Complaint Review: Global Contact Solutions

I'm an ex-employee. I'm here to say the claim that Global Contact Solutions does not continue to call back consumers who've asked them not to call anymore, is patently false. There is a tiny kernel of truth in it, but it's not the whole picture, There is a software program used by employees which allows them to disposition the call in various ways, depending on whether the customer shows continuing interest, makes a sale, or asks not to be called again. 

And in case after case, we keep being given contacts we've already spoken with, who asked to be taken off the calling list. Even when we honestly disposition the call as "do not call," this still happens over and over and over again. It happens so much that these calls are actually a large percentage of Global Contact Solutions' business.

They just keep calling in hopes that they will wear down the resistance of the person who initially said "no."

There are also many employees who intentionally disposition a call falsely. If a customer was irate with them, they will decide "I don't like how they spoke to me, so I'll make sure someone else calls them back." Then they disposition the call so that someone else (not themselves) will receive the call when the system automatically dials the person.

The company says they track these things carefully to be sure that employees aren't doing this. But they don't stop people from doing it, even though they could. It's such a large portion of their business they know they'd be shooting themselves in the foot if they truly enforced it.

So they don't. I should know. I worked there.

I'm here to counter a rebuttal the owner of this company made to another individuals' rip-off report.

I used to work for this company. I AM a disgruntled employee, but that doesn't make my words untrustworthy, as some companies do have disgruntled employees for a reason. In the case of unethical/abusive employers (such as Global Contact Solutions), employees have a valid reason to feel disgruntled. So the owner's accusing someone of being a "disgruntled employee" as though that automatically discounts their testimony, is not in any way a valid defense, and certainly doesn't invalidate the ex-employee's account.

First of all, the owner makes the claim "we do not hire felons who have no other options." This is patently untrue. If not for all the felons working for GCS (who might have no employment otherwise), they would not even be in business. I know. I'm a felon (ex-offender) who worked for them. Many, perhaps a majority of the workers there are felons. I know this, because they were my co-workers, and we had many conversations during break times. Many of us are good people struggling to live a decent life and put our lives back together. We paid for our mistakes and moved on with our lives, but employers such as Global Contact Solutions knows we are vulnerable, and take advantage of us, in order to enrich themselves while we all live in poverty. There is also a small segment of felons at GCS will who likely reoffend, because they don't know any better, and the bad job market for ex-offenders forces them into bad choices they will end up paying for. Some of these employees continue to use dangerous illegal substances. But that's all okay with GCS, as long as they're making sales. That's all that really matters.

Regardless of which group of ex-offenders you're looking at - people living good lives and those who will get into trouble again - they are all fresh meat for Global Contact Solutions, a company that has a very bad reputation here in the greater Portland area, as a "turn and burn call center."

They pay barely above minimum wage, always offering their employees the promise of great commissions on top of their base pay. However, as they provide services for many shady online businesses who have a reputation for getting customers by tricking them into giving their credit card number for so-called "no risk trials."

They sell very questionable products such as weight loss products made with Garcinia Cambogia. Look online for garcinia cambogia "risk-free trial" scams, and you'll find that they are numerous. GCS just happens to do business with many of the companies that rip people off. They also very aggressively sell the promise of youth via extremely high-priced "anti-aging creams" to many elderly women, who wish they could be young again, and are vulnerable to the kind of manipulative tactics that Global Contact Solutions teaches to it's employees. Many times, an elderly woman's children or other relatives will get on the phone, because they've done their research and discovered how these risk-free trials intentionally trick people in believing they can easily cancel additional shipments, when in so many cases, the consumer ends up having their credit card charged many times before the company finally lets them go. This is unconscionable, as so many of the people GCS calls are obviously low income, and can't afford to have something like this happen to them. 

In the case of these elderly women, their families should definitely be getting on the phone to protect their loved one from Global Contact Solutions. Because their mother or grandmother will likely be victimized by them, if not for their protection. And the owner of this company has so many rationalizations for such situations, it's ridiculous. He's the consummate snow-job artist: the kind of salesperson to stay away from, because he can convince you to accept things that are definitely not in your best interest.

I can't even begin to list all the times I had an irate customer on the line, who told stories of "missing the fine print" (actually, when they ask pointed questions, the owner instructs employees not to answer the questions directly) and ending up being charged over and over, before finally getting a resolution to their situation. And I'm here to tell you, the company gives a fine-sounding talk to their employees, on "following all the legal regulations." However in practice, if an employee who happens to have a conscience finds themselves online with someone's grandmother who says she's on a fixed income, the company absolutely does not want the employee to give her too much information, lest they lose the sale. As an honest sales person, you want to be sure they are fully informed before they give their credit card number

What happens if you do this, is that you get called into the owner's office, and he tells you not to do it any more. Sure, he'll give you some "training" with an artificial, overly enthusiastic smile (he is the consummate sales person...), but he'll make sure you understand that he's always listening in on your calls.

In this way, they control their employees. A significant number of the people working there talk among themselves while they are on break, about how they feel guilty for ripping people off who can't afford to be ripped off. At the same time, there are a significant number working there who just don't care, who might be willing to rip off their own grandmother to make a buck.

The hiring manager has a reputation for lying to employees, and everyone says (behind her back) that she's one of the most insincere people they've ever met.

And one more thing about the perks they use to get people to sell, sell, sell... in addition to the commissions they keep promising, they have a wheel that employees get to spin. If you make a lot of sales, you get to spin the wheel. None of the prizes are ever a monetary award. Instead, you might win a $5 coupon to spend at   7-Eleven. But sometimes you get to have leftovers from the owner's lunch. Seriously, I mean it. It's degrading, but he really does it. One time I saw the owner approach the work station of a lucky winner, and give them a packet of ketchup. No lie. He then used his sales charm to convince the employee this was a great thing they'd won. And the employee actually bought it, and was pleased.

Also in his rebuttal, the owners says that many of the employees make thousands of dollars in commissions per month. I worked there long enough to be able to say that is an outright lie. The truth is that there are a handful of high power sales people there who do make the commissions he speaks of. But for him to say "many" of the employees do, is insulting and outright dishonest.

There you go. That's my report from inside the belly of the beast. GCS won't like it, that's for certain. But then again, they should treat both their customers and their employees with far more respect than they do. 

Anyone notice their website isn't available any more? I have no doubt their karma is catching up with them, and the company is gradually going down the tubes, as a direct result of their lack of ethics.

Global Contact Solutions is a 3rd party call center that contracts its services to several online merchants.  As a 3rd party call center we work with our clients to provide a customized service that works for them.  GCS is committed to the highest standards in compliance.  All campaings are reviewed for compliance standards.  We have strict Quality Assurance guidelines that ensure consistency and quality for our clients.  Due to our strict QA standards, if the rules are not followed we cancel out the sales.  All we ask our employees to do is read the script and follow our process.  If this is not done, we do not submit the sale.

This post is clearly from a disgruntled employee.  We have hired over 2,000 employees since we have opened our doors.  We have never had a labor dispute and treat our employees with respect.  I am sure if this person followed our process and listend to our training they would have had a different experience.  The accusations regarding not letting people off the phone without buying, hanging up on people or not placing people on DNC lists is nothing more than baseless lies.  We hire with no predijuce toward any race, color or creed.  We do not hire Felons that feel like they have no recourse.      

We understand call centers are not for everyone.  However, we take it very personally when accusations like these are made.  Many of our emoloyees are paid thousands of dollars each month in commissions from the work they provided.  We provide an environment where its easy to make a full time wage working part time hours.  Its unfortunate some people have to resort to factless finger pointing anonomously on the internet.  With that said, we strive to make GCS a better work place each and every day.  We invite any contstuctive criticism that will allow us to evalute our processes and procedures to make for a better working experience.  

We hope your future places of employment provide prosperiety and stability to you.  Best of Luck!

This company does not keep customer information when asked to be removed from list. They are removed. global contact solutions employees are required to explain the terms and conditions to every customer and to qualify as a sale it must meet federal law requirements. Which is evaluated by listening to every sale, if an employee fails to meet the requirements the sale is not valid and it is not processed. The employee is notified and corrected.

Also, the employees are not being ripped off. And they are not targeted because they are felons. GCS does not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or age. They certainly do not victimize employment challenged individuals, which like everyone else is paid through payroll who does not have any idea who the sales agents are.