Complaint Review: Bernard Haldane Associates

I paid $5400 after the initial screening. I was psyched! Then, I told my friend about this company... His comment, "Almost sounds too good to be true. Have you checked them out?"

After a quick review here, (and several other places,) a few contacts with senior executives in the power industry, turbine manufacturing companies and gas compressor companies,I felt I had been duped. I requested a refund of my money within the three day window allowed for turning down this type of service. So far, they seem cooperative.

I just wanted you to see the correspondence that I have been sending to get that money back.

Day 1: (I pay for the service and then investigate.)
Dear Sirs,

After further investigation of your "company", I have decided not to use your services. I've called senior executives with several firms and none of them have heard of you. With 236 reports of your business being a scam in just the last year, I have to admit, I was duped. (See http://badbusinessbureau.com)
You may be reputable, but there are simply too many votes against you for the money involved.

Your cancellation notice will be mailed within the 3 day period. I have faxed you a copy of the cancellation. I expect a full refund and am disputing the charges at this moment.

I will follow-up with a phone call tomorrow for confirmation of cancellation.


Good day,

Day 2: (Their response.)
Mark: Of course you will get a refund. I do take offense to you saying you were duped. You are way to smart for that. I will not re-iterate Bob Meier's remarks but to tell you that with a nationwide success last year of 16,740 and a dissatisfaction rate of 236, do your math. That is less than 1.5%. It is a shame when you are the largest, oldest and MOST successful, that competitors will use the internet as a charade of dissatisfied clients. Now you are in the jungle by yourself and the only one hurt by this is you. I will be glad to issue you a refund, in full. As I said, we don't want a hostage. I would
appreciate and expect a retraction of your " DUPED " statement. Please call me so I can process your refund. Of course if you realize the miniscule results of your investigation you may want to change your mind again. Your so called " Senior Executives " either never needed employment assistance, and do you really believe all you read? It wasn't me who " DUPED ", you got duped by your buyers remorse and will to listen to those that don't walk in your shoes. THAT is the shame.

(My response.)
If you would care to back up your statements:

. Provide any ten distinct clients (not placed with the same employer) you have helped placed in the last year that I may contact to confirm your "statistics". Please include their executives name and number so that I may also confirm that Bernard Haldane Associates was the point of contact to establish an interview, as you stated you would do for me. (Understand, I know you did not promise to place me, but you stated 186 of 186 clients placed last year. That means you placed them, not they finding a job on their own.)

. Provide any two public media references (newspapers, magazines) outside your company that support your statistics independently.

Then, I can retract my statement.
(When you state "fact" after "fact" without supporting evidence, and I believe you, that is being duped.)

I don't care to hear any alternate sales pitches or "woe is me on my own". I'll be fine. Just refund my money.

In the meantime, I'll give you a few of my references:

Better Business Bureau On-Line Newsletter
VOLUME 30, NO. 6 DECEMBER 1998
JOB CONSULTANT GETS CLIENTS FIRED UP, THEN WORKED UP
Bernard Haldane Associates Employs Bait and Switch to Keep Clients Signing

Career Management Company Fights Complaints
By Katy McLaughlin
January 4, 2002
New York Times
http://college4.nytimes.com/guests/articles/2002/01/04/894700.xml

Should You Pay in Advance
For Job-Search Assistance?
By Barbara Mende
National Business Employment Weekly

Expensive career marketing firm draws complaints
By PAUL WENSKE and DIANE STAFFORD - The Kansas City Star
Date: 08/19/00 22:15
http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/story,local/3774b2c0.821,.html

(You don't want to see the title to this one.)
Monday, January 21, 2002
Page: FP1 / FRONT
Section: Financial Post
Byline: Peter Kuitenbrouwer
Source: Financial Post

Day 3: (Their response.)
Mark: You seem very angry. We treat our clients with complete confidentiality. Your fee will be refunded. At this point, I
really don't think we have any more to discuss.

Good luck,

===
My credit card company states it will take up to 30 days just to see if they follow through and credit my account.

I feel there is a huge difference between "client confidentiality" and finding a few of your successful client's willing to share how successful Bernard Haldane Associates has been for them. Secondly, I was not looking for a senior executive that was placed by Bernard Haldane Associates, I was looking for one that had heard of, or from, Bernard Haldane Associates to place a client. My search may have been limited, but they claim over 600,000 successes since they opened their doors. I figured I'd hit one employer out of the ten that I called. In some of these, I personnaly know several executives: PPL, Exelon, Amergen, Dresser-Rand, Entergy, Honeywell, Siemens, Pfizer, WD Associates, West Wind Group.

Bottom line:
Bernard Haldane Associates do not guarantee anything.
. It is not their job to find you a job. (Read the fine print.)
. They are unable, or unwilling, to prove their abilities as stated in the initial interview. (Success rate, placed client's, verbal references, independent studies.)
. They want a lot of money up front.
. The DO have an answer for everything.

I am not stating anything negative about Bernard Haldane Associates in this post that was not previously displayed publically. I am stating: "Get the facts BEFORE you pay."

Mark
Rohrsburg, Pennsylvania

Click here to all the others who have been victimized by Bernard Haldane Associates'>Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Bernard Haldane Associates

CLICK HERE, You must read this!! ..Financial Post Article LINK - Haldane not up to the job ..exposing this company for what it really is - a huge scam