A typical day working for WFG as a Regisrty Agent as follows, come in early to count cash and send off reports to the government before the doors open. Most mornings you will have someone waiting at the door. Banging on the door or pacing in front of the door. If it is winter , you’ll still see this. Doors open: you start to greet your clients and do a variety of paperwork. Theres enough paperwork to keep you busy through out your day. So if your not busy with clients you won’t get board. I find that nice! Sometimes you have calls to make on behalf of the clients and you can be waiting for hours. Depending who you need to call. The daily duties do vary. Some Registry Agents take on much more vs other agents. Where I am, I am fortunate to have a fair understanding of who does what and when it needs to be done by. As well shared duties. Having a good communication line is great!
We have deadlines just like anyone else meeting deadlines. We check paperwork daily, weekly and monthly. We have inventory coming and going out. Your doing this in between clients, not a big deal. If it’s month end, well it can be challenging. Good agents will plan accordingly to get their work done to be available for the clients. Day ends, you count your cash print your reports and leave! Sometimes you’ll remember In the middle of the night if your missing a microfilm, what might have happened. Sometimes you’ll dream of numbers, or worry of clients who are facing hardships or exciting milestones! T
Management told us several years in a row to lie on the annual employee engagement survey. Management consistently said they wanted employees to be empowered however when an employee made a decision and asked for support from even direct supervisors, supervisors would go against employees with no explanation, even when an explanation was requested. When going to a manager with an issue of any sort, rather than working with the employee to solve the issue, management would either take over and not involve the employee at all, or wouldn't offer assistance saying to "figure it out yourself". These would have been excellent opportunities for management to work with employees to better learn their role, but this was pretty much never done. I learned far more from my immediate colleagues than I ever did from management. But at the same time, sometimes what a colleague taught me when management refused, I was told the wrong thing.
In terms of salary, work/life balance and culture: Salary was low for the industry. Work/life balance wasn't terrible when I left however there was a lot of discussion involving requiring employees to be available to clients after hours (7 am to 10 pm), with no additional compensation. Bonus structure was under constant review to the point that bonuses were no longer given because the bonus structure would be under review before the prior bonus structure even reached a point where one could earn a bonus (ie: quarterly bonus would be presented to start J
Coast Capital - a tough place to be for a long period of time
There is no leadership from management, There is not much guidance nor assistance from management when it comes to inquiries or helping with clients when it gets busy with walkins, therefore Insurance Agents get the brunt of the ridicule from customers on wait times.
Verbal comments on numerous occasions from the Manager: "I'm a manager, I have done my time" or "it's not my job to boost morale" This is very poor leadership and is embarrassing that, that view is what is being show, not only to clients but employees as the face of Coast Capital Insurance.
Employees are expected to train new staff without a training itinerary or guidelines and are still expected to get high sale targets when away from your desk; helping that a new employee get their bearings.
There is more negative feedback from management instead of constructive criticism, which can be very draining on a daily basis.
There is no work/life balance; it is suggested on a regular basis to come in early to complete tasks or work through your breaks. The staff turnover is higher and is extremely straining on the senior staff.
There is never the budget to get you to a higher level of Insurance qualifications, which is disappointing as well. There is barely much movement ability for different career roles within the company.
The Coworkers; and peers however are what's amazing, that's where knowledge and support comes from, bouncing ideas and learning new things all the time, thanks to my peers an
Your day generally starts off with getting into the office and instantly starting to get calls and answer email requests. This is absolutely fine if you are used to a fast-paced environment but there are so many people that are hired that got the job because of "general insurance level 1 or 2" license. Be prepared to have to do the job of at least two people with no increase in compensation.
The turn over rate is ridiculous. In the time that I worked there, there were 12 people that came and left before I finally had enough. If you're a good worker there, expect to be ridden into the ground.
Management care only for sales and little about their employees. This goes for any level of management that you may come in contact with.
The pay structure is laughable. Starting out at other companies in the same city you can instantly be making what someone who was there for almost 3 years was.
Seniority means nothing as well. There is little to no opportunity to move up unless someone who has been there for years leaves the company. Those that are in any position that is higher than an Insurance Advisor do not know the basics that those under them do. There were many times that I would be doing the job of those above me because they wouldn't or couldn't do it.
Listen to your employees. It isn't always just petty issues. Something that seems small to management can be quite large to those that are under them.
Working here ruined a career path for me that at first
I think they must have taken my review down so I will post it again.
I agree with all the negative points made before. There is no real leadership and they purposely under-staff and force you to work overtime without compensation to save the company money.
I also agree with the catty coworkers. Instead of telling me how things were done, being I had come from a direct writer and a brokerage is totally different, they just kept telling me to work faster and started complaining to my manager behind my back, when I had barely even finished training!
I also agree my complaints fall on deaf ears, and I had spoken to coworkers, my TL and my branch manager. Then it was decided that us new employees would get some training, but my assigned trainer blew me off. On top of this I was told to take a client while still on my lunch break after making it very clear I was not back from lunch yet!
No where in the interview or the job ad did it say working on personal time with no pay was a requirement, but that appears to be the only way anyone could keep up with the workload. They'd come in early, stay late, work through lunch and come in on days off! If they would all stop enabling head office to get away with this then maybe they would hire enough staff.
I went home in tears day after day and I am not one to do this kind of thing. I had to leave for my own mental well being, without having had a change to find other work first. This is absolutely the worst job I have ever
Some great people work here. Unfortunately most of them are too afraid to speak up, to share ideas or concerns. This inhibits an environment where innovation and collaboration are part of the culture and people can safely feel heard and respected. Churn is high.
Truthfulness, fairness, value and loyalty are professed not practiced. I witnessed numerous co-workers go from being strong, confident, capable and talented employees to stressed out shells of themselves who then ended up quietly being "packaged" out. Mental health is touted as important but show the slightest sign and out comes an envelope and an NDA.
The hardest part of this job was working directly for a boss, not a leader. It felt like going backwards in time. When you have worked alongside some really great leaders before the contrast is glaringly apparent when you do not. The disconnect in the organization between the internal team and the sales team is a major obstacle over all and was challenging to navigate.
In fairness I did work with some executives outside of my own team that did exemplify leadership that I was grateful to learn from. As is typical there are some really good apples in the bunch but there are a couple not so good ones spoiling it.
In my tenure within this organization I accomplished some pretty great things unfortunately when it comes down to it, like many companies, you are just a number at the end of day.
I have found Western to be a very supportive place to work and this has proved true over the 21years I have worked for the company. Through personal and professional struggles, the majority of my management and supervisors have been very helpful and offered lots of guidance and patience.
A good work day is when I am able to help someone with a situation they thought was impossible, like getting property insurance during the middle of our Fire Season. Alternatively a good day is any day that you learn something new that could help you to help customers.
The hardest part of the job is dealing with clients that are very disillusioned about Auto Insurance in BC, especially with the current financial troubles that ICBC is having. It is very challenging to try to explain premium increases when everyone is feeling the financial crunch.
I have learned throughout the years that employee job satisfaction is the key to customer satisfaction and company progression. Most of my managers/supervisors have shown me how to help myself and my co-workers obtain and retain that satisfaction. We spend more time with our co-workers than with our family at some times, we need to learn how to get along with each other and our personal egos have no place in the office if everyone is to succeed and share in that success.
Typical work days include dealing with customers in office and over the phone, working on various computer systems, and detailed paperwork.
Days can vary between being extremely busy and working the front counter for hours, or being on the phone all day and not seeing any customers.
The overall office environment is warm, welcoming, supportive and team-friendly. Co-workers are always eager to help each other.
Although it is a job requirement to keep up on all current insurance policies and the constant and continuous changes the industry goes through, education and proper training can be an issue to obtain in some offices.
Under certain circumstances the work can be stressful and sometimes overwhelming.
The management could do more to support the staff in order to keep them happy long-term and reduce turnover.
This company offers great health benefits, paid vacation/sick/personal days, and fair wages, but it can be a pain to get a raise when it's deserved and expected.
The company has gone through many changes over the years, some good some bad.
While the customer's satisfaction should be the primary focus, the daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly sales goals and numbers are pushed at staff daily resulting in a sales/money focused job.
Overall, great company with some pretty common issues.
Started at wfg with no insurance experience. Started in department and learned a ton. Everything was great at first until it was basically a requirement to work thru breaks/come in early or late to get the work done. Always behind. Full of micromanaging, stress and a burden on my mental health I was forced to reduce my hours in order to maintain employment for my sanity. Decided to move to another area with hopes this would help. It did for a while but they are very much about pumping out the business and you will be audited no matter the department so better make sure your work is perfect. You are always a number and replaceable. They will redo paybands and hire new staff paying them more than staff who has been there years. If you question this you are reminded on how great the benefits are. Bottom line if you want to eventually make more money you will need to move on. They are one of the lowest paying companies which is unfortunate as they advertise to pay fair. Constantly acquiring more offices, yet staff is not happy and they don’t seem to care about the front line workers. If you can buy more offices you can pay your staff better.
Points positifsGood Extended Benefits
Points négatifsPay, micromanagement, gossip in offices
I have been with Western for a while now and I have a very mixed view of the company.
We parade our principles of truthfulness, fairness, loyalty and value, but I've seen multiple times where the corporation takes over and those principles are completely ignored.
I've seen gross unfairness leveled at employees, I've seen favoritism get people jobs, I've seen employees serious complaints ignored. I've seen loyal employees pushed out and destructive ones kept on or rehired. Some people feel they have no advancement options.
I've also seen employees be really happy, have fun, most days are normal, easy and stress free. It depends on what area you work in. Some managers are smart, intelligent and treat their employees well and you can tell by how long their employees stay for. There are people here I truly enjoy working with.
I don't think some of these positive and negative aspects are unique to this company. There are reasons I like working here. The work life balance, the people I get to work with, benefits, relatively easy job, reward of a job well done, recognition and community giving.
I just struggle some days with the few examples I've seen that are the exact opposite of the principles the company likes to preach.
I came to work for western 2 years ago not knowing anything about the insurance world, I received excellent training in a very supportive work environment. It helps that I find the insurance business fascinating and I care about my our clients. Continuing education and career advancement/lateral movement is always encouraged which is quite important to me.
My managers care about keeping a happy and productive team so they make it very easy to feel comfortable communicating with them and they are able to keep motivation high. I have heard this varies based on your office - I lucked out.
My workload varies greatly based on the season, and during the busy months it can become almost unbearably stressful with the amount of highly important deadlines and the amount of work that is expected out of each of us. The slower seasons make up for it however, considering I have time for my work, and therefore remember why I enjoy this type of work. Sometime our workload demands we stay late and come in early and unfortunately there is no overtime pay which can feel unfair, but there are other rewards throughout the year (and often) that can make up for that downfall.
Western is not a perfect company, but they are always trying to improve and are always open to our ideas on how to make it better, what's best is that they actually listen to their employees and make it happen, there have been many changes even since I started working here that have made day-to-day work life more str
The best place to work, and all the coffee you can drink
A typical day at work, is a quiet atmosphere, with the occasional dog barking, and being able to concentrate on what I am trying to accomplish. What I have learned is that communication is very important when you work from home. you have to be very articulate with words. I like the management style, team and people, that I have and work with on a daily basis, they encourage me to do my best. The co-workers are very considerate of your time, and what you are working on. If you have a question they will help you find an answer and go above and beyond, to make sure their answer is correct before answering you, CPU has the best team to work for. The most hardest part of my day is not my work ethic, it is my coffee habit, I never had it before, until I got this job, now it is 3 cups to a pot a day, I am drinking a lot more than I usually do. The best part of the job that I have, is my core hours work for me, and the ability to wear fuzzy slippers in the winter, and barefeet in the summer is the best. To sum it all up, working in CPU, gives me a quiet, relaxed and unstressful position, that enables me to drink as much coffee as I want, and at least once a day, I am contacting someone for a question, or they or contacting me. Usually I am in my sweats and shirts, with a sweater on, unless it is summer then it is barefeet, tanktop, and capris. Always with my hair in a pony tail, and enjoying my view of the outdoors, and helping out whenever I can.
A typical day at work involves engaging with clients and insurance companies through a variety of channels: in person, on the phone, by email, etc. We need to have a strong understanding of what clients want and what insurance companies offer to find the middle ground.
We need to have a good sense of customer service and be able to understand sometimes difficult insurance terms and contracts, and then be able to explain this to our customers.
The hardest part of the job is being the bearer of bad news. We don't make the premiums and we don't write the rules, but we need to understand our insurance companies' decisions and let the clients know.
The best part of the job is working with clients to find a suitable solution for their needs. Getting that new vehicle a pink card, or letting the mortgage company know their new house has insurance, is such a rewarding feeling knowing it's a win-win situation.
Western Financial Group has updated technology, comfortable office spaces, many resources for learning and keeping credentials up to date, and always room to grow. Pay is reasonable but not top tier. Management is knowledgeable, helpful, and smart.
Insurance is an ever changing industry and we need to be able to adapt and be able to use technology, and Western Financial Group is a great place to do this through.
Questions et réponses au sujet de l'entreprise Western Financial Group
Si vous étiez aux commandes, que feriez-vous pour améliorer lenvironnement de travail chez {0}?
Posée le 8 oct. 2018
Start by implementing a program to have employee retention. That begins with training instead of being thrown to the wolves. Have a budget that’s reasonable for the size of office. Change the hiring process for management. Have accountability be a thing that gets reprimanded.
Réponse du 8 févr. 2020
Try smiling and working together...I even took in a crock pot of soup one day but who cares.... no one even had any
Réponse du 13 sept. 2019
What is the company culture at Western Financial Group?
Posée le 24 oct. 2017
Just interested in up selling or x selling and was told that if you dont do that you're in E&O lots of pressure and little training, poor computer system and coworkers not very friendly
Réponse du 13 sept. 2019
The pace is frantic and panicked. They reward good work with more work. Rarely finish a day feeling like you made an impact or even a dent in the workload. Tense, unsettling, unhealthy. Everything is lip service.
Réponse du 22 août 2019
Quelle politique est appliquée par Western Financial Group en matière de congés? De combien de jours de congés disposez-vous par an?
Posée le 26 févr. 2019
3 weeks to start, no need to wait for a year before you can take vacation - and then increased at 5 and 10 years by an additional week - 5 weeks
Réponse du 3 févr. 2023
Three weeks
Réponse du 27 oct. 2021
Lentreprise {0} autorise-t-elle le télétravail?
Posée le 24 mars 2019
If you are hired at the branch level no. If you are an account executive and hired as a remote employee then the work is 100% remote.
Réponse du 27 nov. 2022
Only to bait you into working there. only for favourites regardless if they are actually producing. Guys that get handed a large book of business and get to sit back and watch the commission cheque’s roll in get to. Not for the producers who have to start with no book and need to go out and prospect. Good ol boys club for sure
Réponse du 27 sept. 2019
Vos supérieurs sont-ils facilement abordables chez Western Financial Group?
