Complaint Review: Kirby - Leavenworth Kansas

people get 8 an hr to build the motors with Formaldehyde being used and no real protection or even a MSDS to inform the rednecks that its bad

For those Kirby Employees that have taken so much offense to my article, I'd like to ask that you read it more closely.

I know that there is money to be had in Kirby - I didn't dispute that once. I also know that there is a price to be paid for those financial benefits. I think if you were honest with yourself, you would freely admit that. The Kirby Life is not an easy life. It is not for the faint of heart. Most of all, the Kirby Life was not for me.

I still own a Kirby - they are great machines and do their job well. But, I also know that even if people pay 2500$ + for a great machine, it doesn't necessarily mean that the machine is truly worth that. You should ask your local manager how much he pays for his units.  He'll probably tell you anything between 700 to 1000 dollars. That is, plain and simple, false. Try 350 to 500 and you'll be a little closer to that magic number.

The entire time I sold these vacuums, I believed that the machines cost 980 dollars for my distributor. I didn't question it because of the outstanding quality that was demonstrated for me daily. I could justify a 100% markup on an item - that is pretty standard practice. But selling a kirby anywhere from 240% up to 600% or so is just ridiculous and dishonest.

I've been working as a computer programmer for about two years now. I've had some life changes since then, but the pay is great and very consistent. And, if you ask me, it beats the heck out of hustling vacuums any day.

Hope this correspondence finds you all well.

Yes very true NOT ALL DISTRIBUTORS ARE THE SAME, and was it really the DPS that was telling tall tales or were you ASSUMING it would be easy and you wouldn't have to work for it. I started with Kirby 8 years ago now and am currently a DPS (happy to stay there for now too) i have seen many that sound like you, they come and go who just wish to skate by and do little work and expect a free ride. 60 demos a month is achievable and i have dealers who do it regularly, but none of the ones who do that ever need demo pay because they make great commission. Just like any other career it is what you make of it, i sleep quite well at night knowing that i have given many young ladies and gentleman the opportunity to change their lives for the better. Where else could someone with no college degree and no experience be so successful and earn such a great living. Just because YOU couldn't do it doesn't mean it cant be done perhaps you should have tried harder.......Always look at yourself for the solution to your problem before you blame it on others.

not everyone distributor is the same, charlie belives in the opportunity, and is greatful or the things his distributor has done or him, and thats why i he keeps his focus and don't listen to negitive people, he will be very sucessul one day, i'm a kirby person from rancho cucamonga, ca, always stay positve and never let anyone affect your attitude and you will take it to top and do it in an honest and ethical way. Remember you can leed a horse to water, but you can make them drink it.

charlie stop it. nobody wants to read your nonsense. everybody knows kirby is a dishonest company who treats its employees horrible. NOBODY LISTEN TO CHARLIE FROM THOMASTON, CT!! his opinion does not matter!!!!

I've been selling kirby's for the last 5 months, so far i've made 10 grand as a dealer and I am very close to becoming a dps myself, all i need is 15 sales in one month, i got really close last month - 12 sales. Now every time a someone buys a kirby there buying a piece of equipment that will last forever and save money in the long run, your doing them a favor, you should feel good about yourself. Your salesmen where on the road to acheiving a promotion themselves, what's to hate about that. Now i know as well as you do that there are alot of slimy offices that dont pay there salesmen well and high pressure there customers, but then again there offices myself that pay there salesmen everything over 1100, take care of you when your not selling, and have pizza parties every friday night. Now let's put aside the fact that every office treats there people differently, your doing your customers a favor when they buy your machine, what's there not to feel good about

I would like to recount my experience as an Employee (or should I say an Independent Contractor) of Kirby. It all began with an afternoon stroll. I was taking a break from my job as a waiter and decided to walk downtown to scout for a better opportunity. After walking for a bit I noticed a help wanted sign in a store window. Above this was the business' name, Wiley Promotions, scrawled hastily in what looked like pink window chalk. For a while I assumed, quite erroneously, that this was a talent agency or something along those lines. I didn't go in, but I remembered the place and moved on. A few months later, I found out my fiance at the time, was very pregnant and that our income would have to be substantially augmented if we hoped to survive. Having no real skills aside from the ability to be charming and relatively well spoken, I sauntered down to Wiley Promotions knowing that the position would be closed and that I hadn't acted quickly enough. But, sure enough, as I approached the building the help wanted sign was still there and it offered me a small measure of hope. I went inside and was immediately greeted by a well-dressed man named John. He asked me how I was, what I was looking for etc. I told him that I was seeking more gainful employment. "Great!!!", he exclaimed, "We are actually doing some hiring, do you have a few minutes to fill out an application?" I told him yes, that I would be more than happy to oblige and set to work. John walked upstairs to his office. A couple of minutes later I finished and called politely to him to inform him of the fact. He asked me nicely to come upstairs and have a seat in front of his desk. I did. He spoke with me about a few of my qualifications. I remember feeling so under qualified! I answered his questions, doing my best to convey to him my natural intelligence and my desire to succeed. After he had finished interviewing me he asked if I had any questions. I did of course, and chief among them, "What is it that you do?" He told me that his company was Kirby and then went on to explain the 2000 dollar a month guarantee, which sounded very fine indeed. I came on with alot of high hopes and dreams. After being in the field for about three months and having moderate success as a salesperson, I was promoted to a DPS (Dealer Power Specialist). Now my job was to hire people and teach the the essentials of selling a Kirby. I was quite good at this. I brought in many new dealers and, in the process, almost starved to death. The 2000 dollar a month guarantee is contingent upon doing a set amount of demonstrations (60). I never once did 60 demos while in the field. It is a very difficult feat, though I was taught to make it seem easy. In Kirby, the indoctrination starts at day one. I almost believed what I was teaching the people myself, but I know deep down how difficult it was to make it in this business. Please don't misinterpret, a good Kirby dealer can make a very nice income with no real skills to back it up, but sadly these are skills the average, broken souls looking for employment with Kirby lack. As a DPS, the biggest paycheck I recieved for one week of work was about 900 dollars. As a dealer I had a good week and made 1400. I wasn't phenomenal, but I could have been. The only thing was that every time I sold one of these vacuums or one of those kids on selling them, I gave away a little piece of my integrity. After a while I began hating my job, hating everything that Kirby stood for. I made a few acquaintances there and met some very nice people, but I knew it was something I couldn't do forever. I left Kirby after four months of being a DPS. I took a job in fast food and went back to college. My boss told me that it was foolish to trade hours for dollars. Better time than virtue, I thought. Since leaving I have gotten an associates in Computer Science and now work as a computer programmer. Needless to say, I am much happier in my new position. Still, I can't help but feel bad about all the people I misled in my own zealous attempt to succeed. And that, I think is the ultimate price of working for Kirby. I remember what it was like to hear 2000 a month and believe that my financial situation was going to improve significantly, only to have a ridiculous schedule and insane sales goals. Once again, I apologize. The moral of the story: You can make great money working for Kirby, but not forever and not without paying a significant price. Don't trade your life for Kirby.