TOP NOTCH / TOP NOTCH ADVERTISING SCAM also known
as TNI and Sunrise Enterprize
I am writing this letter of concern simply on behalf of my experience with this company who represents two charitable organizations, World Vision and Plan Canada. I had recently lost my job and I had applied to various job posting ads online through kijiji and other websites. I then received a phone call from "Top Notch Advertising" a few days later with the opportunity of an interview. I was excited and took up the interview. My interview seemed to be very normal. The man in the suit asked me some normal interview questions such as "where did you work before this, why did you leave your last job" etc. The man spoke very fast and told me that whatever questions I had could be asked at the end of the interview. After he was done talking and asking me questions I was still not clear of what the interview was for. He would re direct questions that I asked, never giving me an answer. The man talked so fast and went through everything so quick that the only concept I grasped was that we were door to door marketers and that we got paid training and a very good pay wage ($14/h) and that we were guaranteed forty hours a week. So the only question I had asked was what we were selling because that was the only idea about the job that I had gotten out of the interview. He then told me that we will go into that further if I get called back to my "second interview". He told me it was nice to meet me and that he was only choosing four people out of the thirty people that had applied for the second interviews. He told me that he was calling people around six in the afternoon so that if I did not get a call by then, "no hard feelings".
The whole thing seemed pretty harmless and I was excited for this opportunity because I had never worked in the so called "marketing field" before. That same night I kept my cell phone very close to me. Six came around and I did not get a phone call. I figured he might be calling other people first so I kept my phone very close to me just in case he called. The hours went by and my thoughts of me getting this particular job were very low and close to nothing at all. Then around 9:15pm I got a phone call. Sure enough it was one of the "Top Notch Advertisement" managers. He told me that
he was sorry he called so late and that the reason for him calling so late was because he had to take his son to the doctors office. I was so happy that they had actually called me out of the "30"candidates that I didn't care he was so late in calling. I figured that his son being sick was a good excuse and I did not think anything of it at the time. Although I did question why his son was at the doctors until 9pm
The next day was my"second interview" I showed up early and ended up sitting in one of the rooms with about 5 other people who got the same phone call as me. We filled out some paper work and waited around for about an hour. Then we were paired up with "leaders" and we were instructed to basically go out and shadow the canvassers for a whole day. They did not tell me that I would be shadowing until 9pm so it came as a little bit of a shock. However, I was so happy that I was chosen for this "second interview" that I did not think anything of it. The "second interview" was basically training too. We were asked to learn the "8 steps to success" and the "5 points of a good conversation" then we had to write a test at the end of the night. This training was of course, without pay and they did not tell us that at first. The day went well because I am a very highly motivated individual and I am always willing to learn. I learned that we were not selling anything but that we were helping children. We would go door to door asking people if they wanted to sponsor children overseas.
To me this job seemed like the best job ever, meeting new people every day, helping the poor children around the world get a sponsor and getting paid to basically help the world. What more could I ask for? I ended up doing very well and answering all the questions right on the test I was given. I along with the other people who were "interviewed" got the full time position. This to me became a little of a surprise because they hired a lot of new people and I was told he was hiring only 4? Yet again though I didn't let it bother me because I was super excited and ready to work for
charitable organizations.
I was told that I started the next day and that I had a full two weeks of training. I began working and I was very good at talking to people and convincing those quality people to sponsor a child. I got my first child sponsored at the beginning of my first week. Then they sent me off on my own to knock on doors and get children sponsored. I ended up getting lots of children sponsored my first week. Since I was "doing so well" they had asked me to go on a work road trip. I was in shock that they had wanted me to go, since I was still in "training". I was skeptical of going with them because of different reasons.
1) I didn't know the employees that well
2) It was a two week trip so I didn't have the money to spend on a trip.
3) I also had family affairs that I would be missing if I went on this work trip. I explained my reasoning to one of the leaders and she made me feel that this was the opportunity of a lifetime and that I would be making 800 dollars a week if I went. She told me that I would only need around 200 dollars and that we would do groceries when we got there to keep the cost down. She then told me stories of her going on road trips and eating peanut butter sandwiches to get by. She told me that in order to make money you have to spend money. She promised me it would be worth it and when I came back I would be happy that I went. She was so good at convincing me that this was an opportunity that I could not pass on that I ended up agreeing to go despite my gut feeling about it. I ended up leaving my city for two weeks to go make money. Since I had been jobless for a month and had just started working for this company I only brought 200 dollars cash (as I was told) and I brought my credit card in case of emergencies.
Little did I know that the cost of gas would be so expensive?
There were five people who went, one "leader" and four new people that had literally just started working for this company. We were all promised the same things. We were promised we would make money and that when we came
back we would be "leaders". We each were told to pitch 10 dollars on gas each time the leader filled up the tank. The road trip distance was so long that we ended up paying gas before we arrived and then a lot more throughout the
two weeks we were there. The car they rented us was a "gas guzzler" and the "leader" they sent us with was not very good at driving. We also got lost numerous amounts of times which increased the amount of money that we were told to put into gas. We ended up getting into a minor car accident while we were there; it was pretty scary thank goodness no one was hurt. Not only did we have major gas expenses but we had food expenses too. The "leader" who was with us promised us that we would go to the grocery store in order to keep the cost of food to a minimum because she knew we had virtually no money. That idea changed when we got there, food was last on the list to the others they would rather go to the liquor store and bar or club. I wanted to go to the grocery store but as a team we would do a vote. I always
lost the vote and my opinions were not heard. The grocery store never happened so we were forced to buy fast food because there was nothing else for us to eat. It really bothered me that the "leader" had promised these things and then when the time came it didn't happen.
The "work trip" was a long two weeks. After work the other team members drank almost every night. Then they would wake up in the morning and try to sponsor children. Obviously their production was not good and the trip was basically a big waste of time. They would nag me if I wasn't drinking, telling me that we were only there once in our life so we might as well party it up.
I did not agree with what they were doing or telling me, I took my job very seriously since I was helping "save a life". I differed from the rest also because I am not a "partier" so therefore I did not fit in with everyone else. I would
constantly get into little arguments with the other team members because they were drunk and were not being realistic. The road trip ended up being a huge mistake because of the reasons I have mentioned earlier plus a lot more. Since
I was the sober one out of everyone I thought about the trip and let my family know what had happened. They told me the same thing I was thinking as well. I feel that the trip was not worth my time and that the company had manipulated
me into going, by promising nice things. I feel that my opinion did not matter and that I did not get the level of respect that I deserved. I also feel that it was a scam just because it was supposed to be a "work road trip", they rented the car under the company, the hotel under the company yet we had to pay for our own gas? And we never got the chance to get groceries? I feel that something is wrong with what happened and that is why I am writing this letter of concern.
Companies are able to write off the gas expense and have some sort of food expense. The "work trip" was horrible and when I got home and thought about everything over and over again I decided to do some research. I googled TNI the network incorporated and I found a few bad reports on the same company. Clearly something is not right and other people have blogged their thoughts about it online. I blame myself for being so naive and letting them manipulate me into thinking I was going to have a career from this job. It doesn't seem legitimate when people like this are representing charities. I personally was going to sponsor a child because I educated myself on world issues and felt that as a Canadian Citizen I should at least do my part for the world. However, my experience with TNI and the people who represent these charities have changed my prospective completely. They lie and manipulate people at the doors in order for them to sponsor children so that the worker can get recognized for his or her sponsorships and receive the different
"awards" that they give away.
I strongly feel that none of these people do it for the charity but for themselves only. For these facts I do not trust sponsoring a child anymore because I have had a close encounter with the people who "represent" these charities. When I think about everything that happened in my first three weeks working for this company I feel sad. I feel used and I feel that I took my job seriously but the people who run the company don't. I ended up quitting my job when I got back
from the road trip. I could not face these people at work again or go to work with a smile on my face anymore. I feel scammed and I am pretty sure that they ripped us off of our money because like I said it was a "work trip" but they treated it as a party. It doesn't make sense to me. I tried to get a hold of the manager to tell him that I would not be returning and to ask him about the gas money and food expense issue.
However, I could not get a hold of him so I spoke to one of the girls who answered the phone. I was told that since I had agreed to go on this "work trip" I knew that I would not get refunded the money and that is how it is. I then got a text message from one of the "leaders" so I texted her back and let her know how I felt. She never replied. Bottom line is I got screwed on the road trip and I am the only one who noticed - because I did not party while I was there.
Hopefully this letter will be passed on and it will warn other people who try to work for this company. As for the charities that they represent, I myself will never trust these charities in sponsoring a child just because of the fact that these charities have an agreement with such companies as "TNI". My experience has changed my thoughts about the charities
completely.
I would advise people to do some research on this company before they accept the job that is offered. Be careful of people that are manipulative and be careful of these kind of pyramid scams they chant songs and do all sorts of things to get your mind going in their direction, then they dont even answer a simple question that you might have. I would say turn down this job before you get screwed like I did..
Please note - this is a short story of some things that have happened to me. It would take a long time for me to explain in to detail I simply blogged down the most important parts.
Sincerely,
Beautiful Blogger.
Xxx
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