Hit Web Design review: bad business to work with/for! abc4 news utah will expose! 528

you did that for years yourself, if you were so intelligent, compassionate, and chock-full of ethics and integrity. ... why did you take so long to quit?

... also the phrase "I don't think I have ever sold anything wrong to get my numbers." sheds some light on your mindset.

You think?

I, having a conscience, would *KNOW* if I had sold something wrong.

Ok now I'm getting worked up now. Because I quit, I lost my commission for that pay period, how convenient for the Aitken's. Apparently this was in the employee handbook, that you are forced to sign or you don't have a job. Oh yeah, great company to work for. Had I known that, I would of done what others did, and not have to give up roughly $1500.00 that they owe me.

You are acting like the abused wife that gets beat by her husband, thinking there is nothing better out there. But trust me if you quit there is allot out there. But make sure you fake an illness or give them 2 weeks before you quit, or once again you will get screwed by the Aitkens.

I will not give up on this, I will continue to say whatever I feel like. One of my customers that I have kept in contact with, and has been screwed by HIT, just happens to be friends with the Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. You screw with the wrong people it will come back to bite you.

Idiotswillalwayscomplain,

You need to wake up. Hit Web Design needs to answer for what they have done to their employees and customers.

I was sent an e-mail this evening by an ex-employee about what Mark Strong had to say about the ABC 4 interview.

Many of you are aware that Channel 4 showed up at our business late Friday afternoon, wanting to do a story on Heritage. I was not here at the time, but shortly afterwards I got in touch with the Channel 4 representative. Arrangements were made for me to go into their studio this morning for an interview. They had received complaints, one from a former employee and one from one of our clients, questioning our business practices.

I thought the interview went exceptionally well. Here is a summary of the questions and my comments:

448 Complaints in a period of 3 years. That seems like an awful lot. How would you explain that?

We take great pride in our customer service. It is our goal to provide a professional product in a manner that is appreciated by our clients.

Heritage is a large national company. We have over 20, 000 clients in our customer base. If the 448 complaints are divided into a monthly average, it comes to just over 12 complaints per month. This means that only 1 in 1500 clients complains. The other 1499 are satisfied with the service provided.

More importantly, over the last 3 years working with 20, 000+ clients we do not have a single unresolved complaint. This is an exceptional track record; one that we take great pride in and are committed to continue.

(Throughout the interview, I brought the interviewer back to this history of resolving our client's concerns.)

What do you do in cases where you and your customers cannot agree on a solution?

From time to time, this does happen. When it becomes apparent that we cannot come to a compromise, we encourage the clients to avail themselves of the BBB's binding arbitration services. This happens very infrequently, but does resolve the issues through an unbiased 3rd party. Heritage always honors the decision of the arbitrator.

One of the complaints indicates that you appear to have a habit of bait and switch. You quote a price, but before the design is completed you tack on additional fees.

Thank you for raising this concern. When a client contracts with Heritage to design a site, they receive an invoice that specifies exactly what it is that Heritage will do for them. As the process unfolds, the designer or account manager makes them aware of additional features that may add to the effectiveness of their website.

Additions such as a banner ad, a flash intro, a marketing tool we call =
Stay n Touch, and other possible upgrades are introduced to the client. The cost of these features is quoted to the client. If the client asks Heritage to add that feature to the site, the original quote is then modified. The original quote is never modified unless the client requests these upgrades.

We have a complaint from a former employees that claims you kept $800 in commissions and also reduced his wages by 15%. What would you say in reference to this claim?

I am not familiar with this specific employee's situation. I can tell you, however, that the 15% reduction in wages did not single him out, but that the entire company took a 15% cut during the early part of 2009. We have been fortunate to work through the economic down turn. It has required sacrifice on everyone's part. In April we were able to restore the 15%.

As for the former employee's claim that Heritage owes him $800, again, I am not familiar with this specific example. However, just as a client has the option of going to the BBB as a neutral third party, an employee also has the option of appealing to the Labor Commission for fair treatment. Heritage has 185 full-time employees. We have had over time 2 or 3 employees go to the Labor Commission. We have always honored the position of this neutral 3rd party.

I have here a copy of a Settlement Agreement in which the client is required to agree to not go to the BBB. If they do, they are subject to a significant penalty. It seems you are denying them the opportunity to voice their concerns.

The first paragraph lays out the terms of the settlement. Often, Heritage agrees to issue a refund, or release its work, to the client on the condition that both parties will then put the matter to rest, leave it alone, and move on with their own interests.

This agreement is not retroactive. If they have already filed a complaint with the BBB, it does not penalize them for doing so. However, going forward both parties agree that the matter is resolved and no public expressions of negativity will be indulged in by either
party. It protects the client as well as Heritage.
---------------
This is the essence of the interview. Actually, it was a pleasant experience. It gave me the opportunity to express to a news organization how proud I am of the Heritage staff and our commitment to the clients. Occasionally we stub out toe, but at the end of the day, we always treat the client fairly.

I personally would love to hear what Mark had to say. I'm sure he weaseled his way out of that one.

I try to help 'idiot' & friends understand that freedom from oppression is not brainwashing. Try this, read repeatedly until it starts to sink in...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_fear

Culture of fear is a term that refers to a perceived prevalence of fear and anxiety in public discourse and relationships, and how this may affect the way people interact with one another as individuals and as democratic agents. Among those who share this perception there are a variety of different claims as to the sources and consequences of the trend they seek to describe.

Such commentators suggest that we consider a range of cultural processes as deliberate techniques for scaremongering. For example:

* Careful selection and omission of news (some relevant facts are shown and some are not);
* Distortion of statistics or numbers;
* Transformation of single events into social epidemics (Salem witch trials);

* Oversimplification of complex and multifaceted situations;
* Causal inversion (turning a cause into an effect or vice-versa);
* Outright fabrication of events or claims and then deliberately whipping up outrage at the false claims and fabrications[3] (e.g. unproven weapons of mass destruction as an excuse for the U.S. invasion of Iraq).

Cheers

GREAT points on the culture there! Hit Web Design seems very stalin esq!

I am not familiar with this specific employee's situation. I can tell you, however, that the 15% reduction in wages did not single him out, but that the entire company took a 15% cut during the early part of 2009. We have been fortunate to work through the economic down turn. It has required sacrifice on everyone's part. In April we were able to restore the 15%.

WTF? they restored for what 3 months and then took it back again. He got away with that one, or the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing

I'm sorry I just have to laugh because as stated the sales team is hurting because of this board and now all of a sudden here comes

idiotswillalwayscomplain Well hello as he stated;

I just don't like that ex-employees, screwing the careers or job of their ex-colleagues. You choose to leave, We haven't yet. We have to make our living and run our families, we are hurt by the way unethically all details are let out. You have problems with HIT fine, but by all this, understand the fact that it hurts other people, than the Management.

WOW so really in what your saying is you know what we are saying is correct because we are letting the details out and pretty much just because you are still there and needing a paycheck you feel great about coming in every morning and promising things that will never happen! Well then your just as bad as management!

Another thing is I know that you have high numbers to hit just to get your commission but just a word of advice, I'd start looking for a new job because clients are catching on and this complaint board is going to keep going and word of month spreads fast.

I for one will be willing to go on camera face to face with Mark, strapped up to a lie detector and let's see what truths come out then. I can see now that something like this needs to happen, sign me up I will do whatever it takes.

Another laugh,

idiotswillalwayscomplain stated;

you did that for years yourself, if you were so intelligent, compassionate, and chock-full of ethics and integrity. ... why did you take so long to quit?

So idiotswillalwayscomplain your telling us that you don't have and are not intelligent, compassionate, and chock-full of ethics and integrity
WOW no wonder you think it's a great company.

I personally think that all of the ex and current Heritage Web Solutions employees should share their favorite horror story.

As this website is intended to protect consumers. So let's help warn consumers by telling true and factual stories of people who were effected by Hit Web Design's tactics. (just do not use customer names).

HIT has no idea what their employees are saying - I just had it confirmed as well that Mr. Woods is indeed still working there. He was offered the outsourced sales job AFTER being terminated.

Another victim of HIT Web Design, this is taken from /link removed/ posted 10/29

I signed up with hit web design in June and was told that I was have a website in approximately 4 weeks. It's now the end of October and there is still no running website.
I was suckered into signing up with this company under the assumption that they custom desgin your site and help you along the way. Unfortunately, this is not a fact. In actuality they take your money and then want to up sell on everything else.
When contacting customer service or anyone else within that company one does not get any responses. I emailed the CEO yesterday so see what we can do in order to remedy my concerns and issues, but of course, he did not respond either.
Looking at all of the complaints against this company, I am shocked that a leading business magazine had recommended them.

I am constantly disgusted by the stories that come out of Hit Web Design. From customers getting swindled to employees being verbally abused, to this new story about a VP who got a DUI, Hit Web Design first tells people that he is on "vacation" in California, use his e-mail address to send stories "from the road" and then everyone on here finds out that NO he was NOT in California he was IN JAIL!

Then they say that they fired this person, and then we come to find out that he is this new invented position of "out sourced" sales!

It would be hilarious if so many lives weren't being hurt by it!

For anyone having a hard time reaching Dave at work...

http://tinyurl.com/davidaitken

I am a business owner myself.

I think Dave has an awesome and ethical business model. Hitting 20 Million Biz is in 7 years starting with just $1000 is not easy, when you have 20, 000 customers with low prices, its but natural to have few of those whining jerks out there. If his business was not good, why would 19, 9800+ other customers not complain. Give the guy a break. and stop demanding that he be taken out, he and his brother, founded the company created hundreds of jobs directly and indirectly, who the hell are you guys to ask him to taken off. Somebody like Dave can always restart from scratch. Salute you Dave.

And to those ###s who give out personal information - you are just revenge seeking slanderers, nothing else.

awesome-company

Slander is spoken
Libel is written

Keep up with being a genius.

well, that doesn't change the point of fact.

awesome-company,

which family member are you?

thats all you can think about? I though this was a public forum

family members are the only ones coming to the Aitken defense. the "public" doesn't hold him in such high regards.

from $1000 to $50, 000, 000 (in 7 years) is by any means a great feat in any book. A fraud company will disappear overnight and not achieve something closer to that.

BTW, I am public is enough to thrown your claims and accusations out. Dave or any Aitken has nothing to do with me. Peace off!

but your spelling and grammatical errors remind me oh so much of the uneducated emails from the Aitken's.

For the record, ponzi schemes can last years before being discovered - just ask Madoff.

As far as I understand it the 1, 000.00 history is a fable. As it has been explained to me that the initial investment was 1, 000.00 but with the backing of the Mortgage Company that preceded Heritage Web Design (what was the name of it? AMI Mortgage, Heritage Mortgage) They used their resources, telemarketing etc to back the scheme.

And scams can last years.

i still work for HIT, but I'm trying very desperately to find something new. what truly pisses me off so much is watching the sales team use this stupid "economic report" video! DONT BE FOOLED! the owners were intentionally vague with the company and said it was for cnn. now the stupid salesman show it to everyone their trying to sell, touting it as proof of a good business. THIS WAS A COMPANY-PRODUCED VIDEO. the whole thing was written.shot.and paid for by teh company and the only relation to cnn was that it was aired as an infomercial during latenight programming. what kind of ethics is that?

@ stupidco,

not everyone that works sales uses that filth. Don't attack the employees - harness your hatred towards the creator of such filth - they whose name we will not mention.

awesome-company,

I would like to sell you a website

After doing some digging on the Economic Report I stumbled upon this gem of a link

http://www.stinkyjournalism.org/latest-journalism-news-updates-148.php

So looks like it cost $20, 000.00 + to make this little "feature" on CNN.

Here is my favorite excerpt from this little piece of journalism!

"BACKSTORY

Look Mom, I’m on CNN Headline News with Greg Gumbel …Only Cost Me 20K

It was too good to be true. Imagine: you get the call. You have been "selected" by producers, the caller tells you, to appear with the famed broadcaster Greg Gumbel in a "television program" that airs nationwide on CNN Headline News! A Florida TV production company wants to "feature" you and the virtues of your wastewater management company.

Never mind that realistically speaking it would take an axe murderer chopping up ten people in your factory (two wouldn’t be enough) before you or your company would generate even one column inch of national news coverage. You take the bait and the game switches to where you must next agree to pay a 20K to 30K "scheduling fee" for producing your "5-minute segment" which both pretends to be and mimics the style of a news broadcast.

When Gumbel appears after a "legitimate" cable news show on an identical newsroom set and using identical animation graphics, one cannot help but be fooled into believing this infomercial is, in fact, news programming. The illusion is cemented by the well-known CBS News show brand "Eye On America, " which is included in many of the infomercials. Though it is, of course, an advertisement, StinkyJournalism has found no evidence that either the "producers" or the production company (of nearly a dozen different names) or any of its featured customers, ever uses the word "advertisement" in connection to the Gumbel infomercial in any of their sales pitches, web sites or press releases.

Go to TheEconomicReport.com. Click on "Editorial Calendar" in the top navigation bar. Note it does not say "advertising schedule, " but that is exactly what it is. Below are a list of "program topics" and "The Economic Report Airtimes." Why doesn’t the web page tell the truth? These are not editorial programs or airtimes of a news magazine.

A huge list of times, cities, including major markets, and networks show the scope of the deception as well as the numerous locations where these unlabeled 5 minute ads have run as "editorial programming": Chicago, Boston, Indianapolis, St Louis, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Sarasota-Venice, Sacramento, Sacramento, New York & Albany, Charlotte, Mobile-Pensacola, Ohio, Philadelphia-Atlantic City, Salt Lake City, New Jersey, Westchester, Phoenix-Flagstaff, Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Madison, Flint-Saginaw-Bay City.

Andy Warhol infomercial sales? Every company, deserving or not, gets 5 minutes of fame

Believe it or not, dozens upon dozens of companies fell for this marketing scheme over the past two years. You name it, Gumbel appears on camera and ends up flogging a mind-numbing and illogical diversity of products, by introducing seemingly endless "stories" about the importance of different companies and organizations: Timeshare sales, barley products, medical gizmos, Internet security software, a yogurt shop franchise, small universities, wastewater management (with airtight containers—thank God), rubber products, an Orthodox Christian seminary and, my personal favorite, a distributor of aluminum trusses. Small public, private and not-for-profit organizations alike, all were willing—or were "duped", depending on who you speak to—into participating in this scheme hatched by the same Florida production company.

The final product when it does air in New York City on HLN (formerly known as CNN Headline News), immediately following news programs hosted by the likes of Lou Dobbs or Nancy Grace, it runs at the end of the hour (e.g., from 7:54 to 7:59 p.m.). This timing creates the illusion that these "innovative educational" segments are editorial content, a cinch since no running label says "infomercial" or "advertisement, " as typically required by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who regulates truth in advertising practices on networks.

Since the bigger questions, can only be answered partially in this first report, they are stated mostly as "food for thought" under a category of "hopefully, lesson learned." However, StinkyJournalism will update readers as the story develops.

1. What is Gumbel, a CBS talent, doing on HLN hawking everything from real estate sales to dodgy franchise "opportunities" –companies that he could have never properly vetted before lending his name—while at the same time, hosting the CBS college basketball NCAA Tournament? How the heck did Gumbel end up as front man in this scheme?
2. How did CBS allow it's well-known news show brand "Eye on America" get hijacked and aired by HLN?
3. Finally, how did Turner Broadcasting (who owns HLN network) or local cable companies nationwide, like Time Warner Cable, allow these news-style infomercials --that FTC has long required oblivious notification labels (such as a continuous static text citing the word "advertisement") –to air without themselves requiring proper labeling to protect the public?

In addition to the above three questions, perhaps more importantly, StinkyJournalism has asked Gumbel’s agent, Turner, CBS, Time Warner Cable, Doug Scott, owner of Encore TV (the production company with umpteen different names, including Platinum Television, EncoreTV, The Economic Report, New Line Media Solutions, PTG Studios, etc. operating from the same address) and over a dozen of his infomercial customers—what are they going to do NOW to fix this giant mess? The good news is everyone has agreed to take action.

And what does the FTC or the Florida Attorney General’s Office (did I mentioned that Doug Scott in 2007 already paid $175, 000 in settlement penalties, enforcement costs and guarantees for victims for deceptive practices?) say they are going to do about what has happened here and will they hold any or all players cited above accountable?

Responses to the above and more, follows in this report.

An advertising wolf dressed in editorial sheep’s clothing

There has been a blitz of 5-minute infomercials in the New York City market but Doug Scott’s production company web sites list that the ads are running nationwide. The Gumbel hosted "programs" run under the names "Eye On America", "Our Planet, " and "The Economic Report" series. The diversity of "segments" in each is a hodgepodge of every kind of company or organization you can think of—all without hope or prospect of 5 seconds of national network air time, let alone the 5 minutes that they, in fact, purchased to promote their companies.

The problem is, of course, when the format and language of the advertisement mimics news programming but only has a brief flash of "sponsored by" at the beginning and end of the 5 minute commercial, this is hardly adequate disclosure. The fact is all news programming is sponsored. The main difference that must be emphasized here is that experts or individuals featured in news do not pay the news producers to be interviewed nor do they help write, pay for or approve scripts. Such payments occur in advertising.

The importance of maintaining the ethical firewall between news and advertising for journalism to ever remain trusted and credible cannot be over-emphasized. Hence, why the stakes are so high in this case for CBS, Turner, HLN, Time Warner Cable, Greg Gumbel and his agent, IMG World."

Check out that link to read their whole expose... it checks out.

http://www.stinkyjournalism.org/latest-journalism-news-updates-148.php

So Hit Web Design, way to be completely UNETHICAL by stating that your story was on CNN. Sure it aired on the CNN Channel but it aired as PAID PROGRAMMING!

Also the FTC says that trying to pass it off as news is illegal!...

Federal Trade Commission web site:

Does the FTC have any special policies relating to infomercials?

* Infomercial advertisers…should make sure that the infomercial doesn't deceptively mimic the format of news reports, talk shows, or other independent programming. Many FTC cases have required companies to clearly disclose that "THE PROGRAM YOU ARE WATCHING IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT FOR [NAME OF PRODUCT]" at the beginning of an infomercial and before ordering information is given. Since many infomercials feature endorsements from consumers, celebrities, or experts, see the FTC's Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials

*In many instances, the FTC has taken action against both the manufacturer or marketer of a product and the company that produced the infomercial…The bottom line: no one involved in the promotion of a product or the dissemination of an ad -- whether it's an infomercial, print ad, catalogue, or broadcast spot -- should look the other way when the claims seem questionable.

Very well done research! While the customers across the nation are being misled, lied to and cheated - employees are being hit with a 15% pay cut, HIT takes these excess funds and feeds it into one of it's own - a scheme. Grade A Mr. Aitken. Grade A!

If this company is such a successful internet conglomerate, then why haven't they pushed all these negative comments to the 4Th 5Th or 6Th pages of search standings?
Just a thought that I put into comment.

that's asuming their still in busines in january!

If you are a customer and have been told that The Economic Report video was a news piece you need to call the Utah Attorney General's Office ASAP and inform them of the fraudulent practices that Hit Web Design / Heritage Web Solutions is using to mislead people into doing business with them!

There are FCC and FTC regulations that are being either broken, and skirted, and Hit Web Design should be held accountable.

Can anyone share some information about the CFO at Heritage Web Solutions / Hit Web Design his name I believe is Josh Herschel (sp?)

I have heard some very strange things about his qualifications (or lack thereof). Can anyone confirm or speak on behalf of this?

WARNING IF YOU READ THIS YOU WILL BE PISSED!

I found this online at /link removed/ I am in shock right now after reading this. This is to a customer that just wanted his money back, this is cold and heartless.

Heritage Web Solutions, LLC

Dear Mr. Austin:

I have reviewed your most recent e-mail dated August 8, 2006 at 8:13AM.

Although I realize the service of a lawsuit upon you may not be much of a threat since you have a terminal illness; however, there are economic consequences of your conduct that spill over to your estate.

It appears reasonably certain from past communications that it was your desire to setup the Internet business to provide an income stream to your wife and daughter. Your continued lies, defamation and intentional interference with my client's business are claims that can be brought against your estate. If you are leaving behind a Will, any funds that you leave could be subject to the claims of Heritage.

You asked me to inform you in a way that you can understand what I can do to you. It is not what can be done to you, but what can be done to your estate and the funds you leave behind. You have been given every reasonable attempt to resolve this without that happening, but you continue to spew your hatred over a $700 issue. This suggests that you have some type of mental problem as well.

Your rambling e-mail continues to suggest that I cannot stop you from telling the truth. The truth is whatever the judge says at the end of the day regardless of what the parties may feel. The truth in this case is that you got your website designed for free and your money back. Where is the fraud in that? If anything, you stole services for which you should pay, and have paid nothing for the service provided to you - consider it a gift to a dying man. However, your continued ranting and raving cannot be tolerated.

Richard Austin

August 9, 2006

Page 2

Can I hurt you? Probably not. Can I hurt your heirs? Probably. I am giving you the opportunity to do the right thing without being compelled to do that. If you don't see the fairness or goodness in that, that is your problem - not mine. We are prepared to have a judge tell you or your heirs that what you have done is wrong.

Very truly yours,

==========================
James T. Dunn

Encl.

cc:

Heritage Web Solutions

I know where he is at, he is sitting under Dave's desk, apparently he filled that position in the company very well

quick search results w/ his full name and relatives, most likely children and/or wife:

http://tinyurl.com/Hoecherl

phone number and addresses listed under wife's name:

http://tinyurl.com/Hoecherl2-a

http://tinyurl.com/Hoecherl2-b

Not sure which one is current.