I contracted with American Marketing Services for them to provide telemarketing services. After signing a contract with them, and paying them, I discovered that the telemarketing services were significantly different than what was advertised (i.E. People were being lied to on the phone) by speaking both with unhappy folks who had been called by this company on my behalf and by the telemarketers themselves. Obviously, this reflects poorly on my company.
Several attempts were made by me to correct the problem with the owners, but Mark and Sara Sugarman (who run the company) have lied to me on several occasions and are apparently unwilling to work with me to solve this issue. It is also apparent that they are unable to perform the services that they advertise but have refused to issue a refund to me.
I also have discovered (after the fact) that this company has a long history of doing this to other business people like myself and have run several different businesses (Appointment setters of America, Annuity-Appointments.com, annuitypresentations.net American Marketing Services, etc. Etc. Etc.) and also have several aliases. Unfortunately, I didn't stumble upon this website sooner or I would have avoided them completely.
This company has a long history of what amounts to fraud. Basically what happens, from my understanding and personal experience, is this: you are told that telemarketers will book 30 appointments for you 1 each day, 2 if you want them to book 2 per day. You are guaranteed $500,000 a month in premium available to roll over (for annuity presentations) per month. Then, after you pay, you are told a different story. No appointments are booked on Monday, Saturday or Sunday (who wants to work on the weekend anyway?). No Monday appointments are a bummer because that's the first day of the work week.
Then, when you go to these appointments, the people are either 1) confused as to what this is all about or 2) annoyed, hostile, or angry and do not want an appointment with you.
Often times you are lied to by the telemarketers. They'll tell you that the individual has an annuity, or IRA that they'd like reviewed and you get there to find out that either 1) the person doesn't have an IRA, or 2) the person was told that you were there to drop off a brochure and that's it.
They say that they'll replace any bad appointments, bad meaning any appointment that doesn't result in a presentation, but all of them are bad. So what's the guarantee worth? If they keep replacing bad leads with more bad leads the whole "service" is really no service at all.
Also, if you're not doing so well with appointments, Mark himself may offer to work your account to get you some solid appointments, then, he makes up excuses as to why he hasn't been able to work your account.
All the while, both Sara and Mark try to talk over you and bully you off the phone when you call in with a problem. Mark even hung up on me once, and I called right back to find out why. I never got a reason just more bogus, empty promises about better appointments "next time".
They obviously are incompetent at their job and cannot provide the service they offer, but you don't find that out until after you've paid.
Here are just a few of the complaints they've received here on this website:
Http://usacomplaints.com/reports/0/224/RipOff0224147.htm
Http://usacomplaints.com/reports/0/128/RipOff0128409.htm
Http://usacomplaints.com/reports/0/127/RipOff0127367.htm
Http://usacomplaints.com/reports/0/073/RipOff0073923.htm
Here's one from the squeaky wheel:
Http://www.thesqueakywheel.com/complaints/FEB/complaint11702. Cfm
Their website copy looks like this:
"American Marketing Services offers the only guaranteed source of sit-down presentations in the industry today. Why? Our appointments are real sit-down presentations, with the statements out on the table, waiting to be reviewed. Our database of Response Cards are fresh and our literature follow-up lists are carefully tickler-filed, so when you get there the Annuities will be beyond the surrender dates.
No Mailing Required.
Our system is so proven that we offer a 50% money back guarantee when 25 or more appointments are purchased.
All presentations are represented professionally.
We already have 4 years of recent and databased responders from the following mailings:
The Annuity Report, Dont get Burned.
Annuity Owner Mistakes, what you dont know could cost you plenty.
How to Live Tax Free During your Retirement.
The IRA Report, How to Get a 10% Bonus.
These and some other filing methods are active in our database, resulting in an invitation into the prospects home. No forced presentations, although we do insist they are ready to sit down with you and review all of their positions and possibilities that you offer.
We open our phone presentations by asking if they are still interested in receiving one of the above publications, then we verify the assets, then we close a sit down presentations, and make sure that ALL OF THEIR STATEMENTS ARE SPREAD ACROSS THE DINING ROOM TABLE, READY FOR YOU TO REVIEW, AS A COURTESY!"
I would suggest that you stay away from this company.
Dcl
Elmira, New York
U.S.A.
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