Automax Sales Training Automax Recruiting and Training Misleading Advertising and Tactics Nationwide
I received a call to interview for a job I applied for at a dealership. I really wanted to work for this one particular dealership as I am loyal to their product. I scheduled an interview.
First of all, at the initial interview the guy interviewing said he was hired by the dealership to conduct a two day class on sales (which I do not need) and would be making selections for his recommendations for hire from his class. Ultimately, the general manager of the dealership would still make the hiring decision, but would likely select from his recommended candidates who took his class and passed.
The class would cost money too, but he would NOT give me the amount, claiming the dealership management had not settled on that amount but would tell me the following day. He said this was to weed out those not serious about getting hired.
Any red flags so far? A trainer doesn't know how much he is getting paid and thus cannot tell me how much he would have to charge me for this training, which I don't particularly need? His selected recommended candidates are not guaranteed to be hired even after spending the money and passing?
Well, I went to the first day of training. Not until 4 hours in did this guy finally give us the price. $250. He kept selling the class at various points, trying to justify the fee that he kept putting off telling us. Now it is a refundable fee if we left the job within 60 days and if we did indeed get hired after 30 days. So one would get their money back regardless... eventually. He also guaranteed placement with another dealership if this one did not hire for some reason. That isn't bad. He said he would give all this to us in writing too.
Later in the training day, I interviewed very briefly with the actual sales manager of the dealership. Turns out the dealership works with this guy all the time. How is it that he did not have the price figured out right away if he works with this dealership all the time? Does he negotiate every time he works with them? Not likely. Red flag.
Also, the REAL problem here is that I would have to start working on MONDAY. I had no option to give my current employer even a week's notice. I asked this general manager if he might be holding the class again in a couple weeks or a month and perhaps could then allow me to be hired in that rotation. He said no.
As I am not willing to burn my bridges, and want to retain my current employer as a fall back (my employer has always said I can go down to part time or leave and come back if I needed to), I REALLY did not want to proceed with this high-pressure hiring process at this point.
At the end of the training day, not long after he disclosed the fee amount (and the class started to grumble), the trainer started one-on-one final interviews where he would determine who he would recommend. Turns out the dealership only needed 3 employees (out of a class of 10). Though he swore he would place us at another dealership in 30 days, I really don't want to sell cars for anyone BUT the dealership I had originally applied to. You have to believe in the product. I am not going to sell a product I know sucks. Either way, I was a shoe-in for a job at THIS dealership (from my own assessment, 80% of the people there were complete morons). I told him about the fact that the dealership required that any hire start on Monday (and would not permit people time to give notice to their current employer) and this trainer said he was unaware of that fact. So he didn't ask them what their hiring window was and he is doing the recruiting and training for them? Not likely. Red flag.
I then launched into my various objections to the whole process. Nicely, but honestly. I told him not telling us the fee up front or even in the first hour of the second day was being perceived poorly by the class (we were ALL complaining about that fact when he stepped out of the room). I told him I object to an employer that doesn't give the respect to allow for a week's notice. I told him he basically has a system where the only people that would get hired would be unemployed - and thus unlikely to have $250 to gamble with - OR people that are employed and have the money BUT would be fine with just leaving a job with no notice (an integrity/reliable issue and thus a poor candidate on loyalty grounds). Either way, the system would not likely find the optimum candidates who would be loyal to an employer AND have the money to pay the stupid refundable fee. It was intrinsically flawed to prevent the optimum candidates from passing.
He understood my predicament and again acted like he did not know that the dealership wanted people to start immediately. He actually let me leave the class without payment (though I had pretty much completed the whole course). He ALSO said I could call him... basically he said I should wait a week or two, and then speak with the general manager again as they will have likely LOST a new hire by then (showing how pointless his own selection process really is). He said that even if this dealership did not hire me, that if I was STILL unemployed a few weeks from now, to call him and he would get me hired somewhere for sure.
Not sure if I believe him at this point, but at least we parted ways positively and I supposedly got his blessing and backing as a reference.
Well, I guess the question I have is simple. Would YOU have left at any point in this crazy situation? I felt I did the correct thing here, though I REALLY need a better paying gig. Something just did not smell right. He did at least break it off smoothly and positively, but was this just to prevent negative online reviews? Hmmm.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Colin "Big Kanua" De Mac Ell
Yorba Linda,California,
United States
"Automax" ?? Sales Training Scam Nothing New
#3Consumer Comment
Sun, April 26, 2020
The Automax SalesTtraining is nothing new as a simple search reveals a record replete with nothing but complaints all saying substantially the same thing. Automax Sales Training must have hundreds if not thousands of these complaints. But really, who would pay $600 for this garbage anyway?
It would be like paying a nursing/retirement home $50,000 for a supposed lifetime of care only to be starved to death by the owner to make room for a new paying customer in a few weeks. I wouldn't want the owner predicting my death like he did the last one, anyway who wants to pay $50,000 to starve to death? AUTOMAX SALES TRAINING IS A SCAM!
Dave
Florence,Kentucky,
USA
I was a victim to the same scam!!!
#3General Comment
Sun, August 09, 2015
Im so glad I did a search and found your report. I have been looking for a job and in need of one bad. Behind on bills and having a family to care for I needed something with great pay. I seen a craigslist add that a local buick GMC dealer right by my house was looking to hire 15 new people and gave a breif description of the joband requirements. It said they recommended someone who had never sold cars before. I called the number and had about a 3 minute phone interview with him. He ask if I had sales experience I told him I did but never cars. I told him I had experience with cars but never in sales. He said ive taken 200+ calls and im inviting 40 for interviews. At the end of the call he congratulated me and invited me in the next day. Dressed to impress. Staying sharp minded I arrived early. He came out gave a hand shake and said come on back. Based on his $2000 Armani suit and rolex I ussemed he was a big shot for this local mane that owns a dealership for every brand in the greater Cincinnati area. Its a well known name. Jeff Wyler. It was a very tough interview and he asked questions you would expect him to ask. But two really caught my attention. The first being did I believe I had what it took and wanted enough to invest a little in my own success. I said of course as anyone would in an interview. Then way later on he ask where I lived did I rent or own. Then ask if I had reliable transportation. Then what I thought was odd is he asked what kind of car I had. I said a 2013 fusion. He said if it was to break down today and you needed $700 or $800 do you feel you coukd afford the repairs or feel that someone trust you enough to loan it to you to ensure youd get to work and know youd repay them. I said well im unemployed at the moment thats why I am here so no I dont have the money but yes I have family that would gladly help me knowing my job depends on it and that om able to repay them. So he ask more questions for about 10 min. Then just stopped and said Mr. (Last name) I've heard enough and am inviting you to my class that starts tomorrow dress nice bring a notebook for notes and a few pens and be ready to be transformed into the best car sales man this place has ever seen. And hyped me up on how he can spot the ones who will make it and he can have me making 50k my first year as long as I followed his teachings. I came to class day one. He taught is simple ways to meet and greet and get someone inside and acted it out.
The second day started with him us how he implemented his teachings and make millions and told us many stories of ybe fuy who had nothing and came to his glass and now his makong 300k a year. Then went on about how to market ourselves one we started on that following monday. And how proud he was of the 6 of us that lasted to the 2nd day of the 9 that where invited. Then went on to the pay and how their pay scale was the best in the business at Jeff Wyler. $600wk base and the 10% upto 18% front end and back end profit with percentage starting at 10 and going uo based on how many units you sold. Plus all sorts of bonuses like most units in a month most this most that. Plus how the manufacturer gives us bonuses ones we go online and get certified on every models features. Just ranted about the money we would be making if we completed his class. He even brough in a young kid that was from his last class 4 months ago and told us how he was leading in sales and the class changed his life. And then towards the end he showed us a cheaply made book about an inch thick and said youll get this and its your bible for sucsess and as long as you follow this youll make all kinds of money here. Went on to say it would be $600 but that covers your book your training drug test backround check uniforms and most of all separates tbe serious people from the ones who just want the $600wk guaranteed and had no motivation to sell cars. and to show we where willing to invest in ourselves. And that after 90 days the dealeraip would refund the money with interest. We would get back $650. Then collected money from everyone at the very end. And we all ask if there was a contract or receipt. He said we was running behind he has to get the money to the bank and we would go over the forms first thing in the morning and would finish out last day of class and then meet our new boss and be told the specifics od our new job.
The following morning he shows up late saying there where 2 wrecks on the hwy and we was way behind and had alot to cover in a little time. In a hurry he said lets het you all to fill out your conttacts and recipes. And said hurry up so we can get started rushing everyone. Some people quickly signed. But I was reading over and over and it said that I was purchasing his manual for $600. That I was not promised a job. That for any reason they could not hire me of they wanted. And that during the training the trainer did not promise us anything. I sais sir I have a few questions about a few things it says . Here. He stoooed me and said come on and pulled me away from the group and said what is it. I pointed out that I thought I had the job. He said well your drug teat isnt done yet nor your backround check nor your license check. I said ok thats understandable. But it says that im paying $600 for your training and your book and can be told no we dont need you and im oitnmyn money. He said that wont hapoen they just word it that wayrhey cover their butts. I said let me call the person I barrowed the money from.and read this to them. He said look you have a job or I woulnt still have you here. He got mad and said look decide now. No nevermind ill f ive your money back I can tell you dont want this and statyed to walk away. I said hold on sir im just protecting myself. He said ok but id you go in there talking all this in front of my class your out and lost yoir chance. Eveeyone else was just starting to read the forms and I decided it wasnt worth the chance. So I said air can I talk to you outside one more time. He got pissed and said your ddo ne this isnt for you. I said I was just going to tell you I was signing the opt out form and would a refund. He blew uo and sais I was a failure id never make it in the car business how id shot myself in the foot and had just slapped my family in the face by giving up the chance. Accused me of opting out because I probably couldnt pass my drug test and more than likley did drugs the night before. Said I though I believe in myself and my family would see me as a quitter. Bah blah. Then told me to not go back in and get my notebook he would bring it oit sith my refund. When he came back out he said I didnt tell you this becore but I had told them you where the one to hire but you blew it. Good luck. And if they didnt choose you I would have placed you somewhere else. Then told me that he gets paid the same no matter what. While he was saying this the laat guy that had not shown up yet walked up in a tee shirt and with his book and wantes his money back too and he had not eve. Seen the forms yet. I felt I made the right decision. Remember he sais the YOU WHERE THE ONE I RECOMMEND. THERE WAS ONLY ONE FROM HIS PRIOR GLASS THAT HE USED AS A SUCSESS STORY TO US. Then I remembered he had collected the money the previous day and then acted in a rusb to sign the forms the folling day. The. His response to me asking about some fine print and pulling me away from his glass. Then realized he was a third party trainer that was it and had no say in who was hired. He TOOK THE MONEY THE NIGHT BEFORE WHILE LEADING EVERYONE TO YHINK THEY HAD THE JOB. THEN RUSHED THEN WHEN THE FINE PRINT AND DETAILS WHERE BROUGHT UO THE NEXT DAY. And all the forms had the prior days date on them HE KNEW EVERYONE WOULD HAD IVER THE MONEY THINKING THEY HAD A JOB. AND KNEW WITH THE MONEY ALREADY IN HIS POCKET AND RUSHING EVERYONE THROUGH AND GIVING LITTLE EXCUSES ON THE FINE PRINT EVERYONE WAS MORE LIKLEY TO JUST SIGN.. I bet had the forms been handed out while or before money was collected and not done one on one more peoole would have taken their money gave his cheap so called "Sales Bible" bible back and left. HE DID EVERYTHING AS A GROUP BUT WHEN THE CONTRACTS WHERE SIGNED HE KEPT US ALL SEPARATED AND DID THEM ONE ON ONE TO KEEP ANY OF US FROM WARITHE OTHERS. I know out of 6 people me and one other person left and he had yet to take any if the other 4 to finish contracts......... I think I made the right choice. Just the way it all was handled and the could you afford car repairs question and being all congratulated on a new job right before collecting money and then doing the fine print one on one the next day and having exuses on everything that made you say hold on this isnt what you said. Yhen the fact that one person from his last class was hired and he made the statment about being THE ONE HE TOLD THEM ABOUT. All 6 in the class paid $600 and only one is hired. How is that fair to the other 5 who didnt. He promises to get you into another dealership when you just signed off that he didnt promise you anything. Just do t fall for it unless you have the money to take the chance with. But seems like a rip off to me. I feel like the winner I learned a few tips for next time I buy a car.