Advanced Air Solutions, Inc. Lies to employees and customers Holt Michigan
I worked at Advanced Air Solutions for a short period during 2008. During by brief employment there, I discovered a few things about the company that should be publicly known.
This is how the business operates: When an associate visits a potential customer's home to demonstrate the products (vacuum and air filtration systems), the customer is encouraged to list any friends or family who might be interested in the products being sold. They are told that their friend/family member as well as themselves will be entered into a drawing for a prize (a gas card or something similar) for each person whose name and phone number they list. They are also told that no one will be called unless they win. Personally, I have no knowledge of anyone ever winning but everyone does get called. This is how they generate their leads.
When the listed person is called, they are told that if they sit through a demonstration they will receive a free prize (an option between a George Foreman grill or a trip or something else). Notice the trend yet? I had several people say that they were told I would arrive with the prize at their house when I give the presentation. That never happened.
In fact, I didn't even know about it the first day I worked. When I asked my supervisor about it, I was given cheaply printed vouchers to give to anyone who asks about it. The voucher then had to be filled out and brought back to the office to get your "Free George Foreman Grill," which for the life of me, I couldn't figure out where they were hiding those (it is a small office suite).
No free prizes.
Almost every person whose home I gave a presentation in was told over the phone that I wouldn't be there trying to sell them something. We must have greatly differing opinions of the definition of the word "sell," because I was there to make a commission if they bought the product.
This is where the crap really hits the fan for me. When I got my first paycheck, it was half of what I expected it to be. It was bad enough that this company was lying to my customers and not telling me things about my job that I really should know, but when an employer lies to you about your payrate and how your commission works, well that's just awful.
They even try to "guilt" their customers into buying the product by saying such things to them as "So you don't care about all this dirt in your home? You must not care if your children get sick, do you?"
I greatly encourage anyone who has had a poor experience with this company to make your voice heard, as did I upon finding similar complaints through a Google search.
I have included the URLs of the pages on this website that I've found regarding this company for the convenience of anyone who is interested:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports
/0/374/RipOff0374396.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports
/0/386/RipOff0386452.htm
Ghost from your hell
Holt, Michigan
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Steve Benders GRIM REAPER
United States of AmericaEx-employee/victim
#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, November 10, 2010
I too worked for Advanced Air Solutions for a short period of time, well all of the summer of 2010. However, it seems that Steve Bender has moved his office from Holt MI to Freeland MI.
YEAH THEY MOVED!!!!!
Everything stated in the original rip off report is accurate to the T I in fact thought i was actually reading something i would have written. in the 3 months that i worked there only one thing changed that went from exactly as "Ghost from your hell" stated to the following.
BEFORE: They are told they will receive a free prize, but no prize was delivered, but they would have to come to the office to pick it up with a "gift certificate" that I filled out with a a pen.
When traveling 100+ miles myself, the customers were irritated by the fact they would have to drive and if they were going to by the $2500 machine, they would oped out and change their mind.
AFTER: I talked to the owner, and he agreed we should bring these prizes, which were more like gifts to keep up the offer. This lead to me hauling around Grills, Vacation packages, BBQ Grilling Sets, and vases.... as many as 5 of each. The delivery for these gifts then continued to even the more local appointments.
NOTE: They say the grill is like a George Foreman Grill, in reality the only similarity is that it can be used inside. It is made of about $2 worth of metal that is stamped and cut. And then sits on top of your stove and uses the stoves burner. The Vase, you can fit about 1 flower in it, the BBQ set (worth $60) is made from cheap plastic and break very easily. Vacation package, loaded with black out dates and exclusions.
BEFORE: No compensation was given for fuel, for any trip. All fuel money had to come out of pocket.
AFTER: Any and all long trips, (from Saginaw) to the thump, to Cadillac, to Traverse City, the employee would get a $20 gas card. (enough to get them to the appointment, but not home)
Even though Advanced Air Solutions INC moved from HOLT to Freeland. not much else changed other then the gifts being delivered. More then half of all the units moved were actually sold to prospective employees that came in for mass interviews (3 day process starting with about 30 people ending with 1 or 2 people being "hired")
During the hiring process, people are told as an employee that the average of units moved is 1 out of 3 showings would want to invest and you would do about 10 -15 shows a week. Which sounds GREAT if your getting $300 per sale (the normal commission was $100)I did about 10 shows a week, for 10 weeks, and with that holding true i would be making about $900 a week, $3600 a month, $9,000 in 10 weeks. However, here is the catch. All the leads I went on, it was true about 1/3 people would want to invest, but didn't have the financial backing to do it, no or bad credit, not enough money coming in. Most of these people were on welfare, or disability, and couldn't afford to get a flu shot but wanted the free gift they were promised. In my 10 weeks I only sold about 6-7 total systems and only 2 of those i got full commission, for a grand total of about $900 for a summers worth of work.
So, when you look at it, the $900 i made, is a far stretch from the $9,000 told to me, and just enough to cover the over $800 in gas i had to purchase over the summer, for the 6,000 miles i traveled. Don't get me started on the rest of the bills that I had to pay. I ended up borrowing about $4,000 from my parents to keep me alive for the summer, till i got my new job.
I later found out, that the only way for me to get $300 for a sale was to 1. have the customer pay in full, or have great credit. 2. the customer buys the system at the full price. Which only happen twice for me. I had one customer, who payed in full, but $500 less then the asking price, in which I ended up only getting about $60 total from the sale $30 in gas for the showing, and then another $30 in gas to drop off, filters and paper work. to where i didn't make a dime and Steve Bender made about $1200... Fair? yeah i didn't think so either.
I think that is about it, that I can think of for now.....
I just wish i would have seen the original posting about this before i was hired....
Sincerely,
GRIMMY
Steve Benders GRIM REAPER
Current Employee
Lansing,Michigan,
U.S.A.
advanced air solutions helps a lot of people
#3UPDATE Employee
Sat, November 08, 2008
I am currently an employee of Advanced Air Solutions, and of Steve Bender. First of all, like any job, you have to earn your way to success. The ones here who make good money are the ones who are dependable, reliable, teachable, and coachable. I have been here almost since the start and have seen employees come and go. This company will give anyone a chance if they are willing to work. Your pay is in line with the amount of dedication you have. There have been weeks, that I did not make much, because I gave little. The weeks I gave my all, I made lots of money. If there was any discrepancy with pay, it was addressed and resolved.
We don't lie, or cheat our clients. They have the option to buy or not buy. They have the option to allow the demonstration or not allow it. According to EPA, asthma sufferers have increased in numbers dramatically. It is recommended by the EPA that air cleaners be used proactively to curb the incidents of asthma attacks. Your health is your choice, you can choose to live healthy or not.