Phitoma Quest - Kirby "Looking for Demo/Assembly People" Bartlesville Oklahoma

THIS IS THE OWNER OF PHITOMA QUEST. I read the report that was posted about my company, and there is not much truth to the whole post except that Kirbys are the best machines out there! Any person hired at our office is on a guarantee (per written agreement) that they don't have to sell a machine to make money here! It's in writting! We do tell applicants that it is Kirby in their first interview! If any one asks us on the phone when they call the ads if its Kirby, we tell them YES! NOT everyone in our orientation makes the CUT, as they called it! The practice shows that was mentioned is totally voluntary! From my 10 years in the business, I have found that practice makes improvement, so we do encourage the trainees to set up PRACTICE shows with family and friends, for PRACTICE! I have never pressured anyone to buy a Kirby! There are 5 certain critrias that the dealer has to do in their show to get qualified for a SHOW! They are taught this from the first day of training! When the dealer does these five things in the show, they qualify for credit for the show! NO SELLING REQUIRED!!! I am so tired of people looking for a J.O.B. (just over broke) that apply for the job, go through training, and then don't do their job, blaming it on everyone else instead of looking in the mirror! I started in this business as a dealer, with no sales experience, in Jan 1999, and I knew back then what I had to do to get QUALIFIED for a show! But guess what, when I did that, people wanted to buy the machine, NO PRESSURE SALES!!! The Kirby opportunity has been GREAT for me! I wish everyone would give this opportunity a chance, and quit looking at posts from people that don't want to work, or that want something for nothing!

I worked for Schmidt & Associates a "Independant Distributor" of Kirby in Savannah Ga and i experienced the same lines and lies. I responded to the same add and was told the same information. I have read so many stories on here from other states that are just like mine. Yet Kirby wants us to think they have nothing to do with how the distributors do business. Then why is every distributor in every state the same??

We all want answers but you cant get ahold of the distributor and Kirby tells you they are just a vendor/vendee relationship. You have a good product but soon no one will want a Kirby because of how you sell them.

I worked for kirby for a few months nearly 10 years ago, and judging from most of these points seem pretty valid. Now I haven't actually worked for "Phitoma Quest", this was a kirby distributor in Canada, but the stories I read here are all to familiar.

When I first called for an interview, there was no mention of Kirby, it was called "M. Torontow Enterprises" or something like that. There was no mention of Kirby, and a denial when asked "Is it sales?" - the response to that was "We're looking for energetic people to do in home demonstrations for consumers" or some sleazy crap to get you to come in.

When you come in for the interview, surprise! You get hired a few hours later and get asked to come in for the training (I was 17, didn't comb my hair, didn't have a suit or nice dress shoes). The first half of the training involves just telling you about success, and how whatever visions you had of the future are trivial, because look at all the success you could have here! After the demo and training, you've basically got this assumption that you'll sell one for every 3 demos you do, and at 3 demos a day, that's an realistic looking $400 a day per machine profit!

Kirby has the potential for you to climb up and make a lot, much like every mornings' propaganda meeting reassured us, but realistically so few make it out of all the people there. There's just a lot of underhanded tactics they use to recruit salespeople. Not mentioning "sales" in the interview is an obvious start point. I sold a few at full price , but it was on a different credit plan where I only received $50 instead of the $400 promised (gee, think I should have been told about this earlier?). Profits on machines sold at less than full price were questionable, and I wouldn't know until payday. Scheduled appointments usually resulted in highly unqualified (credit wise) potential buyers.

Looking back at the sales part, I feel quite ashamed at the tactics used to convince people to buy the machine. Lying to get in the door "we're not selling anything, we just want your opinion on some cleaning products!". The illusion of a dirtier house with all the dirt pads, letting you know all that dirt is there that you just can't normally see. A questionable pricing / savings comparison of buying vs not buying (if you buy this, your carpets will last longer, and will save you thousands! Now, some of you might just think that's good salesmanship, but there was a line that was crossed somewhere. If a housewife said "Well, I need to discuss this with my husband", we would say "You don't need your husband's permission, do you?" - making her feel like an inferior subordinate woman for needing "permission" in the hopes she'll buy it anyway. Unsubstantiated claims that it improves your health or asthma.

I don't have anything against the machine or it's price. The machine works great, and even though the profit margin might be quite high - hey, that's business, if it sells for more, then sell for more. Also, I can only speak for the distributor here, not this specific one mentioned. What I don't like is the high pressure mechanism used to sell right then and there, trying to force someone to part with $2000 of their money for something they didn't know they needed until you showed up. That and the recruiting techniques.

I filled out an application online and was called a couple days later. When I asked what I would be doing, the gentleman on the phone said "Oh you'll be selling stuff to take care of the inside of your house." I didn't really understand what that meant so i thought maybe home improvement? So I asked, "Oh so I'll be selling like...drills and stuff?" And he answered, "Oh!!! No, no, nothing like that. Just stuff to take care of the inside of your house." I still didn't fully understand what it was that I would be doing and I like to know what I'm getting into before I committ to it. So i asked a third question. "So...like cleaners?" He sat on the other end of the line for about 45 seconds and finally answered, "Well, yeah. Kind of. Yeah you could say that. Just stuff to take care of the inside of your house!" We talked a little while longer, and I finally asked him what exactly i would be doing. "So, would I be calling people or going to their house, or what?" and he said, "Well, YOU wouldn't actually be selling anything. You would just set things up for display and demonstration. You might do a little bit of calling, but mostly you would go to people's houses." I replied, "Ohhh! Okay, so people who show interest will be visited or called and they'll get a demonstration." And he kind of laughed and said, "No. You'd just be going to their house." I said I wasn't really interested and the conversation ended. A few days later, I received another phone call from someone else with the company. I was seriously annoyed this time because I thought I had made it clear that I wasn't interested, but the company cleverly used a different number, had a different person call, and didn't give out the company name when they called unless it was asked for. Not realizing it was the same company, I allowed the gentleman to set up an interview. I asked for the company name this time though. He gave it to me, and I went online and googled it. I was brought here and I'm thankful that "Disgusted" posted what he or she did. The moral to this story is, don't fill out applications online or answer Help Wanted ads in the paper unless the company name is listed.

I am an ex employee of Phil Mahlo's Kirby Scam.
Funny how Phil trolls on this website to find out what people say about him, then of course his bucky beaver teeth get to chattering because of the TRUTH revealed, that he denies.

Truth: They don't tell you it's Kirby until the last minute or you ask.
Truth: Most people working there are felons, ex-cons, and generally the mentally unstable.
Truth: I was in the office, talking to Phil, when he got a call from the bank. He told them "No, we don't really pay them..." And then he looked at me and started stumbling, fumbling, and mumbling his words.
He forgot I was in the office.

Over the course of the 2 months I worked for Phil the Liar, the van I was in was pulled over
6 times, and I was personally threatened to be hauled to jail since Phil never aquired permits to
legally sell his vaccum cleaners.

I found Phil the Liar Mahlo's financial records with him reporting income of 600,000 dollars.
However, I left the company being owed 200 dollars I never got because he steals, lies and cheats his
way all over you. understand, I needed that money for my rent, car, gas, insurance, food, child, etc
and he still wouldn't pay me. He didn't pay me.

That's when I realized I was scammed. I sold at least 15 of his precious vaccuum cleaners
(starting price almost 2,000 dollars then they whittle down from there) and yet I lost everything.

TAMCO Enterprises and PHITOMA are scams.
You go there broke, looking for honest work, and you leave broken hearted and "worked over",
if you know what I mean. Don't ever consider working for Phil Mahlo, the man is not honest,
and neither is Kirby.

the vaccuums cost around 200 dollars for him, he has you sell them for 2,000 bucks,
then he pays you nothing because it was on a type of loan, and you don't get paid until they get paid, but they are on a 2 year pay off plan, so I'm supposed to stick around for 2 years to get my 25 dollar fee?
Yep, 25 dollars for a weeks worth. Not including the gas I spent, the time, the anguish, the food, and the threats I endured from the crazy people he has employed.

Now I have to admit the picuture posted of My. Mahlo is indeed either photo shopped or the man does indeed have a set of chompers that is reminiscent of a beaver.

That being said, The Kirby opportunity is just that, an opportunity.  The wise person will indeed learn what is needed and apply all that is required.  If you cant sell, but are willing to learn, it can be the best medicine for you.  If you have no aptitude for learning, go to Mickie D's. 

Once again, I am the owner of the company, and have been for some time. This report is so full of lies and slander, my lawyer will have a hay day with it! The ads we run in the paper are not sales ads, and the applicants are not only told the days and hours we work in the FIRST interview, but they are also told that we handle the Kirby products!! It's funny how these so called claims, never have a name with them. I wonder what they are afraid of. The picture that is posted, is a picture that is very old. (photo shopped, WHO CARES!!!) The Kirby company has been in business since 1914. Does anyone really think that with 96 years in business, they would allow us to do business the way this IDIOT says. If you notice on the report, they state they worked here 2 months, and then later it states one week...hmmmm. You figure it out.

kirby is simple keep it that way

How do you justify breaking labor laws? Why do you think you are above the law? And yes...you do break the law. Labor law states that if a company makes any requirements of an individual regarding: the time required to be at a sales office, hours required to sell, any sales techniques required, or any other "requirement" regarding a salesperson, makes them an EMPLOYEE, and not an independent contractor. Which means you have to pay a set wage, overtime for anything more than 40 hours worked in a work week, workman's comp, and all the other things required for an employer. I'm sure you already know this, and I'm sure you have already had to pay settlements to former workers. I have already talked to several lawyers, and folks at different dept.s of labor in several states to verify my statements. So you can try to lie all you want to, but the truth is, you are breaking the law, and taking advantage of folks to make money off of them. I expect that you will be hearing from one more more lawyers in the near future, to discuss your business practices, and the money that you owe several of your former salespeople.

Do the math it's evident that the facts are in.  What with the over whelming number of blogs associated with this company and the company nationwide.  Here's a little bit of info you might find interesting.  Everything disparaging is true some people are a little bit too kind.  How do I know?  I was the guy.  The guy who taught independent Kirby offices these practices.  Sure I went in with a moral conviction that this was serving a higher cause.  Helping people achieve a better life and all that but over a span of many years it denigrated into this out of control Juggernaut we have today.  Being,  teaching and seeing these practices everyday what can I say.  But hey I did it and  there will be no statues to me.  Years ago a couple of brothers ran their office making everyone a W-9 employee and they made a fortune along with another fortune with their Kirby stock when it was acquired by Brookshire Hathaway Holdings.  They promptly got out.  The offices who treat people like how you want to be treated never survive,  and with the loop holes in the 1099 sub contractor laws it's a no brain-er. It will never change until these laws tighten up. There are other motivation's driving this engine also.  The chances to hide taxable income is limitless.  They take trade ins and some of them are expansive plus in high demand.  Little to no documentation required in that regard.  A Kirby is manufactured for a cost of $47.89 with the single most expensive part being the box it came in that's $8.00 they outsource it.  Now it's sold to the independent distributor for $385.00 who in turn sells it to their independent dealer (new guy) for  $1100.00 to 1700.00 depending on location.  After that its up to the dealer to sell it for a profit that's how it works.  The overseer at Brookshire has lamented that this is the most problematic company in his portfolio if it were not the income paid to shareholders he would shut it down within days. Understand his portfolio is vast. One more thing,  there have been some attempts to address the climate they find themselves in today but with a revolving door at the presidents office.  Policy's never seem to take root or be implemented.  They Kirby president has a shelf life of 18 to 24 months.      
                                             
Thank You...Retired in  Oklahoma, still seeking a higher moral value.