I went to an interview one Friday with Unique Worldwide Services thinking it might be an interesting endevour. The advertisement was looking for people interested in Management Training. "Want to make more money and be your own boss? No experience necessary. Will train the right person! Call 452-xxxx"
They told me over the phone that they were setting up offices in the Memphis area to sell their fire-extinguishing related products. It seemed like the typical manager-in-training position to me. Start off as an associate, work on the management track, and when you make store/branch manager you go and help setup your own store in one of the new expansion regions. Boy was I wrong.
I went to the office for the interview. Not only did the office look freshly moved into, it hadn't been renovated prior to the move-in. Dirty walls and carpet, no artwork, and no office equipment other than phones. This set off alarms but I thought maybe it was just a temporary office until the main office/store was finished.
Well, I saw the manager within a few minutes. She was dress non-porfessionally and immediately started in on a sales pitch. I listened politely, and right after she mentioned the $75 for a background check and the $95 sales kit fees, her cell phone rang. She asked me to hold on and held a 5 minute very personal converstation with this person, with me in the room.
Now a criminal and employee background check runs no more that $50 on average, so I questioned this. She had no vaild response to my inquery except to say it was very thorough. Then I asked about the sales kits, training, and the products.
She would not describe the kits and said I would see them at the initial orientation. They had no products for demonstration in the office, nor a brochure or catalog of said products. All I had was the assurance these were top of the line products.
I then asked about the offices and how we were to sell the product. She stated that they didn't have stores or go door to door, but sold to friends, neighbors, family... As a referral system. This seemed fishy to me but I held my tongue.
She quickly steered the converstaion back from my questions and said that the $95 would be due at the orientation class, to be held that Saturday. I was to meet the President of the company there and had to attended. I made up an excuse that I was already booked for Saturday since my warning bells were going full blast. There was no way she could possibly reschedule ao I excused myself, thanked her for her time, and left.
While I have no further experience with them, this company can be called nothing more than a scam. They obfusicate what they really do by avoiding all direct questions while pushing the benefits and money to be earned. I have worked three sales positions in my life, and I have never had to pay for training, background checks, or even the sales kit. Only a company that intends for you to leave quickly or to just take your money will ask for these things.
Avoid this company if you don't want to waste your time on a multi-level scheme.
Steven
Memphis, Tennessee
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