Complaint Review: National Magazine Exchange

That's right, keep being a pawn for the company, until they toss you out on your ear! How long before you're asking "Do you want to super-size for just .49 more?" See you at Wendy's! The sooner we break out of the concentration camp on U.S. 19, the better our lives will be! You can take the lousy $600, that's not enough money to give up my dignity! So, just leave your morals at the door, and keep collecting your paychecks.

No matter how you're winning it, if you win a large portion of money, they do not give it to you all at once. You win the 28 million state lotto jackpot, you're not going to get 28 million. You get annual installments (the FL state lotto gives those installments over 30 years, same as the million dollars the NME gives out. What a coincidence. Could it be that they're possibly....following the law?), or one lump some payment which is significantly less than the total. It's not because they want to scam you, it's because that's the law. As for Texas, the reason it's only 25,000 there is because it's illegal in the state of Texas to give away more than 25,000 dollars. Again, they adjusted their business to keep within the state law. So you get $33,333.34 a year instead of the full million. You're right, that's not much. The average American makes about $34,000 a year. Does sound like a bit of a sucker punch. But hey, that's the way our laws work. You don't want that, take the lump sum. Either way, it's still a large chunk of money you didn't have before. You're still managing to scrape by now, so if you do win, I'm sure that extra income would be nice. When you get your first installment, take about five thousand to get yourself ahead on some of your bills. You're still managing on your money now, so you shouldn't need an extreme amount just to be sure you able to make those minimums each month. Buy yourself something you don't really need, but just have to have, and drop the rest into a safe investment and forget about it. Enjoy your big screen tv, new computer, or that extremely overpriced Gucci handbag.

Sales is always a tough job. Telephone sales, which is what the company does, is often given a worse name than regular sales jobs. Of course there's a high turnover rate. Look into any calling center in the country and their turnover will suddenly look very similar to that of NME. It's not unusual in that field of work.

Part of the job is to get people to buy things. Some of the people who work there are nice about it, some aren't so nice. They each do what works for them to get a paycheck every week. It's nothing personal toward the person calling, it's simply a way to pay the bills. Believe it or not, most people that work there do NOT make 600 a week. In fact, most of the peope working there make their hourly wage, and that's it. The good ones, or the ones that put in extra hours, make about 600, yes. That's either if you're good at what you do, or you really need the money. You put in 60 hours a week instead of the regular 40 at any job and you expect to make more.

It's not a bad company to work for. It's actually a really good company. The benefits are good. The pay is there if you're good at your job and work at it. Yes, there's a certain amount of stress, and possibly moreso than the average 9-5 paperpusher has, but it's not anything that would make someone go home and slit their wrists. You have to have thicker skin than the average person to work there, because you will occassionaly get hollered at or hung up on. It's the same situation as in any sales position.

Regardless of the fact that these people do want to make money, they aren't out to dupe you. They try to make you understand that if you do read magazines, or know someone who does, then it really is a great deal. Yes, you're forced to use your rebuttals or suffer termination. That's part of the job. People are programmed to say no if they don't understand, the rebuttals are there not to force people into doing something they don't want to, but to help them better understand the promotion. Just the same as any other job, if you don't do your job, then you don't have a job. You work in a fast food joint, you come home greasier than a monkey and while you're there you mop the floors. You work in an office, you get your boss coffee and you have to get your paperwork in on time. You work at an airport counter, you have to check the tickets. You don't do your job, you lose your job. Simple as that. It makes sense. It's not mistreatment by the company. If you have a problem using the rebuttals, then telemarketting very simply isn't the place for you. That's fine. It isn't the place for alot of people. Hence the high turnover.

The people who work there aren't trying to personally insult you, and they aren't trying to screw you over. They are trying to do their jobs. That's it. They explain the promotion. If you say no, they assume that you don't understand, and they explain it again. You say no, they think, "maybe they didn't hear anything they liked, so what does this person like?" You say no again, the company's mentality is, "maybe they already get the ones they like/want, so what do they get, because we know our deal is better than what they're getting."

They aren't grilling you. They aren't forcing you. They're doing their jobs. It's the same thing when some secretary tells you that, no, you can't come in without an appointment, and doesn't budge. She's not trying to be evil, she's just doing what she has to do. Sometimes, with some people, you do need to have a bit of attitude so they'll hear you out. Still, you're not straight out rude, it's just a simple pointer, you don't want to hear what I have to say, I understand that, and most people don't want to hear me out, but my job is to explain this to you.

If you have a problem with that kind of company. A company filled with people who work to do their jobs or leave that company, then you've certainly got a right to your own opinion. However, this is telephone sales. Remember, you do have the power to say no. I've been told no by people who scream and shout and also by people who are enormously polite about it. Either way works. It can be done. Remember there's no purchase or payment required, and they will not deny it. They may not like having to repeat that, but they won't tell you that's not true, and they'll repeat it if they have to. In order for it to work though, you will have to say no more than one time. If you don't like that, hang up. You have the power to do that too.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful to those of you who think you have legitimate complaints. I'm just trying to point out that somewhere down the line you forgot that you actually have control of the situation.

You called in.
You stayed on the line.
You picked magazines or allowed yourself to be transfered.
You heard the billing (whether you listened or not).
You gave out your credit or check information.
You said "yes" on tape.

You have the ability to ask questions about anything you don't understand. You have the ability to hang up. You have the ability to say no. You have the ability to change your mind when you're on the phone with this company.

You may be thinking that these people are a bit pushier than the ordinary person you meet on the street. The ordinary stranger isn't trying to sell you something. The reason they can be a little pushy is because they know that you have all the power. You have the power to say no, hang up, or simply not answer any questions. They try to gain a bit back by knowing what to say, how to say it and when to say it. Sometimes they try to gain a bit of it back by being pushy, or at least seeming that way. It's not because they're mean, greedy people. It's not because they're a scam. It's not because they're trying to screw you over and steal your last dollar. It's not because they don't like you, they don't even know you! It's because you have the power, they know it, and they want you to forget that for just long enough to make you listen to what they have to say, because maybe if they can manage that, you'll realize...hey, this is a good deal, and ya know what? I don't read alot of magazines, but I do get that one every now and again, and my daughter likes YM, and my son would probably read that computer thing they mentioned, maybe it would be easier than getting it from the newstand. Then again, maybe you won't see the deal. Maybe you really don't read magazines. Maybe you really do have too many already. Maybe you really do get them free from work, or a neighbor. But hey, at least you listened, and maybe figured out you're speaking to an actual person who's just doing they're job. They ask you more than once for the same reason you called in to win a million dollars: Whether you win or not, it's worth a shot, and whether you pick out magazines or not, the employees won't know unless they try.

This is the funniest thing I have ever heard. Grilled now is asking you politely to buy magazines 4 times.

The 1 one is the pitch... 7-8 Mags for 1.29/wk

#2 Is the pitch again. Making use that you understood the offer.

3... What are your interests?

And 4 is Talk to my supervisor, that way they can tell about the bill so you can see the great deal. And Inside the 4th is the statement, Your under NO obligation to make a purchase...

Try looking at cars are a used car lot. Everyone here is really nice. And no one can be forced to buy them, LOL. We have to stop if its an unwanted presentation.

And the only reason we have such a high turn-over rate is because a lot of people try telemarketing out here for the first time and dont like it.

Im just a lowbie grunt worker and EVERYONE I have ever talked to has no problem working there.

And to put it all in prespective. A good 1000+ people take or magazines a day. And most of them are for four [4] years.