up his operator id when the customer called back, he figured he'd get away with it. After adding about $45/month in additional programming to his account, he sent out a tech (this was a Dr. Dish agent btw) instead of troubleshooting an issue that could have easily been resolved over the phone. I sent the recorded call to his coach (who was subsequently fired for his own shady, yet innovative, methods) who basically slapped his agent on the wrist and that was the end of it. No write-ups or terms for that agent because his outstanding metrics made his team, indeed his coach, look good. I could share hundreds of stories like this... I've met agents with architectural degrees and aeronautical engineering and psychology degrees, and I've always asked them how they ended up there. They're usually not the ones who excel, in my experience though--it seems (and I know this is harsh to read) that those with simpler intellect thrive, because they stick to written scripts and follow directions to the letter. In college, you're often told to think outside the box and to be innovative, but those are the very things which will hinder your career at Dish. I struggled the first two or three months there, but once I learned to read things verbatim to the customer or to follow whatever prompt popped up on the computer screen, even if it didn't immediately resolve the customer's problem, then I was on my way. Darren Swanson, a VP there, once told us in a meeting that the attrition rate at Dish was, believe it or not, 76 percent. That is, 76 percent of agents who were hired by Dish quit within their first year. If you're hired as a CSS, then you'll see most of your training class quit within three months. Half of those who remain will dwindle and burn out within 6 months. In just under three years that I worked there, my class of 30 agents was down to me and two other people. People have written that it's great for managers, but I think they complain more than the agents. One coach told me that he was only making a couple of bucks an hour more than me, which blew my mind given the stress, the GM puts on them. Again, this is hearsay, but I've been told by several coaches that the GM would gather them in a conference room (I remember watching them all walk glumly by, like herded cattle) yelling and cursing at them for low metrics. The coaches, in turn, would come from these meetings more stressed than ever and lay into their poor agents who were already likely getting laid-into by whatever disgruntled customer they were on the phone with. I ultimately left Dish because my wife and I were expecting baby number two and my schedule/role in QA was changing. I was being reassigned to a new position called Team Lead and my schedule in that position couldn't work and management was inflexible. MAKE SURE THAT, IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE A POSITION WITH DISH, YOU ARE TRULY FLEXIBLE WITH THE SCHEDULING, BECAUSE YOU WILL DEFINITELY HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL SCHEDULE (CLASSES, DAYCARE, APPOINTMENTS) OFTEN. For many, Dish is an in-between-jobs type of workplace. But for the truly ambitious, If you really want a long-term career there here are the following things you need: 1) One or no children. If you do have children, make sure that you have flexible and reliable daycare. Your schedule will change with the wind; i.e. business needs might dictate different flex shifts on the weekends or late at night. 2) Humility. Those walking in the door with degrees and awesome technical/customer service backgrounds might find themselves disillusioned at the number of simple-minded people they are reporting to. I know it seems weird, but the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid) has never been more useful than on the floor at Dish. Likewise, the entry-level pay seems pretty weak ($11/hr when I first started) but sticking to KISS will help you rake in bonus money and the attention of managers. 3) Ethical Behavior. You will hear and see people cheating to get ahead all the time. Sometimes it works but the agents who are making an additional $1,700 per paycheck will be scrutinized by their coaches and upper-management, having their calls constantly recorded and listened to. So, make sure you're on the up and up and obtain success honestly. 4) Patience. Don't expect to jump straight to coach in six months just because you're bonusing. Take advantage of the ease of your shifts when you first start, as they are devoid of annoying partner calls and tech calls. Focusing on the simple calls you'll be fielding will help you to keep your AHT down and make good money in PFP. 5) A mentor. Find a coach or a manager with a trophy at their desk. Typically the awards are for those consistently-performing managers. They will give you good advice in succeeding and it also shows initiative in moving up quickly.
