Don't let the company name fool you. - Customer Service Advisor Santander Employee Review

2.0
10 Apr 2018
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Met some lovely people - Fortunate to have been placed on the right teams with good managers - Good with holiday pay/sick pay - Money is good for part time.

Cons

Everybody thinks that because Santander is a big bank that the company is good to work for.. Wrong. I worked as a customer service advisor, I worked there for nearly 2 years. Applying for the job is such a long process, Training is 4 weeks classroom based which by the way you learn absolute nothing. You have floorwalkers who are supposed to be there to help you but huff and puff if you ask them a question or look at you like you're stupid. There are multiple managers on the floor no matter what time your shift is, yet you find yourself pacing up and down to find a manager because near enough every one of them refuse to take an escalation & tell you to find someone else. Csm's & managers are very pally between either other and talk about colleagues who work there, not very professional. It worked out not much difference in the pay if you worked part time rather than full time. Managers are constantly on your case, moaning if you take an extra toilet break through your day but will only give you two 10 minute breaks for a 5 & a half hour shift so they expect you to be on the phone for 5 hours & 10 minutes straight. Such a malicious enviroment, everyone is always gossiping about someone else who works there. The job itself is mentally draining, be prepared for the anxitey to kick in & the way customers speak on the phone to you is not worth the pay you get nor the stress it brings. Only really room for progression is if you're mates with the management not really about how well you work/how much you know.

Explore other reviews about Santander

5.0
5 Mar 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Bonus based on performance. The company always put on events for the employees. Great work environment

Cons

Work long days. And sometimes weekends. Not much room for growth

4.0
4 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Of all the companies I have worked for, Santander has had the strongest training program. The training was comprehensive, well-structured, and especially valuable for employees who are new to the banking industry. Additionally, Santander's ONE software is by far the most intuitive and user friendly banking platform I have used, making it easy to learn and navigate while supporting efficient daily operations.

Cons

Like most retail banking roles, there is a strong sales component. With fewer customers visiting branches due to online banking and ATMs, much of the day is spent making outbound calls to existing clients, trying to set appointments, and push products and services. While I understand the importance of sales in the industry, I personally felt there was significant pressure to prioritize sales goals over relationship building and client service, which I was not comfortable with.

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