Unfortunately, and shamefully, I am an ex-employee of Great Expectations. This company is negligent in so many different areas I don't even know where to begin. I had to compromise my intergrity every single day I walked into their office.
Just to warn all out there who are evening toying with the idea of becoming a member, please read this first.
I am going to compile a list of things great expectations does to manipulate members.
1. There are video cameras everywhere in the office. When a potential members comes in for their 'first visit', the director can see them enter the building and go to the reception desk. There are usually two receptionist working at all times. As soon as the person is given a questionaire to fill out, the director will begin making phone calls up to the front doing 'so called' "activity checks". The director will tell the receptionist what to say, for example, said director will say, "This is Mark checking activity, give me ladies that said yes in such and such area code". (Area codes in which the person filling out the questionaire lives). These phone calls go on constantly until the member is finished filling out the form and a sales person retrieves them to take them back to a tiny, dimly lit office.
2. Before the person is taken back to the office a member representative will take their form back to the director, who will then do a "background" check on you, (essentially they are pulling your credit to see if you have any money available on your credit cards and how much. If you do not put your social security number on the form, but you still sign it, they STILL pull your credit. You are then ranked as either a number 1, a number 2, or a number 3. A number 1 has at least three thousand dollars available on their credit card, or cards, combined. A number two has at least a grand, and a number three is what the director calls, "broke". (If you are a number three, you are placed with a sales rep that has the least amount of experience or least amount of seniority, because there is no money to be made from you).
3. The sales rep who is going to see you then manipulates photographs in their office to fit 'your type, needs, etc'. Usually these photos are of members who do not even exist in the data-base any longer. She/He will then come out, acting like they have never seen you before in their life, (remember, they were just looking at you on camera, sizing you up so to speak), and introduce themself to you. (You are quite suprised actually, because the telemarketer who called you said she was meeting with you, not somebody different). Should be your first clue to this bullshit.
4. If you are a number one, expect to be in the office for hours, spilling your heart out, telling your feelings of rejection, divorce, death of a spouse, affairs, sex life, etc.
5. You will then be given stats. 150-200 new members at that center every single month. 4000 existing members and depending on if you are a woman, ratios of 60/40 men to women, and if you are a man, 50/50.90% Christian background, (bologna), 20% african american, (bologna), criminal background checks on everybody that comes in, (only true to a certain extent), etc.
6. You will then be pre-closed, and asked to make a decision today. The reason is because you get a first visit incentive. 25% off regular program prices. (Little do you know that if you don't sign up on the first day, you may be called again months later and be given a HUGE discount to join, not a higher price. This usually occurs when the center hasn't reached its monthly goal yet). Anyway, you are shown three different program prices based on time. A one year for $4895.00, a three year for $5095, and a VIP for $5595. (Remember, they already know you have it available on yur credit card). They will have you put it on a card you have TODAY, and then will give you 'copy' of a zero percent interest credit card to transfer it to should you want a lower rate than what you currently carry.
7. Be advised, that the entire time you have been in the office you have been listened to. (There is a very tiny sign on the wall telling you this that you will never notice. It says, "may be monitored for quality assurance"). The truth of the matter is, they are listening to you so they can tell the sales rep what they need to say to you to get the sale. Many times there are multiple people listening to your conversation, (laughing and giggling about what you are saying I might ad).
8. If you tell the rep you need some time to think about it you will be flooded with come backs. (Things you told the rep, that they will throw back in your face, such as, "You told me you weren't having any luck at the bars", and, "You will never have success via on-line", and "You have the money available on your card, and if you don't do this, nothing else is going to work".
So you are basically made to feel like a loser. They will not quit hounding you until you have had enough and physically get up and walk out. And, if you are lucky, the director herself will come in and tell you why you should sign up. Saying things like, "We need more women in here", or "We need more men in here". (Everything is manipulated to your personal needs).
9. If you are a number 3. When the prices are shown, they will say, "It's just a minimum of a hundred bucks down, then you can make a monthly payment through us". Not true, it is done by an outside agency that charges 15% interest. You are expected to be a, "Lay down". Meaning you should buy regardless bc it's so cheap. And GE will adjust your fee according to how much you can afford a month. So basically, a number 3 gets the same $5095 membership a number 1 gets for $1495. (Minus a couple of options of course, that nobody uses anyway).
Also, the director of the center I worked for frequently uses a fake name to identify herself if she has to answer the main phone line. This is because she doesn't want to have to deal with any members she may have signed up. There are at least 5-10 phone calls per day from members who are upset about and want their money back. The Un-succesful completely out-weight the Succesful. (Regardless of the fact that they will tell you they get 2-4 marriages/engagements a month. Which is a lie. Maybe a year, if that.
The company also will NOT INTERVIEW OR HIRE MEN. They want pretty girls, with nice bodies to sell their product, because they claim it is a very image oriented business. (I think we all know what that means).
Let this be fair warning to all of those even considering joining this service. It is all about the bottom line with these people, and they don't give a rats butt about any member that walks through that door except for how much money they have available on their credit cards.
By the way, in addition to your 5 grand, you will also be charged 30 bucks a month for internet access to profiles and pictures.
I have regretfully signed up some wonderful people. Please know, I have called all of these people and given an apology for ever being involved in such a deceptive business.
Sarah
St. Charles, Missouri
U.S.A.
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