Best Friends Pets
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    Best Friends Pets
    (28 reviews)
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    Company Reviews

    Working at Best Friends Pets

    2.628 ratings in total
    5
    5
    4
    6
    3
    1
    2
    6
    1
    10
    68%
    Rate salary as high or average
    39%
    Employees recommend this employer to friends
    Work/Life balance
    3.0(28 ratings)
    Career development
    2.5(28 ratings)
    Benefits & perks
    3.2(28 ratings)
    Management
    2.4(28 ratings)
    Working environment
    2.6(28 ratings)
    Diversity & equal opportunity
    2.7(28 ratings)
    Ratings for Best Friends Pets are shared as-is from employees in line with our community guidelines

    Reviews

    Showing 28 reviews sorted by most recent
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    2.0
    Assistant Manager
    Jul 2022
    The only benefit was the discounts.
    The good thingsThe discount on pet food and supplies
    The challengesManagement, they don't get rid of people when they should and don't really care about staff
    2.0
    Salon Manager
    Dec 2021
    7 to 8 years in the role, former employee
    Toxic company with unrealistic expectations. They'll sing your praises to get you to do what you want then pick fault with every single thing
    The good thingsWhen I first started the company was great and you felt like part of a big family. The team I worked with were amazing
    The challengesManagement and communication within the company was non existent. Your made to feel like a number and to overwork yourself with unrealistic expectations
    1 person found this helpful
    1.0
    2IC Salon Manager
    Dec 2021
    7 to 8 years in the role, former employee
    Over all it was great but for what you get paid, your expected to do so much and get paid so little
    The good thingsThe staff that you work with on the floor are fantastic, the management that run the stores are fantastic.
    The challengesHead office dont care
    1.0
    Assistant Manager
    Nov 2021
    5 to 6 years in the role
    Toxic work environment. Would not recommend working here!
    The good thingsOnly good thing was the customers and their cute pets that would come in to make miserable days abit better
    The challengesManagement do not care about helping anyone progress their career. Everyone is out to help themselves instead of working as a team to better everyone. They promote a "FAMILY" team environment but it was the most toxic work environment i have ever had to work in. Do Not Apply Here.
    5.0
    Sales Assistant
    Nov 2021
    Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    I have been trying to learn from the excellent staff around me and treat every customer with a friendly attitude.
    The good thingsI really enjoy work with best friend team member, and I love to spend time with animals.
    The challengesI scare from rats, I need other staff to help me when there is customer want to buy frozen rats.
    1.0
    Veterinary Nurse
    Aug 2021
    former employee
    You are treated poorly by management from all levels. Communication and handling of workplace grievances is extremely poor. Staff are not well looked after and wages are minimum. This companies one value is profit.
    The good thingsThe Nurses and retail team members are encouraging and supportive
    The challengesHead office and clinic management have no people skills or manager experience.
    1 person found this helpful
    1.0
    vet clinic
    Aug 2020
    If you wish to work in a clinic that looks after their staff and genuinely cares for their clients and patients, then this isn’t the place for you.
    The good thingsMostly great colleagues, good discounts on store products
    The challengesManagement is absolutely abysmal. Even with the entire COVID-19 situation, their focus has never been on the well-being of the staff but to use this opportunity to make more money. Clinics constantly understaffed, either because many of them have left or because the ones remaining don’t even want to turn up for good reason. Some of the lead vets or nurses I’ve worked with have no qualifications in management.
    1 person found this helpful
    5.0
    Assistant Store Manager
    Jun 2020
    5 to 6 years in the role, current employee
    Great Career Development
    The good thingsWorking with Animals Having a development plan in place and reviewed regularly. Training and Development opportunities Able to transfer between stores and states to better develop myself and support different teams
    The challengesCustomers who are resistant to spending money to help their pets.
    3.0
    Assistant Manager
    Mar 2020
    5 to 6 years in the role, former employee
    Great start off company for people wanting to begin in retail and learn the basics, not somewhere to stay long term as no investment goes back into you.
    The good thingsOpportunities to work in new locations with different teams.
    The challengesLack of company support. Lack of communication. Minimal investment in employees for future opportunities within the company.
    1.0
    Dog Grooming manager
    Mar 2020
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    Horrible workplace
    The good thingsWorking with animals
    The challengesTrying to talk to management
    1 person found this helpful
    4.0
    Retail Sales Assistant
    Nov 2019
    1 to 2 years in the role, current employee
    A great place to learn about animals.
    The good thingsWorking with animals, a supportive environment and meeting new people
    The challengesSometimes having to do large amounts of work alone in a short period
    2 people found this helpful
    4.0
    Sales Assistant
    Oct 2019
    Lots to learn but can be overwhelming
    The good thingsGood discounts and great coworkers! As well as all the animals we get to care for!
    The challengesManagement can change a lot and as such ways of running the store and looking after animals might also change, sometimes not for the best.
    2.0
    Sales Assistant
    Sep 2019
    9 to 10 years in the role, former employee
    Long and painful and used
    The good thingsThe dogs and building relationships with customers
    The challengeswhen you try to do your mangers job cause they dont, training their staff, scanning in stock and serving customers at the same time to find out the other staff member gets full time, even though they do half the work you do and you always worked both days on the weekend and this person never has or never will. Head office dont care and they have no idea what they are doing.
    4.0
    Storeperson Traineeship
    Jul 2019
    Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    fabulous
    The good thingsworking with animals of all discription
    The challengesstanding on my prosphetic leg for long periods
    1.0
    Retail Sales Assistant
    May 2019
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Would not recommend to anyone, not enough staff, always overworked, management...are the laziest of all staff.
    The good thingsStaff benefits up to 50% off. Seeing cute puppies and animals.
    The challengesCustomers, managment, balencing customer service and taking out stock.
    3 people found this helpful
    1.0
    Veterinary Clinic
    Mar 2019
    Shocking HR team, upper management and general attitude towards staff. Burnt so many bridges with so many staff. Some really great people within clinics, but do not recommend working for this company.
    The good thingsThe staff discounts are quite generous. Some really great team members.
    The challengesUpper management is beyond bad. No care for staff, all about the money. VERY high staff turnover in the vet clinics, some clinics have no staff because the reputation of this company is so poor.
    2 people found this helpful
    4.0
    Stock Administrator
    Jul 2018
    Pretty relaxed as far as retail businesses go.
    The good thingsIf you get the right store and the right team you'll have a great time. Culture is typically laid back and time in lieu/annual leave isn't difficult to redeem. Sales staff are trained regularly for products so knowledge is great which seems to lack in other pet stores.
    The challengesSupport Centre can provide little support where it's required and focus too much on making things pretty. Little to no recognition if you're in a sales team and don't expect any rewards or bonuses.
    1 person found this helpful
    1.0
    Dog Groomer
    Jan 2018
    Less than 1 year in the role, current employee
    Terrible management, would not recommend working there unless you enjoy being stood all over!
    The good thingsGreat girls to work with
    The challengesTerrible management, terrible communication, a lot of talking behind backs and being completely fake.
    2 people found this helpful
    2.0
    2IC Manager
    Nov 2017
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Great customers, management could use improvement
    The good thingsCaring about customers and animals. Good quality products and services
    The challengesCommunication, to much talking behind employees backs, not treatingall staff fair and equally
    2.0
    Aquatics manager
    Aug 2017
    1 to 2 years in the role
    Terrible management, would not recommend.
    The good thingsDecent staff discounts Improved my knowledge on animal husbandry drastically
    The challengesLack of proper training led to staff members selling animals in enclosures inappropriate for the animal which caused confusion for both staff and customers alike, and suffering on the animals behalf. Some staff members were able to get away with slacking off and taking short cuts without punishment whereas hardworking staff were punished for the slightest mistake. Unfair treatment. Customers were either amazing or incredibly rude and very hard to deal with. Management did not help much with this and you always felt victimised. Store protocol wasn't always in the animals' best interest which lead to the most basic, minimalistic setups. Not all of their needs were catered for, and despite the staff voicing this to management, nothing was changed. Very poor listeners if there is a problem, though I'm sure this varies from store to store. Very poor management from head office. Instead of helping, they blamed the entirety of the staff for their own failures and made us all feel inadequate. It taught me that in retail, they really couldn't care less about you or what you've done for their business. Nevermind that I was one of the most reliable and hard working staff members there. I may as well have just sat on my a** all day every day for all the rewards and praise I got. There was absolutely no acknowledgement from head office for all the work I'd done to improve the aquatics section once the store was in financial turmoil. They're very quick to forget all the things you've done for them. Makes it all feel like a colossal waste of time. I would never recommend working there, let alone supporting them through buying their products.
    1 person found this helpful
    5.0
    Loyalty Specialist
    Mar 2017
    Melbourne VIC 3004Less than 1 year in the role, former employee
    Great place to work
    The good thingsThe team and taking your pet to work
    The challengesI was a contractor so that in itself can be a challene
    4.0
    Sales Assistant
    Feb 2016
    Enjoyed my time there. Would recommend to anybody else, just not as a career. Rather a stepping stone in the industry.
    The good thingsVery good work environment. Fun role.
    The challengesToo many staff, not enough hours. Persons in certain roles not suitable.
    2.0
    Veterinary Nurse
    Feb 2016
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    the work was fantastic, but support was lacking
    The good thingsThe clients and working with animals
    The challengesManagement is based in Melbourne
    5.0
    Assistant Store Manager
    Feb 2016
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    A perfect balance between working with animals and education.
    The good thingsWorking with animals and teaching people about proper pet care to ensure that their pets have the best life possible.
    The challengesWhen people didn't want to spend money to meet the basic needs of their pets.
    1.0
    Grooming staff
    Sep 2015
    Be nice, No, thats too nice. You are not nice enough... bye
    The good thingsThe dogs... that's all.
    The challengesGetting in trouble for not being happy enough. Being expected to enjoy being treated the dirt under their feet.
    1 person found this helpful
    5.0
    Senior Sales Assistant
    Sep 2015
    3 to 4 years in the role, former employee
    Enjoyment, satisfaction, extremely rewarding, fantastic.
    The good thingsGaining knowledge, understanding, to know at the end of each day, you have made a difference in a families life, regarding a new edition to their home, making them feel comfortable in knowing they are set with all necessities, basics to get them started in settling their new fur baby in he/she new environment.
    The challengesUps and downs in a tricky situation. Going through the motions, brain storming ideas, different avenues, until eventually, coming up with a suitable solution. May take a week, two weeks, in the end, but watching the progress, and outcome, is very rewarding, satisfying.
    1 person found this helpful
    1.0
    Salon assistant manager
    Sep 2015
    1 to 2 years in the role, former employee
    Horrible wouldn't recommend it
    The good thingsNot much
    The challengesPoor management
    4.0
    Retail assistant
    Sep 2015
    1 to 2 years in the role, current employee
    I work with fantastic people and have the upmost duty of care for beautiful animals.
    The good thingsI get the benefits of working with animals as well as the retail side of my career.
    The challengesThe challenges are when a customer comes in with a question that I don't know off hand but I will endeavour to find out the answer.
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