Complaint Review: Jamie Coyne

***Jamie Coyne promised me employment and then just changed his mind, but only after I got the software, fax, and long distance he asked for set up and ready to go. I recieved a message from Jamie in my email inbox. He had searched and found me on a job website. He offered me a job doing some appointment setting for his oldies shows. Heres the email:


From: "Jamie Coyne" | This is spam | Add to Address Book
To: "Victoria
Subject: Re: You Ad
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2003 11:18:41 -0400

Victoria,
Elvis huh? hehe...
I've been a lifelong fan - but enjoy all types of music. I founded and operate what has become the world's largest Elvis Presley Fan Club (54,000+ members worldwide) and produce nostalgia related entertainment coast to coast at casinos, fairs and festivals - including an elvis impersonator contest (www.elviscontest.com) - The idea of pretending to be Elvis never appealed to me personally, I think that's kinda silly. Glad you found the site. The program I do works very well in senior communities.

That (the hours/pay) sounds fine to me. I think if you got 4-6 "bookings" per day that would be good - and very doable. Some days will be more especially if it is a facility I've alrady visited and they book up the year for example.

I've got a few other things to take care of today - including completing getting Act! for the Web software and getting it installed so we can get things going. Let me see how soon the software can get here.

And we should go over how to best route the appointments (so I can go to one area and do several in the same day for example...)

I will talk to you as soon as I get that information...write me with any questions you may have too...

JC

***The rate of pay he agreed to was $150 a week for 20 hours a week setting his appointments. But I ended up having to get ACT myself and then as well I needed an unlimited long distance plan so I could make the 4 hours daily of calls:

From: "Jamie Coyne" To: "Victoria
Subject: Re: You Ad
Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2003 18:53:01 -0400


Hello there,

Do you have a copy of Act! on your machine? After looking at it seriously today...The Act! for web idea gets pretty costly to set up...And after viewing a demo it isn't as fast and efficient as Act! on your desktop...

So that may work best - and you could sync the data base with me everyday via email...

Do you have highspeed internet? Talk to you soon...JC

*** On top of that once this seemed finalised I went ahead and quit my previous job since I wasnt making what I wanted with that company. He told me I would start that next monday when I signed an agreement and faxed it back. Also at this point I bought a fax number so I could more easily do the job:


From: "Jamie Coyne" | This is spam | Add to Address Book
To: "Victoria
Subject: Re: Hello From Vicky
Date: Thu, 1 May 2003 16:38:39 -0400

Hi Vicky,
Look over the attached in MS Word format...A bit longer - but outlines with Independent Contractor relationship and basic things weve discussed. I deal with agreements and contracts in many respects throughout our businesses - and NEVER want or intend for someone to be intimidated by a document or its length - nor do I ever intend for an agreement to be confusing or anything than in the interest of all parties. So look it over - it's very basic to cover both sides...If you have questions or changes just drop me a note...very flexible...

Talk to you soon...Jamie


From: "Jamie Coyne" | This is spam | Add to Address Book
To: "Victoria
Subject: Re: Hello From Vicky
Date: Fri, 2 May 2003 00:29:18 -0400

Our fax is 614-338-8938
JC


***I faxed the filled out agreement to him twice because the first time the margins were not right and he had me redo it which is fine. Then most of our corrospondence slowed waaaay down. Monday came and went and I waited and emailed and waited and after some poor excuses on his part about being busy he emails me this:


From: "Jamie Coyne" | This is spam | Add to Address Book
To: "Victoria
Subject: Re: Hello From Vicky
Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 11:25:04 -0400


Vicky I've hit a slight snag. A friend of mine was been helping me from home doing some of this and I had made her the same deal I made you (this was for the last two weeks up until finding you) - the trouble is she's only getting about 8 of these a week - which is a problem since MY payments don't come until I complete the job - and that $150 is still due on Friday.

What I did in her case was ask her to go to commission until she get's proficent with Windows and Act and the procedure (training if you will.) - That way I'm not shelling out $150 a week with no return (which I honestly can't absorb.) - (let alone $300 a week) - What I'm saying is that - I have a good feeling that you are going to work out well. I also want to be fair to (patient with) my friend about deciding if it's not working out with her and give it another two weeks (a full month) to be painfully fair.

What'd I'd like to ask you to do - is start on a commission basis so I can see how well you perform. Under my original plan - if you aren't 'up to speed in the begining' it could potentially produce nothing ($$) the first week and I'd still be obligated to the fee we discussed. And that wouldn't make sense.

This way you could get familiar with everything and we can gauge how well it goes...

Thanks,

Get back to me... Jamie

*** First of all my thoughts were WHY did he agree to hire me if he was having troubles. But I sent back an email stating if he payed me by appointment instead that would have been acceptable. Then he didnt reply for a few days and when he finally did this is the letter I recieved:


From: "Jamie Coyne" | This is spam | Add to Address Book
To: "Victoria Subject: Re: Hello From Vicky
Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 22:20:32 -0400


Hi Vicky,

Things are such that I can't take on the risk/responsibility of adding someone else right now...I do want to expand this and am very confident that you will do well - but I don't want to do it - if I forsee that I could encounter a Friday and might not be able to pay you (the margin is pretty tight right now) - and I know you would generate work and ultimately money - but those jobs and payments are often delayed several weeks or months and you would still
need paid on friday...

Let me continue to evaluate things here and see how soon I can make it all work...I don't want to start with a poor foundation...

I appreciate what you said in your letter. Although you also mentioned your 'youth' - and believe me that's in no way a consideration for me- regardless of your age - and moveover it's not a deterant if that's what you were thinking...You don't have to sell me on your enthusiasm or abilities - I am already sold on that...I think you'll do a great job...

Jamie
JC

*** But here was the final feather that broke the camels back for me. I wrote him that I was upset with this and he wrote back with this:


From: "Jamie Coyne" | This is spam | Add to Address Book
To: "Victoria Subject: Re: Hello From Vicky
Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 21:56:54 -0400

I hear ya...I just got in and I am beat...Let me put my thinking cap on and give you a holler in the AM okay?

We'll figure this out...as I said before I'm optimistic about it - I just need to put the pieces together to make it all work -and we will...

Don't lose any sleep over this - we'll knock it out...JC

*** Well that was tuesday night the 13th of May 2003 and I have yet to have heard from Mr. Jamie Coyne.

My point in this is to beware getting involved with Jamie. I dont think that he is a bad person per say..however he is not a reliable employer.

Victoria
Cleveland, Tennessee
U.S.A.