Smart Advertising Solutions, Smart Lending Solutions, Smart Home Business Connection, Image Incentives They change their name again. You can get a report from the BBB at arizona.org Tempe Arizona
I received a telemarketing phone call today from Jim Williams. He claimed to be a representative of a Company in Tempe Arizona called Image Incentives. He claimed his company builds websites to help people make money in their own home-based business. After asking me several questions, he presented me with a nine minute recording telling me what I could expect from owning my own home-based business. After the recorded presentation, I was transferred to another sales representative who's first name was Eric. I don't have notes of his last name, but in my opinion he was what I would call a hard sales expert. During our conversation he mentioned the company name of Smart Advertising Solutions.
I should explain that I have been in the home-based business field for some time and own several websites myself, so I have some experience in this field; therefore I suspected that this alleged hard sales technique was leading to some kind of scam. I finally decided to hang up.
My curiosity got the best of me so I decided to do a google search for a company called Image Incentives. No luck there so I tried Smart Advertising Solutions. I hit the jackpot with that name and even found this site using that name. Next I called the Arizona Attorney General's office and was directed to the Better Business Bureau. The representative at the BBB started giving me a verbal report on Smart Advertising Solutions, which included a payment to the State of Arizona in the amount of $225,000.00 in fines.
I informed the representative that the company was now operating under the name of Image Incentives and she added that name to their list of AKAs.
I then went to the Arizona website at www.arizonabbb.org, entered the Smart Advertising Solutions in the company search field and printed out a five page report on this company. Check it out for yourself.
I can only imagine that if this company came up with $225,000.00 to pay a fine, how much money this company must be earning with this alleged scam.
My only hope is that because of companies like this you don't become discouraged with the home-based business industry. It is estimated that there are over 144,000,000 home-based businesses and that number is growing rapidly. Unfortunately, like any other industry, there are companies that are not legitimate. Always check things out before you get involved. If you feel you are getting high pressured, that is a sure sign that something is wrong. Normally if you do a google search and add the word "scam" to the end of the company name in question, you will see if other people on the web have had problems with the company.
Stu
Ballwin, Missouri
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
DONTRUMP
Copalis Beach,Washington,
USA
IMAGE INCENTIVES WORKED FOR ME
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, May 13, 2011
wow,I don't know what company you guys are talking about. I love my website, I love the customer service and I always get my emails and calls returned the same day. BTW...they have also had the same business name (Image Incentives) at the same location since their beginning and that is hard to find in home based business land."
DONTRUMP
Copalis Beach,Washington,
USA
Image Incentives Worked for me
#5General Comment
Fri, May 13, 2011
wow,I don't know what company you guys are talking about. I love my website, I love the customer service and I always get my emails and calls returned the same day. BTW...they have also had the same business name (Image Incentives) at the same location since their beginning and that is hard to find in home based business land."
Jon
LAKEWOOD,California,
U.S.A.
BEWARE I received a cold call from Image Incentive John Strummer on Home phone and never signed up for any such company
#5Consumer Comment
Wed, July 23, 2008
Customer lies? No cold calling? Then Drummer why am I getting phone calls from Image Incentive John Strummer Tempe , AR and DID NOT fill out any form to get information from Image Incentive at all like his message said. It also mentioned getting calls from other get rich companies but never denied Image Incentive is one , he said this one works and you should call back. Why are you guys using Image Incentive name if the actual name of your company is Smart Advertising Solutions?
John Strummer says the company he's with is Image Incentive and not a program , why does he say that if this is a legitimate company? The City of Tempe , AR business tax and license department has no such business or salesperson listed with them , again why is that? It looks to me like either your hiding something from anybody looking for infromation on Image Incentive/Smart Advertising Solutions a suppossed legitimate company/program, why is there no information on Image Incentive so anyone can check out your information on what your company does if this is a legitimate company/program? You only want us to call so you can run your hard sales pitch instead of actually letting people know what kind of company you really are , and the customer lies or is embarrassed about not working for your company?
That just proves what kind of operation Image Incentive is running a high pressure gotta get in now , sounds like another scam when nobody can get information about your legitimate company/program. John Strummer Image Incentive Tempe, AR (480) 588-0703 City of Tempe Arizona has no such company listed in Tax and license department or any such person listed for any company in Tempe, AR per City employee Shelley Heam and Hugh Hallman.
Drummer
Phx,Arizona,
U.S.A.
COMPLETELY FALSE INFORMATION
#5UPDATE Employee
Thu, July 03, 2008
I have been a Senior Account Manager with Smart Advertising Solutions for almost five years. I am truly appalled at the gross innacuracies stated by this individual.
1. Our company name is and has always been Smart Advertising Solutions. We sell a home based business opportunity called Image Incentives (imageincentives.com) Same owner, same location, same phone number, same employees same business. Our office is located at 3015 S. 48th St. Tempe AZ 85282, and we have been in the same location for over 5 years, and have 0 unresolved complaints against us with the Better Business Bureau.
2. The Attourney General Fine was for a post card (mail piece) that we had sent out to generate interest in our program. The mail piece did not have a disclaimer message stating "results may vary". We paid our fine, changed our post card and have had no problems since. We could have just changed our name, and opened up a different office and turned our back from the problem. ( Like most scam call centers do.) Also if you read the B.B.B. report in its entirety you will see that the B.B.B. states "Smart Advertising Solutions admits no guilt to these allegations." This clearly displays our willingness to pay our fine and be in compliance regardless of our personal beliefs as to what acceptable marketing entails.
3. We ONLY call individuals who request information on a home based business opportunity and do not exercise the practice of "cold calling". We also give our first and last name, phone number, location and announce to our prospective client that different represenative will be on the phone after a seven minute audio presentation has been played. We don't surprise our customers with the cost of the business either. The cost of the program ($395, $295 or $195) is disclosed prior to the presentation as well as the business model's basic concept. After our client pays their initial start up costs there ARE NO MONTLY FEES FOR ANYTING. The only other cost for their website is an annual fee of $25 per year, and any advertising they wish to do.
4. Our file number with the State of Arizona is 10879014, and can be researched at azsos.gov. (Arizona Secretary of State ) There is also a "Corporation in Good Standing" certificate that anyone can print off to insure we are who we say we are, and that we are in good standing.
How could all this be true, and still people go online and make false statements regarding our company? Here are a couple of reasons for this behavior.
1. Lack of start up capital.
- Some individuals are turned off at the practice of "pre qualifying" for the availability of start up capital. All real businesses require some type of investment in order to have an honest chance at making an income. We ask our customers if at least $200 is affordable on a debit or credit card before playing our audio sales presentation.
2. Frustration with multiple sales calls from different organizations.
- Many of our clients, and prospective customers recieve dozens of sales calls soon after their inquiry has been made online or offline. When a customer makes an inquiry about a particular home based business opportunity, this "lead" is sold over and over again to many different sales organizations. This can create a multitude of calls to the customer.
3. Lies
- The customer lies about the affordability of the business and enters the sales call under false pretenses. When asked what method of payment they would like to use after the presentation is made, this often causes a series of excuses as to why they can not get started. This in turn can cause embarassment, and inferiority issues with the customer.
4. Jealousy
- Are some of our clients successful with our promotional product program? Yes, absoloutely. Are all our customers successful? No. We are not a get rich quick business opportunity, and therefore have no desire to work with those who do not have the drive to be successful. Many people are impulse buyers and do nothing with their business. The ones that do follow through and do well are envyed by all the negative quitters.
We pride ourselves in providing our clients with a rock solid, quality home business that really works. Our program was launched after 18 months of research and develpment, and has helped us align ourselves with household names such as Fruit of the Loom, Hanes, Sharpie, Bic, Bella, 3M and dozens of other household names. The truth of the matter is we lose money in most cases when we set up our customers in the business. When you factor in paying our salespeople, paying our customer service department to help our clients and their clients, website hosting and maintenance and paying our web developers - it costs us money to get our clients involved. Why do we do this? We make a commission every time one of our clients has an order processed throught their product center website. This is a revenue stream that could continue for years to come for our company depending on how successful our client is. The bottom line - we have a vested interest in how our clients perform with the business.
I hope that I have cleared up any false accusations made by those who use this forum to make erroneous statements. Anyone that has a question about what I have posted, or concerns regarding our company, I urge you to call us direct at 800-746-6753 ext. 4525 and we would be glad to answer any questions you have. Thank you.