Stay Away - Anonymous employee GDS Group Employee Review

2.0
Nov 24, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good Culture, Buzz on the sales floor, good commission

Cons

For anyone looking to join GDS let me first say this. DO NOT GET SOLD THE DREAM. You will get sold the dream over the phone for unrealistic earnings and being able to travel the world, do not listen to this as it is mostly false. If you enjoy cold calling then please feel free to join as you will be in your element as this is 90% of the job as it is an outbound call center just glamorized as you speak with C level executives. It is completely un ethical hence the reason from the change from GDS International to GDS Group as they have completely saturated the market and annoyed a lot of people. They sell summits to C level executives which don't get me wrong the event is superb and they have a fantastic product on offer to them. Now what makes them un ethical is the fact that you are selling projects of well known brands to these companies for them to have business meetings with them at the event. But the brands that you show the clients are not attending the event nor have they been confirmed, and the projects are either made up to suit the business model or pulled from other brands that attended previous events. You will have to lie and make up an alias to get the mobile numbers of these CEO's so that you can continually smash into them to get a deal, and you guessed it if you dont constantly ring these companies, they'll get rid of you. Leading onto the staff turnover, wow! The staff turnover is immense, they attract you with good commission and basic but if you don't hit your KPI's or deals then they will get rid of you. As well as this there is no notice period for any staff, which says a lot for the sort of business that it is, where they will get rid of the staff that arent performing to their standard and get new replacements on a weekly basis. So in summary, if you like to me micro managed, lie, and cold call then this job is definitely for you! If you are a respectful salesperson who builds relationships with customers and is ethical for repeat business then this really isnt for you.

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GDS Group Response
9y
We were disappointed to hear your feedback and are extremely keen to discuss some of the points you raise further. We have recently introduced a series of training interventions to ensure our teams are equipped with the tools and techniques to deliver the right solutions to our customers. The implementation of the Executive Project Profiles in 2016 has ensured GDS Summits are at the forefront of the events business, providing a platform with which to provide delegates & solution providers the best meetings on site, as shown by a 93% meeting satisfaction rate. In addition, we are currently recruiting for a remote team to ensure we develop long standing relationships with our customers. We are working to continually innovate and improve the product to maximize the experience for both customers and staff, and would welcome a further conversation to understand your experience further.

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Great pay Challenging Rewarding New daily activities Pressure but positive

Cons

Young office culture attitude sometimes

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GDS Group Response
1w
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your review! We are thrilled to hear that you find your work both challenging and rewarding, and that you enjoy the dynamic nature of your daily activities. It is also great to know that you feel the competitive compensation reflects your efforts and that the fast-paced pressure translates into a positive and motivating environment for you. Kepp up the great work!
1.0
Nov 5, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Met a few good people here, but none of them lasted. Everyone eventually quit or got pushed out.

Cons

This company is a perfect example of how to burn out employees, squander talent, and mismanage a sales org. Team members are often overlooked, talked down to, and treated more like call-center output than actual professionals. My manager consistently interacted with me and others in ways that were discouraging and demoralizing, and it was clear there was little interest in coaching or developing people. The culture feels more like a clique-driven high school environment than a workplace. Turnover is nonstop, and the atmosphere noticeably changes whenever senior leadership is around. KPIs are unrealistic, and the product is genuinely tough to sell in the current market. Hitting quota is rare, many reps only close a couple of small deals the entire year, and the commission structure doesn’t make it any easier. You’re closely monitored from the moment you log in, and by mid-morning you’re already being questioned about your activity. Late hours are common due to rigid activity requirements. Training is minimal, senior reps generally keep to themselves, and asking for help sometimes gets interpreted as not being capable rather than trying to improve. The day-to-day environment is loud, chaotic, and high stress. Headphones aren’t allowed. Standards are enforced unevenly. Some people are given a wide berth, while others are micromanaged over very small things. The culture leans heavily on pressure, constant urgency, and short-term reactions instead of any real long-term strategy or leadership approach. If you care about your mental health, professional development, or actually improving as a salesperson, I’d strongly recommend looking at other companies. Leaving this role was genuinely one of the best decisions I’ve made for my career.

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