"Working in hell would be more pleasurable!" - Anonymous employee Liberty Travel Employee Review

So you are looking for a job and come across the infamous "international travel consultant" job posting and you read the amazing statements above about Liberty Travel and you are thinking to yourself.. this is the job for me! Yeah, well I thought that too! First thing being said... I loved my job. Second, I wasn't fired, I quit so I am not a disgruntled ex-LibGo employee (as we like to be called) who just wants to bash the company. If this company wants to still be in business in the next 5-10 years, they need to fix EVERYTHING! So I started off happy and you are wondering where did it go south... - MY HEALTH - The sad thing is in order for my health and family life to be better I had to leave. I loved what I did, just not for the company I worked for. When I started I loved it and thought that I would be there until I retired, yet 6 months in and all hell broke loose. It's not healthy to feel like your job is always dangling by a thread and can be sniped at any time. This is the type of job that when you make your numbers you are the golden child, but if you slip 1 or 2 months out of the year, they make you feel like you are the reason why your office isn't doing well or your area didn't surpass last years numbers. The saying "you are only as good as your last month" works very well with this company. While I have always suffered from anxiety issues, over the past year and a half of my time at LT, they nearly tripled. I had an increased number of anxiety attacks, woke up (when I could fall asleep) with massive panic attacks over remembering I didn't send a quote to someone or forgot to post a credit card to the ledger... or when you know a crazy, over demanding client was coming back the next day and you knew they were going to call you to yell at whatever they thought you did wrong, or better yet, call customer service on you and demand money back. Did I mention, I officially have grey hair from the stress - did I also mention I AM ONLY 30 YEARS OLD! In my last few months of Liberty Travel, I can honestly say I could mention at least 10 employees (myself included) who had to take anxiety medication just to get through the door. I also know of one employee that was made to go on medical leave by their doctor before they had a heart attack. Oh and this person wasn't sure they should because they didn't want their coworkers taking their sales behind their back! Drinking is really encouraged, and people get out of hand... I'm saying this and I went to a college that was known for being a "party school". They think because they remind us to get a "DD" that they are covering their butts, but really... you don't need a bar in your head office... it's not cool anymore to be that wasted at public events, it really is embarrassing! One event we went to, one employee was hugging us so much "thanking" us for coming to "her party"! I mean really.... and then preceded to tell us how she just needed to drive across the street to her other hotel. Again, really... these are all adults mind you... yes adults, most of whom have children! When you wanted to leave after the "awards" that if you can believe or guess, along with the paper award, you were given a shot of alcohol, you were asked why you were leaving so early, when "we still had the open bar!" I don't know, maybe I want to go home and see my family, or better yet get home so I can sleep so I can work the next day and not be hung over?!? Or better yet, you know be responsible adult that has a job!? - HOME/WORK BALANCE - Basically non-existent. I can honestly say, that in the time I worked there, I missed out on so many family parties, friends parties and made to feel like crap for not going to the "ball" (more on this one later) because I would rather take a personal day and go to a family wedding or a concert that I bought tickets for 9 months in advance. Yes, me and another co-worker were made to feel horrible about not going to the stupid ball. I was never home for dinner, had to cancel plans after work because I got stuck with a client and had to tell my friends and family, if you want me to come to something, I need at least 2 months in advance and HOPE NO ONE TOOK OFF already or that we had coverage... this was tricky with the amount of turnover my office had! Oh and Liberty ---- GIVE US OUR HOLIDAYS BACK... I REPEAT GIVE US OUR HOLIDAYS BACK! - COWORKERS/OFFICE LIFE - If you don't have a good team leader, well you're screwed! You don't work in a good area, well you're screwed! You actually act like an adult, and don't to play company politics or throw your co-workers under the bus , well yup you're screwed! The cattiness that goes on within this company is crazy, the over charging of innocent CLIENTS is INSANE! How some of these people sleep at night, is beyond me! But when the agent has to eat all of the merchant fees, you know people can get quite desperate I guess.... also, you will learn to hate when people pay with American Express (over 3% you will eat on the swipe)! If you don't want anyone to talk about you, or for people that have never met you to know your business... KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! Everyone in this company talks, no one can keep their mouth shut and like I said, most will throw anyone under the bus if it means they will get ahead in this company. Oh and going back to the team leaders... word on the street is some of the good reviews here are team leaders who were told by head office and area leaders to write to sway people from the bad ones! I feel bad for the team leaders who do so much repetitive "bs" ---glass doors don't want me to curse, so just use your imagination with what words I actually want to use --- that they can't get their work done. Every Monday they have to do a "4square" which rates the office and answers questions in boxes... pretty simple, but EVERY MONDAY. Most team leaders just change the numbers and keep everything else. So once that is done, they then sit in their respective back rooms and go on a conference call. I heard one of these one day, and one team leader bad mouthed their employees (who were out on the floor working and doing their jobs) so bad and blamed their lack of numbers and lack of product ranges (you know one of the ways that we overcharge you and really make the packages more money, but don't worry you get a really nice keepsake book, but are made to do excursions) that week on her employees. I don't know about you, but most managers are supposed to be supportive of their employees and try and build them up... not tear them down just because they can't hear it! Most area leaders act like they are their team leaders best friends (most team leaders actually think and I quote "we are besties") and is be more like "monkey see, monkey do" or "how high should I jump". It's disgusting. Don't even get me started on upper managements arrogance and their feeing of being entitled. I also truly believe that some of the upper management have spies... so word to the wise DON'T ADD ANYONE FROM LIBERTY TRAVEL ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, etc - they will look, and things do get back to them! Or better yet, make sure everything you have is private! I mean the company isn't doing well yet they spent how much money on their headquarters (remember my friends, they have a bar at head office) when half the stores need complete overhauls since they are falling apart. Our internet is the slowest thing you will ever see so everything times out constantly! They even have game units you can play in the break rooms and treadmills that you can hook your laptops up to at head office (because 95% of their employees GAIN 40 pounds within working there for 2 years), but us back in the normal offices that the CUSTOMERS SEE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS, can not even get matching monitors, computers that work, desks that aren't broken, carpet that isn't stained or better yet... A FRESH COAT OF PAINT! - BRIGHTNESS OF FUTURE/HEAD OFFICE - .............................. sorry I had to take a break and laugh my butt off...................... In my almost 6 years the brightness of future that they claim you have is "crap" so much to the point that I stepped down back to being an agent because I couldn't take broken promises anymore. Instead of promoting good behavior, they do the opposite. I don't know maybe they use the "keep your enemies closer" saying. Better yet, when they sent me a new employee contract to sign... it was for the wrong year, and still had Emma Jupp's name on it. Yeah she hasn't been our president for almost a year. They were shocked when I told them I wasn't signing it because it wasn't a valid contract in my eyes if the woman isn't our president anymore and the year was wrong. A couple years ago they brought out "Our Philosophies" and the #1 thing on it was "our people". After 6 years, I can honestly say they only care about "certain people", there isn't any "our" anymore. But, I am sorry, they do put on the above mentioned "ball" every year. Though if you don't go, you are made to feel guilty about it or made to work. Listen I'm fine to work, just not in an office, with a safe, with people I don't know coming in and out. I once got threatened over the phone because the refund wasn't in yet and was told "you will see what will happen if you don't have it tomorrow" and when it didn't come in, I was terrified that he would find me in the parking lot after he came in. Luckily I was on break when it happened and he was told the police would come if he stepped foot back in the office again. Also, one of my old co-workers was told by our head office, that she can't refuse service to a client... by the way this client always accuses her of being a racist and accuses her of overcharging (when I know for a fact she has never), and tortures her constantly! Sorry, back to the ball. Yes everyone gets dressed up (it's formal), and we get to see everyone, but again it's alcohol driven and the past couple years they barely gave us food! So yes, sorry, I would rather spend time with my friends and family on a Saturday night in July, than spend time with a bunch of drunk people that don't act properly in public! Head office barely has the agents backs too... if you get hired and accept the job (good luck to you) then I suggest putting EVERYTHING to a client in writing. If you don't have it in writing head office will always take their side. I once had a charge back because they got 2 double beds and not 2 king beds... THANKFULLY I put the bedding into an email when I quoted everything because that would have been $4,000 I would have had to eat OVER 2 BEDS, even though on the contract it says that "bedding preferences aren't guaranteed"! Liberty I think has so many horrible customer reviews and complaints they will do anything to keep the customers happy even when they are wrong, and put all the blame on the agent! How do I even mention the nasty emails that head office sends out... I have them, they are printed to prove how "crappy" they are. I've known of a few novices (the new hires) that have quit after 2-3 weeks after seeing someone of these emails. Having an email sent out from the lady that I will refer to as "the dragon lady" (and yes I think that is even too nice to say about her) basically insinuating you will be fired if you don't use a program... remember "she can see you" and "tick tick, Monday is around the corner!" and my favorite part was "figure out what you need to do, this is your free pass!" Did I mention they wanted us to use this program after a 1 HOUR WEBINAR, yes I will repeat it again a 1 hour webinar, that the dragon lady speed through, yelled at people who put the call on hold and I got lost after 5 minutes and just sat for the rest of the time. How do you expect an entire company use a new program after being trained on it for 1 hour and did I mentioned it never worked properly! Oh wait I'm sorry, they did hand out a PowerPoint presentation the we could use with clients at our desk... - THE SALARY - Yes, we get paid a base salary, and yes we get paid commission, yet the work we do and the hours we work don't match the base pay. The fact I was getting paid the same amount as someone who was with the company for 3 months and then someone who's been with the company for 14 years IS INSANE! No cost of living increases and no matter where you work you get paid the same - so someone living in Los Angeles has the same cost of living as someone lets say in upstate New York? Really... "Bueller.... Bueller.... Bueller?" Yup... thought so! So going back to that lovely statements about that Glass Door has for Liberty Travel - this is how it should read and yes my suggestions for what I feel they left out are in parentheses to give you an idea of how it really is... For 60+ years, Liberty Travel is a name synonymous with travel in the USA (yes, we still use this line, even though Flight Centre is ruining our once strong name), providing personalized travel planning (which we "don't charge for" so you want us to put together 3 different personalized itineraries and then take it and book it on your own, no worries, go ahead most will just over-charge the next client that comes in) and insight into the newest travel trends and destinations (only if our product team actually has it loaded and if it is loaded it might not be the current information). In 1951, Liberty Travel created the “one-price” vacation package by combining land and transportation to the most popular vacation destinations (just a reminder to check everything before you come into the office because our prices suck, and some of our employees may... okay some of them will severely overcharge you because let's face it they have to eat their merchant fees, they might not think you know how to use a computer, and they got to eat too.) With 170+ businesses in 14 states the brand has continually evolve, (did we mention that all of our vacation experts in those 14 states all get the same base salary with no cost of living increases or differences, no I'm sorry we forgot to mention that one, though we tell "our people" that if they want to earn more, they can just sell more yet with all of the useless paperwork and useless tasks and always having to price beat our preferred partners I don't see why they aren't earning more), sending millions of travelers to all corners of the world. Liberty Travel is America’s Vacation Expert (unfortunately in a few years we might not be, read on for more details) for all of life’s vacation moments (because all of our senior agents are leaving and taking their knowledge and experience with them, but don't worry we have fresh faced college grads that have no idea what they are doing handling your trips after our fabulous 2 week training, where they learn "EVERYTHING" they could possibly need to know, even though some of them have never been anywhere or know how to even check in for a flight.) The brand prides itself on its tremendous product line (cough cough, when it's actually loaded), deep travel industry knowledge and connections (see the above statement about all of our "valued" senior agents), topped off by its impressive customer service rooted in the fact that real people (but we are pushing for direct teams online to sell) make a real difference (and if you are unhappy with your trip, just complain enough to our customer excellence team, they will give you whatever you want even if you are wrong, our agents will pay for it). Travel consultants are an instrumental part of the vacation-planning process and integral part of the brand (but to be honest we really should value them a bit more... don't tell them I told you that). Liberty Travel is a business within FC USA Inc, which through its parent company, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Flight Centre Travel Group in Australia (aka our alcohol driven parents, don't worry about that though, we push for everyone to have a DD after our alcohol based work events)! Mission: Deliver Amazing Travel Experiences by Putting Our Customer at the Heart of Our Business Decisions (really though, it's being delivered by our overworked, overstressed, overtired, under appreciated, have to work holidays, getting tired of people blaming them for everything, oh and defiantly UNDERPAID agents who are the forefront of our company and are all waiting to quit... oh wait... maybe we should stand by our values and start putting our employees first as well since they are the face of our company!) If this all seems like the "dream job", well go ahead and apply, but you were warned!