Fidelity has become increasingly hostile to employees, and out of touch with customer needs and what actually makes for good service. They only care about customers as far as they can try to guilt people to "run to the customer" and burn themselves out so Abby can pinch a few extra pennies. Providing competent training or knowledgeable agents apparently is not part of their care for the customer.
The way they rolled out CSS 123 was, and remains, a disaster. Two years ago at year end they basically told us all, "your roles will all be changing, we don't know when and we don't know exactly how. You will find out more next year. You're welcome that we told you early." The new roles were basically described to us as "everyone will do everything now". Then they left us to stress in limbo for nearly a year about the role, job duties, training, pay, etc as they slow dripped updates. We were initially told early December 2024 and it wasn't until September of 2025 until I actually knew what my new job was going to be. Then they rushed hundreds of us through "self directed" training complete with broken links and incorrect information in their garbage AI agentbot. Had to rush us so they could throw us all to the wolves before the year end and tax season rushes.
All of the specialty teams and reps that we had that were knowledgeable and had been cultivating years of experience were forced into new roles. They forced all of the Electronic Response reps (many people who hadn't spoke to customers for years) back onto the phones. HR just randomly decided what role you were going to do, and they have straight up refused to let people switch to a different role. A teammate of mine has really struggled in CSS 2 and repeatedly asked to be moved to CSS 1 or CRA instead. Nope, instead Fidelity would prefer to keep him suffering in a role he is ill equiped for so they can ding him for metrics, give him an IP, not pay bonuses and put him on final written warning. He is FAR from the only one being treated exactly the same. I know of at least 7 different people currently on "final written warnings for everything from too much after call work, too much hold time, not meeting metrics, not coming into office enough, etc.
When they rolled us into the new role we were told, "we understand this will be new and your metrics will suffer." Well surprise surprise, that was a lie. They decided instead to increase the calls per hour targets above what they were initially at for the specialty retirement reps that we were replacing. Then earlier this year, after the site hadn't hit metrics since the change, they told us they may have "overestimated and would seek feedback and adjust accordingly". The adjustments... the calls per hour target was raised even higher to 6. I've watched dozens upon dozens of really good, smart and hard working reps quit, be fired over bullsh-t or essentially be forced out. I don't know a single person who enjoys the role or puts in anything more than bare minimum.
For years now, I have experienced an increase in customers complaining about how bad the service is getting. I hear it every single day. What's worse is that at least 2-3 calls that I handle every single shift now is people calling back who either got incorrect info, had mistakes made by the last rep, or were seemingly straight up lied to. They're pi---d, I'm pi---d, the help desks I talk to are pi---d but Fidelity incentivizes nothing but being as fast possible. So the reps who give out incorrect info, blow up accounts and rush through are closer to metric goals. I have spent HOURS on calls trying to fix sh-t and then my manager will just look at me dead eyed and ask "wHy ArE yOuR mEtRiCs BaD?" The only solution they ever provide is "follow the call model to be more efficient".
We are all fed up and Fidelity is only concerned about shoveling more sh-t on our plates. They recently rolled out "grow brokerage" to try to get us to bring in money. The worst part is knowing that not only will nothing change, it'll just get worse. The people up top are brain dead, have never had to deal with customers and don't know how the business works or what is "good service" apart from who the efficiency metrics tells them takes the most calls.
Forcing people into roles they didn't want is what began this disaster in the first place. Fidelity's obsession with efficiency and speed over quality has exacerbated the situation. Fidelity responding by digging their heels in and forcing more people into roles they don't want as the solution is exactly what I expect from this company. They are incapable of admiting to any mistake and will continue to make the same mistake and exaccerbate the situation.