Could learn a few lessons from the Challenger shuttle disaster - Software Engineer accesso Employee Review

1.0
3 Jun 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The PTO policy is fairly generous and there are snacks and drinks. There are also fun Fridays - most of them are a fun diversion. Able to work remotely if warranted.

Cons

I'll start off by saying I did genuinely enjoy working here and I did believe in the product offerings initially. Not any more though. The company grew fast but didn't quite have mature enough processes in place to support the expansion. The codebase is dated and new features are constantly being piled on top of it like a Jenga tower. Maintaining a wobbly structure is not sustainable. There are efforts to modernize the tech used and well as migrating to cloud infrastructure, but I predict the earth will orbit around the sun a few more times before that is completed. The day to day activities for most devs remain within the legacy codebase. Several of the senior leadership are considered "lifers" and don't seem to be too bothered by this, but this kills marketability and growth for a dev. Let's hope for the sake of those people the company never goes under, because I can only imagine how they would fare in a technical interview after their dev muscles have atrophied after all those years. The company also over commits more often than not with tight delivery dates for its clients, which leads to corners being cut, putting in extra hours to meet the deadline, and a less than ideal architected solution. Finally, the pay is almost insultingly low. The company runs very lean and compensation takes a hit because of this. They claim it's offset by benefits, but if you actually do the math and compare to other companies in the area, you'll see it's really not competitive. On top of that, you have on-call rotations and an unofficial policy to work 45 hours, even though it is never explicitly stated in the employee handbook, but I guess they can't legally put that in there since they aren't paying you for the extra hours. This used to be micromanaged heavily. Don't they realize this effectively forces employees to fudge hours? To be fair, they've gotten rid of that strict minimum within the last year or so, but they are still micromanaging capitalizable hours. I suppose I only have myself to blame for being complacent with this, seeing as I knew what I was getting into. I was ok with that trade off due to the company culture and values along with all of the prospective business new clients would bring by being a leading solutions provider in the industry, but when a lot of that has changed within the past couple of years, it's time to move on.

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accesso Response
6y
Since 2012, accesso has experienced significant growth. From a single entity with $46 million in revenue generated to now 6 product groups with over $136 million in revenue, our client base has doubled with new contracts executed annually. We’ve expanded into regions of the world we’ve never operated in before and have added many new employees to provide additional support for our current staff, including the stand-up of new teams internationally. As you know, our internal processes around product delivery, client services, and business operations has continually shifted based on feedback shared by you and your peers during your leadership one-on-ones, group town halls, and our employee engagement surveys. Based on your Glassdoor review, we are happy to hear that some of the changes we’ve made so far have made a positive impact for you. We do recognize that we still have much opportunity to continue improvement and we hope you were as vocal in your annual survey this year as you are in this forum. Much time and focus is put into analyzing each employee’s feedback from these surveys, which allow our senior and executive leadership teams more visibility into how and when they should make changes that will be both meaningful and appropriate for our collective teams without negatively impacting the business. Changes like technology transformations in R&D are a long-term effort that will take years to fully complete and you may not be able to see immediate improvements in the production environment. It doesn’t mean they aren’t happening, but it does sound like we can do a better job of communicating what is happening and we will. It’s certainly been an exciting time for the company these last several years and each of our employees have contributed to our growth in some capacity. We know that thank-yous, recognition awards, and company-sponsored fun perks and events will only go so far to show you how much we appreciate your efforts. We encourage you to openly communicate to your leaders directly so we can continue to make the right improvements at the right times.

Explore other reviews about accesso

5.0
28 Feb 2025
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I can genuinely say that this has been more than just a job—it has been a place where I have grown both professionally and personally. The opportunities I’ve been given to develop my skills, take on new challenges, and expand my knowledge have been invaluable. One of the best parts of my experience has been the people I’ve worked with. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with some of the most dedicated, talented, and supportive colleagues. Their passion and commitment to excellence create an inspiring and motivating work environment every day. Beyond that, what makes this company truly special is the sense of purpose and belonging. It’s not just about the work we do, but the impact we have and the shared vision that keeps us moving forward. I’m grateful to be part of something that feels meaningful, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to its success.

Cons

Of course, no workplace is perfect. Like any job, there are occasional challenges—busy seasons that can feel overwhelming, the need to adapt to change, and the occasional growing pains that come with progress. But in my experience, these challenges have been balanced by strong leadership, a supportive team, and opportunities to learn and improve.

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accesso Response
1y
Thank you for sharing such thoughtful and heartfelt feedback! It’s incredibly rewarding to hear how your time at accesso has been both professionally and personally fulfilling. We also appreciate your honest insights about the challenges and the value of transparent communication, especially during times of change. Thank you for being such an integral part of the accesso journey — we’re grateful to have you on the team!
1.0
3 Mar 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You gain hands-on experience navigating legacy products and workflows, which builds skills in troubleshooting operational issues, managing client escalations, and adapting processes under resource constraints.

Cons

Everything comes down to leadership. The company keeps making poor decisions without any real strategy, and there’s no clear plan for the future. You can see it in the products, which feel outdated and can’t keep up with the competition. Clients are leaving, and some major ones aren’t renewing their contracts. Frustration is high across the board. The stock has dropped by about half over the past year, which says a lot about where things stand. The company is declining fast, and there’s no clear sign of a turnaround. Things feel very unstable. If you’re thinking about joining, make sure to do your research. Problems at the top are having a bigger impact on daily work, product direction, and job security than most people realize.

4
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