Former Window Select employee speaks out as third-party company takes over operations

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Amid hundreds of complaints and a criminal fraud investigation, Window Select announced to customers it's making major changes.

In an email sent to customers late last week, the company shared that a third-party business management consulting firm, called Cogent Analytics, is taking over for the time being.  "Cogent has assumed complete management and operational control of Window Select, and our current leadership team will take a step back from the business," the notice detailed.

In a press release this week, President and Managing Director of Cogent Analytics, Rob Braiman said "Although we have direct participation in guiding every decision within Windows Select’s operations, we cannot represent “full operational and Management control”.  

It went on to say Cogent is working with "Windows Select" and the owner to address a variety of operational and financial issues. "We are of the firm belief that Windows Select is absolutely working every day to “right the ship” and want to do right by their customers and the broader community," the statement details.

The customer email from Window Select said that the company has been working with Cogent since January 2022. The notice also blamed the ongoing media coverage of customer complaints for some of the company's current troubles. "The unfortunate ways in which others have chosen to portray Window Select over the last several weeks has been inaccurate, lacking context, one-sided and at times, unfair and damaging," the email said.

The letter to customers also explained current company focuses but customers tell CBS 58 they felt the email was misleading and confusing.

Following the change in operations, CBS 58 sat down with a former Window Select employee who says she's not hopeful in the company's future after her experience.

The former administrative assistant who did not want to share her name says she worked for Window Select for seven months before finally resigning last month.

"I would consider it very much to be a hostile work environment. It became a point where I realized something was wrong," she said.

She tells CBS 58 that her decision to leave the company came down to payroll checks bouncing and angry customer phone calls.

"It was becoming so stressful that I would go home and have anxiety, or panic attacks," she said.

She shared that she could never give the answers customers needed because she was unable to get clear answers from management. Finally, she says her direct manager quit and she no longer felt comfortable working at the company.

She said she feels terrible about all the customers impacted by the issues at Window Select.

"There would be people who were like in tears. They were distraught. They don't know how they're going to recover their money," she explained.

Despite leaving the company on good terms, she said they still owe her money for a bounced payroll check from May 1.

The criminal fraud investigation remains ongoing and lawsuits continue to be filed against the company and its owner.

CBS 58 has made numerous interview requests to Window Select and owner, Justin Kiswardy via phone, in-person and email, but those requests have not been answered.