Report: #1129923

Complaint Review: Hi Def Advertising - Fort Myers Florida

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Submitted: Tue, March 11, 2014
Updated: Fri, June 13, 2014
Reported By: anonymous — Ft Myers Florida

Author Not Confirmed

Why?

Hi Def Advertising 1560 Matthew Dr Fort Myers, Florida USA

Phone:
Web: hidefadvertising.com
Category: Cult

Hi Def Advertising Ashley Martin Smart Circle Ripoff Merchant Fort Myers Florida

*UPDATE EX-employee responds: everything listed is accurate!

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HEY GUYS! HEY WHAT?

Want to find out about the Hi Def Advertising/Smart Circle "secret sauce"? Hardly anybody wants a career in retail sales (no disrespect to anyone in retail sales). The folks at Hi Def Advertising/Smart Circle are aware of this fact and have created a system that can only be described as a diabolical stroke of genius. It's not called Smart Circle for nothing. In order to explain this system to the reader, it would be best tell you exactly what you can expect when you join HI Def Advertising.

BRAINWASHING!

During your first interview, they tell you that you are being given the opportunity of a lifetime. You are told that if you work hard and get results, you will have your own market and will be on your way to financial freedom. Ask yourself Ft. Myers, is you Smart Circle manager financially free?

On your very first day at Hi Def Advertising, you start by participating in what is called "atmosphere". Atmosphere is an hour long session where you are taught the the basics of the business. Pencil pitching (right side, left side), f.u.g.i. factors, s.e.e. etc. etc. etc. None of this will actually help you get a sale. The experience can best be described by running your fingernails across a chalk board. You will hear catch phrases like RING THE BELL, SET THE PACE, GET EXCITED and the ubiquitous JUICE. You will be told untruths about Directv ( none of this is done in the presence of the manager, that way he can claim ignorance if you get caught lying to a customer). You are lied to about the product so that you may in turn lie to a perspective customer with a clear conscience. The idea being that it's easier to get sales if you lie.

Soon enough, the manager will emerge form his office to deliver the morning speech. Although I'm sure that in his mind he believes himself to be a modern day reincarnation of Leonidas inspiring his Spartans, it's more like watching an episode of the Three Stooges. There's the speech about how he used to make $9 hr and now drives a BMW. There's the one on how lucky you should feel about working in the entertainment industry during these tough economic times. There's the one about sacrifice and long hours etc.etc.etc. It takes him about a month and a half to go through all the speeches which is perfect because the average lifespan of a rep is less than a month. Anyone that makes it past two months is considered to be a veteran/ indoctrinated and usually doesn't mind hearing them again. After the morning speech, you get to go out and sell. GET EXCITED!

Once you have been with the company for a few weeks and have taken about twenty or so applications, you get to be "promoted" to leader. This is where the fun starts. You will now be expected to conduct second round interviews and train new recruits. All of this will be done at your expense because Hi Def will not compensate you. Imagine not only having to sell for your paycheck but also selling for a new recruit's pay. Although your production remains unchanged, your pay is less because some of your sales are now being written in someone else's name. They tell you that this is a necessary part of the process and the only way to be promoted to owner.

Once you have been a leader for little while, you will be flown out to Dallas for the national leader conference. There you will see the brainwashing on company wide scale. Dallas is a nine hour atmosphere where you will hear from owner after owner telling you how lucky you are and urging you to work seven days a week so that you may prove your worth and be promoted. Along the way you may be invited to a regional leader conference which is just like Dallas only smaller.

After you have taken enough apps, trained enough reps and agreed to short paychecks..........you get to be promoted. Anyone that takes the time to read the owner's contract knows that there is no such thing as ownership at Smart Circle. You will be a subsidiary of the parent company. You will have to waive your right to sue in the event of a disagreement (just like you did to become a rep). They will incorporate you as an LLC and then ask you to sign a document giving them power of attorney over your newly formed corporation and your bank account. That's right, power of attorney over your own bank account! I believe this is done in order to short change any owner who wants to leave.

The brief explanation in this post does not fully describe what you will experience upon joining Hi Def. The only way to understand it would be to go through it yourself. There are however many postings on the Internet detailing the process. With just a brief search you will find plenty of complaints about Smart Circle.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 03/11/2014 01:15 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/hi-def-advertising/fort-myers-florida-33907/hi-def-advertising-ashley-martin-smart-circle-ripoff-merchant-fort-myers-florida-1129923. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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#1 UPDATE EX-employee responds

everything listed is accurate!

AUTHOR: former owner - ()

SUBMITTED: Friday, May 30, 2014

POSTED: Friday, May 30, 2014

Everything illistrated in this report is accurate. I spent 2 years with this company and let me tell you, it's hard looking back and saying that. Ashley Martin, while he may have a good side somewhere deep inside his black soul, his business tactics are nothing less than diabolical. First off the man is an egotistical, narsisistic, drunkard/junkie with no shame. He almost immidiatly will try and sell you on the koolaid, and is very convincing, untill you delve a little further into the rabbit hole. He sells false promise and demonstrates a facade of professionalism. DO NOT BE FOOLED! the man cant even maintain his own household, let alone a business. Why did I endure for 2 years you might ask? Well as a top contributer to the company i was able to maintain a decent pay for myself. Make no mistake about it, I had to raise hell to get what was due to me on many occasions. Being a professional myself, one thing you do not do is mess with my money. It was a weekly battle to make sure i got mine and thanks to my flawless record keeping and customer follow ups i was able to disprove many of the reasons this man gave me to rationalize why i wasnt getting my money. Needless to say, I eventually moved into "ownership" as they call it. Biggest mistake of my life. I worked 7 days a week just to have to pay others all of my money with no finantial assistance. Take it from someone who strives for excellence in everything I do, THIS "COMPANY" WILL BANKRUPT YOU! I have managed to distance myself from this depravity and secured a real job, getting paid ample money for the work I do. Please people:

ASK QUESTIONS

DO NOT JUST ACCEPT B.S.

AVOID ASHLEY MARTIN, RISE MEDIA GROUP (or what ever he calls it now), AND SMART CIRCLE!

Respond to this report!