Post by Leslie on Jul 28, 2009 21:21:49 GMT -5
I know there have been several reports posted about Cydcor on the web and that they’re becoming a little repetitive, but I didn’t know about websites like ripoffreport.com at the time I was applying for this company. Had I known there were certain resources out there that allow you to research companies, I would have saved a lot of time and turmoil. So, I’ve decided to take the time to write a report about my experience with The Marketing Group/Cydcor since I haven’t come across any reports pertaining to the Denver area.
I was looking for a career in the marketing field and came across a posting on careerbuilder.com for an entry-level position with a company called The Marketing Group. I visited their website and everything sounded so appealing, so I submitted my resume and was called in for an interview a couple days later. There was no mention of sales, in fact the job posting and their website stated it was focused on management training. Upon entering the office, I noticed how nice and professional it looked and all the employees were young, attractive and in suits. It looked professional and legit. I also noticed there were several people in the waiting area waiting to be interviewed as well.
I was invited into one of the owners’ offices for my first interview. She was a young, attractive, and bubbly woman with a positive personality. She asked me very few questions and told me little about the company, but stressed the opportunity that awaited you with this company. I was drawn to the money that could be made, the quick promotions, the travel opportunities, and the fact that it sounded like a professional career. The whole interview lasted maybe 15 minutes and I was told that if the company chose to invite you back for a second interview, they would be contacting me that evening around 6pm. If they called, you were to answer because they would not be leaving voicemails, and if you didn’t answer, you would lose your opportunity with the company and they would move on to the next person on their list.
I received a call at 6pm inviting me back for a second interview and scheduled it the very next day. When I arrived the next morning, I was introduced to one of the companies “top executives”, which I later found out was actually what the company calls a “leader”. I was told I would be spending the day with her in the field, observing what she did. We drove about 30 miles away from the office to another suburb where we went door to door trying to get businesses to buy office supplies from a company called Quill. I had no idea the job entailed door to door sales, which I am adamantly against, but after the executive told me about the money, the management training, and the wonderful opportunity with this company, I told myself I could deal with door to door sales for awhile.
That evening I was offered a position with the company, quit my current job that weekend, and began with The Marketing Group that Monday. I was told I would be given $300 as a training bonus to compensate me during the training period, which lasted three days. I was told that for every sale I made, I would be given 30% of the total as my commission, which was my sole form of income until I reached assistant manager. I was told that I would receive my first paycheck THREE WEEKS from the time I started and that my commissions and bonus(s) would be on there as well. I did not expect to go three weeks without a paycheck and I only had $100 to my name for that time to cover the cost of gas and any repairs that had to be done to my car since you had to provide your own transportation.
I was told the hours I would be working would be 8 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday. Every morning you were to be at the office by eight for morning meetings that lasted until 9:45, at which time you were released into the field. Morning meetings taught you techniques to sell in the field and ways to increase your sales. Then the owner gives a motivational talk before sending you out into the field.
The territory I was given was 40 miles away from the office and I went through a half a tank of gas every day, so I’d be spending $60-$100 every week on gas alone, which you’re not reimbursed for. I put over 100 miles a day on my car, which caused a lot of wear and tear. The territory I was given had very few businesses that qualified to sell to and since it had been worked three weeks prior by another of my co-workers, the majority of the people I spoke with were annoyed and ready to show me the door. Needless to say, I was given little opportunity to succeed.
The owner kept telling me to keep at it and be persistent- that there were ways to change these peoples’ minds and overcome their objections. She kept enticing me with the promise of more bonuses and the opportunity to travel to the Salt Lake office to learn under another “amazing” owner. So I did my best to keep at it. A week into me being there, my boss offered me the opportunity to go to Salt Lake and said I’d receive a bonus for going and a promotion to leadership after I had returned. I told I’d be going in two weeks if I wanted to, and I accepted the offer. I did my best to work the poor territory I was given in my second week. I had only completed five sales and got discouraged since I wasn’t making money to pay my bills. I asked my boss for a new territory and was denied.
I went into my third week with determination. I had kept my motivation up the entire time I was there and had the mindset of, “well, I was given lemons, I might as well make lemonade.” I tried very hard to turn incapability’s into abilities and opportunities. At the start of my third week, the team that had gone to Salt Lake returned. On that team was a guy who had been hired almost a week after me. As soon as they got back, he was promoted, just for going to Salt Lake. On Tuesday of my third week, I encountered one business owner who was so unhappy with Quill and their reps, that he screamed at me and grabbed me by my arm to drag me out of his office. This was completely unusual and even though I tried to ask him why he was so unhappy with the company, he refused to tell me. I thought it was all very fishy and this is where my doubts and concerns began. The next day I was put in multiple situations like this. I returned to the office that evening to find my owners boyfriend giving a presentation on Ameriplan, a discounted benefits program. I watched as my trainer left the office abruptly and did not return. Ten minutes later she texted me and told me to call her once I left the office.
I called her and she asked me to meet her as soon as possible as she had important information to share with me. I met her that evening and I told her about my unusual experiences in the field the past week. She then shared with me that The Marketing Group is actually owned by a company called Cydcor and she had done some research about Cydcor when she found out we were linked to them. What she found about one of the owners in our office and about Cydcor was horrendous! I’m not going to go into detail, but there’s some illegal activity going on and it turns out the whole company’s a scam and a pyramid scheme. Since there had been no mention of Cydcor during my time with the company, I had no idea we were under them. My trainer quit that day and advised me to do the same.
I went home that evening and looked up Cydcor on Google. I found several horrible reports from disgruntled employees and appalling stories of their experiences with the company. I found out that Cydcor got in trouble back in 2002 for fraud and since then has opened over 7,000 offices nationwide all under different names. I read one report from a former employee who had tried to sell to a business and the business owner had done research on the company and was directed to Cydcor and all it’s conniving practices. Since the business owner had done his research, he wanted nothing to do with the rep that came in to try and sell to him. My experiences came to mind and it all made sense at that point. I also found out that there are at least two other companies in the Denver area that are associated with Cydcor, even though I was told The Marketing Group was the only one. I went in the next morning and quit.
Three days later, I received a call from The Marketing Group informing me that they had my paycheck. I went in that evening to pick it up and the receptionist told me I was supposed to call so that she could meet me in the lobby of the building to give me my check. They did not want me in the office. Pretty sketchy if you ask me. I told her all I wanted was my check and they would never hear from me again. I opened it and the check was for only $60. I was livid!! I kept track of my sales and knew I was supposed to be earning $250 on commission alone. I was also promised $600 in bonuses. I complained to the administrative assistant and was told that as soon as the sales were finalized and paid for, I would receive my commission. As for the bonuses, I was told I did not meet the regulations set forth, so I would not be receiving the bonuses. What regulations?! I was never told anything! I was simply told I would be getting $300 for my training compensation and another $300 for accepting an opportunity to go to Salt Lake. So here I sit with $60 to my name and a month and a half’s worth of rent due. I am being evicted at the end of this week and have nowhere to go. Everything has fallen apart all due to the fact I was royally screwed by this sham of a company and nothing can be done. They completely mislead you in the job postings and once you’re employed by the company as well.
If you encounter an entry-level marketing job, do your research. It’s most likely a sham like the one I encountered. The only resource I knew of at the time to research companies was the better business bureau, and the kicker with this company is that there have been no complaints to the BBB and they have an A+ rating. What I can tell you is that I’ve been told that these companies delete bad information where they can and that’s what I suspect has happened with the BBB. There have been too many disgruntled employees and consumers for this company to have an A+ rating. So, I advise you to do your research and expand your resources. Look on websites like ripoffreport.com and Google. I wish I had known all this before I even accepted a position with this company.
I was looking for a career in the marketing field and came across a posting on careerbuilder.com for an entry-level position with a company called The Marketing Group. I visited their website and everything sounded so appealing, so I submitted my resume and was called in for an interview a couple days later. There was no mention of sales, in fact the job posting and their website stated it was focused on management training. Upon entering the office, I noticed how nice and professional it looked and all the employees were young, attractive and in suits. It looked professional and legit. I also noticed there were several people in the waiting area waiting to be interviewed as well.
I was invited into one of the owners’ offices for my first interview. She was a young, attractive, and bubbly woman with a positive personality. She asked me very few questions and told me little about the company, but stressed the opportunity that awaited you with this company. I was drawn to the money that could be made, the quick promotions, the travel opportunities, and the fact that it sounded like a professional career. The whole interview lasted maybe 15 minutes and I was told that if the company chose to invite you back for a second interview, they would be contacting me that evening around 6pm. If they called, you were to answer because they would not be leaving voicemails, and if you didn’t answer, you would lose your opportunity with the company and they would move on to the next person on their list.
I received a call at 6pm inviting me back for a second interview and scheduled it the very next day. When I arrived the next morning, I was introduced to one of the companies “top executives”, which I later found out was actually what the company calls a “leader”. I was told I would be spending the day with her in the field, observing what she did. We drove about 30 miles away from the office to another suburb where we went door to door trying to get businesses to buy office supplies from a company called Quill. I had no idea the job entailed door to door sales, which I am adamantly against, but after the executive told me about the money, the management training, and the wonderful opportunity with this company, I told myself I could deal with door to door sales for awhile.
That evening I was offered a position with the company, quit my current job that weekend, and began with The Marketing Group that Monday. I was told I would be given $300 as a training bonus to compensate me during the training period, which lasted three days. I was told that for every sale I made, I would be given 30% of the total as my commission, which was my sole form of income until I reached assistant manager. I was told that I would receive my first paycheck THREE WEEKS from the time I started and that my commissions and bonus(s) would be on there as well. I did not expect to go three weeks without a paycheck and I only had $100 to my name for that time to cover the cost of gas and any repairs that had to be done to my car since you had to provide your own transportation.
I was told the hours I would be working would be 8 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday. Every morning you were to be at the office by eight for morning meetings that lasted until 9:45, at which time you were released into the field. Morning meetings taught you techniques to sell in the field and ways to increase your sales. Then the owner gives a motivational talk before sending you out into the field.
The territory I was given was 40 miles away from the office and I went through a half a tank of gas every day, so I’d be spending $60-$100 every week on gas alone, which you’re not reimbursed for. I put over 100 miles a day on my car, which caused a lot of wear and tear. The territory I was given had very few businesses that qualified to sell to and since it had been worked three weeks prior by another of my co-workers, the majority of the people I spoke with were annoyed and ready to show me the door. Needless to say, I was given little opportunity to succeed.
The owner kept telling me to keep at it and be persistent- that there were ways to change these peoples’ minds and overcome their objections. She kept enticing me with the promise of more bonuses and the opportunity to travel to the Salt Lake office to learn under another “amazing” owner. So I did my best to keep at it. A week into me being there, my boss offered me the opportunity to go to Salt Lake and said I’d receive a bonus for going and a promotion to leadership after I had returned. I told I’d be going in two weeks if I wanted to, and I accepted the offer. I did my best to work the poor territory I was given in my second week. I had only completed five sales and got discouraged since I wasn’t making money to pay my bills. I asked my boss for a new territory and was denied.
I went into my third week with determination. I had kept my motivation up the entire time I was there and had the mindset of, “well, I was given lemons, I might as well make lemonade.” I tried very hard to turn incapability’s into abilities and opportunities. At the start of my third week, the team that had gone to Salt Lake returned. On that team was a guy who had been hired almost a week after me. As soon as they got back, he was promoted, just for going to Salt Lake. On Tuesday of my third week, I encountered one business owner who was so unhappy with Quill and their reps, that he screamed at me and grabbed me by my arm to drag me out of his office. This was completely unusual and even though I tried to ask him why he was so unhappy with the company, he refused to tell me. I thought it was all very fishy and this is where my doubts and concerns began. The next day I was put in multiple situations like this. I returned to the office that evening to find my owners boyfriend giving a presentation on Ameriplan, a discounted benefits program. I watched as my trainer left the office abruptly and did not return. Ten minutes later she texted me and told me to call her once I left the office.
I called her and she asked me to meet her as soon as possible as she had important information to share with me. I met her that evening and I told her about my unusual experiences in the field the past week. She then shared with me that The Marketing Group is actually owned by a company called Cydcor and she had done some research about Cydcor when she found out we were linked to them. What she found about one of the owners in our office and about Cydcor was horrendous! I’m not going to go into detail, but there’s some illegal activity going on and it turns out the whole company’s a scam and a pyramid scheme. Since there had been no mention of Cydcor during my time with the company, I had no idea we were under them. My trainer quit that day and advised me to do the same.
I went home that evening and looked up Cydcor on Google. I found several horrible reports from disgruntled employees and appalling stories of their experiences with the company. I found out that Cydcor got in trouble back in 2002 for fraud and since then has opened over 7,000 offices nationwide all under different names. I read one report from a former employee who had tried to sell to a business and the business owner had done research on the company and was directed to Cydcor and all it’s conniving practices. Since the business owner had done his research, he wanted nothing to do with the rep that came in to try and sell to him. My experiences came to mind and it all made sense at that point. I also found out that there are at least two other companies in the Denver area that are associated with Cydcor, even though I was told The Marketing Group was the only one. I went in the next morning and quit.
Three days later, I received a call from The Marketing Group informing me that they had my paycheck. I went in that evening to pick it up and the receptionist told me I was supposed to call so that she could meet me in the lobby of the building to give me my check. They did not want me in the office. Pretty sketchy if you ask me. I told her all I wanted was my check and they would never hear from me again. I opened it and the check was for only $60. I was livid!! I kept track of my sales and knew I was supposed to be earning $250 on commission alone. I was also promised $600 in bonuses. I complained to the administrative assistant and was told that as soon as the sales were finalized and paid for, I would receive my commission. As for the bonuses, I was told I did not meet the regulations set forth, so I would not be receiving the bonuses. What regulations?! I was never told anything! I was simply told I would be getting $300 for my training compensation and another $300 for accepting an opportunity to go to Salt Lake. So here I sit with $60 to my name and a month and a half’s worth of rent due. I am being evicted at the end of this week and have nowhere to go. Everything has fallen apart all due to the fact I was royally screwed by this sham of a company and nothing can be done. They completely mislead you in the job postings and once you’re employed by the company as well.
If you encounter an entry-level marketing job, do your research. It’s most likely a sham like the one I encountered. The only resource I knew of at the time to research companies was the better business bureau, and the kicker with this company is that there have been no complaints to the BBB and they have an A+ rating. What I can tell you is that I’ve been told that these companies delete bad information where they can and that’s what I suspect has happened with the BBB. There have been too many disgruntled employees and consumers for this company to have an A+ rating. So, I advise you to do your research and expand your resources. Look on websites like ripoffreport.com and Google. I wish I had known all this before I even accepted a position with this company.
