West

Discussion in 'West at Home' started by wahdell, Jun 12, 2008.

  1. Romeu

    Romeu Guest

    I need HELP! I'm in the Training process with West. I'm wondering whether anyone has ever encountered problems when downloading their tutorials. I've gotten several 'script errors' which don't allow me to see the tutorials. Now, I'm stuck in the Manual Orders Tutorials. Even though I've done what it says, including configuring my Internet Settings as per West, I still get this: "The Camtasia Studio video content presented here requires JavaScript to be enabled and the latest version of the Macromedia Flash Player. If you are you using a browser with JavaScript disabled please enable it now. Otherwise, please update your version of the free Flash Player by downloading here." Any advice will be really appreciated. West has not been able to pinpoint the problem yet.
  2. crimmys

    crimmys New Member

    Another West Virgin Mobile person here! I think the new pay rate is really is unfair. They either want customer service or they want us to cattle them in and out. Although they have dropped the pay rate for a lot of projects NOT just Virgin. They dropped the rate for EPIQ and DR and I have heard for Sears too. I am not sure about other projects. I am certified for Proflowers too but there are rarely hours so I don't know if they have dropped it for that project or not. I think it's safe to say that they are cutting back the pay on all projects though. I am sure they are getting the same contractual price they have with the companies just dropping the rate they are paying the employees. I am sure all of their contracts did not just come around to renew. I know that the EPIQ one did not just come around and renew it's a fairly new project and the contract was through Feb. 09 but they dropped the pay rate by $5 an hour.
  3. rsoler

    rsoler New Member

    Crimmys,

    West no longer has Sears.

    RO
  4. mustangk

    mustangk New Member

    Hello,

    I am brand new to this whole work at home thing. I just applied to West on line, and I entered my cell phone number only, because I do not have a land line yet. It is being installed Monday. I ordered a corded phone w/corded headset that will arrive shortly. Will they ditch my application since I have no landline yet, or will I have an opportunity in the future to give them the actual phone #?

    Also, I got an e-mail to call them and do a voice test. It says they "advise" me calling from my home phone. Can I call from my cell phone and take the test now, or do I need to wait for the land line?

    Thanks,
    Kathy
  5. gabby86

    gabby86 New Member

    mustangk

    I think if you have good signal and don't lose calls you should be fine with calling on your cell.......u don't really need the landling untill you're actually working

    has anyone kept track of the # of calls they're getting per shift for VM I think all my call aren't getting logged I'm going to start keeping track of my total during my shift

    Thanks gabby
  6. wahdell

    wahdell New Member

    I watch mine all the time Gabby, but I did speak with a PAL. We don't get paid for a lot of the calls that we take.

    I'm about to put in my Resignation with this company. They've had my Taxes on my check messed up for the past 3 months and have not been able to resolve it since the first month I realized they messed up. Plus the pay issues as well, I would rather go work at McDonalds then make .75 a call.
  7. crimmys

    crimmys New Member

    There is talk of a strike for the virgin project. I received an email that was asking if everyone would strike with them for unfair pay. It was asking for agents to sign up for one shift inbetween their busiest hours and then log on and hit make busy for the entire shift and put on the end of shift survey "due to unfair pay". I don't know. It would take a lot of people for it to work.
  8. wahdell

    wahdell New Member

    Yeah I got that Email too. I was glad to see that someone actually stood up and had the gut's to email people about VMU. I will participate in it, not sure if it is going to work or not, but i'll be joining in it too.
  9. mustangk

    mustangk New Member

    Hi,

    I have not finished my application process yet. But reading the recent posts not sure I should bother - can you tell me what these rates end up being per hour? The ad West ran in our local paper said the pay was $8.25/hr and $10.25 on weekends.

    Thanks
  10. steph

    steph New Member

    Wahdell,

    What makes you think that they do not pay us for every call. What calls do they not pay us for because I was told by a pal myself that we do get paid for lost call, ghost calls.
  11. steph

    steph New Member

    Mustangk,

    West is a company that has a few different companies that they offer customer service to, so there are many different skills out there that pay rate is different and you can easily make anywhere from 7- 11 dollars per hr. It just depends. Sometimes, you have to give things I try yourself and find out . Dont just go on third party informations. Dont get me wrong I totally agree with the pay per contact is not fair on vm line because I am currently working it but when I work my other skill I am either paid 7.50 per hr. or 18c per min and can bring in a decent pay. VM if I get the fast and not long calls than I can too make about 8 dollars an hour and have done it but there has been days where I get nothing but problems and do not even make my min wage for state but West makes the adj. However, lately I have not been make my min wage in my state. You win some and you dont. Right, now it is still some pay that is coming in for now and am looking for other avenues of pay. Already starting with selling avon. You can view my website for futher info on that. [Link removed - Admin] I hope that this was of some assistance to you.
  12. steph

    steph New Member

    In addition, I honestly, think that West is going to rethink this because I am going to start putting at the end of my shift the comments that I getting from customers is that the other reps rush them off the phone and do not take the time to answers their questions to where they understand. This is why AYS gets alot of irate customers lately. I know because I have. I had a gentlemen the other day try to argue me into the ground about the basic pay as you ctd. I explain to him that he needs to tu every 90 days in order to keep acct. current. was told he was not advised this and I didnt know what I was talking about. After three time politely trying to explain to him this, he kept coming back screaming at me. I finally told him, sir I am not going to argue with you, I am sorry that you received some wrong info but this is the correct. Since you have internet access pls go to vm website and you will see what I am telling you. You can also go to the retailers that sell our phone they know this because it is basic info. Cust. still arguing but disc. at that time. He kept me on the line for 35 mins. Guess what I only got paid 75c for that call. That is not fair. Because these types of calls can be stressful. So, I have decided that after every end of the shift that I receive complaints about not being explained properly or rushed I am putting in my end of shift. That is our way of communicating with them.
  13. rsoler

    rsoler New Member

    mustangk,

    It depends on what project you will be offered. As mentioned above the VGM PROJECT is really shaky to accept at this time. I would not accept that project right now. However, usually West offers 2-3 projects to select one the first time. So, just keep in mind not to accept VM AT THIS TIME if that happens to be one out of the projects being offered to you.
    RO
  14. kimberlyddg

    kimberlyddg New Member

    I agree I also work on the VM line and did anyone notice that West raised the rates on Fri, Sat, and Sun during their busy times? I agree with Steph and also do it as well. I also let them know about PALS who are rude and also the ones that are worthless. They sent an email out today begging people to work and I figured for .75 a call is not worth my time. I have received so many complaints from custs about not being informed, rushed off the phone, and agents disconnecting the calls. They want excellent cust service, but when they pay "crap" they get crap. I used to make 11-12 per hour on just about every shift, now I am lucky that I make 9.00. I wander how many people participated in the walkout on Friday. Glad someone had the b*lls to speak up. I too participated, and waiting for the PIN.
  15. crimmys

    crimmys New Member

    I completely agree with lower pay not being worth your time. Even the higher pay if you get customers who are needy or other reps did not explain things correctly to them it takes time if you are doing your job correctly!! Things with this project need to change! A lot of people are leaving but they just hired on a new bunch of VM reps too. A friend of mine was just hired and going through training for it.

    On another note did anyone else hear that cr*cket is back as a w project and they are sending out invitations. I am seriously thinking of dropping the VM project to see if I can get an invite to cr*cket. I converted over to VM when they pulled out of west last year.
  16. wahdell

    wahdell New Member

    I've tested this out just a few days ago... I scheduled myself for one hour, and went to taking calls. I wrote down every call that I took, even the ghost calls. I took 10 calls in that hour, should have been 9.00 at .90 cents a call. I only made 5.40, which was 6 calls. I had 2 ghost calls which would have been 8, and 2 where I was on the line for under 45 seconds. I called a PAL and she told me we dont get paid for ghost calls, and calls that last under 45 seconds. I'm not wasting anymore of my time with West.

    The Long calls were the most stressful for me, I've been on the line with a customer for 40 minutes trying to help them understand our service a little better, but I only got paid .80 cents for that call. That's outrageous. Plus, talking to all the PALS who had no clue what to do or say about some of the questions I had, and the Assist agent's as well have become the least bit helpful since we changed the pay rate. I was reading through the forum and found a post where someone saw an AD in their newspaper for 8.25 on weekdays and 10.25 an hour for Weekends? Hah! You'll be lucky if you get that on VM
  17. bookwurmee

    bookwurmee New Member

    I also work the vm line. I understand that those of you who are used to making the per min rate are upset at the per call rate, you're losing money that you were counting on making. I am new and have not had the per min rate except my first shift.

    That said, I want to say that vm is an excellent line to work. The customers are friendly, the calls are consistent, and there are hours to be had. I think making either min wage ($7.50 in my area) or more for sitting in my home on the phone is a pretty sweet deal. IMO, walking out on shifts will only get you fired.

    For those of you who are new and offered vm, it is a good skill, at least I think so. Don't let all the negativity get you down. As Steph said, try it out and form your own opinion.
  18. wahdell

    wahdell New Member

    Yeah everyone has their own opinion, that was just mine. some of us have kids, some of us have bills to pay, 8.00 an hour for sitting in my home just isn't going to cut it for me though, I could agree to around 10.00 an hour for AYS since the cost of living has gone up so much, but nothing less than that.
  19. crimmys

    crimmys New Member

    wahdell: Yeah everyone has their own opinion, that was just mine. some of us have kids, some of us have bills to pay, 8.00 an hour for sitting in my home just isn't going to cut it for me though, I could agree to around 10.00 an hour for AYS since the cost of living has gone up so much, but nothing less than that.
    I am with you. Even though what the unfair part is.... W*st is not getting any less for the calls we take. Only we are getting less pay. There contract was not up for renewal and so it's just us who are getting paid less now. I understand if you just want to work a mw job and not have the cost of gas for driving but when you depend on this to support your entire family it's a different story when your wages are dramatically dropped! It effects the bills we have to pay and the way our family lives. We were given no warning that pay was going to be dropped. If I was working outside the home and came into work one day and they announced to the employees that all their pay was being cut. No one would think anything about holding a "strike"(missing shifts) so to speak. I was sitting in my home before making more money now I am sitting here making a lot less is the point. With no warning my income was cut. Which means I can't pay all the bills the way I was paying them. So I am not knocking the project just the company for cutting our pay unfairly. There is always someone else who will step in and work for less and not complain. That is why companies get away with it all the time. Employees not standing up and banding together and demanding better pay and other people walking in and working for less. I understand people walking in working for less because sometimes any job is better than no job or no income! So don't think I am knocking people for walking in and making less and being content. I'm not. I am just saying in my opinion its how companies get away with paying less and less while the cost of living goes up and up! People being afraid of their employers is what drives us to work for cheaper and cheaper. If I want to sit in my home and make MW I can work DR where I dont have to fight with S**ble going up and down and the call volume is often times slow. That's just my opinion though.
  20. kimberlyddg

    kimberlyddg New Member

    I am not knocking the line what so ever or for other people being content with working your butt off for a little bit of nothing. Most of the custs are not nice and they yell and scream and threaten to sue you because vm stole their money or because they were not informed or they are being disconnected not just once. I've heard a lot of complaints about the foreign workers as well. I can only imagine what West pays them. Like I said previously I have worked for West for 2 years and I always liked the line - steady hours, steady calls and steady PAY. Now I have to work 5-6 more hours per week just to make what I made before, not because I want to, but because I have to and my family has to suffer. I get the whole gas thing, but if I worked at the local L*wes I start out making $11.00 and it is only 2 mins from my house, so gas isn't really an issue.

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