provident agents [TEXT DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

Natashafire

Well I've been working for the company for 9 years , since Xmas they have pressured me into more customers accusing me on lack of growth, and my manger has not backed off and has set out to cause me problems. My agency has been taken from me due to being small ,but the mangers son has kept his job 3 agents were at risk but only myself was told I'm loosing my job, all back stabbed , my agency is a brilliant quality book but is due to be split between NEW agents, oh and a manger that was previously made redundant it's all a con !! STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY !!

TheLoanMan

Hi, sorry to hear you lost your book, it really is a shame that there doing this most of the smaller agencies are well run low arrears high quality books which will enevitably go downhill once split up.

I've seen agents with 20, 30, 40 years service treated just as shabbily over the years, the company really doesn't care, as a side note they don't actually treat their managers much better but at least they have the benefit of being employees.

Devils_Incarnate

Natasha. It's happening all over the country so don't be too disheartened. If you bide your time, the ones who did the firing will be the ones being fired. It's already happening.

Loan man. Managers have the benefit of being employees?
I was always grateful that I didn't work for them.
It's like running a catalogue, selling a few items, all Mickey Mouse products.

TheLoanMan

Hi Devil, I meant as employees at least they have the benefit of getting 1 months notice as opposed to being escorted of the building with none.

I think we're all agreed on the company as a whole the only positive I can give natasha is I think nearly every one is relieved to get out once they sort themselves out with alternative employment. It really is a poor job for a poor company.

no_issue

All pressure, pressure, pressure from AMs at the minute, they've obviously been told to get nasty and its all threats about losing agencies unless we grow and become full-time but according to Agents manual its up to us how big we want our Agency to be and how many hours a week we want to work.
My understanding of this is that they have to do this to comply with our self-employed status with HMRC, so by pressuring us they are breaching the HMRC rules.
Anyone any views on this? Or know how we could bring this up with HMRC?
Also AM had a meeting with us regarding recruitment of customers and wants us all doing leaflet drops but knocking at the door and introducing ourselves and asking the householder if we can do anything for them? Surely this sort of cold-calling has been outlawed by the FCA, again anyone know the details on this or how we could approach the FCA about this very dodgy practise?

TheLoanMan

I think in theory as your self employed they can only ask you to work in a certain way rather then instruct you. It's a grey area basically but we all know the company holds all the cards and if your seen to be a loose cannon they will get you out.

I've seen loads go down the road who thought they could challenge the company's practice's, lost cause don't even bother. Best course of action is to get out but if you have, want or need to stay then pay lip service appear to be doing what they want but when your out there do the job to suit yourself as much as possible.

Devils_Incarnate

Well it's all gone quiet again.
Perhaps on the hottest day this year all surviving agents are out getting customers for Mr Crook by name, Crook by nature.
Just around the corner will be the next stage for the experimental rats left in the laboratory.
Now I wonder what that will be?
Hefty fines for non-payers?
Penalties for every target not achieved?
What about no delegate, no agency?
The rats are already leaving the sinking ship I was at.
I'm Alright Jack has gone, the rest are trying to bail out quicker than the water's coming in. Great fun.

no_issue

Yea personally know a couple of agents in local office who are in the process of moving, obviously Provident know nothing about this but will soon when it suits the agents - if you get my drift. Have had a couple of offers from local companies myself so just considering my options, will hopefully be on move sometime soon.
Been talking to a couple of agents who are on the new loan app - apparently its a total disaster, doesn't work and agents now being told to go back to paper, didn't see that one coming eh ?? ! ! !
Beware if you're already on this app and having problems they give you the IT support number to ring and its an 0845 number costing 41p a minute, only Provident would charge its own workers to phone the company helpline in order to get help to do their job.
This is as low, immoral and despicable as the fines so beware.

demoralised

Total disaster is the right phrase, all you get is error message after error message, the questions are endless and even if on the odd occasion it does work be prepared to be in customers house for between 1 hour to 11/2 hours, only to find it has declined a customer you have called on for years and who has never missed a payment. Why can't Provi ever get technology right, pay Crook less bonus and you might be able to afford a proper tech team. As for paying 41p a minute, on your bike, if the app won't let me do it tough they lose the sale. 6 have already handed in notice because of this, and like you many more are making plans to follow. So to sum up, lower sales due to app misfunction or declines, therefore less collections as lower roll overs, and losing agents quicker than ever!!!!!!! I called fines Provis Ratner moment, but this disaster eclipse's even that.

no_issue

Just had a text from DM saying app is now working but phone I.T. if you've any problems, so doesn't sound very confident and she's obviously washing her hands of it. I had no issues this week so not a problem so far for me. But I know other agents are going absolutely ballistic over the time wasting - at least an hour per issue and a lot of declined loans.