Complaint Review: Universal Online Promotions - New York New York

I did not know about Rip Off Report until 15 minutes ago and let me tell you how I found it. I went through training with Universal Online Promotions and got out the second I got another job.

I opened three accounts in my week or so there- the job is all commission based "straight out of a 1950's stereotypical salesman" door to door 'cold call' selling-and I received a check today. This check is almost 2 weeks late by the way. HOWEVER, the check was for only one of the accounts.

To be fair, they might use separate checks for each account you close, but that is HIGHLY unlikely since it is notated as falling within a week-long pay period, and cutting one check is far less hassles for them.

So I want to call and see what's up. I retrieve the phone number. The 1st hit in the list is rip off report. Awesome! So naturally I check it out as I think I am a victim myself. I basically got through the training and started going out "in the field" by myself to do the door to door thing and I can tell you my observations were identical to the things other people have posted.

Let me say this: This is NOT a retaliation e-mail because I was only there for a week or so and if I don't get the 100 bucks still owed me, I'm not going to get a lawyer or anthing. I simply want to add my own experiences for any readers who might still be wondering if the hundreds of negative reports about Cydcor's nationwide branches are just a few jealous people who didn't succeed and went postal.

So here are just a few things I noticed you might want to consider. Please see the positive comments (listed at the bottom) which I just wanna throw out there as my way of showing that I was only there for one week and you should combine ALL these reports and make your own judgement (or try working there yourself if it strikes your fancy).

1: I have already mentioned that my paycheck, which has arrived very late, is only a fraction of the amount I earned. Nuff said.

2: The training manual itself demonstrates how it is more of a brainwashing type situation than a legit business. The whole training manual is about morale issues, selling style strategies and the attitude it takes to be a good salesperson and successful in life. It seemed very condescending to anyone who had any other aspirations in life- I got a very "anyone not doing this is stupid to be working their asses off elsewhere" feeling from it all. Sounds like those make money quick real estate infomercials, right?

The company gives you no practical information about filling out the various documents needed for opening new accounts and day to day operation you must be privvy to. This bit me because my first week I was constantly getting blamed for filling so and so out incorrectly. I was "taught" about these various things by my trainer (I had a different one every day, so basically got different instructions on doing the same task everyday) while we were walking from one door to the next. NO ONE ever physically sat down with me to show me this stuff.

3I am 29 years old- not old but not my first job. Something about being the second oldest person in an office that is supposedly based upon building a soild career for yourself was fishy. They would tell you, I'm sure, that this is because people advance so quickly that they have their own offices before they hit my age.

Could be true, but come on 29 is NOT that old! You never get to see the 99 people who fail for every 1 person who actually succeed to the level they say you will.

4:Quick note about the owner, Raf. I found him pretty cool. But I caught a glimpse of his true "managerial" skills when talking to him about my leaving. I had two interviews for other jobs in one week, so I told him about them because he was my boss and I his employer. I was completely honest. Then I told him if I get the other job, I will take it. In a snide and cocky way that you wouldn't expect a professional manager to speak he responded- and I quote- "I don't even know you. I mean I try to treat everyone like a friend, but it's tough with so many offices, blah blah blah".

Doesn't know me? I had spoken with him three days in a row, thinking I was being mature by keeping my "boss" completely abreast of my unsure situation with his company. Oops, my bad.

4:See above. When they offered me the job I told them I had other interviews and said I wasn't sure I could do cold call selling. My interviewer- now a successful owner of her own office in Orlando, supposedly- told me to come in anyway. In about 12 working days I went in only 6 because of looking for other jobs. They never told me it wouldn't work out and I should look for something else. Isn't that weird?

5:They were running interviews constantly the whole time I was there. They still are because their ad is all over monster and yahoo, etc. I got the job what I thought was far too easily. They need a constant flow of employees. The more the better. The more the fledglings sell, the more the bosses scoop off for themselves. Do you want to work for a company that takes anyone at all but tells you that you're "dynamic"?

6:Read about "the atmosphere" above. It is the high fiving and loud music after everyone comes back from their days in the streets of Manhattan pushing pens and pencils. At first, I thought it might be cool as a kind of anti-corporate culture trait of the company. But I didn't understand "the rules" to the laid backness of it all. I received a call from my mother and answered it in "the atmosphere". Technically work was over for me for the day. I was told in no uncertain terms that you don't use your phone or talk too much about non work related stuff during atmosphere.

It was just a little too unprofessional for me, but I was constantly being told how to act during meetings and after work, despite this laid-back atmosphere.

Sorry I can't finish this now but you get the idea and I will be happy to respond to any rebuttals or answer questions about impressions I got in my week there.

Positive:

1: There can't be a brainwashing class that managers take so any brainwasing is subconsciously and comes after a long period of time spewing the company ideals and listening to others spew them. That said, most of the people I met had only been there for less than 2 months- another weird thing, right? how EVERYONE must have vaulted to the top so quickly that everyone was a newbie.- but they were really cool and supportive. A genuine team atmosphere did exist. Or maybe it was just a lot of starry eyed people excited about these new possibilities.

Todd

Camden, New Jersey
U.S.A.