Saga Employee Reviews in Hastings

I feel as if Saga has some great pathways you can choose from. It is a very good place to go for confidence building, skill learning and general socialising. Yet some of the management department suffer greatly. They lack crucial skills, knowledge and empathy for others. It essentially is a glorified Lone Ranger mission, with seldom bursts of teamwork; unless of course you are in the top section of the hierarchy. You definitely have to adapt an 'Ignorance is bliss' approach to further yourself in the company.

Pros

Great in company benefits, salary, discounts off company products

Cons

You're faced with idiots, the system is corrupt, unrealistic expectations

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Disappointing isn’t the word

Customer Service Advisor (Former Employee) - Hastings, East Sussex - 10 August 2020

I spent nearly 3 years at Saga and unfortunately left due to many reasons. Management as a whole is awful, and the few managers that are great aren’t appreciated. Unrealistic expectations on taking calls, they want you to be on the phone 99% of the day and have no empathy to stress levels of the job, their attitude is clear, business needs and nothing else. Poor salary and no care for their employees. Not an experience I’d recommend!

Pros

Work with good people, some managers are great

Cons

Poor salary, no empathy, poorly run, managers lack skill

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Insights into Saga

Based on 9 survey responses

What people like

Ability to meet personal goals
Inclusive work environment
Clear sense of purpose

Areas for improvement

General feeling of work happiness
Ability to learn new things
Sense of belonging

Avoid at all costs

Sales agent (Former Employee) - Hastings, East Sussex - 10 August 2020

I worked there for about a year . The management was poor and management were not understanding of those with mental health or long term conditions . The stress of the job and the stress you are put under due to management etc is unbearable. Most of the managers are not supportive and just read from a script when talking to you. I would avoid at all costs . They don’t care about you as a person you are just a number

Pros

None

Cons

Stressful, poor management

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pressured workplace

Sales (Former Employee) - Hastings, East Sussex - 18 September 2017

The workplace was very pressured and it seemed the more you did the more was wanted from you. The hardest thing was selling additional things to the customer. The most enjoyable was talking to the customer and being able to help them even if they didn't want to take on additional cover. On the whole I found my colleagues very nice, the management were just management they didn't impress me to that extent. They had targets to meet and that was passed onto us. The last thing I will say is that Saga need to stay in contact with their company who check references so as to avoid any confusion.

Pros

consessions on insurance & holidays

Cons

Hours

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Worse place to work avoid

Customer Service Advisor (Former Employee) - Hastings, East Sussex - 11 February 2017

An alfuw place to work, they treat the staff like rubbish and you are just a number to them. It was hel on earth working for them. They have manages who can't do their job and take out their personal problems on their team. Avoid working here. They force overtime on you and if you already have plans or other commitments to bad they don't give u a choice.

Cons

Bad pay, long hour, forced overtime, abusive customers

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Excellent company

Customer advisor/Team manager/Department manager (Former Employee) - Hastings, East Sussex - 31 January 2017

Well structured between customer service and sales, clean and positive. Possibly a case of who you are managed by as there is a lack of support but with that you get the freedom to excel

Pros

Great atmosphere clear progression plans

Cons

Shifts

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Not So Great

Sales Assistant (Former Employee) - Hastings, East Sussex - 7 January 2017

I was a sales Advisor on the phones, it starts of so great training is amazing and to be honest everything is sugar coated ALOT, when you get to the floor is when you really learn though! You do get abused a lot on the phone and it is hard work! Near the end of my time there I was diagnosed with mental health issues, I was unfortunately penalised because of that, if I said I was having an off day and that I needed a bit of support it was 'snap out of it and get on' eventually the stress got to me so much that I began to do everything wrong eventually leading to my end at the company! If you do want to work there it is fun but management and their thoughts on issues is AWFUL!

Pros

Meet amazing people (colleagues) and pay

Cons

Management, customers are always angry at the ridiculous prices. Very negative atmosphere

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Professional,

Customer Service Advisor (Former Employee) - Hastings - 14 December 2015

I worked at Saga Insurance for over 3 years and I have nothing bad to say about the company. It's a professional environment to be in. My work co-workers were amazing and they are life long friends. I love Saga and I would encourage everyone to go there.

Pros

Free Health Care, Free dinners if you exceed expectations, progression is available for everyone.

Cons

Sales enviroment can be stressful at times.

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Shocking to work for

Sales executive (Former Employee) - Hastings - 8 January 2014

I worked at saga for nearly a year as a sales agent, still to this day I don't know how I managed it! Poor communication between managers and staff. Managers quite clearly have their favourites and make it obvious. No career progression even when you make it clear what you want.

Pros

Made good friends!

Cons

Awful hours, always change shifts, never get approved holiday

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Poor management and utterly disparaging.

Sales Agent (Former Employee) - Hastings - 19 April 2013

Working for SAGA is equal to being encapsulated into George Orwell's book 1984, the book serves as a succinct allegory for a typical day in the life of a SAGA employee. From the moment you begin your day you are monitored by a computer based productivity measuring system and if you do not conform to their targets for any reason you will be subject to a disciplinary and/or fired. The managers treat their staff like children and constantly bombard them with unnecessary pressure in a disparaging manner; being threatened with a disciplinary is a common tool used to incite fear into their employees. Employees are commonly exploited and withheld from their basic workers' rights, such as the taking their right to a 10 minute break on a full-time shift.SAGA regains a modicum of appraisal in regards to their pay; for a telesales role there are realistic benefits to achieve well in a commision based pay system - commision is used as an incentive to influence better sales performance. Although, for the most part, do not expect SAGA to be a reliable or long term employer. They hold no loyalty to their staff and will cut anyone loose using their powers of HR bureaucracy and their monitoring systems to backup any case.

Pros

commision based pay, good temporary or part-time job.

Cons

poor management, very bureaucratic, constantly monitored, constantly and unfairly pressured, little job security, few opportunities to progress.

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Repetitive and lonely

Customer service (Current Employee) - Hastings - 19 April 2013

Six weeks of training that gives you the idea that you're really going to enjoy the job when you get on to the floor. After those six weeks are up and I joined my new team I wasn't welcomed into it at all. The manager didn't introduce me to anyone and I got sat far away from everyone like an outcast and far away if I was to need any help. The job is very boring ans repetitive, sat down all day and go home at the end of the day with a pounding headache.