Complaint Review: Stephen Zarick Owner of VO Group - Louisville Kentucky

Update by Complainant:    The typical response of a company after discovering a complaint on ripoff.com is one of anger and retaliation. Human emotion is at its highest and the natural response is to be defensive. A common ploy is to turn the tables on the claimant. I do not fault Mr. Zarick for this it is his right to defend himself and his company. However I would be remiss, if I not to provide evidence that will refute the statements made by the respondent, as they were designed to destroy the claimants quality of work; work ethic and to create a challenge for future hire. The following are the items addressed in this update; I have too many emails to list however whats here should be sufficient to allow the paper trail do the convincing : A. Quality of Work Never once did this come into question until after my complaint B. Quality of Leads List was scrubbed, cleaned and provided by the Respondent C. Offense taken to review work for claimed to be performed D. Net 30 terms Emails tells another story - E. Question of Solvency of VO Group Sensitivity to Mr. Zarick. F. Closing Statements G. Resolution between Parties in Progress   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A. Quality of Work Below are emails from the Respondent (personal info for Respondent omitted.)   ----- Original Message ----- From: Respondent To: complainant Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 8:38 PM Subject: RE: call me in the moring please.   I love youyou are what we need. ----- Original Message ----- From: Respondent To: complainant Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 8:38 PM Subject: RE: call me in the moring please     You are doing a great job . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Respondent To: Complainant Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 3:43 PM Subject: Re: Got an appointment for you...   You are wonderful!!!   SZ Respondent xxx.xxx.xxxx cell Sent from my PDA ----- Original Message ----- From: " Respondent " To: Complainant Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 2:18 PM Subject: RE: Can't Join: GoToMeeting Invitation -   Yes, dear....I love it. Thanks --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From:  Complainant Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 2:18 PM To: Respondent Subject: Re: Can't Join: GoToMeeting Invitation - Did you see the new lead? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. Quality of Leads   Even after I was no longer working for VO still sending him appointments. ----- Original Message ----- From: Complainant To: Respondent Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 3:43 PM Subject: Re: xxxxx   I'm glad it went well...hope it turns into an actual sale for you. Kind Regards, Complainant ----- Original Message ----- From: Respondent To: complainant Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 3:26 PM Subject: xxxxxx I had a nice call today with xxxxxx from xxxxxxx. We may be too expensive for them, but then again. He admitted that he and xxxxx need some sales strategy help (me). And that there are some tougher tasks /larger accounts that they want in and now is the time. I am to talk to him again next Monday. He is one of the owners and they are looking for someone to do this kind of calling. This was a good lead xxxxxx. Thank you   ----- Original Message ----- From: complainant To: Respondent Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 2:09 PM Subject: Appointment Request for tomorrow from one of...    Appointment Request for tomorrow from one of my contacts... I thought I'd send this over to you asap as he is open for a call tomorrow. Don't want you to lose this opportunity - this is a good one. They are in the process of seeking a Lead Gen company to work with now. ----- Original Message ----- From: complainant To: Respondent   Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 6:29 PM Subject: Here's another live one... that's # 4 They are coming in - and I'm not even calling them anymore - how about that. I must have left a good impression don't you think.   C. Offense taken to review work for claimed to be performed Accusation of hiding leads from him is unwarranted see email below Explained to Respondent from the very beginning I couldnt work on google spreadsheets. It was not an effective system for staying on top of call activity and follow-up. I explained to him he could actually be losing business by not having a proper CRM tool in place. When one of his contractors computer crashed and info was missing I sent him the following email on the program I was using which is accessible remotely for entire team and can be accessed by him at any time: I was actually trying to help him improve the effectiveness of his business. ----- Original Message ----- From: " complainant To: " Respondent Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 9:39 AM Subject: Solution for xxxxxx computer issue ---   This program is from Inuit - and everything's virtual and accessable by the   whole team. You need to check it out. > > http://customermanager.com/ <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]-->     The following below shows there were no issues with having the respondent view the progress of my work... We had agreed previous to this email we would do a go to meeting so we can review the work I've done together, he never followed through with his own request.   ----- Original Message ----- From: complainant To: Respondent Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 3:55 PM Subject: Re: VO Prospecting I have called xxxxxx several times and got voice mail - I am not the one who brought up the money issue Stephen you did and threw me a curve ball. I have no problem with you having access to the leads, they are your leads not mine. We had agreed you would see them in a go-to-meeting . For now, I'll be happy to take several nights and copy and paste all the information in Google spreadsheet. I'm sorry it didn't work out, but you are a survivor and I know you'll do well. My very best to you and the team. Kindest Regards, complainant ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ D. Net 30 terms Emails tells another story - There were never a net 30 ever expressed or was ever a part of our conversations. The respondent acknowledged he owed me and expressed why he wasnt able to pay me on time. During our business relationship each time invoices or payment came up the stalling tactics surfaced. Two invoices have been paid as per the respondent- both outside the net30 outlined by the respondent as per his defense. Below Ive xxxxxxxx out items that are of sensitive nature to the Respondent. From: SZ Respondent To: complainant Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 4:56 PM Subject: hiring you We are not in xxxxxxxxxxxxx as you say, We will actually end the year ahead of last year. I do push forward and was with you spending money maybe that I dont xxxxxxxxx, but I know how to win business xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.  Hiring you was an investment. I am sorry that this drug out as long as it did . ----- Original Message ----- From: Respondent To: complainant Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 2:58 PM Subject: RE: payments Please just stop emailing me. Ill pay you when I get the xxxxxxxxxxxx. I really want to stop our communications totally. From: Complainant Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 2:56 PM To: Respondent Subject: Re: payments to Adeline I think you are taking a lot of liberty here don't you think? I started working for you the end of August, and here we are in October, and not one red cent, I have been paid. This is not just very bad business...it's rotten! I had asked you to let's put off this project until you were in a better place financially, and you insisted it was going to get better and I shouldn't worry. I'd be happy to resend the emails to you  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The agreement was to pay all back invoices on October 07 however only a partial was made.  Invoice 9-4 Paid 10-7  ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Respondent Date: Wed, Oct 7, 2009 at 3:04 PM Subject: PAID WE 9-4-2009 $xxx.xx  To: Complainant Thanks Respondent VO Group http://www.vogroup.com/ xxx.xxx.xxxx  Invoice 9-11 paid 10-15  waiting for it to show up in my account. as of 10/18/2009 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Respondent Date: Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 4:42 PM Subject: PAID week ending 9-11-2009 $xxx.xx To: Complainant Cc: xxxxxxxxxx <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--> 2 day deposit Respondent VO Group http://www.vogroup.com/ xxx.xxx.xxxx E. Question of Solvency Sensitivity to the respondent Given the nature and circumstances, after repeatedly YES I say again REPEATEDLY seeking payment for my work with continued stalling by the respondent, I agree I lost my patience with the respondent, and mentioned insolvency in my original complaint. I personally cant say conclusively this is the case as Im not privy to the respondents financials. However, I came to that conclusion based on specific financial information outlined as per respondents email communication to me from the 9 th of Sept through October 5 th . Below is the email that started our downhill turn ----- Original Message ----- From: Respondent To: complainant ' Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 8:38 PM Subject: RE: call me in the moring please. I was told today that we lost xxxxxxxx for Q4, I was going to use this to pay youooops . F. Closing Statements In the world of business, one can and should expect to charter the sometime turbulent waters of relational conflicts. Although difficult these situations can be good, as it tests the human character.   For those of us who apply wisdom, we can emerge better for it as oppose to bitter because of it. Im not sure I applied the best judgment here, but when private conversations with the respondent failed to resolve the matter at hand I carefully contemplated three options. a. Hire a private attorney b. Do nothing and wait it out c. Turn to the courtroom of public opinion Given my circumstances, I chose option C. I have found the court of public opinion often times can quickly correct wrongs and bring swift justice to resolve conflicts. It is why ripoff.com exists. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ G. Resolution between Parties in Progress Although not completely resolved, the respondent has recently taken the necessary steps to correct the situation by sending email to alert me of a partial payment. My family and I are grateful and would like to extend a sincere thanks to him for his willingness to resolve our differences and move forward. I forgive him for the words/actions that brought us to this place. I hope he'll do the same. The respondent is an imperfect human being as am I; We all make mistakes and blunders. At this time I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he may have misjudged his finances and found him self in a quandary. We've all found ourselves there in one way or another. For those seeking to do business with his company, he encouraged you to do due diligence and you should. As a company they do excellent work for their clients and Im sure they will for you too. For me, well let just say Ive grown a little more, and Im a better person for it! I wish VO Group the very best in 2010 May God bless you!

Interesting that the contractor that filed this report did not offer her name.  I will.  Her name is Adeline O'Connell and she lives in Syracuse, NY.  If you read the words here you will see that she uses phrases such as "repeatedly", "demanded", "refused to pay", "written demand" and that she was "disappointed".  She obviously knows that I am a nice guy, and that we are a great company with a great reputation or why else would she had been disappointed.  In fact, we are the ones that were disappointed.

I am the guy that has paid for my own contractor's electic bills when they are short on cash, paid my people in advance when they needed cash, paid bonuses even after someone left our company, and sends out Christmas packages ever year.  This person is barking up the wrong tree.

Why else would someone write such a liable statement on the internet when there is a schedule to pay her net 30 from the work performed.  There is something wrong with this picture.  There were issues with the deliverable from Ms OConnell, but with that said, we never stated to her that she would not be paid.

As always we should do our proper due diligence before hiring anyone.

We never told Ms O'Connell that she was not going to be paid.  She assumed this on her own. In fact her invoice that was paid was paid within 2 weeks of when she submitted and net 30 from the date of the work that was claimed to be "performed".  There is a protocol to follow here at our company and she did not follow this protocol.  We are her customer.  She is a contractor. When asked for the results of her work, she acted offended and then it still took two weeks to get the data which seemingly was incomplete.

Our company operates as a retained service, we have no payables to speak of, we have no recievables.  We have great references, and non of my contractors have ever not been paid.  The reason Ms. O'Connell did not hear from us after her "written demand" was that, quite frankly, her "demand" letter deserved no response. She was scheduled to be paid for the subsequent invoices in the subsequent week.  She is correct that we did not tell her that, but again, her tone did not warrant such.

Given this note, we welcome due dligence when choosing to hire our company or when choosing to work for our company.  All of our customers are available to contact as well as all of our current and past contractors.

SZ