See it for what it is, decide if it’s what you want. - BDE - Business Development Executive GDS Group Employee Review

2.0
4 June 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you let it, the job will turn you into a vicious cold caller - for better or worse. Playing the game of sales in Extra Hard difficulty, you’re selling something that doesn’t work - people already know it doesn’t work and they will actively try to avoid you. Just be careful not to pick up too many bad habits. It’ll train you to withstand rejection very well. A lot of the junior people in the company are some of the friendliest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. You probably won’t grow a lot in your career but you’ll grow as a person. Great job to have while you’re in a tough spot or while looking for another job. Base pay is great, commissions are very generous if you get lucky.

Cons

There’s a lot to say. The product is not good. This brings a few problems when the company is 99% salespeople. If you’re good at setting appointments they’ll move you around from team to team only to boost their activity, with no concern on how that affects your sales. They’ll put you on low performing teams on purpose and you’ll have to see people around you get fired constantly. The top-of-funnel activity is very convoluted in its messaging and is very “bait and switch”, it’s not uncommon for zoom calls to end in 5-10 minutes when the other person realizes that you basically lied to them on the phone. You will be asked to lie by your manager. The job is a grind, you’ll be praised for making 150+ calls in one day, but making a sale is largely based on luck. There’s no clear path to success, 90% of people last less than a year and the people who’ve been there longer don’t really hit quota consistently (with a few exceptions), so there’s really no right answer to close deals. It’s not about working harder, or changing your approach, it’s largely just luck. There’s no real career progression, no coaching. KPIs are mentioned a lot but they really don’t save or hurt you. It’s all about your perceived competence and how much leadership likes you. My advice is to get in, learn all you can, and get out. Do not spend too much time here. But take what works, learn what to do and what not to do. Network with the people you call, network with your clients and your colleagues’ clients, you need to be aware of what you’re stepping into.

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GDS Group Response
12mo
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed and honest review. We're genuinely sorry to hear that your experience at GDS did not meet your expectations. While it's always difficult to read a review like this, we do take every piece of feedback seriously as it helps us identify areas for improvement. We recognize that sales roles can be extremely challenging and aren’t the right fit for everyone, especially in a fast-paced, high-growth environment like ours. We do not condone dishonesty in any form, and if you were ever encouraged to mislead prospects, that’s deeply concerning. We encourage anyone who experiences this to report it directly to HR - please can you reach out to let us know more about your experiences - Human.Resources@gdsgroup.com.

Explore other reviews about GDS Group

5.0
21 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great pay Challenging Rewarding New daily activities Pressure but positive

Cons

Young office culture attitude sometimes

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GDS Group Response
2d
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
5 Nov 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.

8
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