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Stallion Inc. Marketing Scam, working for Stallion or Cydcor, which are interchangable terms, is one or two steps above stealing form the collection plate at church Nashville Tennessee
After being new to the Nashville area, I applied for a job on careerbuilder.com for a company called Stallion Inc. The ad was vague, but sounded like a good idea. I was called in for an initial interview, where I met with Stephen Sherieko, and during which I found out surprisingly little about what Stallion did. The interview went well, and I was asked to come in the following day for a second interview with one of Stallion's "top account executives".
The following day I showed up at 9:00am, my scheduled time, and was then informed that the interview was to last until about 5:00pm. I had several other interviews scheduled that day with several other companies, that I had to reschedule while I was in the car with my interviewer. It would have been nice for some advance notice.
I spent the day with two very nice and outgoing young women, but the whole thing seemed orchestrated. Firstly, I was told that my function on this day was to watch what my interviewer was doing, keep the customer busy while she was on the phone or filling out paperwork, and ask general questions pertaining to the job.
However, on the way to the territory, none of my questions were answered by my interviewer. She danced and skirted around them, and told me that all of my questions would be answered at lunch.
So at lunch I was told about how in a years time I could be the owner of my own company and making six figures plus. But the questions I had about my specific day to day functions at Stallion were not fully explained, and I was told that if I was offered the job, they would all be explained at my final interview whith the owner, Whitney Myrick.
We spent the entire day going from business to business setting business owners up with BellSouth products that they were apparently paying for but not receiving. This was not sales, I was told, since 90% of the businesses we see are already BellSouth customers.
We didn't return to Stallion at 5:00pm like I was told. We finally got back at around 6:30pm, where I filled out a survey about my day, and met with Whitney where I was offered the job. The promise of six figures is hard to turn down, but I told her that I would have to talk it over with my fiance.
She became visibly upset and told me that if I didn't want to better myself by taking this "winning lottery ticket", there were 100 other people who would jump at an oppertunity like this. So against my better judgment I accepted the job on the spot, without speaking to my fiance first.
The following day I was introduced to "atmosphere", a morning gathering of all office personnel, where loud music is played, people are praised for their outstanding job in the field the day before, and an inspiring story is told to motivate the staff, and afford them something to think about in the field that day.
As it turns out I was assigned to the team that my interviewer was the leader of, and on my first real day of training, I was to go out with her again. This, however, did not happen. I went out with another account executive, who looked as if he slept in his suit, and was suffering from a severe hangover.
The day went just as the one before it, only with one exception. When one is selling BellSouth products, after all of the paperwork is filled out, a third party verification call (TPV) needs to be placed. This is done to protect the customer as well as the rep. So I don't add 40 new telephone lines to the customers account after I leave, the order is placed with BellSouth while I am standing with the customer, and the customer is required, by law, to verify his identity and the order to the person on the phone.
We had walked into a bar to speak with the owner, who wasen't there, but ended up speaking with one of the bar's customers. This man was visibly drunk, and at one point left to go smoke a joint. The rep, whom I will call Adam, went with him and left me there in the bar.
When they finally returned, 30 minutes later, Adam had agreed to buy this man a beer if he signed up for a business line at his brothers house. This is in itself illegal, but was done nonetheless. After the customer signed the paperwork, Adam bought him a bud light, and we left the bar without making the federally required TPV call.
When we returned to Adam's car, he wanted me to pretend to be the customer when he placed the TPV call, so he could collect the $100 or so commission for the application. I asked Adam if this was legal, and he told me that since the man was drunk, it was. Since I was on my first day of training I believed him, and acted like the customer when Adam placed the TPV call.
Later I found out that I could have been fined and jailed for this.
My time progressed with Stallion, and after four weeks I still had not received a paycheck. When I asked Whitney about this, she said she would look into it, and after further investigation, she told me I would have to wait another week.
In that week, I went on a business trip to southern Tennessee. Since I had not been paid for five weeks, money was tight, and when I asked about compensation for gas or a per diem, I was told that if I wanted to progress in this business, a certain degree of personal sacrifice was expected of me. And that I would be compensated on my paycheck, which I was, in the amount of $25. Bringing my entire paycheck, for my first three weeks of work with Stallion, to $112.43.
When I asked about my low paycheck, I was reminded again about the amount of sacrifice that was required of me. At this meeting I was also informed that I was asking too many negative questions, and that she felt everyone would be better served if I stopped bringing this "negative energy" into the office.
My fiance and I have a three-year-old son, and by the first day of my sixth week with Stallion, I had only received $112.43, which included the $25 bonus I received for going out of town. We had been in Nashville for seven weeks, and our savings was pretty much spent, and I was in the wrong for asking for the money that I was owed. I was told to "consider the big picture," and in time things would work themselves out, and if I had any sort of faith in the system, I would progress and things would get better.
The system is a monster all of its own. In the morning atomsphere, I referred to earlier, part of that time is spent learning how sell BellSouth products to people who don't really need them. Rebuttals play a major role in this, as focus is taken off of the customers total bill, and placed on individual parts of that bill.
We are tought how to sell unlimited long distance which would raise, in one case, a customers bill $165, when that customer is only using 12 minutes a month of long distance. Which means that customer is paying $13.75 a minute for long distance. We are praised and encouraged to do this.
In the evening, after you return from the field, there is an evening atmosphere, where theories are tought. These theories are nothing short of a mild form of brain washing. They are a tool we can use in the field to get more customers to purchase BellSouth products they don't really need, and in most cases don't really want.
That's not to say, there are some customers who truely benefit from our interaction with each other. Occasionally, I will run into a customer who will actually receive a lower bill after all of the changes take place, but these customers are very few and far between.
Perhaps the most disturbing portion of atmosphere, either morning or evening, is learning the hierarchy of Cydcor. Cydcor is the parent company of Stallion Inc., as well as many, many other offices across the country. Cydcor is whats known as a "lister", for a company called DS-Max.
It works like this. DS-Max finds the client, in my case BellSouth. BellSouth is DS-Max's client. Cydcor is hired by DS-Max to list the BellSouth products to all of cydcor's children, in my case Stallion Inc. Stallion hires me, a sub-contractor, to go out and sell a BellSouth product. I receive a commission for each BellSouth product I sell. Stallion's owner, Whitney, receives a commission, Stallion itself gets a cut, and Cydcor takes the rest.
I was never told about this set up by anyone person at Stallion. I had to do the research myself online, which if you can use google, is no hard feat.
In any case, in atmosphere, we are told about Cydcor VP's and how they picked themselves up by their boot-straps, just as I am doing, and are now buying houses for each other. What makes this whole thing so strange is it carries itself with the aire of a cult, as we are told to not ask questions, and put blind trust into these people whom I have never met, and whom I wouldn't know if I were kicking them.
Negative questions are never tolerated. The turn-over rate, for Stallion at least, is very, very high. Which makes it difficult for the team leaders to get promoted because if their team doesn't meet a weekly quota, they have failed as leaders. Regardless of the fact that their team that had 9 members last week, only has 4 members this week. Retention is also very difficult.
All in all, working for Stallion or Cydcor, which are interchangable terms, is one or two steps above stealing form the collection plate at church. I would rather earn money by stealing from the blind disabled vet on the corner than by working for Cydcor.
Archimedes
Nashville, Tennessee
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on ds-max, dsmax, ds/max, granton marketing, cydcor
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Nate
Nashville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Beware: 51 Century Blvd. Suite 308 Nashville, Tennessee 37214
#6Consumer Comment
Thu, March 27, 2008
Xcel Marketing Inc and Stallion are sister companies. Same policies and procedures.
There are many different divisions of this same company all over every major city in the US. They are specifically designed for Retail sales like Papa Johns coupons or Bell South contracts. The new division is a Home Improvement branch. They set up appointments for a manager to come by with some "free information" for the home owner. The sales person will then come by for the appointment with the homeowner and sell them the product.
The companies that I know about in Nashville, Tn were:
Home Improvement:
1. The Smart Circle
2. Focus Marketing Solutions
Both have failed
Retail:
1. Atlas Marketing
Still existing
It is difficult to keep track of these businesses because most go under or relocate and a new one takes its place. The funny thing is that they all take over the same office. 51 Century Blvd. Suite 308 Nashville, Tn 37214
James
Spring Hill,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
SAME ALL AROUND TO THE "T"
#6Consumer Comment
Sun, March 25, 2007
Stallion, INC. I can say that they are consistent. I received my phone call at 1:15 from Whitney congratulating me for being among the 3 out of 5 chosen to ride with the corporate trainer. I wonder why 1:15 is so significant. The next day we rode around, Lynn & I while she explained to me that if I keep making rights while driving I would end up in the same place eventually, thanks Lynn. I was told that I would be taken to lunch and there the details of compensation and more about the job would be explained.
So here I am wearing a suit that is probably worth more than the car I was riding in thinking that lunch would be paid for by company expense, etc...WRONG, Lynn asked me where I would like to eat and I suggested a place like Ruby Tuesday, trying to be modest...well as it turns out the lunch was at an Arby's and I was expected to pay for my own plate. Well I didnt bring cash or credit card as I did not see a need for it, I only brought a state driver license for ID purposes. Lynn was sweet enough to pay for my number 3 and I do thank her.
Once we returned to the evening atmosphere I filled out the famous survey and was then brought in to the room where I was told that work started Monday morning at 7:45, and that Lynn would personally oversee my training, I never showed up, maybe do to the fact that almost every business owner we encountered that day assumed that I was the boss and that I was told by Lynn that if I worked really hard I could earn up to 350 a week while driving my own car and paying for gas.
I thank god that I am in my early thirties and have half a brain to recognize a joke when I see and hear it. One aspect that I didnt like is that Stallion likes to target fresh out military members such as myself to fill their seats. When I asked why this was Lynn told me that we have a better work ethic, etc..and as right as she may be, I think a fresh out ex-military guy or gal is easy to recruit into an office where the men wear ties and the women dress equally as nice. It was a very professional looking environment that reflects a good paying job I will give them that.
To anyone thinking of joining this team, beware, anyone who is there now and isnt making at least 350 a week, quit, you're better. One more thing Lynn, Arbys isnt going to get you the kind of quality employee that Stallion deserves, if I happen to see you out and about its my turn to buy and since I have a great government job now we can go to a place with a menu
Annette
Nashville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
THANK YOU
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, January 31, 2007
Due to pure luck (and a rapid spamming of my resume,) I was contacted by Stallion Inc today by the individuals listed in this report. You have definitely given me something to think about. Thank you so much!
Amanda
Nashville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
I ALMOST got sucked in
#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, December 09, 2006
I went through the whole process of being interviewed, job shadowing with the "corporate trainer" and being offered the job. In my experience I felt like something had to be wrong. My first interview lasted about ten minutes. I was told that two people would be called back for a second interview at about 1 pm that afternoon. Sure enough, at 1:15, my phone was ringing and it was Whitney herself calling to tell me the "good news".
I was skeptical, but my boyfriend told me to go to the second interview and see what was up. I arrived for the second interview, where I was greeted with a smile. While waiting I heard Liz on the phone telling some poor person lies in order to get her to actually come to the interview. That was my first red flag of the day. Then after waiting about twenty minutes in the lobby, a girl named Lynn came out to tell me she would be interviewing me today. Actually, she was one of the nicest people I have ever met, but it is hard to tell about someone who is scamming people for a living. I thought it was actually cool that I could smoke during the interview...second red flag. I asked a ton of questions, which were all answered in a round-about way.
When we came back to the office, about one hour past the time I was told the interview would be over, I was told to wait while Lynn and Whitney talked things over. At that point I saw them walking out the door with cigarretts in hand. Fifteen minutes later, I was called into the office and talked to about the "company standards" all the while Whitney had this serious stern look on her face. The bottom line is I was told that there would be no third interview, that I had gotten the job already. There was no room for me to say...can I think about it?...Third red flag. Needless to say, i was excited that I been hired, after months of interviewing with other places and getting nowhere. I was told that I would start the following monday.
I called my boyfriend and he was even more skeptical than I was, which took away my excitement. I called Whitney to get my start date pushed back a day, due to another interview that I had scheduled with XCel Marketing...another scam. Then on Tuesday I decided I was through with Marketing altogether and called to say, Thanks but NO THANKS. I have zero regrets! DON'T do it. I am just sad that I had to take off work for two days for this wonderful job opportunity that never would have amounted to anything.
Jessica
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
Cydcor is dishonest
#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, September 16, 2006
I recently quit the company.
Cydcor has 2,000 reps. To substain that number, they have to hire 20,000 reps every year because of the high turnover. People leave after they found out the truth.
Of the 20,000 reps, every year about 100 will open their own office.
Every year Cydcor closes 90 offices.
In my office rep makes an average of $300 a week. At at least 60 hours a week, that's $5 an hour.