DB Alan, Granton Marketing/CYDCOR, DS MAX ripoff. Lying is something DB Alan/Granton/DS Max specializes in. You would do well to stay away. Las Vegas Nevada

I submitted my resume to this company via a well-know online job search engine. I recieved a callback the next day requesting an interview.

Things seemed suspcious from the moment of the callback for the receptionist requested that I come in for an interview that same day; most companies would at least set the interview a few days in advance to give time to prepare. I also recieved an email requesting an interview ASAP.

The second suspcious thing was arriving at DB Alan's office the next day. It is said first impressions are everything, and I was immediately turned off by the receptionist using her computer to blast R&B and techno music at high volume, even during calls. The girl (she did not act mature enough to deserve the description "woman") also wore a frumpy tanktop and a low-slung skirt that revealed her butt crack.

The interview itself added to my unease since the interviewer (a kid who looked like he only started shaving for the first time a few days before, even though he was very well dressed) only asked ONE question, that being what I felt I could do for the company. The Kid was rather impressed with my answer and invited me back to a second interview/training the next day.

Since I've been burned before by seemingly-reputable employers in the past, so the first thing I did was check ripoffreport.com. The Kid had said that DB Alan was a subsidiary of Granton Marketing, and the more I reseached the further things devolved. Armed with this new found knowledge, I went into this second interview ready to stress-test to destruction anything that got in my way. I confirmed the DS MAX connection by looking at the reward plaques for "exceptional service" in the DB Alan office.

The second "interview" consisted of "successful candidates" who had passed the first interview being assigned to a DB Alan representative to go out into the "field" to see what entry-level positions did. Since DB Alan's website (http://www.dbalan.com) was rather sparsely detailed, I immediately asked my "interviewer"/partner to define, precisely, what one-on-one marketing actually is, since an exact definition was not on DB Alan's website. She gave me this "deer in the headlights" look, and called the Kid over to provide me a definition.

The Kid attempted to spin the phrase "one on one marketing" as "we help businesses promote themselves."

Me: "Can you define that more precisely?"

The Kid: "Uh .... " *he was obviously attempting to avoid the subject*

Me: "Is this door to door sales?"

The Kid: *looking both defeated and relieved* "Yes, door to door sales are involved."

Despite having my suspcions confirmed, I decided to go out with my interviewer (I'll call her Yedida from here on). During this time we visited various businesses attempting to sell golf club coupons, even going into businesses that had obvious and clear signs that said "No Soliciting."

I pointed this out to Yedida, and asked her to explain what she was doing was not soliciting. Yedida attempted to convince me that she was not "selling" anything because the coupons were "free" and that the dictionary definition of soliciting was inapplicable. To Yedida, "soliciting" primarily involved selling illegal, sexual or lewd services. She was almost Clintonian in her avoidance of the "s" word, a.k.a. soliciting. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary (http://www.m-w.com), to solicit is to make a request, and in this case, a request for a quid pro quo (or, a "something for something") transaction.

However, the coupons were not "free." Certainly, there were free services and discounts available, but only after a certain amount of money was spent to buy the coupon. She was unambigously, inarguably selling a product, despite her protestations otherwise.

I also asked her if DB Alan/Granton covered transportation costs (with gas prices running at $2+ a gallon in Vegas, it's a very strong concern when the job requires being "in the field" via car on a daily basis). Of course, the answer was no. Apparently, whatever profit a DB Alan salesperson makes would also have to cover gas/food, medical insurance (in case of a car accident) etc., separately, even though the salesperson is obstensibly on working on company time.

I like to think I have principles, some sense of morality, and this includes not lying. Lying, however, is something DB Alan/Granton/DS Max specializes in. You would do well to stay away.

I forgot to include that the online ad I responded to only mentioned that this was a "management trainee" position, and mentioned absolutely NOTHING about door-to-door sales, oops, "one-on-one marketing."

A
Las Vegas, Nevada
U.S.A.

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