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Report: #130565

Complaint Review: Kirby - Orange Park Florida

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  • Reported By: Jax Florida
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  • Kirby 295 Blanding Blvd Orange Park, Florida U.S.A.

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Ok. Here goes. This is MY experience working as a Kirby dealer.

I am a professional saleman, have been for ten years. In early January 2005, I was going to a store in a little stip mall near my house, when I saw a group of what appeared to be salemen hanging out infront of an office front. There was a help wanted sign out front.

I approached one fella and asked what they did there. He was evasive, but friendly and suggested I go inside and speak to a recruiter. I went inside and was immediately approached by a woman, who had me fill out an application.

I filled it out, figuring I had nothing to loose but a few minutes. When I finished my application she took it, said my quals looked great and told me to call 'Craig' in three days to see if my application was accepted. I asked her several times what exactly the job was and all she would tell me is that it was a sales position. I pressed for more info and asked where thet leads come from and she assured me that managers arranged for leads and set appointments for the salemen the night before a sale attempt was made.

I call back at the appointed time, and I get 'Craig' on the phone. He starts telling me how great my credentials are and how I am management material and how he has "marked my application for review in 30 days." He also adds that my references have given me glowing reviews. Well I never gave any refrences to be checked.

My radar was WAY up by now cause I knew I was being fed a line of crap. But I went along with it cause at the time I was on a LOA from my job, taking care of some personal business in FL and I really had very little to fill my days while I was there.

Anyhow.. I show up for training on a Wednesday. There were probably fifteen others who started that same day a me. Well now I get my introduction to 'Craig.'

He is the trainer/ recruiter in this office. He proceeds to yell scream and generally make an a$$ of himself. He uses virtually every swear word and racial slur I heard in my life, to discribe, not us newbies, but various former employees and prospects who said NO. He tells us how rich he is and how successfull he has been as a rock musician, and a Kirby saleman.

He brags about how he lives in a $750,000 home and owns 5 exotic cars how he is a 'famous' musician, and he name drops constantly, peppering his training with slurs aimed at every ethnic group I ever heard of... and a few I NEVER heard of.

By now ( day one ) I have allready decided this isn't for me. However as a sales pro I allways feel I may be able to learn and take away something of value from every experience. By now I suspect this is gonna be door to door sales, but I swear, I have asked Craig every day of training (3 days), where the leads come from and if this is door to door. He is evasive, even when I press him.

I have never done the door to door thing so I figure i will give it a shot. So Monday my fellow trainees and I are assaigned to a Team Lead and we heard out to give demonstrations.

Now my job is to simply do a demo and let my TL close the home owner. My experience consists of me watching a "veteran' do ONE half assed demo, ( he didnt do the demo the way we were told it is mandatory to do it. )

Well my tl's other job is to "knock me in." Meaning it is his job to go door to door and convince people to let me in. Well this proceess of soliciting sucks, and most importantly, they blatantly lie to do it.

The TL's use the following pitch: " Hi, my name is Craig, and this is Al. We are in the neighborhood generating some word of mouth advertising for a new store we are opening down by the (INSERT NAME OF NEAREST SUPERMARKET OR MC DONALDS )on BLAH_BLAH road. Al here gets paid $25 just to do a demonstraton. If he shows you something really cool really quick, could you help him make his $25?

At this point the person will usually ask, what kind of store it is. To which the TL replies 'home cleaning supplies.'... Anyhow this form of prospecting is lame and results in a LOT of wasted time and energy.

But beleive it or not people actually fall for theese lines and let us in. So in I go. The line about really quick is a joke. It take an hour and a half minimum to do a demo. During which time we are supposed to vacuum floors, upolstery, and matresses. Now point of fact the machine does pull up ALOTTA nasty stuff left behind by the prospects current vacuum, and I have to say the product works. BUT IT ISNT WORTH THE $1924.00 ASKING PRICE.

So I work for SIX days, thirteen, fourteen hours a day from the time the morning meeting starts at 0900 til 10/ 11/ or 1130pm!!!! So week one I worked more than seventy hours. It was sorta fun I have to admit. Going from place to place, getting outta my comfort zone and giving my sales muscles a real work out.I sold four machines that first week. Only one deal stuck because of the prospects not qualifying.

I was employed under the condition that I had to do 15 demo in a week to get paid $350 or a $900 split. Whichever was higher.

Well I did 17 demos. But at the end of week one I decided fun time is over, I need to comeback to my home in another state and I quit Kirby. I go into the office at Kirby on payday and am given the run around about my paycheck. I am told I need to see Abe, the owner and that he is unavailable. The receptionist,( who is the bosses girlfriend I am told ) even has the nerve to tell me that because my deal was done below Abes cost that I actually owe him money. I laughed in her face and told her I will be back.

Well I return later in the day and of course he isnt there. So I give up. For the day. The next day I see his car parked out side and I enter the office and asked him for my paycheck. He printed it handed it to me no problems. I have to say I was surprised.

So that is my experience with Kirby.
They lie to prospective employees.
They lie to employees.
They lie to prospects.
They just lie constantly. I heard of veteran employees getting short pay checks, comission terms being changed in mid week to benefit the boss, and other shenanigans. I just feel they are underhanded and have found a way to take sales, and sales management to its lowest possible level.(BTW I used to sell used cars at a lot that was run by organised crime, and the Kirby guys make the wiseguys look like honest, upstanding citizens.. I AM NOT KIDDING.)

Please take my advice. If you are thinking of working there RUN THE OTHER WAY, or expect to be taken advantage of. If you want to buy a Kirby. Get one at a pawn shop for $150-175. If you want to buy one brand- new do it on a Saturday (best day to get a bargain and to pressure the saleman to lower the price) and stick to a price of $250. Trust me they will sell it to you for that price and at $250 i think it is a good, sturdy, long lived machine.

Ciao


Al
Jax, Florida
U.S.A.

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This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/08/2005 11:10 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/kirby/orange-park-florida-32073/kirby-of-south-jacksonville-syatt-abe-sharquawi-ripoff-terrible-place-to-work-orange-par-130565. 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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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
0Author
3Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#3 Consumer Comment

KIRBY/SYATT IS A JOKE!!!

AUTHOR: A Very Well Informed Consumer - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, July 25, 2008

Syatt of JAX/O.P. is a company built on the same core principles and values as the man who owns it himself, ABE Z. Principles like lying, deceiving and misrepresentation. This company offers and promises so much to its customers and employees, but gives back very little or usually nothing at all. Unfortunately I had no choice in having to deal VERY closely with this company's owner and his management staff, and I can assure I wouldn't trust these people with their tactics and track records to be responsible with ANYTHING of mine, especially not my hard earned money! Their so-called salesmen are trained to lie their way into your door, and will do or say ANYTHING to con you into buying from them. They fabricate the most absurd and far from the truth stories you've ever heard to swindle you in. Don't be fooled by these empty promises and ridiculous lies.

Abe lies to his employees and convinces them into believing he actually cares about them and their future. He then connives them into trusting him with managing all of what little money they do have left after he constantly and conveniently changes the pay structure from day to day to benefit his own profits and line his own pockets, in the hopes he will help them become MILLIONARES! Then he eventually renders all of that money for debts they owe him for things like van checks , vehicle repairs, or those attorney's fees he has so generously paid to help them out. The ONLY time he helps out any of his employees is for his own selfish agenda and that is TO MAKE HIMSELF RICHER, no one else! He tries so hard to make people believe he is genuinely concerned about helping them reach goals and make futures for themselves, when in fact he's more like a cancer that will scavenge every last dime out of his employees and customers and do whatever it takes to achieve his goal.

I'm not speaking for ALL of his management staff or employees (just 85% of them) BUT other than maybe 1 or 2 of the only real long term employees I know of are irresponsible, drug addicted, scum balls who are conniving enough themselves to convince a large number of people to pay $2 or $3,000.00 for A VACUUME. Which in turn, being able to accomplish such a scam should make them a great deal of money, but they never even really get paid any more than what Abe wants to or has to pay them in order to keep them working there so that they can make him more money. So you see these kinds of scum balls need him and depend on him. He pays their rent, electric bills, court costs, ect and then gives them just enough money per day for some fast food off the dollar menu, some gas to canvas the neighborhoods for future potential victims, and a case of 2 liters to get them in the doors.
If you can't see where I'm going with this ---> The only reason he pays this stuff for them is not out of the kindness of his heart (cause remember this is their own money they have already earned that he's using to pay this stuff with in the 1st place) but because he knows they won't pay these types of things if they have the choice. They would blow the money on things like drugs and alcohol or better yet some stupid tattoos that only they think are clever. So Abe takes their money and pays ONLY those things that are necessary to keep them up and working for him.

These comments are not just my opinions, they are facts and by now you're probably wondering why I'm saying all of this and how I even know these things, well the reason is my daughter's dead beat father, who we'll call MG, has been working for Abe for almost 2 years now.and in this time he has made approximately an average of 45-55K a year, TAX FREE- which holds Abe's salesmen totally liable for paying their own taxes and reporting their income to the IRS .this also makes them responsible for paying their own child support when normally by law it's the employer's responsibility for following income deduction orders for child support, which explains why mine's useless here.this is a very smooth move on Abe's part I must say. So considering all this MJ has paid a TOTAL of about $1K in child support payments for his daughter in 2 years.and the reason I get from for MJ for not paying (other than the fact that he is just a big P.O.S. anyway I know) is that Abe is in control of ALL of his money?!?!?! Which don't get me wrong, I do hold him fully accountable for not paying his own child support, but as a professional business owner as Abe claims to be, you would expect him to make this a priority for HIS employees. In fact the only 2 times in 2 years Abe has made sure ANY child support was paid was when MJ was summonsed to court and held in contempt for non-payment and when he had his license suspended for DUI and he had to satisfy the child support enforcement office in order to get his license back so he could run his crew for Abe.and I guess because I'm an intelligent, hard working, responsible single mother who makes a pretty decent living to ensure my child doesn't do without (despite other people's lack of responsibility), the State's not too worried about making him pay it either I'm sure if I was on welfare or collecting a government check he'd be in and out of jail every other month for not paying.

Well I must admit I do feel much better noweven though this was just a VERY small bit of insight into the lies and corruption that Abe calls a businessbelieve me there is SO much more, I just don't care enough to waste anymore of my precious time and energy by going on any further. So that's my story on Syatt of JAX/O.P. and its employeesand I hear they've opened another location in Middleburg....future consumers and employment seekers BEWARE!!!!

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#2 UPDATE EX-employee responds

Kirby Is a Great Company where anyone who has a dream can make millions of dollars honestly!!!

AUTHOR: Rhyminr - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Sunday, July 13, 2008

I am writing this to anyone who thinks kirby is a ripoff or the salesman are shady or the distributer/ Boss/ Owner doesnt pay his dealers.

The Kirby buisness IS what IS, Its the Hardest High paying Job!!
Kirby Dealers Work their a*s off for every dollar they make.
I started sellin kirbys when I was Nineteen and after learning the biz and how to do a good demo I was Making $1,000 a week. The Guy who hired me told me this, " Sellin Kirbys is Hard, If everyone could do it there wouldnt be any money init,
you get out what you put In". Your really sellin yourself not just the Most Awesome vaccum in the world. If you do a good demo and show the matteres test and how getting rid of all the dirt in your house and in the air you breathe can make you and your family healthy and can save you thousands on carpet cleaning and aplliance Replacement.

Yes the Kirby people are in the Biz for money, who Is'nt?
from the distrubiter down to the dealer everyone gets paid.
Ive made over $2,000 in 4 days as a Dealer!!! I did 11 demos sold 7 Kirbys and Got paid Every Cent I was expecting and more.

The Kirby Price get over it your gonna pay between $1,500 and $2,000 for the kirby and IT is WORTH EVERY Dollar, Its the Last Vaccum You ever have to buy for the rest of you life, you pay for the waranty and a clean home for the rest of your life, some one comes in your house to clean it for you and makes your carpet look brand new, on thier hands knees,sweatingworking hard and believing in the Product the Company and the Leadership.


To any one who reads this Either a Buyer of Kirby or former employee of Kirby
Dont blame your bad experinces on the company its just a few and far between greedy distributers who ruin it for the rest of us.
Kirby salesman Are Hardworking, Honest People willing to do the hardest job on earth and be away from their familys 12hrs a day just to make a living and d**n good one at that.

Kirby is like anything in life, If you try hard enough and you belive in yourself and your determined to succeced you will.

And to any one who thinks they got ripped off on the price I gurantee no one will ever get a Kirby Cheaper than $1,000 and at that price your not getting a new one your getting a referbeshed used one so dont complain cause ya cant afford a new one. Rich People Love Kirbys and Love the Salesman and They Pay Top Dollar No Questions Asked. They Understand what its all about and if you can pull some mega dirt out a rich persons house and make friends with them its a win win.

So next time anyone points fingers and blames a Honest Kirby Salesman for their so called bad experince should look in the mirror. The Bible, "He who is with out sin cast the first Stone"

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#1 Consumer Comment

Beware Abe is now practicing his shady techniques at Mandarin Location

AUTHOR: Pissedoffmom - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Friday, July 11, 2008

At this very moment my son is on his fourth day of working with Abe. I'm sure this

will be another 12 hr. day. He was told he was guaranteed $500.00 a week for 15

showings, of course of which were set by the team managers. My son as of

yesterday has shown 5 Demos.(of course the 4 he set up on the weekend, on his

on the weekend don't count) The first day they lollygagged & showed nothing.

The second day they took them to an area that most can't even pay their

electric bill. The next day to a new community that has 3 out five house are empty.

My son knows the neighborhoods that have potential clients but has no choice in

that matter.Yesterday they took him to Georgia ,he made a sale @ the asking price

$2,300.00. The leader went in to close the deal, low balled him down to $2000.00

& told my son he doesn't get commission on this one because it was a "B" Loan.

Needless to say I'm sure this Guy Abe will get his cut!!!! He went back today

for more abuse, only because he was desperate for a job! This is obviously one of

things they count on. That & being nieve! You would think Kirby would monitor their

so called dealers. I will be responding to them next. It's sad that any sorry human

can start a so called bussiness and last as long as he has!!!! I only wish we had

come to this site first. We have no doubt learned a lesson and will check alot of

things out here first!!! We can only hope that the old saying "what goes around

comes around!" I truly hope some gets smart & skams him where it hurts!!!


Sincerely'
Pissed off mom!!!
Jacksonville, Florida

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