Too Many Chiefs, Not Enough Indians - Customer Advocate La Quinta Employee Review

Ridiculous doesn't even BEGIN to describe this work environment. For one, communication is a huge issue. Procedures are inconsistent or outdated, so whenever a property owner or GM complains, the finger-pointing begins. Management is abusive, exhibiting a reactive, everything's-on-fire mentality. And, BEWARE of the gossip clique, especially when it comes to admins and their VP's. The thing that strikes me most about the political atmosphere is how much sway certain customer service folks and admins have over senior management. It doesn't matter how well you perform your job or how skilled you are; if one of these people doesn't like you, you will not advance in the company. PERIOD. They have the ear of the the VP, and will twist events around to serve their own agenda. Another annoying thing about this place is that small portion of the Data Services team is silo-ed on the East Coast. That means critical information regarding franchised properties is relayed second-hand, and is not always accurate. Often times it takes days to get an answer, which is frustrating considering there are usually 24-hour turnaround times to get things resolved. Management will NOT invest in software that is commonly used for development projects. There are no in-house graphic artists or web developers, so these tasks are often left to management or unskilled customer service reps. Worse, now that the company has attained IPO status, it's been rumored that staff cuts are looming. Which doesn't make sense, since La Quinta just opened 5 properties in Q1, and is actually expanding the corporate office. This maneuver is sure to make the organization even more top-heavy, while increasing workload for the underlings. Most positions stagnate after 2 years, and with all the back-biting, it's become an atmosphere of distrust. Steer clear of this snake pit.