I worked for Danka (in their Walnut Creek, CA office) for almost two years as a copier salesman. This office was recently closed, the final insult in what has long been the company's absolutely horrible (in fact, non-existant) manner in which they ignored customer service needs.
That was bad enough. But what is happening to me and thousands of Danka salesmen across the country is criminal.
With tremendous fanfare, in April Danka announced a "Machine-In-Field" (MIF) retention bonus, promising to pay each rep $1,000 per quarter in which the number of copiers in their territory stayed the same, or increased.
And I mean, "tremendous fanfare." You should have seen these swarmy company executives patting themselves on the back during their kickoff meeting; in fact, when a West division VP, Carl Faircloth, was asked a question about that year's compensation plan, his response was "Hey, I just gave everybody here a $1,000 per quarter raise, what else do you want?"
Well, Carl, we want to actually be paid for it. Almost a year later, it hasn't happened.
I have persistently pursued this matter since August. I have sent, without exaggeration, hundreds of e-mails to company officials who simply refuse to acknowledge what has long since been obvious to everyone in the company: Danka does not intent to pay this bonus to anyone because, quote "we can't confirm the data."
Wait, it gets better.in the compensation plan, they promise to pay the bonus to every rep who "completes a MIF verification form with their service manager."
Guess what: NO FORM EVER EXISTED!!! Myself and several reps asked several service managers to verify this; none had ever heard of it!
The bonus was to start at the end of Q2 (Sept. 30). To date, not a single Danka employee has been paid a MIF retention bonus for Q2 or Q3.
And here's where it gets mind-boggling.
In August, my manager asked a commissions person when we could expect. We were told "Danka is looking to pay out in October."
In October, I asked again, and was told "Danka is looking to pay out in November."
In November, I asked again, and was told "Danka is looking to pay out in December."
In December, I left the company. Mr. Ed Jones, a VP, personally promised me I would still be paid the MIF bonus money I was due and told me "We're hoping to pay out in January."
In January, Ed told me "We're having trouble verifying the data but we hope to pay out in February."
In February, Ed told me "We're looking to close the loop and pay out soon."
Now, today, Ms. Jean Gallegos, a senior counsel, informed me to no longer contact the company regarding the bonus; all further correspondence must be through an attorney. (This one day after she, too, told me they were "still trying to verify the data" and "hoped to pay out soon."
This is so typical of Danka, a company that depends on its employees to carry the company's cash flow on its backs.
I personally feel every Danka rep needs to join forces in a class-action lawsuit. It is the only way the company will pay. They take the phrase "don't give a damn" and sink it to previously unimaginable levels.
I write this only after my final frustrating exchange with Jean Gallegos. I asked her only for a simple answer to a couple of simple questions: (1. Why has Danka been promising to pay "next month" since September when it obviously had no intention to, and (2. Wouldn't she be bothered if a company told her such a bald-faced lie month after month about compensation SHE had been promised?
That's when she very shortly told me to contact her only through my attorney.
I say, bring it on. Everyone should tell this lady what they think of this. And, bottom line, DON'T SUPPORT DANKA. Danka is easily the worst in the business at what they do — especially how they treat their employees.
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