Slim 4 Life Weight Loss Centers Deceptive Marketing Practices, Hostile Work Environment ripoff Maplewood Minnesota

As I posted above and still believe that slim4 life is a scam and did not work for me. I do not advise others to use their products or services.

-Pamela

First off, I'm screaming with laughter that you should savage this company for being a diet scam just out to make a buck and then you turn around in the very same post and try and sell your own diet book. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

I have had incredible success with Slim4Life. I lost 17 pounds in 3 weeks and have had nothing but support whenever I've contacted customer service for help. Yes, I did buy the spendy 'starter kit' but it was best thing I could have done as it exposed me to the majority of their offerings and I quickly learned the items I liked and didn't like and adjusted my next order accordingly. It is one of the easiest, most convenient diets I've ever been on, it works wonderfully, and I plan on staying on it until I've lost every pound I need to shed. It made me a believer in diets again.

Is it just barely possible that they don't take food back because of health laws or contamination concerns? Here in our little town we get together once a month and have 'food swaps' and everyone comes out a winner.

I find it really hard to understand your attitude. It sounds like you wanted some free on-the-job education and didn't like it much when that didn't happen.

If you want to really counsel people, I suggest you get a psychology degree.

I feel that slim4life has worked for me and am still recieving help from them. weight loss and maintence is a kife long thing. I love the fact when I need to get back down to my goal weight and maintain again Anna my counselor is helping me get back to that goal. I live 250 mile/ 500 miles round trip away now and they care enough to council me over the phone, when I cannot get in. I have worked also with many councelors at slim for life in the woodbury office and have never seen what you are talking about. It sounds to me like you are in it for the profits as well. Everyone needs to make a profit to prosper. I have a marketing degree and have been on many diets and found the counseling here some of the best! It takes money for every diet,unless you are already following what you are doing in that plan, but then you wouldnt need a diet. I feel like you are trying to stop other people from using slim 4 life and I feel like you should be ashamed of yourself. When I cannot afford the products some weeks, I go without them and it still works. I am going back and want to say thank you slim4life for the encouragement, and thank you Anna! (woodbury)! Debi

Every business has the kind of employee who does not want to do their job. This employee went to work at slim 4 life to steal their program.and their clients They are the ripoff artist. I have worked at the Slim for life in Kansas City for over 11 years. I have seen thousand of clients get off their blood pressure medications, diabetic medications so they will live a longer healthier life. Doctor Chris Powell lost over a hundred pounds on the program as a client and has done a lot of advertisements in Kansas City. If rip off.com wants to verify. Call Doctor Powell. Why one disgruntled employee is on the web doing a business harm Only the lord knows. Foolish. I personally lost 37 pounds in 37 weeks on the Slim 4 Life program along with a lot of other employees. The Manager in Overland park was a client and lost over 50 pounds on the program. The manager of saint Joseph over 80 pounds on the program as a client. The head counselor in Lee.s summit lost over 90 pounds as a client. When a company hire it,s own sucess stories it must work.

I'm very sad that your original post comes up on the first page when doing a Google search like, "does slim4life work?" As a result I feel obligated to try and get another point of view above yours.

Like a previous responder, all you're doing is complaining about a for-profit business. You never once address the real issue...Does it work? And the answer to that question is a resounding yes. I know of 5 people, including myself that have been successful and none that have failed.

Is it free? No. In fact, it's expensive if you CHOOSE to use all of their products. Its very reasonable if you do not.

So is Slim4Life for you? I'll tell you why it was for me:

1. Food has a strong emotional pull for me. I needed one-on-one encouragement. I'd check in 3x per week for 5 minutes and meet with someone one-on-one. You get your blood pressure checked, go over your food diary, and get lots of praise and encouragement. That alone was worth the money.

2. For years I had been unable to stay motivated simply considering the health consequences of being overweight. I needed something else. I chose to buy the entire recommended program. Spending that money up front, for me, was a personal commitment statement and an ongoing motivator. The fact that S4L doesn't take food back makes sense for a business like theirs but it also makes sense as a motivating factor. I have no problem with that. If you do, pay as you go. My counselor was very up front that their products, except for 2 items, were aides. Their guarantee is based on coming into the center for the one-on-one and the two aides. Ohand no requirement to exercise.

As far as the original poster's comment It would be cheaper to do it on your own, or buy a book. Buy one of mine at the above website, or go buy someone else's weight loss book. Just save yourself a lot of time and money and don't go to a weight loss center, because you will lose out on a lot of money and you will never see any of that again.You miss the point of a center and have no credibility. These comments smack of an attitude of arrogance and a complete lack of understanding about the psychological components of weight, both gain and loss. If it was all about low carb/increasing metabolism then these places wouldn't exist, would they.

I encourage anyone who is having trouble loosing weight to check out Slim4Life. If you feel like your counselor is a used car salesperson go to another location. But if you're considering getting help you owe it to yourself to make the effortyou can do it!

Brian
Eden Prairie, MN

I'm very sad that your original post comes up on the first page when doing a Google search like, "does slim4life work?" As a result I feel obligated to try and get another point of view above yours.

Like a previous responder, all you're doing is complaining about a for-profit business. You never once address the real issue...Does it work? And the answer to that question is a resounding yes. I know of 5 people, including myself that have been successful and none that have failed.

Is it free? No. In fact, it's expensive if you CHOOSE to use all of their products. Its very reasonable if you do not.

So is Slim4Life for you? I'll tell you why it was for me:

1. Food has a strong emotional pull for me. I needed one-on-one encouragement. I'd check in 3x per week for 5 minutes and meet with someone one-on-one. You get your blood pressure checked, go over your food diary, and get lots of praise and encouragement. That alone was worth the money.

2. For years I had been unable to stay motivated simply considering the health consequences of being overweight. I needed something else. I chose to buy the entire recommended program. Spending that money up front, for me, was a personal commitment statement and an ongoing motivator. The fact that S4L doesn't take food back makes sense for a business like theirs but it also makes sense as a motivating factor. I have no problem with that. If you do, pay as you go. My counselor was very up front that their products, except for 2 items, were aides. Their guarantee is based on coming into the center for the one-on-one and the two aides. Ohand no requirement to exercise.

As far as the original poster's comment It would be cheaper to do it on your own, or buy a book. Buy one of mine at the above website, or go buy someone else's weight loss book. Just save yourself a lot of time and money and don't go to a weight loss center, because you will lose out on a lot of money and you will never see any of that again.You miss the point of a center and have no credibility. These comments smack of an attitude of arrogance and a complete lack of understanding about the psychological components of weight, both gain and loss. If it was all about low carb/increasing metabolism then these places wouldn't exist, would they.

I encourage anyone who is having trouble loosing weight to check out Slim4Life. If you feel like your counselor is a used car salesperson go to another location. But if you're considering getting help you owe it to yourself to make the effortyou can do it!

Brian
Eden Prairie, MN

I'm very sad that your original post comes up on the first page when doing a Google search like, "does slim4life work?" As a result I feel obligated to try and get another point of view above yours.

Like a previous responder, all you're doing is complaining about a for-profit business. You never once address the real issue...Does it work? And the answer to that question is a resounding yes. I know of 5 people, including myself that have been successful and none that have failed.

Is it free? No. In fact, it's expensive if you CHOOSE to use all of their products. Its very reasonable if you do not.

So is Slim4Life for you? I'll tell you why it was for me:

1. Food has a strong emotional pull for me. I needed one-on-one encouragement. I'd check in 3x per week for 5 minutes and meet with someone one-on-one. You get your blood pressure checked, go over your food diary, and get lots of praise and encouragement. That alone was worth the money.

2. For years I had been unable to stay motivated simply considering the health consequences of being overweight. I needed something else. I chose to buy the entire recommended program. Spending that money up front, for me, was a personal commitment statement and an ongoing motivator. The fact that S4L doesn't take food back makes sense for a business like theirs but it also makes sense as a motivating factor. I have no problem with that. If you do, pay as you go. My counselor was very up front that their products, except for 2 items, were aides. Their guarantee is based on coming into the center for the one-on-one and the two aides. Ohand no requirement to exercise.

As far as the original poster's comment It would be cheaper to do it on your own, or buy a book. Buy one of mine at the above website, or go buy someone else's weight loss book. Just save yourself a lot of time and money and don't go to a weight loss center, because you will lose out on a lot of money and you will never see any of that again.You miss the point of a center and have no credibility. These comments smack of an attitude of arrogance and a complete lack of understanding about the psychological components of weight, both gain and loss. If it was all about low carb/increasing metabolism then these places wouldn't exist, would they.

I encourage anyone who is having trouble loosing weight to check out Slim4Life. If you feel like your counselor is a used car salesperson go to another location. But if you're considering getting help you owe it to yourself to make the effortyou can do it!

Brian
Eden Prairie, MN

I'm very sad that your original post comes up on the first page when doing a Google search like, "does slim4life work?" As a result I feel obligated to try and get another point of view above yours.

Like a previous responder, all you're doing is complaining about a for-profit business. You never once address the real issue...Does it work? And the answer to that question is a resounding yes. I know of 5 people, including myself that have been successful and none that have failed.

Is it free? No. In fact, it's expensive if you CHOOSE to use all of their products. Its very reasonable if you do not.

So is Slim4Life for you? I'll tell you why it was for me:

1. Food has a strong emotional pull for me. I needed one-on-one encouragement. I'd check in 3x per week for 5 minutes and meet with someone one-on-one. You get your blood pressure checked, go over your food diary, and get lots of praise and encouragement. That alone was worth the money.

2. For years I had been unable to stay motivated simply considering the health consequences of being overweight. I needed something else. I chose to buy the entire recommended program. Spending that money up front, for me, was a personal commitment statement and an ongoing motivator. The fact that S4L doesn't take food back makes sense for a business like theirs but it also makes sense as a motivating factor. I have no problem with that. If you do, pay as you go. My counselor was very up front that their products, except for 2 items, were aides. Their guarantee is based on coming into the center for the one-on-one and the two aides. Ohand no requirement to exercise.

As far as the original poster's comment It would be cheaper to do it on your own, or buy a book. Buy one of mine at the above website, or go buy someone else's weight loss book. Just save yourself a lot of time and money and don't go to a weight loss center, because you will lose out on a lot of money and you will never see any of that again.You miss the point of a center and have no credibility. These comments smack of an attitude of arrogance and a complete lack of understanding about the psychological components of weight, both gain and loss. If it was all about low carb/increasing metabolism then these places wouldn't exist, would they.

I encourage anyone who is having trouble loosing weight to check out Slim4Life. If you feel like your counselor is a used car salesperson go to another location. But if you're considering getting help you owe it to yourself to make the effortyou can do it!

Brian
Eden Prairie, MN

RESPONDING TO THE ORIGINAL POST:

ORIGINAL: After losing over 50 pounds on my own program, Mind-Body Connection, I thought that while I was getting my business off the ground, I would go work for another company to 'learn the business' or weight loss industry. Little did I know that I would learn something else entirely!
RESPONSE: It seems like your intention was to copy how the weight loss center works from a business standpoint so you could model your own business - so it seems like your motivation was a little dishonest to start with. Congrats on losing 50 pounds all on your own with no help - that's an accomplishment. So in all your time prior to this you never tried another program? If so, you would have understood how they work and wouldn't have been so surprised.

ORIGINAL: I applied to be a 'weight loss counselor' with Slim 4 Life because I thought I would actually be a 'weight loss counselor', when in reality, I became a sales attendant. After reading all about LA Weight Loss on this site, I began realizing something; the practices are all the same. Every single client that comes through the door is a dollar sign, not a person.
RESPONSE: This is a for-profit business, just like Weight Watchers, LA Weight Loss, Jenny Craig etc. They have a service and a product to sell. Their service is to counsel people and support them through their weight loss program using their diet plan, tips and optional supplements. There is nothing wrong with making a profit - nutrition and fitness is a huge industry. We live in a capitalist country - just because one wants to make a profit doesn't mean they don't care about their clients, does your hairdresser come and visit you in the hospital? If you didn't have any money would they still cut your hair with a smile? Just an observation.

ORIGINAL: They used deceptive marketing practices I couldn't agree with. For example, when someone calls to ask a question on the cost, the correct way to answer that question is to ask other questions and go into the phone script. Then, if there are still cost questions, the answers are all supposed to point to the famous, 'Service fees are only $9 a week!' But then when someone comes in for their 'free' consultation, they find out that they have to pay it all up front, plus buy $270 worth of products, as the 'starter kit'.
RESPONSE: These are not deceptive marketing practices in my opinion. There is more to this than the bottom line. They want to have the opportunity to explain what their service is and why it is good so that you see the benefit and they hope you are willing to pay for their product. There is nothing wrong with this. You say they find out they have to pay it all up front, plus their starter kit. Well, they don't "have to" do anything, they can just say no if it isn't in their budget. The reason to have people pay up front is probably the same reason Weight Watchers gives a discount if you buy packages (weeks prepaid) - because they know that people will have difficult days and it is their way of encouraging people to get back on track and not just quit. If one doesn't like this approach they could go to Weight Watchers and pay $9 or $10 a week. But if they have a bad week and don't show up nobody cares enough to call them like they will here. This is for people who WANT the extra support.

ORIGINAL: Then, there was this person who wanted a refund because she was allergic to something in the bars, or supplements as they are called at Slim 4 Life. No one would give her a refund, or an exchange for other products, because she didn't have a doctor's letter telling what the allergy was. She was expected to sell the dang bars to people in the lobby! How absurd is that??
RESPONSE: I'm not sure we're getting the full story here. Perhaps they have had experiences in the past where people start their plan and then get scared that they won't be successful and want a refund. Since it is non-refundable it wouldn't be unusual for someone to make up something like this. Besides, the bars are not a requirement. Two snacks a day are a requirement but my understanding is that they can be any of the snacks and don't have to be the bars. Therefore, it doesn't warrant a refund - they are still willing to provide the service so it's not a breach of contract.

ORIGINAL: The owners wanted their employees to go along with the whole charade and lie to the customers. It's all about who can sell the most. Even when someone sold alot of products and services and was with the company for 6 years, they fired her because she wanted to make the company better and make positive changes. 'It's been this way all the time, so we can't change it now.'
RESPONSE: My understand is that this is a franchise - you don't change things about the franchise (McDonalds, Subway, Great Clips) - you are agreeing to run the business based on the model. Besides, I don't believe they want them to lie to the customers. They probably want a certain level of sales, which is what all businesses want (Nordstrom, Qwest, Verizon, Comcast). If there was someone that lied to a customer that was probably that person's decision. I sincerely doubt that they are directly instructed to lie. They are probably instructed to "overcome objections" which is what all sales people are trained to do. Explain that you understand the customer's concern, that others have felt that way, and what others have found is.....whatever example you have. That's it - that's sales.

ORIGINAL: I am quitting at the end of this week, because I cannot abide by their practices. They have created a hostile work environment for everyone, and a lot of people are leaving.
RESPONSE: It sounds like you got into this work expecting a certain thing and were disappointed that the job wasn't how you thought - so it's probably a good idea to move on. When one person starts complaining and challenging the management it is never a good environment.


ORIGINAL: Because they are just starting up in this market, they are not getting that much business. They say, 'Oh, wait until the holidays are over, then business will pick up.' Really? And after people get sick of their practices? Will they?
RESPONSE: BUSINESS WILL pick up after the holidays for diet and fitness companies - it's always that way. There have been some good feedback postings on this company on other sites. This is the first negative I've seen. Let's try not to ruin their business before they have had a chance to prove themselves.

ORIGINAL: Many people's hours were cut very short last week and again this week, which is why many people have quit, or are quitting.
RESPONSE: Many companies cut hours during slow times, it's just business. Perhaps this particular center is poorly managed - I don't know - but most of the evidence that you provide isn't solid; it's more opinions. Again, once people start talking about quitting and challenging management decisions, it's never a fun place to work.


ORIGINAL: If you are thinking about going to Slim 4 Life to lose weight, don't. It would be cheaper to do it on your own, or buy a book. Buy one of mine at the above website, or go buy someone else's weight loss book. Just save yourself a lot of time and money and don't go to a weight loss center, because you will lose out on a lot of money and you will never see any of that again.
RESPONSE: I just joined yesterday and I don't appreciate your negativity. It sounds like you just want to promote your own book and discredit this company. When people come to a center like this it is usually because they have tried just about everything else and they have found they just can't do it alone - they want support - don't knock it for everyone!

Well, that was more than 2cents - more like $10 worth!

I just wanted to add the website address to Mind-Body Connection.

There are the 3 w's, followed by a . then mindtobodyconnection, then another . then com.