Ah, the old bait-and-switch. This week, it’s a company called TekCollect, or TCI and they operate http://www.tekcollect.com. They’re advertising a Sales Rep job with a “base pay” starting at $75k with a chance of earning more depending on performance. There’s just one problem, there is NO base pay or benefits, and you have to pay $330 upfront for training materials.
Here is the current job ad that’s floating around…
Tek-Collect, Inc. seeks highly motivated Sales Professionals to Fast Track into Sales Management. First year earnings range from $75k to $150k. Second year earnings well into six figures. Senior Sales Managers enjoy mid to upper six-figure income.
TekCollect provides business owners with comprehensive accounts receivable management, collections and customer retention services. Our persistence, professionalism and pricing are unparalleled in the industry. And our service is completely Web-based for the most convenient, real-time account management solution available.
Tek-Collect, Inc. leads the industry in providing businesses with innovative, strategic and economical cash flow management systems
We specialize in collections, accounts receivable management, and customer retention services
More than 30,000 companies nationwide rely on Tek-Collect’s Sales Associates to expertly manage their cash flow
Our diverse client base includes financial institutions, health care professionals, utilities, retailers, universities and service providers
Tek-Collect is endorsed by many state and national associations within the financial industry, medical profession, trade organizations and more.
Requirements
Recent association endorsements have prompted an immediate need for skilled sales and management professionals to call upon and service their membership.
We are currently interviewing sales candidates who are assertive, goal-oriented and proven successful at building, developing and maintaining client relationships. While other sales organizations are down-sizing, we are growing like never before
Commissions, Monthly Residuals, and Monthly Bonus are excellent
Comprehensive training is provided locally, and ongoing sales education and coaching are supplied to ensure your success
This is a full-time executive sales position with flexibility, autonomy, high income potential and rapid career advancement. We are committed to helping the most driven, dedicated sales professionals develop a profitable, long-term sales career.
And here are a few actual experiences with the company…
TekCollect Report #1
Anyway, in addition to what you said I’d like to also mention they are perpetrating this scam by using legitimate on-line job boards such as Career Builder, Indeed, and Monster to seduce candidates with their claim of a “$75,000-$100,000 base pay” Sales Rep job. There is NO base pay, not even a draw. This is a 100% commission Independent Contractor sales position with NO benefits. As for the job itself, be prepared for business owners/CFOs to lie about their finances (which ruins your chances to fit a program around their actual outstanding receivables, thereby killing the sale and/or your potential commission), and to get them to show you their A/R books is like pulling teeth! Then trying to convince them to pay an up-front fee to collect money they’ve already written off as bad debt is the textbook definition of a tough sell.
By the way, I never got my “refundable training & materials fee” back, and my guess is 90% of the frustrated and broke sales reps they sucker into this scheme never do either… they are either terminated (due to sales inactivity) or quit because they’re not making enough money long before they’d meet the accounts sold requirements for the alleged refund. And, as you said, when you’re gone TCI keeps the residual income from YOUR few sales, and you have effectively wasted your time AND paid to bird dog/prospect the market for them.
TekCollect Report #2
This company uses illegal bait & switch tactics to attract help by stating that they hire full time employees and pay a base salary of $75k-$100k. They actually do not hire any full time employees — they only hire 1099 subcontractors and instead of giving any kind of base they insist on a deposit from the candidate of $350 to get started. They also say that they are looking to move people up into management roles and that’s also a 1099 experience. This company cannot earn my trust by lying about their positions available. I use this rip-off report every time I even think about applying to a company, now.
TekCollect Report #3
The contracted agents of TekCollect Daniel Campbell and Peter Klaver fraudulently and purposefully misled our company to believe that they would recover money owed us due to bad checks in a timely fashion and under “any circumstance”. When the above reps were asked direct and specific questions to clarify the contract and money back guarantee they flat out lied to gain contract signature. They Assured us that we would recieve our money back if TekCollect did not collect 400% of our $3600.00 investment. We specifically asked for details of the program with the reps and were assured that we could use any checks up to six years old and we could expect money to be collected within months. With their so called clarification of the contract they then pressured us into signing the contract.No funds have been collected by TekCollect. When I contacted Tom Cie, Dir. of Client Svcs he said and I quote “I don’t care what my rep said to you” when I explained the above issue of misrepresentation and our displeasure with the lack of performance of TekCollect
And there are hundreds of similar complaints posted around the web. This particular thread at Scam.com is well worth the read if you’re still even remotely considering working for these guys.
My advice: stay far, far away.