OK, just went to the meeting, watched the video and heard from several reps about how much money they were all going to make.
1) Donald Trump: ACN proudly pushes through the stormy seas of sceptisism with Donald Trump at the masthead. It is important to note that while he seems to be endorsing ACN as a whole, what he is really doing is raising up the phone as he proudly delares ACN to be the best deal in America. This is a clear indication that the Donald Trump endorsement is about the phone, which seems greatly out of context with the actual product and service sold by this company. More on that below.
2) The Video Phone: The video phone seems like an outdated piece of equipment. Personally, I hate the idea. I don't like my every move being watched while I chat. I can't roll my eyes at stupid things people say if they are watching me. I can't answer the phone in my underwear. Think about all the reasons why you'd come to hate video calls too.
It's only a matter of time before cell phones integrate video chat across 4G. We got rid of cords for cordless phones. Who wants to stand in front of that phone and talk when I have a perfectly good computer that allows me free video chat?
Lets not forget the scathing reviews that can be found all over ripoff report with technical support and service department tales of woe either. Staples, a reseller of other people's products gives you 30 days to return items, even if they are opened, no questions asked (except software). ACN, the primary source of this phone gives you 3 days to evaluate and return. How generous.
3) The opportunity: Nobody at the meeting tonight had any idea at all what percentages you would make for originating actual customers. The reason they have no idea is because the business is about raising $500 recruitment fees.. not about the selling of services. Despite my having drawn charts and diagrams, nobody there seemed to posses the desire to explain to me how much could be earned on the sale of various actual telecom services to friends, family and neighbors. There is no clear answer to that question because the amount is so trivial that it's almost irrelevant.
"It's not about that." is the response I got. If a company doesn't pay me real dollars to sell a real product, what is the point in my signing up anyone else to get involved?
4) The Video: The video shows two men who claim to have achieved financial freedom through this business opportunity. It shows these men with two Lamborginis and their luxury homes. One of them has 3 kids and they are all abound 10. His wife proudly proclaims: "Our home is paid for. We are debt free. We're financially set. My kids college is set. Our retirement is set. We'll never have to worry about money."
Lets evaluate these statements and ideas for a moment. Sending three kids to college alone and paying for 6 years of college for each would be over half a million dollars even today. Given their chosen lifestyle, their retirement fund would need to be in the millions. Lamborginis are $300,000+
Obviously by "set" they would have to be referring to and assuming ongoing overrides. Because even if you made $40,000 a month, with that lifestyle you'd never have enough operating cash to bank that kind of money, pay for the home, the college, the retirement fund the Lamborginis and be debt free as well.
It's my guess that the two gentlemen in question are actual company insiders raking in the dough off the sale of seminar tickets, training materials and annual fees. Even if they are making the money they claim under an identical model you would be under and with no hidden variables; the only reason they would be allowed to continue to do so is because they agree to make appearances at seminars and in the video.
5) Promotional Structure: Each level in their promotional structure has a clear set of goals that need to be orchestrated in order to be obtained except two: The top two positions. Nobody could give me a satisfactory answer as to how someone would get there except that someday they would. Education? Hard work and determination? Seniority? Guess again. It's the two guys from the videos I'll bet.
5) Future outlook: This company could fail just like any other company. Laws could change making their business model illegal. Another company could move in with a better deal and the fruits of your hard work could evaporate overnight. How much time would you lose on a "business opportuntinity" that has left you with no marketable skills, brand equity or solid ongoing annuity of any kind? Worse yet, you'll have distanced yourself from fruitful business contacts and missed out on opportunities to make more in exchange for a group of pipe dreamers who are way out of touch with reality. Your friends will stop taking your calls. Your family will cringe at the idea of having to see you. Even if you were one of the few shills who was allowed to own the luxury home and cars you'd gain NONE of the respect, power or admiration that someone who actually earned those things would normally get.
I've come to recognize the words "Business Opportunity" to really mean "Pyramid Scam", and you should too.
Why file a report here? Ripoff Report is a permanent record! Other complaint sites copy our content then remove reports for money.
