Stephen
Albany,#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sat, January 31, 2004
I worked for this company (different branch, out here in NYS), for 2 1/2 months. It was a complete JOKE. First of all, they should be sued for misrepresenting their organization. EVERY classified ad for this company refers specifically and exclusively to SPORTS and ENTERTAINMENT. The job has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with either. Not a thing. This is a DOOR TO DOOR SALESMAN POSITION. They call it "independent distributor" but you are a door to door salesman, PERIOD. Secondly, potential employees are assured a BASE pay in addition to commissions on sales. There is NO base pay. You receive NO paychecks. If you do not sell any "merch" (which is just coupons for local businesses) then you do not get paid. PERIOD. Thirdly, the description of the weirdness involved with these companies is totally ACCURATE. The companies are located in small warehouses, as was mine. They have ridiculous and embarassing "practices" and "rituals" that you are forced to participate in, as long as you wish to keep the job. I felt such pity for everyone working there and I never formally quit. I just stopped showing up because it was so ridiculous. These companies PREY on young adults, usually 19-25 years old. Out of the 20 people I worked with, the only person over 25 was the manager who was the creepiest 45 year old I have ever met. He (trained to do so I assume) changed his act depending on who he was dealing with. With the males, he would make lewd and suggestive comments about the females who worked in the company (who incidentally were ALL beautiful... coincidence?) and with the females he would play up materialistic things, like how his best seller (who incidentally NO ONE EVER MET OR SAW) was just our age and already owned a Lexxus. We saw the Lexxus parked in front of the office a few times, but even then the owner was never seen... it's a small office, there are only so many places he could be... was he even real? Did they rent a Lexxus just to show it off?? I could never figure it out. They pay you what little money you earn (IF you happen to sell anything) IN CASH at the end of the day. Um... sound a little shady to anyone else? They play up constantly the "possible" money you can make... but no one I knew there made ANY money. The entire 2 1/2 months I was there I made around $450. It was a complete WASTE of my time. I could have made 3 times that working LESS HOURS and with LESS PHYSICAL WORK. Like I said before, you are a DOOR TO DOOR SALESMAN. The job requires 10 hour work days!!! Which IS 1-2 hours of preparation (rituals, "practicing pitches", the juicing bullshit, etc) and then you are sent out to "sell". This requires about 6-8 hours of WALKING around neighborhoods in cities all over the place, regardless of ethnic makeup, income level, demographics etc. There was NO research done in these areas. We could be in the most dangerous neighborhood, but we wouldn't know until we showed up. And without demographics, we had NO CHANCE of selling! Like sending us to a neighborhood of elderly to sell coupons for some bar, or something else totally unrelated. We were always stuck trying to sell "merch" to people who would never be interested in buying it. It was a TOTAL WASTE of our time. I have to strongly disagree with the previous post. How does having doors slammed in your face, walking in the blazing sun (I worked summer months-I pity the people stuck working winters) in potentially dangerous neighborhoods, being subject to ridicule (people would think we were Jehova's Witnesses because of the dress attire), and for 6-8 hours a day for VERY LITTLE to NO PAY, boost your confidence? HOW?? These companies misrepresent themselves, their goals, and their practices. They take advantage of naive young adults with promises of easy money and material gain. The only people making money are the managers, and the higher ups. DO NOT TRUST THESE COMPANIES. You will not make money, you will be miserable, you will hate going to work, and you will be wasting your time! You can make 3-4 times as much working the same hours at a REAL job, where you will ACTUALLY GET A PAYCHECK. These companies are shady, display cult-like behavior, and just are not worth the time, the effort, or the embarassment that you will have to deal with.
Alicia
Mississauga,#3UPDATE Employee
Wed, November 26, 2003
Giving It A Chance, I too was a skeptic. Mind you, I am no longer working for DS MAX or any company affiliated with them, but also, let me tell you that when I was, it changed my being. I was so shy and reserved, had no confidence and frankly didn't care about myself at all. After working 3 months, I became a leader. Wow! Me, actually acheiving a goal that I had set. That was rare. Not on;y that, but I finished a goal that everyone of my friends and family thought I couldn't. The only way I did this was because of the people I worked with. The motivation, support and guidance helped me succeed in bettering myself more than anyone will ever be able to know. Thanks, Abstract!!!! Ali