This is to inform and warn anyone of the hiring practices of RAK Industries. Luckily, I did not waste too much time with them. Hopefully, others won't fall victim to their hiring scheme.
I answered an ad looking for a sales rep in the local paper. I talked with the company's recruiter, was hired after a few phone interviews and was told I would need to report for training in Rochester, NY. The ad said you wold have an established route and would also be expected to cold call to generate new business. I was also told I would need to purchase a larger car due to the various samples I would need to carry around, and the company would provide me with a car allowance. This company sells various tools to maintenance crews such as shovels, drill bits, pick axes, hazard signs for road crews, etc. They only let you sell to municipalities, schools, cemeteries, and golf courses because they claim these have better staying power and will be guaranteed to be in business if they're tied to the land they're on. They also have a guarantee that they will replace anything a customer has purchased for free if it breaks.
I bought a larger car and spent a week in Rochester training. Those of us in the training class were again told of how great their guarantee was. Their prices were high, but we were told with the replacement guarantee, customers would save money and that would be our selling tool.
After I returned to Detroit, I proceeded to hit the road. I worked off the customer list I was given. After the first day it became evident to me that this was no longer an established route. Every single customer I visited was no longer doing business with the company. Mostly because the rep (Tom) that established the route died 5 years before, and since then anytime customers tried to take advantage of the guarantee they never got a replacement. Customers had seen a few reps who never returned after one visit. One township manager even said that three times he had called RAK to ask for replacements, and each time instead of replacements, he got brochures (or line cards as the company refers to them.) When I cold called, I was told the manager wasn't interested because he had heard from the neighboring DPW, the cemetery across town, etc. How bad the service was from RAK.
Anytime I called the office to let them know how hated they were in Michigan, no one cared. The response I always got was to keep cold calling, kiss people's *, or whatever to get new business. With the help of a friend, I drafted a letter that I faxed to them detailing all the problems with the route. I asked for a phone meeting with the manager so we could discuss the situation and see if we could work out a solution. The next day I received a letter via UPS Overnight Service telling me they received my resignation letter, and I would be required to return the samples. I contacted an attorney, but was told it would be a long shot to try to fight the company. The best thing was to just go get another job. I returned the samples and was stuck with a car payment I didn't want and no job. I'm definitely much the wiser for this experience, and would caution anyone to check a company out first before accepting a job offer.
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