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Smart Data Solutions

Engaged employer

Avoid this trap even if desparate - Developer Smart Data Solutions Employee Review

1.0
28 Apr 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are some good people who work here doing the hard work in the trenches

Cons

The development work done is quite simplistic and you won't learn much. It's almost just busy work. There is also extremely limited career opportunities to be had. You basically need to cross your fingers that one of the small group of experienced developers quits and pray they don't hire from outside the company to have any upward mobility. SDS is effectively a dead end job for developers and you'll regret working here and feel like you wasted years of your life. Sounds like it could just be chill to not worry about trying to be promoted? Wrong! It is a constant game of whack a mole. Your plate of tasks will be constantly overflowing and you'll be stressed out of your mind. The second you complete something, three more things will be dropped on you to finish. Need some help with something? Everyone else is too busy to help you so good luck! "I'll just read the documentation" you say? Well surprise surprise there isn't any. It's literally just the code explains the code strategy. Fun stuff! I'll just power through and employ strategies to keep up with everything. Nope! The amount of red tape you have to navigate is astounding and they're only adding to it. Only a small handful of the busiest people in the company are able to review and approve almost any request or project for a client. If none of them are able to get to it, then guess what it's your fault for some reason! Everything is breaking constantly. Always embarrassing being on a call with a client and our services go down. Clients will ask for RCA documentation and internal teams are always like which one? Company backburners system integrity and growing tech debts frequently and focuses on bringing on more clients onto a shaky platform. At least the work is fulfilling right? Wrong! This company perpetuates a healthcare system that ruins lives. Their sole mission is to help health insurance companies make more money and take a cut of it. During a company wide townhall meeting, upper management bragged about how a new client was able to lay off an entire team after SDS automated their jobs then clapped their hands after like those people didn't have families or anything. The CEO? I bet you, yes you dear reader, could do a better job by just googling "How to be a CEO" and winging it. There were at least two occasions where I've seen an article pop up on a feed with a title like "Why CEOs are now pushing for xyz", then magically the next day the CEO is preaching that xyz is now a company focus like it's this amazing new idea he had. Additionally, he is hilariously tech illiterate. Maybe not super relevant to be a CEO, but funny for a tech company with a tech illiterate leader. Also the company holiday party disappeared after he came along. Kinda tells you all you need to know right there. Well maybe I'll just jump in anyway and work hard and it'll be rewarded? Don't! Do the bare minimum all year? Your raise is 3%. Work super hard all year? Believe it or not, 3% At least I can work and make friends amongst some diverse coworkers. Wrong again! Outside of the offshore employees they pay starvation wages to, the roles they deem must be done onshore are filled by 98% white people. Also you'll never not sound like a nerd telling people you work at Smart Data Solutions. A nerd in a bad way though. Nerd stuff is cool and there is something for everyone, but sheesh not like this please

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Smart Data Solutions Response
10mo
Thank you for your feedback. With high growth and a large number of priorities, our leadership team is committed to continuing to improve prioritization and transparency on each initiative that aligns with our company strategy. One of our Core Values is Obsession with Client’s success, and it is our top priority to ensure we are meeting client's expectations. We encourage employees to notify their manager or HR if there are any concerns with providing the quality of service to our clients. Our recent Technical Job Title Alignment initiative set the foundation for HR to partner with leadership on building a career path model to help employees progress. Our Leadership team strives to set our team up for success by establishing a clear strategy and goals, continuous improvement initiatives, and employee recognition. We encourage employees to provide feedback and share their ideas as we continue to grow. Due to high growth, we have replaced the holiday party with several engagement events during the year including a pickleball event for the MN office, go karting event for the TX office, weekly employee lunch, and a summer party. Our annual performance review serves as an opportunity for employees to reflect upon accomplishments, share feedback, discuss growth, and set goals for the future. This is a great time to highlight your achievements throughout the year. Based on company growth and performance, we strive to align with the market with a performance-based merit model. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to protected status. We regularly do market analysis to ensure that we are aligned with the local salary grades for each location. As a current employee, we value your input and encourage you to reach out to your manager or reach out to human.resources@sdata.us.

Explore other reviews about Smart Data Solutions

5.0
27 May 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Supportive team environment where people genuinely want each other to succeed. Positive culture with approachable leadership and open communication. Good work-life balance with flexibility when needed. Opportunities for professional growth and skill development.

Cons

Work can be fast-paced at times, requiring strong prioritization. Some processes are still evolving as the company grows

4.0
28 May 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I really enjoy working with my immediate team. We’re supportive, collaborative, and have built a genuinely positive working environment. My coworkers are one of the best parts of the job, and there’s a strong sense of trust and camaraderie among us. Day-to-day work feels manageable and even enjoyable because of the people I work with.

Cons

Outside of my team, the company can feel disconnected. Communication across departments isn’t always clear, and it sometimes feels like different parts of the organization are operating in silos. Additionally, the location I work out of can feel overlooked compared to others, which contributes to that sense of disconnection and lack of visibility.

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