Windward Software

The work day began with me signing into my unique profile established within the company's website / network.

Next, you'd check your emails in Microsoft Office and open up the company's database and view the unique call list you created for yourself, based off the company's generated prospect list for the industry that was currently being campaigned.

Typical work day was dialing into your call list to try and generate an appointment with an owner / business partner with one of the company's specialists. Lunches were generally taken around noon and lasted an hour.

It was a set work schedule: Mon - Fri  8:30 am - 5:00 pm.

I learned some basics of the relationships between business vendors, manufacturers, wholesalers, etc. and also how to remain focused for long periods of time while trying to comfortably balance all the detail oriented skills needed to track cold calls.

Management was okay for the most part; the odd glitch here and there like any company, but from my point of view, there were times where the quality of the company generated call lists could have been improved for a better cold call to appointment ratio. Having said that, all in all I was granted very appropriate employee treatment.

Workplace culture was very friendly, respectful and safe. One of the best work environments I've had the chance to work in. The comfort from it was almost like a second home to me.

Best Parts:
- Work at your own pace
- Very friendly, knowledgeable, and likeable staff helps motivate and stay happy
- Efforts are compensated accordingly

Hardest Parts:
- Strenuous sitting at the desk and staring at the computer screen for long hours can cause noticeable back and eye pain
- Heavy amount of rejection from cold calling can cause emotional distress
- Going at your own pace with limited direction can cause confusion and too much temptation to procrastinate

Let me save you some time and say this. If you are a smart person with ideas who has a positive attitude and a healthy soul, then remove Windward Software from your search entirely because this place is NOT for you! 

A toxic and negative environment that poison's your very soul and makes you dread going to work. It's like working in a playground full of kids with no teachers and the school bullies are the management team. 

WINDWARD by name, WINDWARD by nature - Short sighted direction that is controlled by the hot air of an uneducated management team that consistently blows the ship directly towards the bright and shiny lighthouse.

If you are a thinking person this place is not for you! 

Got a good idea on how to resolve an issue, approach a problem or help to try and create a positive change? Great! Keep it to yourself because unless it falls within the small brackets of understanding that the "Managers" agree with then you are setting yourself up as a target in the next round of annual layoffs. 

Employee retention and happiness are a completely unknown concept to this company which is why if you watch for opening positions in Penticton for a good period of time you will always see WINDWARDS name pop up. 

Job descriptions for Windward should read:

- Must be able to do lots of work for little pay
- Must have an ability to do what you are told and not let logical thinking get in the way of your orders
- Must have zero feelings on work-life balance
- Solid Understanding that they are less important than something the management team stepped in
- Proven ability to say "Yes"  
- Doesn't believe in karma

Started off with a wage enough to survive with tough negotiating.  Cost of living went up 5% after a few years.  Begged for not a wage, but a partial cost of living increase; got 2%.  Worked a few more years and cost of living had gone up 11% since starting.  Begged for a partial make-up of 3% more, to make 5% since start, which was less than 1/2 of inflation. I was told they flat-out don't give cost of living adjustments, and got nothing.  I left a few months after that, taking my 7-years of overly-loyal experience with me.

Risk not getting hired by asking for a cost-of-living-allowance in contract.  You can say you would accept never getting a raise if you stay in the same job, as long as you don't lose to inflation.  If they don't hire you, move on to a company that you can afford to stay loyal to.

They have new owners since I left.  One old coworker said of the new owners, "it's great we have a real focus now moving the company in the right direction".  Two others said it's a disaster and 20-25% of staff left since I did not too long ago.  One said regimented lunch breaks of 30-minutes even if he needed more time without regard to whether he would work early or late to make-up.

Unfortunately there are many great people who work there. If you are a programmer you might enjoy your manager. There is a lot of turnover in the other departments and even in programming. Management could be called eccentric - and unchanged as they still cold call the same phone numbers of years passed and are unwilling to change their ways. Ask any of the senior employees how much they are proud that they still work there and I think the reviews won't be positive.

I spent a short time at Windward as a business developer. Had to leave for personal reasons. The team there is fantastic! They have a special onboarding program that really makes one feel welcome.

Overall company awareness in the market place is lacking but management is taking steps to make the appropriate changes, so it is a good time to be in sales at Windward.

Overall,a terrific experience and I wish my tenure there had been longer.

If considering a sales job here recommend you should ask to speak with former employees and then make an educated decision if this is the right place. Cold calling expectations and resources are outdated. 50 calls a day.  Some of the sales team people have a fence around special industry groups so if you want to call lighting stores you usually cannotbecause “somebody owns it” in the sales hall.  Unfair. 
Cameras record your every move in the building. 
Hr person is good

Fantastic opportunity to contribute to the growth of an International Software company with its head office located in The South Okanagan Valley. Dedicated to their clients, with Customer Service being the highest priority, working within a team of dedicated, like minded professionals, is rewarding work.  Lifestyle benefits of living and working in a beautiful area allows for a wonderful balance between personal and professional time.

I experienced this company as very hard to fit into if you really care about customers service and winning.  Management only seemed to care about money.  My workmates on my team were so amazing.  The software is verydifficult to sell and super pricey and my guess is that we would be lucky to make a sale on one out of 5000 cold calls if I had to guess which makes it very hard to be succesful here.

250 callsa week to businessesthat have been callled dozens of times. 
  managament feltweak and with hardest part being stuck in a dark office and limited resources and 20 year oold videos and some typ eof memory gam eto learn some industries.the best part was my team who are helpflu and have good teamwork.

This place is the worst place I have ever worked at. First of all the product doesn't work. It's an old buggy software program from the 90s that is junk. All of their customers can't stand it and get the run around. They never get anything solved. Second, the terrible management and bullying that goes on in this place is astounding. Run away now!!!!!

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