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Report: #190290

Complaint Review: West Coast Ad Efx Aka Ad Efx - Irvine California

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  • Reported By: IRVINE California
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  • West Coast Ad Efx Aka Ad Efx 17881 D Sky Park Circle, Irvine, CA 92618 Irvine, California U.S.A.

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Let me just start by warning you this is going to be a LONG report filled with anger and truth, so please take the time to read this...it may potentially help you! I have broken it down into three parts: employees, salon owners, and Misc....enjoy!

PART ONE: FOR FUTURE, POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES

I worked for Ad Efx for a little over a year, and let me tell you: it's a job filled with lies, deceit, broken laws and broken promises. First off, when you come for an interview, Aaron lies to you and says your doing "presentations to bussinesses". He doesnt tell you that your selling door to door or harrassing people in parking lots. Then you spend a whole pay-less "day of observation" watching your "trainer" trying desperately to sell these coupons to make a living. Or watching them get their sales by noon than getting drunk at a local bar/restaurant. This is where you find out your an independent contractor and it's only commission. I was pissed off to find it was sales, but i figured i'd give it a shot. Boy do i regret the day i ever started there!

To begin, you have to come in to the office every morning from 7:30 am to 9:00 for these bull s**t meetings, which you DON'T get paid for! If you wanna make people come in that early, you must consider them employees and you must pay them....it a law...look it up! Then your forced to recite a bunch of crap like "Fantastic, terrific great" and talk about the same s**t every day! You have to yell and scream in unison, like a frickin cult. The only thing missing here are the cyanide and sacrifices. Then they send you out to go make them money! Sometimes, if your real lucky, they send "day of observations" out with you (new people who, like you, waste a day watching you sell salon coupons). When you get in the car, you have to tell these poor souls that it's a commision based job and its all sales. Then they get pissed off because they were told it was "paid training and $16/hr afterwards"! So you feel bad all day dragging this poor person around who is already pissed off, so it kinda affects your day! Believe me i have dealt with it like 100 times!

Then you get back to the office to settle up your sales! Where you do all the work, you only get 16 a sale and they get 31! (the prices could of went up since i have been there). If you didnt do your 10 or more sales and ring a "bell", you are verbally harrassed and made feel like a piece of crap for not doing so. If you do 10 or more, they slap you high five like they are your best friends! By the time you leave there, it's like after 6pm, making it a 12 hour a day job where you sometimes make s**t for working in overworked areas. They act like there is no bad territory or bad promotions...but believe me, there are. By the time you get home, you wanna hang yourself. but after a good's night sleep, your back the next morning being their sheep. It's a living nightmare.

They say your an independent contractor, but you have to report every morning and every evening to the office, and to them. They train you and tell you when, where and how to work.

PART 2: ATTENTION SALON/SPA OWNERS WHO ARE CONSIDERING UTILIZING AD EFX'S SERVICES

They will come into your salon and try to contract you. They tell you they have amazing sales reps (half who are alcoholics or drug addicts that lie) and that they will potentially get you 500 new clients for your salon. Then they show you a sample package that may look like this : Visit A-facial, decollete massage B- haircut C- highlights D-massage or manicure. Then they tell you that you have to do the services for free, but the whole point is to get the clients to "upgrade". It's nothing but a rip off. Why should you do all the work and they get all the money? That's ridiculous! Then you have angry people coming in your salon because their sales reps told them they get a "full head of highlights" or "a fullbody one hour massage, when in actuality, they are only getting a sample of it. And if they want those services they have to upgrade (this is where you supposedly get money). Dont get me wrong- the concept is great! But hopefully salons will start smartening up! I mean why let this company make like $20,000.00 off you for nothin?! Print up your own coupons, hire some high school students and send them out to do the promotional sales! This way, you get money from the certificates as well as building clientle! Don't let them get you!

PART 3: MISC. INFO AND FACTS!

-They are rated F by the Better Business Bureau. You can see this on www.bbb.org. (Hey Aaron- maybe you should take that BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU MEMBER sign down from your office wall considering that your NOT even a member of the BBB!)

-They are breaking a multitude of independent contracting laws! The sales reps are treated like employees, not IC's! They need to pay them for those morning meetings, as well as offer them benefits! They are doing this to work around the IRS and taxes...they will get caught. For more info., go to:
http://www.edd.ca.gov/taxrep/ee-ic.pdf (scroll down to Attachment I...the document is called INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR/EMPLOYEE STATUS DETERMINATION ELEMENTS-COMMON LAW).

-No matter what they tell you, your a solicitor.
They train you to go into offices and disregard the "no soliciting" signs. They train you to sell in Target parking lots and plazas and malls. What they dont train you on is the state solicition and sales laws! Did you know that not only does each sales rep need a sales license, they need one for each city they sell in! And they don't wanna pay the money! Penalties can include fines and other court costs!
(look online for laws in your state).

-They dont care if your sick or if your mom died- if you cant come in to make them money, you mean nothing to them! As an IC, you have the right to take off any day you want and work when, where and how you want! It's the law....look it up!

-They are verbally abusive, manipulating, degrading and demeaning. They get inside your head and mess with your mind! If your sales arent good, they make you feel like your nothing! I know of at least 8 people that have left that office crying because of their verbal abuse! I know people who have been scared to come back to the office if they didnt do well in sales that day. They would become nervous and cry because they were scared about how they'd be treated when they got back. They talk negatively about their employees to other employees. They get into peoples personal lives, which is none of their business. They dont respect peoples privacy. It's bad.

-They send you out on these "road trips" where you sell in other cities and states. You have to pay for your own food, gas and hotel stays. They give you what are "road trip bonuses" to help reimburse you for your expenses. But you only get those if you do 100 sales for the week and you only get like 150 bucks. The week of food, gas and hotel is normally almost 300 dollars!

-They are not even a public company! They originated in Canada and then ventured into the United States. These Canadians are unlawfully capitalizing on the American market! And they are proud of it!

-They have changed the name of their company so many times! It always includes AD EFX in the beginning, but they always change the rest of it. I think it was once AD EFX promotions, then AD EFX marketing ideas, etc. Could they be running from potential law suits against them? Are they running so they dont have to return money to innocent, duped customers?


Well, I hope I was a little help to anyone being a part of this institution. I'm sure I missed a few things, but I know I covered pretty much every corner of what is known as AD EFX. It is all truth that I wrote! I am a kind and caring person who doesnt want anyone else to be hurt by this company, whether it be emotionally and/or financially! I should of warned people over a year ago. Better late than never.

2SMART
IRVINE, California
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 05/06/2006 04:33 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/west-coast-ad-efx-aka-ad-efx/irvine-california-92618/west-coast-ad-efx-ad-efx-advice-to-save-you-from-ad-efx-and-aaron-crackower-irvine-calif-190290. 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
9Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#9

Ad Efx or Adefx - Allow us to present the facts

AUTHOR: Jon Himelfarb - (Canada)

POSTED: Friday, September 11, 2009

Please note that we have recently been the victim of negative reports posted by a group of 3 ex-employees who have opened directly competitive businesses.  Ad Efx is highly regarded as an industry leader in the field of relationship marketing, and as a result these individuals are doing everything possible to discredit our successful business model.  Since 1987 we have introduced millions of very satisfied consumers to our advertisers.   We welcome the opportunity to provide our best in customer service and answer any questions that you may have at info@adefx.com or 888-GO ADEFX.  For more information on our company, please visit www.adefx.com. Thank you for allowing us to address the libel comments.

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#8 Consumer Suggestion

Real simple..Pro comments but employees is just them keeping their jobs

AUTHOR: Adefx Is Criminal - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Sunday, November 23, 2008

Of course...when I worked there I hyped up the virtues of ADEFX too I was making huge cash..undeclared.. [ and my boss's Chis and George ]looked over my shoulder to make sure ]not only that but I was working illegally in the US..but Americans please remember it may be a Canadian company but the ...whole adefx program is completely AMERICAN...started as an American advertising concept in the 1040's ... just like AMWAY...all the way......so please do not crap on Canada if it was not for america the business the industry would not exist..or adefx for that matter I started with them in 1996 when they had 8 offices ..most in Canada..2 in the US..now it is 37 offices in the US..and Australia and Europe..why does this biz do well when it is such a ripp off...PEOPLE ARE GREEDY and SELFISH and the majority of this type of person is AMERICAN.....

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#7 Consumer Suggestion

Real simple..Pro comments but employees is just them keeping their jobs

AUTHOR: Adefx Is Criminal - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Sunday, November 23, 2008

Of course...when I worked there I hyped up the virtues of ADEFX too I was making huge cash..undeclared.. [ and my boss's Chis and George ]looked over my shoulder to make sure ]not only that but I was working illegally in the US..but Americans please remember it may be a Canadian company but the ...whole adefx program is completely AMERICAN...started as an American advertising concept in the 1040's ... just like AMWAY...all the way......so please do not crap on Canada if it was not for america the business the industry would not exist..or adefx for that matter I started with them in 1996 when they had 8 offices ..most in Canada..2 in the US..now it is 37 offices in the US..and Australia and Europe..why does this biz do well when it is such a ripp off...PEOPLE ARE GREEDY and SELFISH and the majority of this type of person is AMERICAN.....

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#6 Consumer Suggestion

Real simple..Pro comments but employees is just them keeping their jobs

AUTHOR: Adefx Is Criminal - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Sunday, November 23, 2008

Of course...when I worked there I hyped up the virtues of ADEFX too I was making huge cash..undeclared.. [ and my boss's Chis and George ]looked over my shoulder to make sure ]not only that but I was working illegally in the US..but Americans please remember it may be a Canadian company but the ...whole adefx program is completely AMERICAN...started as an American advertising concept in the 1040's ... just like AMWAY...all the way......so please do not crap on Canada if it was not for america the business the industry would not exist..or adefx for that matter I started with them in 1996 when they had 8 offices ..most in Canada..2 in the US..now it is 37 offices in the US..and Australia and Europe..why does this biz do well when it is such a ripp off...PEOPLE ARE GREEDY and SELFISH and the majority of this type of person is AMERICAN.....

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#5 Consumer Suggestion

Real simple..Pro comments but employees is just them keeping their jobs

AUTHOR: Adefx Is Criminal - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Sunday, November 23, 2008

Of course...when I worked there I hyped up the virtues of ADEFX too I was making huge cash..undeclared.. [ and my boss's Chis and George ]looked over my shoulder to make sure ]not only that but I was working illegally in the US..but Americans please remember it may be a Canadian company but the ...whole adefx program is completely AMERICAN...started as an American advertising concept in the 1040's ... just like AMWAY...all the way......so please do not crap on Canada if it was not for america the business the industry would not exist..or adefx for that matter I started with them in 1996 when they had 8 offices ..most in Canada..2 in the US..now it is 37 offices in the US..and Australia and Europe..why does this biz do well when it is such a ripp off...PEOPLE ARE GREEDY and SELFISH and the majority of this type of person is AMERICAN.....

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#4 UPDATE EX-employee responds

I to worked for west coast ad efx

AUTHOR: Fawn Sou A.k.a Fawn Hanshew - (U.S.A.)

POSTED: Wednesday, July 02, 2008

I feel for everyone that has worked for this company, i worked there in 2004 and i also filed a report with ripoff, aaron had replyed back to me as if i just stoped coming in, and didnt call or show up, it was a lie!!!! i worked my a$$ off for him... when i was haveing a bad day, he didnt care unless i made him money, When i told him i was no long working for this company and i wanted my paycheck, he told me that the checks and card have all bounced, i told him i was going to have my lawyer contact him and we would be taken him to court, you best belive he had my money within 2 hours, he said he was going to leave it under the door mat... hahaha he wouldnt even hand it to me in person... hahaha

but look into evey job you apply for.. i had to learn the hard way...

i will never let anyone for for them.... west coast ad efx i cant belive your still out there scaming people and the peope that work for you...

Fawn...

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#3 UPDATE EX-employee responds

AD EFX IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY ENTREPRENEUR

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

POSTED: Thursday, August 17, 2006

Unlike the previous ex-employee, I have nothing but great things to say about West Coast Ad Efx. I began my history with this company there with Aaron Crackower in Irvine back in 2000 and as far as I'm concerned accepting employment from him was one of the greatest choices I've ever made.

Not only was I able to find a company that was willing to train and promote from within, but it was also a great opportunity to experience different cities and their environments in the 4 years of employment with them.

Ad Efx has taught me so many things that I can not only apply to my professional life but my personal as well. They have given me the tools necessary to succeed with whatever I apply my mind to. If you weren't able to grasp as much from working with this company as I was, please remember one thing you can use in any ascpect of your life.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE CHANGES EVERYTHING!

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#2 UPDATE EX-employee responds

oh save that crap for someone else!

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

POSTED: Tuesday, August 15, 2006

oh save that crap for someone else! nobody has the right to be emotionally abusive to ANYONE! Why dont you just keep your shady business practices in Canada. We dont want that B.S. over here. WHy dont you go to college and get an ethical and REAL job. And while your at, come pick up aaron and dave. we dont need these jerks here!

Chris
HB, Cali

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#1 Consumer Suggestion

Business & Public Relations

AUTHOR: Shanna - (Canada)

POSTED: Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Dear Irvine Resident,

It is very clear that you are upset, however I don't think that it's fair to label an entire organization as unfit and unprofessional, especially when your the one cussing and swearing.

Ad Efx does have a few CUSTOMER SERVICE reports on the web, but this company also deals with a high volume of customers worldwide both in the salons and those going to the salons . It's really not so uncommon to have some complaints in any organization.

Also, as I do have extensive history in the health & beauty industry. I do know that when you do an advertising promotion of this kind, you really need to have the best of the best representing in all aspects. Anytime there is customer service in a campaign like this, its is usually because the salon was not up to standard, and did not meet the clients latest needs or demands.

Ad Efx does not perform treatments, etc. on these unsatisfied clients in the salon. This company trains, educates and develops highly energized outgoing individuals to represent these salons and should be in the most professional manor, otherwise why should someone buy a treatment to begin with??

Ad Efx (indepedants, etc.) work very hard to bring excited new clients to professional salons only in good faith. Like yourself, your a good person as you said and you worked very hard bringing and finding excited new clients to the salon??
Therefore why should the salon be paid for your hard work? They are being paid if they are a great salon.

I suppose many salons don't have the proper education or industry smarts to properly take care of customers (both in treatments, and services) that is why some customers are unhappy with or without Ad Efx.

Also, as you were speaking on independant contractor's, if that is the case, well why did you agree to those conditions when you started? Why stick around if it really wasn't the kind of work you were looking for.

The term "independant contractor" means independant from any company, self-employed also meaning risk if you are not independantly confident within yourself to achieve greatness. You agreed to have a business within in business. Also meaning that in order to run a successful business you need industry smarts and education. I suppose that is what Ad Efx was trying to teach you.

You were probably contracted as a direct seller to promote other businesses?

Firstly, I would like to point out the fact that you worked on behalf of this company for over one year which leads me to believe that you didn't think it was so bad at the time. I mean you even worked 12hr days as you were saying..Why would you work and spend your valuable time doing something you hate, especially for over one year?? Surely there must be more to the story.

Also, before you took the decision to work and represent this company did you already have an education in the public relations industry? Were you educated in sales prior to working for Ad Efx? Every business in the world has a produtive method and standard of working. Perhaps you weren't cut out for this particular job and could therefore not meet the demands required which eventually caused you emotional stress. Also not so uncommon amongst the working class.


Regards,

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