Complaint Review: CommTech Solutions LLC - Poway California

If you are searching for a company to promote and drive traffic to a website, please take heed of the contents of this report. I've posted it in order to warn anyone contemplating contracting this conman who goes by the name of Chris Randolph of Google Front Page Listing AKA CommTech Solutions, LLC AKA COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AKA Chris the Google Guy with a phone # of 858-433-8002 to perform search engine optimization services on your website. Please read the following and learn from my mistake so you don't get ripped off too.

Chris Randolph's websites can be viewed at the following links:
http://www.GoogleFrontPageListing.com
http://www.getsalesedge.com
http://www.HowToHandleObjections.com

What follows is the copied and pasted text of several email messages between me and Chris Randolph. I had filled out the Contact Form at the website as well as called the phone # which no one ever answers:

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:   [email protected]
Date:   Thu, June 9, 2011 2:25 am
To:       [email protected]

Hi XXXXXX,this is Chris and you had left me a message on my voicemail.  The website you had gone to was www.GoogleFrontPageListing.com. I'm currently in Malaysia right now and will be here for the next 6 weeks because I also have a branch office here in Kuala Lumpur that handles clients from all over the Asian region.

If it's okay with you, we can communicate initially via email. I took a look at your website www.xxxx.com and we can certainly improve your rankings in a relatively short amount of time.  Perhaps we can start by having you send me your thoughts on what the keywords should be and we'll run those through my algorithm program to see what results we get and also the other possible relevant and effective options.I will mention that we do work rather quickly but because I am in the other end of the world, there might be a slight lag in my communication with you because of the time difference. I'll also mention that all my staff are here in Kuala Lumpur so that's good for you because I can supervise your project first hand. I sincerely hope this email gets to you and the best email to get in touch with me is this one ([email protected]).
I await your reply!
Warmly,Chris Randolph

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:   [email protected]
Date:       Fri, June 10, 2011 1:36 am

Hi xxxxx,thanks for your email.
I did a brief analysis of your site (see report below). On the surface, it seems that the site should rank well, but there are some issues that prevent it from doing so.
We can certainly rank your site for the keywords.
Our process will take approximately 7 to 14 days (also depending on how quickly you can get the changes implemented on your site).The strategy will be 3-fold:1. We will provide you complete list of amendments (not structural) that you need to make to your site.  These will include text changes (which does not change the message you are sending in the site), picture label adjustments, content adjustment, keyword relevancy adjustments, etc.2. We will also implement a basic social media campaign (which includes youtube) and also look at your Facebook page and suggest the changes
you need to make there as well.3. We will also set up a special marketing lead generation page which captures leads, inquiries, etc and prepare a free report that will be automatically sent to all inquiries in exchange for their contact info. The report will be based on your existing report that you are already offering.  This is powerful because it will allow you to capture email addresses and names of interested parties so you can implement a follow up campaign via email for the visitors that do not purchase or call you right away.
Here's the pricing info:1. Website adjustments and amendments:  $750 2. Social media campaign (for 30 days):    $5753. Lead capture page: $575 (for the first month, which includes set up) and $275 per month to maintain and continuously promote
Total: $1,900 one time and $275 per month thereafter
you can choose to only do the 1st and 2nd and the third option is highly recommended but optional.
We can start your project as early as Tuesday or Wednesday next week because we are wrapping up a few new projects here in Malaysia. When we start early next week, you should see results as early as within 2 weeks. Please let me know when you would like us to proceed.
Warmly,Chris Randolph

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:   [email protected]
Date:       Mon, June 13, 2011 9:11 am

That is correct. We will get all the keywords to the first page of google for you.
We do ask that you be patient on one or 2 of them because of the heavy competition but we will get at least 3 of them to the first page within 2 weeks of starting the project.
When would you like us to start on this for you? As I mentioned in an earlier email, we can get started on this within the next 2 days. All we would need is your go ahead and payment info.
Would you let me know as soon as you can?

Warmly,
Chris Randolph
Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 12, 2011, at 7:13, [email protected] wrote:
Hello again Chris. So do I understand properly then that my $1,900 is refundable if all 5 keyphrases are not being found in the first 10 results returned in a Google search after 14 days?

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:   [email protected]
Date:       Tue, June 14, 2011 12:22 am

Allow me to clarify our policy:
Your full $1900 is refundable if we do not accomplish the following:
- At least 3 of the keyword sets each having at least one listing on the 1st page of Google in the organic listings, ie the top 10 results within 14 days.
- The remaining 2 of the keyword sets each having at least one listing on the 1st page of Google in the organic listings, ie the top 10 results within 30 days.
We do this for the simple reason that if we cannot do what we promise, then we don't deserve your money. I hope this sounds fair and reasonable.
We do not give out our clients information for the simple reason that we only work with one company/business in any one given industry in any one geographical area. We have this strict policy in effect because we do not want to invite completion either for our clients or for ourselves. In your case, you would be the only "xxx xxx", etc business that we would ever work with because you do not have a set geographical area since your business is on the internet. We protect our clients' privacy as well as our
proprietary process and we do not give out any of their info. You can also rest assured that we will not give out any of your info so you will not be bothered by phone calls or inquiries about us.
I do have to mention that we get inquiries every single day and we sometimes have to turn down projects because we already have clients in those industries. We also have a policy in force where when we get inquiries from companies in industries or niches that we do not already have, and they decide for some reason or another that they choose not to use us, we then get in touch with other companies in that niche (your competition) and we offer our services to them.
I will offer you this as a testament to what we do: we also market and sell products and services on the internet ourselves. This site generates between 1 and 3 sales a day for us at about $50 per sale. If you do a Google search for this keyword phrase "How to handle objections", you should find this site at the 5th or 6th return on the 1st page of Google. This is a very niche market and we have determined that this phrase is the most beneficial for us because that's what salespeople are searching for.
I hope all this answers your questions so you can make the decision to move forward on this. Please let me know as soon as you can so we can get started on this for you.
Warmly,
Chris Randolph

-----Original Message-----

Hello again Chris.
1. So does that mean then that my $1,900 is refundable if, after 14 days from the date of the beginning of the implementation of your SEO project, at least one of the pages of my site is not being found in the first 10 results returned in a Google search on ALL 5 keyphrases or does it mean that my $1,900 is refundable if, after 14 days from the date of the beginning of the implementation of your SEO project, at least one of the pages of my site is not being found in the first 10 results returned in a Google search on
3 of the 5 keyphrases (designated by you) are not being found?
2. May I request please also that you forward a few references?
Thanks again.

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:   [email protected]
Date:       Wed, June 15, 2011 12:30 am
It would be $1900 for the first 30 days for all 3 components.
$275 per month after the first month for the lead generation page.
$295 per month to maintain the first page ranking for all 5 keywords. You can stop the monthly service at any time with 30 days advance notice.
To make payment, we accept Visa and Mastercard.
We would need the following info:-
Name of the company:
Address of the company:
Telephone number:
Email address:
Name on the credit card:
Billing address of credit card:
Credit card number:
Expiration date:
CVC Code:
That's all we would need to start right away.
Warmly,
Chris Randolph

-----Original Message-----
To: [email protected]
Is this a one time payment? Your website makes mention of a month to month payment structure. How do I make the payment if I decide to do this?

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:       [email protected]
Date:       Thu, June 16, 2011 2:00 pm
I tried calling earlier but only managed to leave a voicemail for you.
We use Intuit by Quickbooks as our Merchant Processor and we use UltraCart as our shopping cart option. I set up a secure payment page for you to place your order and just click on the link and it'll take you to the secure payment page:
http://secure.ultracart.com/cgi-bin/UCEditor?merchantId=68688&ADD=GOOGLE+PRO
GRAM  
When you get to the page, there is an option for a "BuySafe" and you have the choice of using that option or not. If you choose not to use that option, the simply remove the green check mark in the box next to that option.
Once you have done that, I will be notified and we can start on your project within the next 48 hours.
Warmly,
Chris

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 9:48 AM
To: [email protected]
I'm ready to give you a try but I don't believe in sending credit or debit card information via email as email is not encrypted or secure. Do you not have a secure payment page on your website or some other alternative? Who do you use for a payments processor? Perhaps you can give me a call at (xxx) xxx-xxxx?
Thank you.

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:       [email protected]
Date:       Thu, June 16, 2011 10:43 pm
Thank you for the payment and we will get started on it within the next 24 to 48 hours.
I'm sorry I didn't mention this earlier; you will receive a progress
report/status update/activity update from us via email every Friday for the first 30 days and then monthly after that.
Thank you for allowing us to handle this for you and I will be in touch with you if we have any questions or clarifications.
Warmly,
Chris
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 5:55 PM
To: [email protected]
Hello again Chris. I got your message on the answering machine. Sorry to have missed you but I didn't know what time to expect your call and I had gone out.
I have made the payment.
One more thing. I hope I can count on an at least weekly progress report from you detailing what specifically you are doing in the interest of getting my site into the first 10 results of Google for the agreed upon keyphrases. Can we agree to that as a part of the package?
Thanks.

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:       [email protected]
Date:       Mon, June 27, 2011 9:25 am
You're right, it was a public holiday here in Malaysia and I didn't realize it until that day. We are still working on your campaign and your evaluation and recommendations on your website will ready in about 2 days. I'll check to see if the Google Analytics is ready and running on your site right now as well.
Will keep you posted in the next day or so.
Warmly,
Chris Randolph
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 25, 2011, at 9:34, [email protected] wrote:
I haven't received this weeks's progress report/status update/activity update yet.

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:       [email protected]
Date:       Mon, July 4, 2011 11:14 am
It's been 8 days since we started working in your campaign.
The full detailed evaluation, recommendations and testing of your website was more complicated than anticipated but the results were very favorable and you should receive our suggestions on the changes you should make within 24 hours.
We've also completed the social media campaign foundation and will start implementing that also within the next 24 hours or so and we should start seeing favorable and positive results in the next 3 to 5 days.
We will keep you updated on the results once we start seeing them on Google in the next few days.
Warmly,
Chris Randolph
Sent from my iPhone

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:       [email protected]
Date:       Thu, July 7, 2011 12:14 pm
I do have some news that has cause us go be delayed by a couple days. Our MacBook pro that we used to work on your campaign got damaged by leaking water. It's at the Mac store right now for repairs and we were assured that the files are recoverable
and it will be tray in about 2 days. I sincerely apologize for the delay but wanted to keep you in the loop on this.
Warmly,
Chris Randolph
Sent from my iPhone

Subject:   Hi xxxxxx, you have a message from Chris the Google Guy
From:       [email protected]
Date:       Thu, July 14, 2011 12:13 pm
You are right in everything you have said and I agree to your suggestions. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
The MacBook Pro with all the data is destroyed. I'm waiting for it's replacement to arrive. Our progress had been hampered by this mishap. I can assure you that I do not usually drop the ball like this. Thank you for your extension and we will get this done for you.
Warmly,
Chris Randolph
Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 15, 2011, at 0:37, [email protected] wrote:
Hello Chris. Well I made my $1900 payment on 6/16/11. You clarified that your policy is that my full $1900 is refundable if you do not accomplish the following:
- At least 3 of the keyword sets each having at least one listing on the 1st page of Google in the organic listings, ie the top 10 results within 14 days.
- The remaining 2 of the keyword sets each having at least one listing on the 1st page of Google in the organic listings, ie the top 10 results within 30 days.

We are now just shy of the 30 day mark. You have made progress on both 'xxxx' and 'xxxx' but somehow we haven't managed to crack even the top 100 results yet for the other 3.

You also said that I could count on getting 'a progress report/status update/activity update from you via email every Friday for the first 30 days and then monthly after that'. I don't know what explains how I never got even one and tomorrow is our 4th Friday.
Having said the above though, I have seen a small uptick in traffic and sales so I don't get the impression that you are not an honest businessman. Actually I think your guarantee may have been a little too ambitious. I also realize that there were some setbacks such as the computer taking water damage and whatever else may have interfered with your getting a good running start on this project but I do think you are serious and that you show the potential to do what say you can do. Rather than request a refund of my $1900, I would prefer to see you continue to work on the promotion of my site and propose that we just extend the refund policy out another 30 days if you still feel you can meet the terms and get all 5 keyphrases appearing in the top 10 results in a Google search on each of them by this time next month.
Please message back with your thoughts.


I thought everything was fine and we had an understanding. The very next day, I found the following email:
Order 68688-201107160338-100903
From: Chris Randolph     Date: 7/16/2011 3:40:09 AM
Please keep a printed copy of this order for your records.
The bill will appear on your credit card as: CommTech Solutions
Order ID  : 68688-201107160338-100903
Order Date: 16 JUL 2011 03:38:13
Bill To                                   
-------                                   
Name       : xxxxx               
Address    : xxxxx               
City       : xxxxx                     
State      : xx                          
Zip        : xxxxx                        
Country    : United States                
Email      : [email protected]       
Phone      : xxxx

Item                 Quantity  Description                            Amount
----                 --------  -----------                            ------
Google Program       1         Google Front Page Program              570.00                                                  Subtotal         570.00
Tax Rate          0.00%
Tax           0.00
Shipping/Handling           0.00
Total        $570.00
Customer Service
Phone: 8584338002
Email: [email protected]

I couldn't believe it. I immediately tried to call him. Of course as always no one answered so I messaged him:
Hey Chris. Don't bill my account. This was not part of the arrangement. Be assured that both the $1900 and this $570 (which was never discussed and never agreed to) will be placed in dispute immediately under the terms of the Fair Credit Billing Act.
Call me right away. I've just left a voice mail for you.


Today is July 21, 2011 and he has never messaged or called since.

I have since contacted my credit card issuing bank and had both charges reversed.

Please be forewarned if you are looking for a company to get your own website ranked well in the search engines as this industry is rife with fraud. A red flag should have gone up when he refused to provide any references but moreover when he never did provide the promised progress report/status update/activity updates via email every Friday not to mention the fact that his whole 'Malaysia' story sounds questionable and we never got to speak even once on the phone. It seemed as though he did make an initial push to move my site up in the Google rankings to create the impression that he was a bonafide SEO services provider and I was trying to be reasonable as I honestly did have the impression that he had encountered some setbacks such as the computer taking water damage (if indeed that was even true) and 'whatever else may have interfered with his getting a good running start on this project' but that he would be back on track if given another chance.

As stated, this $570 charge was never ever agreed to or even discussed. He had no authorization to bill my account again for this amount or any other. What you have read above is the totality of our communications. I NEVER signed up for anything else. His guarantee was very clear. This $570 charge came as a total surprise and the fact that he has never gotten back to me again now almost a full week later speaks for itself. Had it been an honest mistake, he had more than ample opportunity to take care of it. Obviously Chris Randolph - if indeed that is even his real name - is a complete scam artist. Don't hire him to do your website promotion. I'm just amazed he could think he could get away with it. He must be completely unaware of the Fair Credit Billing Act.

Thank you for reading this and please beware.