I signed up in March for their Preferred Contractor Program. I spent 3,000.00 (Three Thousand) dollars, after having been assured and guaranteed that I would receive a return on investment 15 times what I put in. That put EC.com on the hook for 45,000.00 (forty-five thousand) dollars worth of work for me. Money back guarantee, so what did I have to lose?
Now, I wasn't buying leads, I was buying WORK. Here's a quote from my Preferred Contractor welcome package:
"The Preferred Contractor program gives us the ability to directly market your company to both our own industry contacts as well as to your specified consumer market, and in doing so, to give a GUARANTEED return in the amount of 15 times the cost of the program in ACTUAL CONTRACTED BUSINESS. This is NOT a leads referral system we are actually able to guarantee that you will contract at least 15 times the cost of the program in jobs in no more than 12 months (generally much faster, as our goal is to fulfill the guarantee as quickly as possible so we can renew the program with you). Should we not fulfill the commitment made, we will refund the entire cost of the program simple as that!"
Nothing in March. I called them. Something in April, I called them, and they told me they had a guaranteed job for me, in the NEXT STATE! No where near where we service. Mind you, I am on the web site at least once per week at this time to update & check my profile.
Nothing in May. THEY CALLED ME, but it was a cold call from a salesman asking if I wanted to join EveryContractor.com. I'm not kidding. Nice inter-department communication.
Nothing in June, BUT ANOTHER COLD CALL, this past Tuesday 6/19/07 — I again told the sales rep that I had already spent THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS, and I certainly wasn't laying out any more. So I went back to the web site, and lo & behold, there's a LEAD! But this can't be right — according to the lead, the potential client filled it out on MAY 17th! I never received an email, I never received a Cellular call, I never received an office call, I never received a FAX. I found this lead entirely by accident. Of course, by the time I called the potential client back, I was told that the job had gone elsewhere, and I certainly cannot blame her.
But here's my company, listed as the PREFERRED CONTRACTOR for my area, and when someone is sniffing for a bid, I am not even notified. That harms my company image.
So, I called EC.com about this, and about the fact that they owe me work, not leads, work. And I was told by my CSR that they never gurantee WORK, just leads. Re-read the QUOTE FROM THEIR WELCOME PACKAGE ABOVE — what does it say?
Save your money. And run, run away fast, from this scheme. I am counting the days until I can:
A) Get my money back
B) Report them to the BBB
C) Sue them for damages, if needed
Again, I have done EVERYTHING REQUIRED by MY end of the contract. They haven't come through with ONE DOLLAR.
0 comments