You will struggle if you aren't French - Technical Sales Engineer Atempo Employee Review

2.0
17 Oct 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Atempo is probably a bit of a "Marmite" company - you either love it or hate it. They are a stable, solid and slow growing company with a good outlook. The technology goes back 20+ years and is rock solid and full of really good and some clever engineering. The company is really strong in it's native French market but really struggling to make it outside of France, although they have broad ambitions to do so. The company was sold to a US company some years ago and then bought back by senior management and they are now struggling to play catch-up with the years they lost while being under US control. It's now in private ownership, which is good since it leaves the company to decide which direction to go in. If you have the right fit you could be happy there, and people either seem to stay for a short while or stay for a very long time (10+ years). So they are clearly doing some things right. If you are very independent and like to teach yourself things then you can learn some good new things, although keep in mind the technology is pretty old-school but there will be a need for it for many years to come. Benefits and compensation offered are good, and work-life balance also good from what I could tell.

Cons

- Boring products that are behind the times - Old-fashioned culture and old-fashioned tools - You are just left to your own devices and expected to get on with it - Incredibly bad at training and on-boarding their English-speaking new employees. Don't expect any training or help whatsoever, and don't expect anyone to have any time for you. - No team spirit and weak team management. My supposed team manager never bothered to call me. Not even once. No team meetings, no group chat, nothing. - There is very little collaboration and people seem to be content to just do their bit - Very "French" company. If you speak fluent French and are aware of French culture, you will be fine. If you don't you are left out in the cold. Your communications will be limited to the few people in the business whose English is good. A lot of the internal documentation and communication is in French only. The way business is done is the French way, not the US or UK English way. The way things currently stand, you will never ever be successful in this company unless you are French.

Explore other reviews about Atempo

4.0
4 Oct 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

No Micromanagement at all and a good work environment

Cons

The R&D team is in Europe not in the USA

1.0
22 Sept 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Corporate office was in an office park in San Mateo. It was nice to visit there from the east coast. Service personnel honestly tried to do their best with what they had. The comp plan was "meh." The salary checks cleared, direct deposit worked, and expenses were paid.

Cons

Honest, hard work was not recognized. Sales management wanted revenue at all costs. Part of my job, as a sales manager, was to present partners with a multiple page contract (5 IIRCC), and get them to sign. Some partners wanted to negotiate the contract, but that was the contract; take it or leave it. I once asked to speak with the corporate attorney, and had my hand slapped for doing so. I was told to just "do your job, and contract negotiation is not part of your job." My first sales manager (who had his head completely up the the president's posterior), never officially transitioned any of the accounts to me, and we continually stepped on each other's toes. He was eventually demoted, as the company brought in yet another clown, who wanted revenue at all costs. He put the *entire* sales team on 30 day written warning, and then laid the lot of us off... The products did not work as advertised, and the real coding was done in Russia, and France... No way in hell that you could ever make your number, so forget about OTE.

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