ABC360 is an ESL company catering mainly to Chinese students- both children, and professionals. ABC360 is just like any other ESL companies when it comes to their hiring process. Anyone may apply, even those who don’t have any experience in teaching online. ABC360 is one of the biggest paying ESL companies in the Philippines. However, they are very strict when it comes to absences, scheduling of slots, and cancellations.
ABC360: Training Period
Unlike other ESL companies where class rates are fixed upon hiring, ABC360 offers a chance to increase a teacher’s market value. Once hired, teachers must undergo a two-week training period, and the goal is to make sure the teacher gets 50 booked slots at the end of this training period. During training, the teacher will be paid PHP95 per hour. This training period is very crucial for a teacher in ABC360 as it serves as a preparation for a bigger moment.
The Demo Class
The bigger moment mentioned above is called the demo class. This is scheduled right after the training period of two weeks. This demo class will be the deciding factor as to how much a teacher’s rate will be. The hourly rate depends on the teacher’s performance in the demo class. So, you have to utilize the training period to develop your teaching skills. Preparing for the demo class can be nerve-wracking, but once you see how much you can earn in ABC360, for sure, you will try your best to ace it.
ABC360 Rates
The hourly rate you get will be assessed according to your overall performance in the demo class. After the demo class, your teaching rate can increase from PHP105- PHP150 per hour. As you can observe, it is a lot bigger compared to other known companies that only offer PHP100/hour.
If you happen to be inexperienced in teaching online but still managed to pass the demo class, need not worry if you only got the lowest possible rate, which is 105PHP/hour. Like corporate companies, ABC360 offers a quarterly increase of PHP5-PHP10 per hour which, of course, depends on the metrics performance of the teacher. However, there is a ceiling hourly rate for everyone which is 200PHP per hour.
ABC360: Class Type and Policies
You may be wondering why ABC360 can pay their teachers this much. So, we have researched the type of classes one can have when working for ABC360.
Opening Slots
A teacher may open a minimum of 9 slots per day, which is kind of hard to manage for those who are looking for a part-time job. With other ESL companies such as Rarejob, you are allowed to open slots without restriction with numbers- you can even open one slot if you like. However, if you are planning to make it a full-time job, you can open up to 36 slots per day- maximum. If you want to open more slots, you may contact your Teacher’s Coach (TC) for approval.
Class Span
Each class runs for 17 minutes and must be a video class. The maximum classes which can be held in an hour are 3. Unlike other ESL companies which use Skype as a teaching platform, ABC360 has their teaching platform specialized for their policies. Both students and teachers must enter the platform, and in case the student is unavailable for at least 10 minutes, you can leave the teaching platform and mark the student as a “No Show.” All booked classes are paid, whether the student attended or not. You can start preparing for your next class in case the prior student is absent.
Penalty Policies
If there you happen to fail to attend a class, it will be considered as a “No show, no call.” ABC360 deducts penalties per class deduction. The source did not disclose the percentage of the penalties. Unfortunately, based on the comments from other ABC360 employees, the penalties are getting worse each year. They are also very strict with internet connections so if you want to earn a lot, you need to make sure your internet connection is highly reliable and stable. One of our respondents even mentioned that they make it look like “one must have a generator in their house in case of power outages.” Meaning, the company is not very considerate when it comes to mishaps such as power interruptions or internet connection losses.
Teacher Support
Unlike other ESL companies where you usually work with the platform alone, ABC360 involves teachers to be part of a team. This team is managed and supported by a Chinese Teacher Coach whom they can report and talk to in case of special requests like additional classes exceeding the limit of 36 slots, power outages, hardware malfunction, or emergencies.
ABC360: Employees Review
With the gathered information from previous and current employees of ABC360, it is dominant that the company’s extreme penalties and policies are ripping off teachers’ hard-earned salaries. Though some still say good things about the company, the policy changes from China were just too much for the majority of teachers. There used to be a lot of incentives, and you can even get up to PHP5000 per month. However, the source declined to reveal the main key changes in the company and the truth about this is mainly reflected in the below feedback from other teachers.
Some even compare ABC360 with Acadsoc, another company which caters to Chinese students, saying that both companies are stealing teachers’ salary in the form of penalties:
Some mentioned that the TC (Teacher’s Coach) support is highly efficient. Employees also say they are approachable and kind to connect with. However, many decided to leave the companies due to the crazy policy change. If you are looking for a good ESL company, proper research is a must. Facebook reviews of companies such as ABC360 can impact their reputation, but it is an excellent way to make sure you know what you are about to commit to:
The pay is a factor that one must consider in a company, but the culture inside the company will always be a huge factor to consider. Most of the time, the company’s culture and policy are the main reasons why teachers stay inside an ESL company:
ABC360 is just like all ESL companies- they want to make sure teachers are committed and punctual. But everyone knows there can always be emergencies and unfortunate events that may happen. Having a company or job that is willing to consider such matters is very important. There are a lot of ESL companies to choose from, but one thing is for sure: teachers are not only after the pay- but they are also after a friendly environment and culture even if they work from home. If you are planning on applying with ABC360, it is suggested you consider such factors as well.
By passion and profession, Eunice is a content writer, ESL teacher, and social media manager.
Eunice worked in Accenture and Nestlé Business Services where she gained experience in content moderation, process training, customer service, and eContent asset management. Her passion for English and marketing landed her part-time writing jobs while working in a corporate office.
She discovered ESL Teaching that same year she started content writing and soon realized that it’s also something she wanted to pursue. She left her corporate job to become a freelance writer and ESL teacher.
Eunice has grown a network of clients in her content writing and ESL teaching career. Eunice consistently widens her expertise in marketing by learning new skills. She just started her career as a social media manager for clients abroad and in the Philippines.
You may check some of Eunice’s works on howpo.info.