I worked for this company, and never got paid! Everything they post on the job web-sites is all lies. There are two companies in one office. Annex Marketing and Summit Marketing International. I still have'nt recieved a paycheck. Abby Stevens: Annex Marketing/Vanessa Castaneda : Summit Marketing International These two companies are involved with QUILL! Quill is a company that sells Office Supplies. That's what you sell. Going door to door to places they tell you no one has been there yet. But, that's a lie! They constantly have people circling those businesses. I have had doors slammed in my face. I got swear at. What kind of a job is that. Not what they post, that's for sure. Someone should shut them down. The main guy that is always brought up in our workshops is MICHAEL SESSIONS! He is the main man for all the market scamming companies! He does monthly seminars all over. He's based out of Oak Brook, IL! It's like a factory. Everyday in the office you are always seeing 2 to 3 new people. And if you ask too many questions they dodge them. They don't like when you ask questions. They have event night on every Thursday. Some bar and grill, somewhere different every week. If you don't show up it's like they curse you. They hate that. They are like a cult of brain washing aliens. Trying to brain wash you into what they want you to do, think, say, etc.. The business trips that they have go out every week is B.S.. You do the exact same thing as you would if you were in your territory closer to the office in Tampa. But, the business trips are far way from the Tampa office, but still in Florida! They tell you that they send you way out, because NO one has heard of QUILL before. That way you can sign on more clients.
But, when you get there, and you start to go door to door to these businesses. You walk in and they say oh, yeah,
one of your reps were just here like a month ago. They are hurting honest hard working people. And I think we should beable to do something about it! :(
Thank you Jen! This company is an absotlute pyramid scam! I went there expecting a marketing position, instead I became a cold-door salesperson. On top of that, you spend 10 hours a day, dozens of miles on your car, and all that gas everyday, and guess who pays for it? Yourself! You spend more money on gas, lunch everyday and wear and tear on your own car and get ### in return. i was stupid enough to do it for 6 weeks and was sent a check for $211! I was expecting a check for over $500 easily with all the sales and quotas I met! $211 for 6 weeks of work. Wow! What a scam!
They promise you that they will build you your own company and run it within 16 months of training. I hung out with a black guy who was there 11 months and was bragging that he would have his own company in 2 months. Haha! This guy owns 2 crappy suits he wears every week that are so worn out, its unreal! No money to buy clothes but hes going to own his own company! Haha This place brainwashes you right off the get-go! We learn different psychological techniques to work on people to get them to sign up for Quill. They work your ### 10 hours everyday and break you down so they can get inside your head.
What made me wake up and smell the scam was when I was aksed to go on a work outing to West palm beach. There were 4 girls and 6 guys. You all have to drive yourself out there because all you are doing is selling the scam in a far away place so they dont catch on. They tell you that no one has been out that way and it was 'vigin-territory' and we would score alot of accounts. Guess what? Alot of people still yell, spit and slam doors in your face because they have been bothered by the same company over and over. How demeaning! And guess what! You are told to go back there the very next day to try to con them again! You are expected to hit 600 businessses 3TIMES in 1 month! All this and all on your own money!
So back to the traveling aspect of a so-called 'business trip'. Abby the owner makes a reservation at a Best Western, a dump of a motel. Here is where the company is VERY professional! All 4 girls stayed in a 2 bedrrom room, and the guys all 6 of them stay in 1 room! They have cots and bags everywhere you cant even walk thru the room! I am married and I had to live with strangers I hardley knew with all of my valuables. Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that my boss also went to run the show and when they were all out I found her paycheck stub. Guess what? She got it and blacked out every single number on the check stub! Paranoid about the others finding it and discovering the scam? Poor thing probably makes $100 a week! But they wont tell you that! They act as if they make 80 k a year because you are under them in the scam! Yep its a pyramid alright!
This what happened to me. Read it and tell me if you think ANNEX MARKETING is a scam!? Google Annex and see all the scam complaints that come up! Vanessa is a liar and total manipulater! Yes I finally got a paycheck AFTER I threatened to quit and goto the BBB and labor board! Yeah I got paid alright! $211 for a couple hundred hours of work and running around.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY, ABBY, AND VANESSA OR ANYONE RELATED TO ANNEX OR QUILL!
It seems like you are upset because the position was not a good fit for you. Business to Business marketing and sales consist of customers that will say yes and no. I am the owner of Annex Marketing Inc. and what you are stating is very much a stretch from the truth. If you are working in sales, you have to sell something in order to make money. If you have made sales, never have we ever denied someone their paycheck. I am not even sure if you worked for Annex or worked Summit, but either way if you feel there is a miscommunication or any issues that you have that have not been answered, versus going on line and litterly venting opinions not facts, you should come into the office and straighten out whatever your concerns might be at the time. Once again, it saddens me to hear that this position was not a good fit for you. Feel free to come into the office and I will personally make time to address any of these issues with you myself.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Castaneda
You are absolutely wrong Vanessa. I interviewed there and they would not even tell me what exactly you did, sold, etc. I asked on more than one occasion, "so would you mind telling me what product or service you offer?" and the questions was COMPLETELY avoided at least three times. I was asked to go on an 8 hour ride along with a sales rep and declined because my time is valuable and I was not going to waste it when I spent an hour in an interview and still didn't know what it was Annex Marketing does because no one would tell me. This company is similar to a pyramid scam in my opinion.
wow, you must have been a piss poor salesmen. I worked for abby. I personally feel as though she is a great person. Dude it was a sales job. Sales jobs are based on commission. You knew that going in. Don't say they avoid questions because they don't. Any and all questions i ever asked were answered. I made descent money while i was there. If u do the job the right way and do it they way your trained you will make money just like everyone else does in there. Stop bashing this place just because u couldn't cut it.
It's not about being a piss poor anything... your expected to work for ten hours a day..Use all of your gas put too many miles on your car... Be pressured week after week to go on crappy business trips with the biggest a hole in the office...Have to stand for two hours in some crummy office and Be treated like crap by some fat witch who never pays you as on all those bs bonuses promised ... Bottom line this "company" I use the term loosely sucks!But not to worry I am a firm believer in karma and hope that Vanessa's world collapses right on top of her. I also filed a complaint with attorney general to help that along.
honestly this job isnt an opportunity! and at least not in this office! ya i've been to different offices, to conferences are there owners that are successful yes? but at what cost? you dont have any days off..some offices you have to work 6 days a week this one is only 5 since your selling office supplies ...and once you become a leader count on coming in early and staying late. you dont get vacation time or sick time or anything basically u work ur ### off from 8am-7/8pm everyday 5 times a week thats 55-60 hrs a week and its all commission! and you head out to the field around 10:45-11-to about 5:45 so the rest of the time ur in the office teaching new people how to sell..and hearing same "motivational" bs meetings before you hit the field so you dont quit and see what a great opportunity it is and if you make it and thats a big IF your office may not make it you always have to depend on other people to keep your office going just like hitting assistant management you have to get 5 leaders under you and move w/ you..and you always need people selling so you make money i dont know about you but i would like to control my own income and not rely on other people to make sure i dont go broke. since it is commission based and most people are worried about it...they say you are guaranteed to make at least 500 a week and ive talked to a few people who have gone a week without making money how fair is that?! you have to "EARN" to go out with someone. you can work just as hard and manage your own company where you will get vacation time and be able to enjoy your life not open your own office and be told you can retire by the time your in your 30's when in reality your office may last about 2 years and thats a big maybe.
Was Abby the only person who Vanessa trained in three years to own their own business? What a joke. Out of about 200 people Vanessa trained one to start their own company and that one failed because the owner had sex with multiple employees. I worked there for two weeks and it IS a cult. Vanessa is entirely to friendly with employees, she let's new hires spend the night at her house. She lies by telling you that you won't have to drive your first week then asks you to drive leaders because they are to broke to buy their own car! "High Rollers" have wheels they don't bum rides of people in training. She tells you she will reimburse you for your gas in 2-3 days. Three weeks later I cuss her out on the phone and she says "I'll overnight the check". Vanessa is a liar, manipulator, and blood sucking snack in the grass. She has you work over 10 hours a day and then expects you to hang out with them on Thursday nights, she obviously has no friends so she makes her employees hang out with her. She is a cold hearted liar. I've been a manager for 7 years at RESPECTABLE COMPANIES, not one of the leaders she had there had any potential of being a decent manager, she's giving false hopes that these people will own their own business when they can't even afford a nice suit. She sends people on scavenger hunts and has employees play pictionary, where is the professionalism? We should have been learning about Verizon not playing childish games but then again what can I really expect from a company that hires people who fall asleep on their interview! A.M.I is a joke and so is Vanessa.
Rebecca Todd
I also once went to an interview at this job; I was under the impression that it was a legitimate marketing job. I ended up driving my own car with other sales reps to an undisclosed location about 25 miles away. When we reached our location they told us that we would be going door to door sailing pizza hut ads I told them that this job was not for me got in my car and left them all out there. Thank god I drove my car that day.
AMI is a classic direct marketing scam company, they are just taking advantage of the fact the so many people are out of work looking for job that they know they can get away this type of recruiting tactic. To them people are dispensable and working in the sales world for over 8 years, even commissioned based sales jobs, I made at least $200 a week on my "piss poor days". AMI = SCAM.
AMI is what's knows as Business to Business (B2B) sales. It's one of the toughest jobs out there because you do cold call companies and sell your product. The days are long, and you must have tough skin to become successfull in this type of sales environmnet. Like any sales job, people tell you NO more than they say YES. Even more so in this tough economy where dollars are spend with great care. In addition, this is a commission only pay structure so you are compensated a certain % of your sales revenue. This job isn't fit for everyone, and most people are not cut out for the time and energy it takes to succeed. The negative comments above seem to be by individuals that didn't succeed in B2B sales, which is ok. This is not meant for everyone. However, this doesn't mean that this organization is a scam. If it was, it wouldn't survive in this tough economic environment. Professionalism is what differentiates winners form looser, even when giving negative feedback, there must always be a level of profesionalism. As an outsider, the folks posting the nasty and profanity ridden negative commentary lack professionalism. As a result they are less likely to succeed in any type of business environment and no suprise that they failed with AMI. Congratulations to Vanessa, who responded in a professional matter and even invited the individuals to contact her directly to discuss any issues they had while working for AMI.
Oh, I contacted Vanessa personally and she was far from professional. She got in my face and made up more lies. She is not a professional person and does not need to be running a business at all. I guess that's why A.M.I has a constant ad on Careerbuilder and Monster.com, because if they promise you good training and don't deliver it it isn't my lack of energy or time but their lack of leads and training.
Okay now Im nervous, I have the 2nd interview tomorrow and was told to wear comfy shoes. That was a red flag. I'm not going unless a valid explaination is given.
A total scam. No paid training, no auto reimbursement, commission structure not adhered to. Scheming ###s!
I just applied to a position in the company based in Ft Lauderdale, ANNEX. Seems to me this is becoming the norm in this direct sale organizations, there are a few around: OCEANSIDE DIRECT, NILE Mngt, PROWL among others and if you read the complaint's, the interview process it is essentilly the same. The sad part is that some of us are un-employed and do need a job. What happened to honesty?Just let the "candidate" know what this is all about so he /she can make a descision...it is a win/win situation for both parts
Lmao! They told her to wear comfy shoes Hahaha hilarious.. I have a interview at the Fort Lauderdale office but I'll be cancelling. Ill listen to my peers before I take the word of the company.
Let me start off saying THANK YOU to the people commenting the TRUTH on this site. Secondly, I'm writing this to not only support this information about these SCAMMERS but also to add more companies and my personal story with them.
I went to interview for a company called "MILLENIUM INC" located in North Miami a couple months ago and I had a very bad experience with them (similar of course to all of your stories) they totally wasted my time, falsely advertise a position, make you believe is a marketing position, hide the actual facts about the job, ETC. After having that experience I continued my job search and months later I was contacted by 2 unrelated companies, one was ANNEX INCORPORATED located in ft lauderdale and SAGITTA CONSULTING GROUP. During the first interview i specifically asked about the compensation and they TOLD ME IT WAS SALARY 35k-45k yearly PLUS COMISSIONS AND BONUSES. So I was comfortable in that salary range and schedule interviews.
After doing my research (because I didnt want the same terrible experience that I had with "millenium inc") I found review websites like this one and started to research a little bit about this, that seems to be a system of falsely advertise jobs, and wasting people's time and efforts with a clear intention.
So I went to sunbiz and search for "SAGITTA CONSULTING GROUP" (one of the companies that offered me an interview months later after my bad experience with millenium inc.) and to my surprise I found (By the way ALL of this is PUBLIC information posted in a government website. Im gonna put the links at the end as proof) that the owner of this business is MAPES, ROBERT G and his address is... GUESS WHAT. MILLENIUM INC's ! 10800 BISCAYNE BLVD. SUITE 201 MIAMI, FL 33161 (company website: http://millenniummiami.com/contacts-2/)
My conclusion is that ALL of these companies are falsely advertising and wasting people's time with full intention and disrespect. And clearly some of them are related.
I strongly advice you to get away from these people since they have no sense of professionalism and care about people. STAY AWAY!
Companies that are related with this methods are: Annex incorporated, Millenium inc, Sagittas Consulting Group, Market storm global, and probably others that are also disrespecting people's life and playing with their needs for a serious job.
Links as proof of what i said:
http://millenniummiami.com/
http://millenniummiami.com/contacts-2/ (notice the address)
Sagitta consulting (looked up in sunbiz.org -Public information-) NOTICE THE SAME ADDRESS AS BEFORE
http://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResultDetail?inquirytype=EntityName&directionType=Initial&searchNameOrder=SAGITTACONSULTINGGROUP%20P150000299820&aggregateId=domp-p15000029982-caa973cf-e591-47a1-8136-b14254cb74f2&searchTerm=Sagitta%20consulting%20group%20inc&listNameOrder=SAGITTACONSULTINGGROUP%20P150000299820
I have been asked to come in for interviews with all of these companies. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS UP! I visited all their FBs and websites. Most of their websites have a troubling number of misspelled words. I refuse to be caught up in these scams. I'm looking for real employment WHERE I can use the KNOWLEDGE LEARNED FROM completing an MBA.
hey guys im jason . thanks i realize what type of job this is now. i was offered a managing position here, probably because i worked at this sort of pyramid scheme thing back in high school .i fell for it then, glad i learned from my mistake and decided to read up some. they were trying to make me drive to miami too lol T.T
btw i dont care whatever anyone else says i love you jones
Also stay away from vector marketing... its also a scam
I'm glad I'm doing my research. I truly believe everyone, these so call marketing offices are popping up. What I'm realizing they are so quick to hire you. They package this image as this will be a great opportunity but don't not give you the full details. Sagitta called me yesterday and left a voicemail. The crazy thing I was doing an interview with a company called LNE consulting(sells att) Sparta (quill). According to the complaints I read I seen quill and the job description is entirely the same. Prior to that interview I sat down with Machulin marketing in a rinky dink office in downtown Ft.Lauderdale. The interviewer was boasting of how he now has these territories and this is his office. But wouldn't give the details on what is actually done unless I made it to the next round. He was very shady so I already made my mind up plus I was posed about the $10 I wasted on parking. All in all, I'm glad I came across this feed. Be on the look out of these other office that are popping they do the exact same thing.
Omg! Shii thank you Jesus for public complaints! I've just received an email from AMI not to long ago. And I will ALWAYS and FOREVER review complaints from companies that contact me. Why you may ask? Because I was seriously stupid in the brain for going along with Primerica. Now to be honest, I've searched up complaints about Primerica but my dumb a** chose to disregard those red flags. I could've saved money. Long story short, all they wanted me was to bring in people and they've raided my contacts to get them in. My people only said if i actually make the money then they'll come without hesitation. Plus i had to give strangers my number which was disgusting cause a lot of thirsty ###s be hitting my phone up talkin bout they're really not interested in the company. They wanted to get to me. Thank the Lord I've changed my number. Not only that, but prior to me paying the scammers, my recruiter told me they'll give me a 300 bonus IF, you hear me? IF! This "if" is a ginormous word right now. IF i get THREE PEOPLE to sign up. Now look at that? Don't that seem fishy? Cause you pay 99 that should be refunded, (which I had to fight for to get back-that'll come into play later on) and the 25 which is non-refunded. So IF the 3 people I bring in chose to sign up, I'll be getting each of their 99 bucks and "primerica" will give me 3 bucks. What the f*ck is that bs? Guess what my dumb did? I paid the full 124.00 bucks thinking that I've got the world on the palm of my hands. Now, back to fighting for the 99 that WAS supposed to be refunded. Out of respect, I'll keep this ### name out. This wanna tell me, ME! That he is no longer gonna help me get my money back after the letter in the mail states that they can't refund my money cause I've taken the class. Which was 2/4. I'm committed to whatever that'll explode my pockets with good smelling cash. But this ish wasn't working. AT ALL! And every one day of the week, they have seminars that repeats the same ish over and over again. AT NIGHT! And my only transportation was the city bus. I couldn't do that now. So I had to call customer service so they can refund my money. And these ### heads wanna talk about they'll give me back only about 60 somethin. I'm like, did I give you 60 somethin out of my hard earned money? My kitchen was so burnt that they needed to get some fresh air. Aries people temper are the WORST! So I've gotten my fully 99 hard earned 99 bucks back. I was on the edge of leaving Primerica. What made me for sure to leave that hell of a hole is when my recruiter /mentor said, and I quote, "You could be working here for three years and not make a dime since you're not bringing in people" I'm like give me my money and I'm outta here faster than busta rhyme rap. And he wanna have the nerve to give me a lame "motivational " talk. Plus I didn't have much professional clothes. I don't wanna wear the same thing 24/7. After I left that ### place, my mentor wanna talk about he'll contact me in the future "to see how I am" All you gonna hear when you dial my old number is "I'm sorry, this number has been disconnected. Please try your call again later" Ever since then, I wish I listen to those complaints, which was my first experience going thru, cause I would've saved time, blood pressure, and money. My rebel days are over! Now, I don't know if this company tells you to pay upfront, like I did, but all I know is that I'm a just listen to the community FIRST before I proceed with a company who promises me the world! I had a laugh reading the complaints and the people who are defending them. I mean, this company has a poor review. Luckily I don't have to go thru that since the people shared their experience.
Also, today, this girl tried to recruit me back to primerica when I was on my way to an interview at a local restaurant. I LAUGHED TO HARD TO THE POINT I COULDN'T LET IT OUT! ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ I told her straight up I hated that company. Fear written all over her face when she asked me why? I told her why and she had the nerve to defend them until my cold hard truth hit her. Sadly she walked away feeling discouraged.
I have an interview there on Thursday. I was told it was not sales nor telemarketing. That I would be working directly with the business and their cliental, I was told I would be dealing with Office Depot. Also that, they are looking to train someone for a management position with in the next 16 months. Should I even bother going?