Saw an ad on Craigslist for a job with Verizon Wireless. Seemed legit at first, so I sent a resume, and got an interview. The interview lasted not more than 4 minutes for a SALARIED commisions position. Hell, I can sell well... So why not? I thought.
First day of training was cancelled or just nonexistant, I drove there and was sent home because the other person who was training with me didnt show. Didnt bother me that much though... Free time!
2nd day... Got there, my training group awkwardly at times sat around for hours at multiple times while a very busy, highly impersonal, man talked to us in between his very long phone calls having us study phones, company guidelines, rates, and plans. Again and again. Between phone calls. Ugh! But got through it.
3rd day... Trained by the store's "manager" who strangely wasn't present the day prior. This man was much more personable, funny, friendly, and laid back. Went through everything from the previous day, and learned some computer stuff. A smiling lady named Toni briefly walked in and out of the store. Turns out to be the "lioness" or head honcho. She was at the "pointy top" of everything.
Day 4 (The day it all came together)... Went over opening procedures... Pretty standard, except for the cash deposit to the bank each morning! My red flag radar became activated. We then were redundantly trained on everything again due to the disorganization of the hiring/training process. After a few hours, it was time for lunch but before we left, Toni the "lioness", who seemed very friendly, told us that when we got back she was going to go over the stuff that we "should have went over on the first day." Its about damn time! For my time to figure out what this was all about. My time to hammer with the questions.
Here is where the real scam gets uncovered. We were earlier told that we had to activate 16 new lines a month to get any commission.in the meeting, Toni informed us that it was moved up to 18 for October. I found out that this goal for commission, was also a quota. This was being met by the 3 employees at this store, so I figured why not the store I'll be working at? NOT. This "training" store accounts for 33% of the total business for the 9 stores they are currently running! Another store in Woodridge accounts for 28%! Thats 61% of ALL BUSINESS at these two stores. The employees working at these stores are obviously all making their quotas, and getting their commission. All us new hires were being put in new stores, all in a general vicinity to a real (corporate) Verizon store, in other words... Our competition. Corporate stores have much better item stock. Our stores have not more than 7 of the dozens of phones we had to learn about. We were told to sway the customer away from the phone they really wanted, to one we stocked. "Yeah I'd like a DROID 2", "sorry we dont have any in... How about a Blackberry." HA!
Longer story short... Where was the "should be" commissioned money going? We had to hit 18 new lines, if we didn't, no commission. Where was that money going? INTO THE POCKETS OF THE HIGHER UPS.
Pyramid Scheme. Period.
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