Collections Advisor (Credit Cards)
Pros
It's very difficult to find the positives about this company, but here goes. You can book your holidays up to a year in advance. You can buy additional holidays up to 1 week. The people and friends you make are just about the best thing to keep you going.
Cons
Your holidays used to include the days the company is not actually open on such as boxing day and Christmas day but now you have to actually request the time off which is not guaranteed or you have to work the hours back. You used to be able to volunteer if you wanted to work the bank holiday but now you have to work a certain about if you are full time and part time. You also need to see what your preferences are which are not guaranteed. You are not valued as a member of staff. It's about "We Are Santander" and "Simple, Personal and Fair" but only seems applicable for the customers and not the staff forgetting that the staff is what makes good customer service and satisfaction. Their targets are ridiculously high and unrealistic and their approach is so subjective it makes things very inconsistent. There is limited support with haste to escalate to disciplinaries instead of trying to help those struggling with to improve. It's very mechanic and very much a culture of everyone is replaceable. Despite all those pressure the management is filled with incompetent Team Leaders where you as the advisor on the phone has more knowledge and often have to make decisions these apparent high ups are paid more to know and do. There is very little progression opportunities. Your future very much depends if your manager likes you and you have to ask permission to apply for a position you want to go for. Decent managers are hard to come by. You're left with the downright incompetent, hard assess who lack interpersonal skills or the inappropriate who like "good craic." If you are not part of the clique, manager's favourites or a suck up then you have no chance of progressing on merit alone. The work/life balance has dimished over the years. They used to take on students who had to opportunity to balance university, college, etc with work. However, there is only full time with ridiculous expectations, particularly with the increased use of annualised hours. (Annualised hours within this company is terrible and so bad they have had to offer to pay staff back their banked hours as well as requesting overtime due to staff shortage caused by dismissals or mass exodus of staff not staying, even the new starters). The only staff with a change of getting any flexible working would be those with disabilities, long term conditions and possibly those with young children. Even then, they have to jump through hoops to get simple requests even considered. The company seems to lack basic direction, constantly going back on itself, bad systems that make matters worst. There are no incentives. The best you can get is the odd incentive where you get some sweets (like a 5 year old). Back in the day there were shopping vouchers, actual money, maybe some wine or a hamper, and even electronics.
