Sorry for the word vomit but I have been scatterbrained trying to collect my thoughts and see about how to get better pay. My wife recommended posting here to collect my thoughts and get advice.
I started working with this company 7 years ago. At the time I was a “Technical Support Representative” in a Texas only company. In that time I was converted into a “Billing and Technical Care Specialist”. Then it was a “Customer Care Representative”. Now I am a “Customer Experience Advocate.” Basically call center work. I was technical support, tech and billing, and then tech and billing and retention. Now I have to do tech, billing, sales, and retention.
Each change was accompanied by more work with “an increased chance of commission based on quality script performance among the cumulative call floor.” This means that I have an increase in potential commision, however it is at a marked percentile. If the call center was 100 people, the top 25% based on a BPA Quality would make 30% of the commision they earned that month. The next 25% makes 25, then 20, then 15%. Meaning if there is 100 people in the call center amd everyone makes 1000 in commision that month: 25% receives $300, 25% makes $250, 25% makes $200, and the lowest makes $150. The BPA scores are not factored by name, seniority, etc. So if every agent scored a perfect 100 and made $1000 in commision, the 4 tiers would be randomly generated and still people would only receieve a portion of actual commission earned.
Now the company I work for has consistently been one of the top 5 for NPS scores nationwide for multiple back to back years. Even during quarantine. This means that each of the past few years I have gotten a pay increase of 2-3% and 3 pf the pa as t 7 years I have gotten a one time bonus of $500.
I have been here 7 years and I consistently make the top 25-30% of the call center floor. I routinely get merit notes for my perfect attendance. The company has grown from a Texas only company to a national corporation that is the 6th largest telecommunications provider of the continental US, and are very close to overtaking the 5th. We are the first and largest provider of fiberoptic and 1gig internet in 6 different states.
According to multiple sites, indeed, salary, payscale, glassdoor, and a few others: the average wage for my official job title is between $29000 and $81000 annually. The median wage is between $47500 and $49000 on a national level. Texas rates on the lower side of the scale. After seven years I am making less than $32000. The median wage would be between $24-$26 an hour. The new hires with 0 years experience are being hired on at $15-$15.50 an hour. I make less than a dollar more after 7 years then someone still in high school working their first job.
I don't believe I am in any way able to negotiate for the $81000 kind of pay. I do want to try and push for the median pay however. My official 7 year mark is in 2 weeks. I have been told USAA is hiring for my work and beginning wage with no experience was offered at $18-$20 and supposedly poached some of our coworkers for close to $25 an hour. Supposedly Spectrum is willing to hire us away for a similar amount of pay. I don't lnow the truth behind the scuttlebutt though.
I don't know if I should talk to HR first, or my supervisor first. Should I try and reach out to Spectrum or USAA and speak with their HR for a solid counter? What advice do you have?