All of the DS-Max/Cydcor/Granton/Smart Circle usacomplaints.com I've seen here involve door-to-door sales. Just to let everyone know, said companies are expanding into the Home Improvement market. I worked for a Smart Circle offshoot for about a month pitching free sunroom and cabinet refacing consultations to people in Home Depot. It's called 'lead generation' now.
The 'HI' market, as it's being called, is looking to become a new outlet for Smart Circle and its spawn.in fact, they do contract with Home Depot - you sign a vendor's log when you arrive at and leave the store, which, dangerously, makes the whole scam seem more legit.
But:
You still attend unpaid morning meetings. You practice your pitches with your coworkers and leaders. You still have your fives and eights (if you've worked for one of these companies, that phrase just made you cringe). The 'leadership' structure is identical. The 1st interview/Day of Observation/3rd interview structure is identical. The offices with the music blasting and the yelling and high-fiving are identical. The manipulation and cult-like ritualization are still very much there.
You still make COMMISSION ONLY. The advertisements still reel you in with promises of a 35-50K/yr salary, which is bull. Unless you're pushing the national record for lead generation EVERY SINGLE DAY, you will make only a small fraction of this. Expect to make $50-$75 on a good day, not counting what you spend on gas and food. If you're a monster of a salesperson you can make a living wage, but you might as well cashier for a living - it'll be easier on your feet.
The 'owner' will lie to you about how much money he makes. He/she gets a cut of every lead/sale generated in the office, but most of that revenue goes to payroll taxes and office carrying costs. It explains why my boss supposedly made $3000 a week but was shopping for apartments, living with 3 other employees, and couldn't afford to replace the desk in his office. The promises they feed you about a six-figure income 'after the field' are lies, plain and simple.
They will eat every second of your time. You will live and breathe lead generation. You will pitch people in your dreams - I know I did. You will drift away from your friends and loved ones. My girlfriend still works for this company (she's a gifted salesperson so she manages to stay afloat financially) but she talks about nothing but the office, talks TO no one but co-workers, and has no energy to do anything but generate leads and sleep. We get into a fight everytime I bring up what shit this company is, and I'm starting to fear losing her to these people.
All the other lead generators in my office had big hearts and big dreams. Everyone was desperate for one reason or another - be it money, self-esteem, whatever. They will talk about you like you're the greatest thing in the world. They will promise you hope. They will exploit your need for affirmation and wealth. If you're looking into getting into this field, please, don't. Chances are good that you'll end up broke. One-tenth of one percent of those who enter the field make it to management, and even those in management are flat broke.
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