I had the unfortunate time of getting sucked into the scam of MCM Promotions. I, like almost all others, found the ad on CareerBuilder describing "marketing, management, and event promotions". I figured that this had to be a legit job. I had event-planning experience and a college degree. How wrong I was!
I knew that something was rotten when I arrived at the Livonia office. Multiple names on the door that read "Next Phase Promotions" and "Innovage" were everywhere. I kept looking for the MCM title.
Next, the staff was blasting club music throughout the entire office and yelling cheers. I thought this to be the first sign that this was not a professional company. Regardless, I had made the trip to the interview and decided to stick it out.
After meeting with one of the managers for about 10 minutes, I was told that they would call me back for a second interview in about a day or so. I recieved a call to attend a second interview a few days later. At this point, I decided to come back for round two.
When arriving at the office, I spoke with the manager of the entire operation. He stated that they were going to send me out in the field for a DAY OF OBSERVATION. It was at this point that I was instructed to team up with a mid-level manager for my big day (You are not be paid for this day and are basically forced to stay for the whole day due to the fact that they let the manager drive you out to some far off place).
To make a long story short, I was driven about 40 minutes away to a K-Mart with this person to see so-called marketing up front. Basically, MCM stands outside of retail establishments (many times in crappy areas of town) to sell toys. Yes, Toys For Tots is affliated with this company and they get the toy when it is sold. However, MCM gets nearly all of the sales (about 94%).
In the meantime, I was being told to misrepresent the cost of the toy in order to make a sale. For example, a telescope that they sell has a base price of around $40.00. They want you to state that it usually goes for $80.00 and hopefully worked the poor person down to make a sale.
I am sure that this is close to being illegal, but at the very least it is preying on a persons good will. They see the Toys For Tots name and do not think that all of the above could be going on. Additionally, you are encouraged to come-up with fake product combos inorder to make a sale. Not very Christmas-like at all!
The most important of all is the way MCM pays. They claim that you are not paid strictly on commission. This is a lie! They call it profit sharing... It is nothing but COMMISSION. You only get paid for what you sell. The way that they can legally tell people it is profit sharing and not get sued is that you will get a portion of what your partner sells who is with you that day.
In the end, a team of two members will only keep ONLY 17% of what they sell. However, this number is split into two for a total of around 8% for an individual for a day. I was bringing home about $250.00 a week.
Yes, I am sure that I probaly could have made a few bucks more, but your fate is determined by the location your are assigned. THEY ACTUALLY PUT PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF 7-11 STORES! How many people running in to get a quick coffee or slurpee are going to buy a telescope? Other factors like weather determine just how many people you will see at a location two.
Another problem with the operation is the hours. They want you there at 8:15 am everyday and you do not get back till at least 6:00 or 6:30 at night. Even when you do get back to the office, you could be there another 30-60 minutes taking care of housekeeping. They do not let you take lunch breaks either. Yes, you are free to go grab or bring something, but you pretty much have to eat it on your feet at the site within minutes (YOU ARE LOSING SALES WHEN YOU ARE EATING TOO!)
Do the math..$300.00 FOR A GOOD WEEK. At least 10 hours a day... 300/50= $6.00 an hour. This is chump change that you could be making a Burger King while getting breaks and not having to drive around town on your own gas (which is not paid for). Additionally, they do not even breakdown the hours on your paycheck (like every other job in this country). MCM simply lists your commission for the week and that is it. This makes it hard to try and see how you actually were paid this meager sum.
I made the stupid mistake of toughing it out here with promises of being able to open my own office within a few months. Yes, part of me knew this was a joke, but the other part figured that it has to be true. The mid-level managers constanly pound these dreams into your head everyday. Yet, I kept wondering if I could have my own office within a few weeks then why were these managers still here?
I am here to tell you that this company is nothing but an assembly line. They feed new hires all of these lines of money, management and ownership. However, all you have to do is look at the office everyday. People are constanly leaving thinking that this was an actual marketing job. This is direct sales-based commission. MCM is constanly doing interviews daily. They hire people and re-hire once their employees wake up and leave.
I am sure that the management of MCM will respond to this review. Do not get scammed by promises of riches and an office. College and non-college educated people can do better elsewhere. If it sounds to good to be true it usually is!
P.S. MCM encourages almost a cult-like behavior amongst its employees. You must always high-five people and constantly use the word JUICE (Join Us In Creating Excitment) to complement people. They cheer and scream like it this was a traveling circus.in addition, you can never sit down in the office. They will yell at you if you do. This applies when returning at night after being on your feet for 6 hours straight! Does this sound like a job that will get you on track to management and financial success?
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