High stress, low pay, long hours, blackout months for Client Services Rep - Client Service Representative ADP Employee Review

3.0
28 Jan 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Job security. So many employees are at ADP for 20+ years and even more have retired with a pension. Professional work environment where everyone is respectful. The managers really try to motivate you to stay focused. You are commended for your work and good work doesn't go unnoticed. Positive work environment, no office politics. Great management team where they truly care about you succeeding. Healthcare starts on the first day of hire. There is no probationary period. After 6 months, you are entitled to a pension that ADP contributes to. I worked there for less than two years and cashed that free money. 10 days of vacation plus 5 float days upon hire. The training is excellent. ADP consistently educates their employees. They make sure you are successful. If you don't perform at your peak, management will be your cheerleader. The job is so secure once you pass the first Level One test. Thereafter, you just test on sections that you missed, rather then retaking the entire test. Casual dress environment. You can be yourself and throw on a hat at work. No one will judge you. Hey, saves you money on work attire!

Cons

About 6 months after training, you are required to take an assessment test. This test bumps you up from a trainee to a Level One Client Service Rep. There are 4 levels. Each level entitles you to a raise. You get three attempts to take a different variation of the Level One test. If you fail the third attempt, you are fired on the spot. They pack up your cube and ship your stuff to you. Thereafter, your job is secure until you quit or do something stupid to get fired. The Client Services position is the most difficult of all other ADP roles. It's essentially a call center where you answer client calls regarding payroll problems. Expect to answer calls back-to-back, nonstop. You are expected to know a lot and to be highly computer savvy. You need to type fast and think fast. All calls have an 8 minute limit duration. If your call exceeds 8 minutes, that lowers your performance numbers. Your breaks and lunches are scheduled for you. Your time-off is dictated. As a result, you are are seated for hours taking calls and staring at the computer. After a year I gained 10 pounds. You get two 15-minute breaks and 30 minute lunch. All are monitored so you must not return late or it will be used against you during your review. You must not be late to work either. However, you get a 6 minute leeway. At year-end: the week after Thanksgiving through second week of February, call volumes are so HIGH that NOBODY can take a vacation. Dates are completely blacked out during year-end. Further, they impose mandatory overtime about 2-3 days per week (M-Th), sometimes even Saturdays (voluntary). Overtime during the weekdays means you either work 30 minutes before or after your shift. On a positive note, upper management really tries to improve morale in the office during year-end by serving lunch, snacks and offering games. You are a work horse who is expected to push out calls. I felt like a slave working there. No wonder there is high turnover in Client Services. By the end of the day you are burnt out and exhausted. I couldn't wait for 5:30 to come!

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5.0
11 Jun 2026
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CEO approval
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Pros

- Great Experience - A work culture like no other - Benefits - Uncapped commission - WFH 2 days a week - Sales Training - Room for career growth quickly if you excel in your role.

Cons

- Need extremely high output and work ethic beyond what you think you are capable of doing to succeed - High turn over

1.0
4 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Resume Gold! Having the name on your resume opens doors because people know you can survive a high-volume, high-complexity environment. That’s where the benefits end.

Cons

Pay: It’s a joke. They expect specialized, expert-level work and deep tax knowledge for a base salary that is way below the market. They use the big name as an excuse to underpay you. Work/Life Balance: You are never truly off. To hit the impossible quotas, people are forced to work off the clock just to keep up. Management knows this is the only way the work gets done, but they look the other way so they don't have to address the workload. Management: They are manipulative and not leaders. Instead of helping with the workload, they use moving goalposts and vague promises of growth to keep you running. There is no advocacy for employees. Make sure to get everything in writing. Some get amnesia. Quantity over Quality: It’s a sweatshop for data. You’re forced to rush through complex setups just to hit a Go-Live count to appease Sales. Accuracy is key, but it often takes a backseat to volume, which is a nightmare for anyone who cares about doing the job right. No Room to Grow: There is no real way to move up. ADP is a lateral move company, and that’s only if your management doesn’t stand in your way and prevent you from leaving for another internal team.

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ADP Response
2w
Hello and thank you for providing your insight into your experience working for ADP. ADP prides itself on creating and maintaining a workplace where employees work in a professional environment and are treated fairly. We appreciate your feedback and advice and we would like to hear more about your specific situation so that we can review your concern completely. Please contact our Associate Relations team at 1-877-878-4811 or hr.associate.relations@adp.com
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