Complaint Review: John Priest JKP & Associates Automax - Gresham Oregon

I found it funny that the people in this post that are angry or call John Priest a scammer, didn't get hired or didn't complete the training. 

The dealer(s) are actually the ones paying the recruiting company "AutoMax".  How they do this is they have the employee front the money and then give it back to them in 90 days.  See, if the dealer paid the recruiter upfront then there would be no reason for the employee to "stick it out" through the first couple of weeks when it is the toughest.  I was hired this way with having a monetary investment in my future success.  I called it "tough love".  Dangling that $500 dollar carrot in front of my nose for the first couple of months to keep me from wanting to quit.  This is not a get rich quick job and my first 3 weeks in the biz I hadn't sold a car and wanted to quit but stuck it out to get my $500 back and the rest was history.  I've made over a million dollars selling cars and I never would have of if it wasn't done this way (which has been going on in the car biz for over 40 years).  If the dealer pays upfront and someone quits in the first week or two, then what did the dealer get out of it?  If someone pays the $500, stays 90 days and then gets it back, then what are they out?  Nothing!  You are not paying to get a job and you are not paying for training.  The dealer is, just 90 days later back to you.  What you are doing is showing your loyalty to the business that you are fronting the dealers money for the recruiting, advertising, interviewing, training, and placement.  If you would of paid your $500 and stuck it out you would have found out that even if the "host" dealer didn't hire you that the recruiter/trainer would have gotten you a job at a different dealer with all of the same stipulations.  Why should a dealer take the risk that you might "flake out" on them after they paid thousands of dollars for the newspaper ads, online ads, recruiters expenses, etc. to have you quit on them because you aren't selling 10 cars your first week in the biz and then they have to rerun all of the ads all over again to do it again?!  They would rather have these job fairs once a year instead of every couple of weeks because they are very expensive and they want the "committed" person working for them.  If they are going to pay for your drivers license test, drug test, background check, sales license, uniforms, etc. then they want you to stay because it really isn't fair for them to give you a chance when you have no experience.  So many people say that they are a "man of their word" only to quit, the way to prove it is that money talks.  Put yourself in the dealers shoes and realize why this is the only effective way to insure that they retain their employees, basically an "insurance retainer" that you will still be working there, plus what if another dealer see's the ad and sends their sales staff there for free training?  Since the bottom line is that you get all of your money back as long as you don't "flake out" on them, then essentially it is COSTING YOU NOTHING!!  NOT A CENT!!  Shame that you didn't see it through to the end and got a job at one of the dealerships and made the money that I and my co-workers have made in a great industry and easy job.

I, along with about 20 other victims sat through the mind games and being jerked around by John Priest recently during a career fair for a dealer out in Hillsboro, OR during the month of January 2010.

We spent our time and money for training on how to basically be a door greeter for a dealership. He blinded most of us with his stories of how grand his life is, yada yada, burned us with the Kinkos style certificates with the hefty price of $300.00.

Priest dodged questions, with the grace of an aged running back with a bad knee, about if we were in fact hired by the dealership on several occasions. Each time he either avoided the topic or would say that we already interviewed with the dealership and all we had to do was make it through the 3 day "boot camp" to get the bonus, which was supposed to be a $6,000.00 guarantee over 90 days.

Which means that the dealer wouldn't even let you work a deal and plan on getting paid minimum wage and work 60-70 hours a week without any overtime to make the $2,000.00 for that month.

We never covered how to complete any standard dealer paperwork, how to perform a complete a walk around and demo a vehicle, or even close a deal. His excuse was the dealer would cover that information.

Bottom line is that the dealer doesn't know what to do with us since some of us have no formal experience in selling cars.

Part of Priest's game is that he would not allow anyone with any auto sales experience attend his world class training. Gee, why is that? Because they would laugh their asses off and leave.

However, he didn't take anyone's resumes during the screening "headgames" during the 2 days at the dealership. Well, guess what there are people with experience that sat through this nonsense just to land the job, which we had to interview at least 3 different times and needed to do a "world class walk around" for the general manager of the dealership and sales manager.

Anyone with any type of experience in selling a car would see what a load of bs this is and the airline ticket scam pops up and we could sign up for the low price of only $99.00 a month and if we could get the dealer to sign up for the ticket plan wed get $100.00 for the $499.00 plan and $300.00 if the dealer bought the $995.00 plan.

Really? John do we have a job?

And the whole how many of us own a house, yada yada, angle did happen here too.

Bottom line, the training is a waste of time and anyone could learn as much from reading a book or starting out working at an independent dealership or a brand name company too. Research the makes you want to sell and pick up any books from Zig Ziggler and bang, you just saved yourself $300.00 and a week of listening to his crap.

If you see any of the ads on Craigs list for a job fair promising a great opportunity for becoming a car sales person, ask who the trainer is before wasting your time. Heck, check YouTube to see how full of himself Priest really is and see if you pick up the bs he is putting down.

As he claims in his world class ad, that he doesnt have the music rights to use, I didnt think so!

The idiot who posted Caps is Ragin, you need to stfu because you're probably his fugly wife Binging on alcohol or something, This guy is a scammer, done,Barely anyone got Hired.

End of discussion.

What a whiner, no wonder he wasn't selected by the dealership.

Let me tell you my story, i also responded to an add for a dealership as described in the original report. I did attend John Priests 3 days of FREE training. I was not selected by the dealership.

I did purchase the certification and extra materials for the $299. And when I went out looking for a new job (with no experience) I proudly gave copies of my certificate of training and a cover story about my positive experience with Mr Priest.

I am now happily working in the car industry and owe much of it to the training and positive attitude presented by John Priest.

All I can say is the original report shows what John Priest said he didn't want to see in his training room, and that was POOR ATTITUDE and this guy has it in spades.

Roy

UR THE BIGGEST BULLSH*T! JUST BECAUSE U FELT LIKE IT WAS A SCAM AND QUIT, SO U ASSUME IT IS A SCAM? GET THE F*K OUT! HE IS LEGIT! I JUST ATTENDED AND GRAGUATED FROM HIS CLASS TODAY AND GUESS WAT, I'M HIRED! EVERYBODY WERE HIRED! SO EVERYTHING WERE TRUE! SO IF U WOULD HAD STAYED DURING THE SEMINAR, U COULD'VE GOT HIRED! F*KIN TRASH!

I went through the John Priest course at Jay Lees Gladstone Nissan/Honda October 2008. My first impression was that it was a little shady with lack of information regarding # of positions and hiring process. I have had experience with less than honest recruiting practices in the past so was very cautious. I was desperate so I continued on. Friday - the graduation day, everyone supposedly got hired and was sent to the different dealerships we would be working at. At the dealership then the sales manager did another quick interview and then I was given the real application and was told to report to HR to finish. Monday 1/2 the people from the class didn't show and no explanation was giving as to why everyone wasn't there on the first day. I heard later that some one didn't pass drug tests or didn't even have a valid drivers license, (great screening I thought). First I think anyone complaining about the process should understand the risk in hiring a car salesperson with no experience. 3 days of unpaid training even without a guaranteed position is not a big deal. The lose of one sale costs thousands of dollars to a dealership so they are very careful to weed out candidates plus. John's long winded personal stories are excessive but entertaining his training is top notch and his lessons for selling are worthwhile. I sold 8 cars (mostly splits) my first month during November 2008 but still didn't make more than minimum wage and with terrible leads and no foot traffic there was not prospect of making money. By the way - You don't get paid for overtime and the training guarantee is your minimum wage pay check that you don't get until sometimes a month after your first day. DON'T buy the certificate, I thought that by buying it I would show my dedication to the job but many who didn't still got hired. DON'T worry about the plane tickets either they are basically worthless. Your better off going to a time-share presentation. MY ADVICE - Selling autos for the first time right now is a bad idea. Low leads and terrible margins on sales will gut your income. On many lots you could sell 10 cars a month and still make min. wage. Hours are terrible and your boss is likely to be emotionally unstable. It takes a very special breed to do auto sales and sales in general. My biggest regret was wasting $300 to buy that worthless piece of paper.

I went through the John Priest course at Jay Lees Gladstone Nissan/Honda October 2008. My first impression was that it was a little shady with lack of information regarding # of positions and hiring process. I have had experience with less than honest recruiting practices in the past so was very cautious. I was desperate so I continued on. Friday - the graduation day, everyone supposedly got hired and was sent to the different dealerships we would be working at. At the dealership then the sales manager did another quick interview and then I was given the real application and was told to report to HR to finish. Monday 1/2 the people from the class didn't show and no explanation was giving as to why everyone wasn't there on the first day. I heard later that some one didn't pass drug tests or didn't even have a valid drivers license, (great screening I thought). First I think anyone complaining about the process should understand the risk in hiring a car salesperson with no experience. 3 days of unpaid training even without a guaranteed position is not a big deal. The lose of one sale costs thousands of dollars to a dealership so they are very careful to weed out candidates plus. John's long winded personal stories are excessive but entertaining his training is top notch and his lessons for selling are worthwhile. I sold 8 cars (mostly splits) my first month during November 2008 but still didn't make more than minimum wage and with terrible leads and no foot traffic there was not prospect of making money. By the way - You don't get paid for overtime and the training guarantee is your minimum wage pay check that you don't get until sometimes a month after your first day. DON'T buy the certificate, I thought that by buying it I would show my dedication to the job but many who didn't still got hired. DON'T worry about the plane tickets either they are basically worthless. Your better off going to a time-share presentation. MY ADVICE - Selling autos for the first time right now is a bad idea. Low leads and terrible margins on sales will gut your income. On many lots you could sell 10 cars a month and still make min. wage. Hours are terrible and your boss is likely to be emotionally unstable. It takes a very special breed to do auto sales and sales in general. My biggest regret was wasting $300 to buy that worthless piece of paper.

I went through the John Priest course at Jay Lees Gladstone Nissan/Honda October 2008. My first impression was that it was a little shady with lack of information regarding # of positions and hiring process. I have had experience with less than honest recruiting practices in the past so was very cautious. I was desperate so I continued on. Friday - the graduation day, everyone supposedly got hired and was sent to the different dealerships we would be working at. At the dealership then the sales manager did another quick interview and then I was given the real application and was told to report to HR to finish. Monday 1/2 the people from the class didn't show and no explanation was giving as to why everyone wasn't there on the first day. I heard later that some one didn't pass drug tests or didn't even have a valid drivers license, (great screening I thought). First I think anyone complaining about the process should understand the risk in hiring a car salesperson with no experience. 3 days of unpaid training even without a guaranteed position is not a big deal. The lose of one sale costs thousands of dollars to a dealership so they are very careful to weed out candidates plus. John's long winded personal stories are excessive but entertaining his training is top notch and his lessons for selling are worthwhile. I sold 8 cars (mostly splits) my first month during November 2008 but still didn't make more than minimum wage and with terrible leads and no foot traffic there was not prospect of making money. By the way - You don't get paid for overtime and the training guarantee is your minimum wage pay check that you don't get until sometimes a month after your first day. DON'T buy the certificate, I thought that by buying it I would show my dedication to the job but many who didn't still got hired. DON'T worry about the plane tickets either they are basically worthless. Your better off going to a time-share presentation. MY ADVICE - Selling autos for the first time right now is a bad idea. Low leads and terrible margins on sales will gut your income. On many lots you could sell 10 cars a month and still make min. wage. Hours are terrible and your boss is likely to be emotionally unstable. It takes a very special breed to do auto sales and sales in general. My biggest regret was wasting $300 to buy that worthless piece of paper.

Hmm... I check this site before the last day of the Beaverton Honda location training and the Last Two responses weren't here from the first. I was going to buy the package thingy but saw the report before you guys in the Beaverton Honda . All I can say is the training was: 1.) Shady till the end. 2.)The plane ticket promotion will piss you and your customers off ("don't say it's a dealer thing only a promotion!") 3.)The package diplomas was basically all you had learned in class But in a print out from kinko';The Diplomas didn't have your name which you would have to pay someone to put your name on (worthless). I suggest you go and copy those diplomas to give to people who were in your class because they deserved it!. 4.)No one got a $100 gift certificate to their favorite or any restaurants. 5.)The head people surprised you bascially saying you had to tell your Thursday night homework to everyone and them without it being on schedule. 6.) kept us late on Friday night so some people had to forfeit what they had planned from the initial leave time of 4pm. 7.)The end we were dismissed without respect of the deciders at that auto group and were unprofessional! instead we were outside from the last row up by "name call" and told where we can go to get a position on "oh sat or sun" but chnaged to never mind "monday" @ this so and so locations. Kinda like that that on a successful salesman notes right? Well anyways we were there 3 days and they only picked the people who were smooth talkers, anyone of us would be smooth talkers to a customer but with respect of course and stuck with the program, But the way they did it was seeing if you would choke in front of people(s) and too many peoples! which is I don't give a crap about it, I never did good in front of peoples since i rarely had to and if i did I would choke! point is I'm not trying to be their company rep who gives speeches about the company in front of thousands and getting interviewed for that position! I'm new at this and had no Experience which was what they were looking for. The job ad was misleading; for not everyone to get that position and the 6k guarantee. Go to Kinkos and copy that certificate for back up and do whatever because it basically is pocket change for the provider making 6 figure digits. Point to the matter is monday whoever see's this thats been in his class @ beaverton honda post up! if you got the position where he provided to us since we didn't get selected by beaverton honda post it here, even if you didn't Remember the words "Fantasic" and "Fair Enough" it's going to be either be a good or a bad thing mentally.

My wife attended a John Priest training seminar at Bob Lamphere Honda in Beaverton, Oregon. When she got home after the first day, she Googled his name and was overwhelmed by all the negative stories. There were fifty people in her class, and John seemed to be suggesting that there were job openings for all of them. RipoffReport confirmed the ridiculousness of this idea, but she decided the training was worth it, even if it didn't lead to a job offer. On the second day, she asked him directly, "When do we have the actual interviews with Honda?" John acted confused and responded, "What are you talking about? This is your job interview." She asked him, "So when will we know that we are hired?" He answered reassuringly, "Tomorrow, you will all be placed." She felt good about that. At the very, very end of the third day, after John had sold his diplomas for $300 apiece, he finally announced that everyone would now be completing the Honda applications. They filed the paperwork, the general managers filed in, and everyone performed a "Hire me" speech in front of the group. The managers and John then left the room for an hour and a half. When the returned, they broke people into groups and gave them the bad news that there were not enough openings for all of them. Fifty people had given up three full days, fuel costs, and possibly paid $300, under the impression that they were being hired by Honda. Fewer than ten landed positions.

My wife attended a John Priest training seminar at Bob Lamphere Honda in Beaverton, Oregon. When she got home after the first day, she Googled his name and was overwhelmed by all the negative stories. There were fifty people in her class, and John seemed to be suggesting that there were job openings for all of them. RipoffReport confirmed the ridiculousness of this idea, but she decided the training was worth it, even if it didn't lead to a job offer. On the second day, she asked him directly, "When do we have the actual interviews with Honda?" John acted confused and responded, "What are you talking about? This is your job interview." She asked him, "So when will we know that we are hired?" He answered reassuringly, "Tomorrow, you will all be placed." She felt good about that. At the very, very end of the third day, after John had sold his diplomas for $300 apiece, he finally announced that everyone would now be completing the Honda applications. They filed the paperwork, the general managers filed in, and everyone performed a "Hire me" speech in front of the group. The managers and John then left the room for an hour and a half. When the returned, they broke people into groups and gave them the bad news that there were not enough openings for all of them. Fifty people had given up three full days, fuel costs, and possibly paid $300, under the impression that they were being hired by Honda. Fewer than ten landed positions.

My wife attended a John Priest training seminar at Bob Lamphere Honda in Beaverton, Oregon. When she got home after the first day, she Googled his name and was overwhelmed by all the negative stories. There were fifty people in her class, and John seemed to be suggesting that there were job openings for all of them. RipoffReport confirmed the ridiculousness of this idea, but she decided the training was worth it, even if it didn't lead to a job offer. On the second day, she asked him directly, "When do we have the actual interviews with Honda?" John acted confused and responded, "What are you talking about? This is your job interview." She asked him, "So when will we know that we are hired?" He answered reassuringly, "Tomorrow, you will all be placed." She felt good about that. At the very, very end of the third day, after John had sold his diplomas for $300 apiece, he finally announced that everyone would now be completing the Honda applications. They filed the paperwork, the general managers filed in, and everyone performed a "Hire me" speech in front of the group. The managers and John then left the room for an hour and a half. When the returned, they broke people into groups and gave them the bad news that there were not enough openings for all of them. Fifty people had given up three full days, fuel costs, and possibly paid $300, under the impression that they were being hired by Honda. Fewer than ten landed positions.

My wife attended a John Priest training seminar at Bob Lamphere Honda in Beaverton, Oregon. When she got home after the first day, she Googled his name and was overwhelmed by all the negative stories. There were fifty people in her class, and John seemed to be suggesting that there were job openings for all of them. RipoffReport confirmed the ridiculousness of this idea, but she decided the training was worth it, even if it didn't lead to a job offer. On the second day, she asked him directly, "When do we have the actual interviews with Honda?" John acted confused and responded, "What are you talking about? This is your job interview." She asked him, "So when will we know that we are hired?" He answered reassuringly, "Tomorrow, you will all be placed." She felt good about that. At the very, very end of the third day, after John had sold his diplomas for $300 apiece, he finally announced that everyone would now be completing the Honda applications. They filed the paperwork, the general managers filed in, and everyone performed a "Hire me" speech in front of the group. The managers and John then left the room for an hour and a half. When the returned, they broke people into groups and gave them the bad news that there were not enough openings for all of them. Fifty people had given up three full days, fuel costs, and possibly paid $300, under the impression that they were being hired by Honda. Fewer than ten landed positions.

I have been in sales for about 15 years. I have been privvy to hear from the best of the best in sales. First of all, why would any dealership allow a scam artist to come and train for them their employees? Why is John Priest invited to Weston, Bob Lanphere and all over the country? He is the BEST at what he does-THAT is why! Before my husband became employed there, he couldn't close a deal for the life of him. He came away from that 3 day training with SO many great ideas and the best training. Just by what I had seen from his notes-I could tell that he was getting superior sales training. For the record, the best sales trainers in the country or world for that matter are PAID for training. It is not uncommon to pay for sales training-in fact I would rather pay for excellent training than get average training for FREE. P.s. the dealership pays for half the training initially and then they will reimburse your portion after your 90 days. Also, you are NOT obligated to pay for it at all. He tells you that as well. If you have questions or concerns, talk to the GM or GSM! Again, if this was a scam then WHY would the dealerships allow him to come and train employees? I am thankful to John Priest and all of the knowledge he has shared with my husband. Our family is better off for it.

I just wanted to let everybody know that despite what is stated in the report good has come of this "Pre Interview Process" My husband went through this same process, in fact it was at the same time. Despite what the write or the report stated, my husband was employed at another company at this time. He went through the initial training and everything was great. Despite what the author said, you were by no means required to purchase the product that John Priest was selling. We didn't and my husband has a wonderful job at the Weston dealership. Please do not take to heart what the author has said. I really appreciate what John Priest did for our family!!