Complaint Review: North American Holdings

I answered a Craig's list add for a customer service rep position for a company called North American Holdings, and they called me in for an interview.  I looked it up.  Wow, billion dollar company owned by Warren Buffett.  I went in - the office was jammed with applicant's and the phone was ringing off the hook with yet more job seekers. 

 I met with Jessica who thought I would be perfect, put stars on my profile page, and said she would tell George all about me.  On Thursday, I got a call to come in ASAP to interview with George.  I raced through my closet and the shower, drove like the wind, and sat amongst another group of more interviewees for an hour.  I asked how many they were hiring, and the young man at the reception desk, KC, said twelve or so.

 My turn finally came, and I met George Taylor.  He told me that the cleaning supply part of the company was just a proving ground, and that he could see taking someone like me into the Solar Panel division.  He had the rights to 48 states, and this sector had the potential for someone like me to bring in six figures within the first three years.  Gee, this was sounding pretty good!  George said he would make a decision soon. 

He sure did!  On Friday, March 4th (the next day) his assistant called me at three and wanted me in by four to go on the road for training.  I stuffed some business casual stuff in an overnight bag and drove backroads at top speed to get there on time.  When I arrived, his assistant manager KC was loading Kirby Vacumes into a van.  George was loading more equipment into his Ford Expedition. This time, no one else was around.

 A nervous seventeen year-old girl named Chelsie waited with a suitcase in the office. They had us sign a contract for $300 per week and asked to photocopy our driver's licenses.  Chelsie did not have one. I was shocked to find out that just the four of us were going.  It seemed more than a little suspicious to me that they would hire this very pretty girl who did not drive, nor even posess a driver's license for a traveling sales rep position with a four state territory.  I wasn't about to let her go off alone with the two of them, so off we all went.  George wanted me in his vehicle, and Chelsie stuck close to me. He said he hoped it wouldn't be a problem but we would need to pay for our own meals.  Chelsie was clearly worried.  She didn't have any money and asked, "When will we be coming back?"  He snapped, "You're here for some training aren't you?"  (I paid for her food.) 

We drove from Bend to the Dalles - three hours and arrived after dark to a Shilo Inn.  He got one room for all of us!  Both Chelsie and I shook our heads - no way.  George grumbled and got a room across the hall for the guys.  They came over to our room, and after BS-ing for an hour, George started in with the company grooming.  He said it we didn't like the job, at least we would get the $300 training money.

Both of us were hired as 'door openers.'  He gave Chelsie a line of bull to tell prospects that she was putting herself through college and only needed one more demo to qualify for a bonus.  Kirby salespeople zero in on older country people with late model American cars in the drive.  A Buick LaCrosse is their favorite.  He confessed he hired me for my trustworthy face - like a 'golden retriever.' We were supposed to get them in the doors by knocking in a coded tap-tap so people would think it was a friend.   He bought Clorox tissues and Gain to give as a free gift. Every move was choreographed and rehearsed.  We would use the gift to get in, and then George and KC would step in and take over on a high-pressure demo, sometimes lasting three to five hours.  The price - $3000!  They can usually only get that in Texas, and will wheel and deal down to $800 if necessary, but usually get around $1,800 per vac.

 I got rid of them finally around eleven, and Chelsie and I went to sleep.  At 2:30 am, someone began knocking on the door and would not stop. Soon, it became banging. Finally the company knock. I called the front desk and made sure they did not give a key to George or KC.  The pounding continued.  We were terrified.  Finally, the phone rang.  It was KC telling me that George had been arrested and I needed to bail him out.  I called The Dalles police station and verified this.  They would not give me the details of the arrest, but it didn't matter, I had no intention of bailing him out. 

 I called my son who came and got Chelsie and me, and drove us back to Bend. Food and gas - about a hundred bucks I can't afford right now.  I was employed for 12 hours, but they were 12 horrible hours.  Neither Chelsie or I got our training pay.

 I hope someone does an expose on Kirby, because I have been reading hundreds of complaints, and they browbeat poor old people on social security for hours, and frighten them about dirt and insects.  They pour dirt on the carpets from the vacume filter and say"Surely you don't want your little grandbaby crawling all over that when she comes to visit grandma.  Disgusting."  The company is disgusting!!!!