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3.3 43 Reviews

Smart Circle International Complaints Summary

25 Resolved
18 Unresolved
Our verdict: While Smart Circle International has an above-average resolution rate, there’s room for improvement. Investigate common issues reported by customers and understand how they were resolved. Be prepared to follow up on your queries if needed, and keep detailed records of all interactions.
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Smart Circle International False Advertising

I recently graduated from college and have been searching for a job in sales/marketing. I found an advertisement for an entry level sales associate on Career Builder for a company called Northwest Marketing Inc located in Bellevue, WA. I sent them my resume and received an immediate response from human resources wanting to know if I was available for an interview. I live in Montana so I told them I would need time to buy a plane ticket. I did my research on-line about the company and the website seemed pretty legitimate except there was no information about when the company started or exactly what they did other than very general information for a marketing firm. I decided to take a chance and was HORRIBLY disappointed! The interview lasted only ten minutes and there were no definitive answers as to what the job would entail. I was offered to come to a second interview the following day and I asked exactly what I would be doing before I would waste my time. I was told they do marketing for the Seattle Mariners and that they distribute coupon booklets for tickets. The first postion in the "program" is in entry level sales, then to become an account director, and finally the last "step" is to become a manager which she explained to me takes an individual about ten months to complete. I asked if this was a door to door operation to which the young woman responded it was business to business and I asked her to explain to me how walking around, going door to door, was business to business. She replied that the job was to go to businesses in different areas and try to sell the coupons to the individuals working and that even if I fail at selling the coupons it at least puts it in their minds that there is a Mariners game. I was pretty angry after realizing that I flew to Seattle for a total scam operation. Thank goodness that I have some friends in Seattle and was able to have a small vacation with them. I am writing this so that no one else will waste their time as I did.

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Smart Circle International HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Very Breifly, I purchased a card from someone walking into my office for a golf package. Sounded great! I went to use the card and the golf course wouldn't except the card. Not only did I not get to use the card I spent and exta $75 to pay for the round of golf I should have reccieved for free. I called and the customer service was understanding at first and agreed to send out another card for a different location in my area. The sent me another card for the same golf course who doesnt except them. I sat it aside knowing I've already wasted too much time on the matter. A few months latter I came accross the card once again in a pile of papers and decided to give them a call once again. This time the customer service was extremely rude and truned it around on me for waiting so long to call back. We were disconnected or so i thought before I was given any answer. I called back and got a hold of some ditsy sounding gal who sounded like she didn't even know where she was working. After a few questions yup you guessed it another disconnect, which is now obvious a hang up to avoid dealing with anyone. This is obviously Smart Circle's policy when it comes to any kind of confrontation. Just Hang up on the customer and hope they just go away. Well I hope that their business methods catch up with them and they go under sooner than later.

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Smart Circle International - Direct TV service sold at Sam's Club by this company

We purchased Direct TV at Sam's Club from what we thought was a Direct TV representative instead he was a Smart Circle International employee. The package was totally misrepresented and the information given to us was a complete lie. Fortunately we called the actual Direct TV customer service in time to cancel. We were told by Direct TV we had only 24 hr...

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Smart Circle International - Fraud and Cheeting

First of all I hope that you're reading about these companies before you even go for an interview. If you all ready had one, don't go for the second. Both companies are a part of The Smart Circle, a large Multi Level Marketing Scam. The 1st Interview: You will apply for a job you found online and they will call you and tell you to come in for an...

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Smart Circle International Cruise Tickets $99 for 2

I was in my local Sam's Club and they had a wide assortment of travel deals available. The one that caught my eye was a package that said 2 cruise tickets for $99! I read the card the offer was printed on and it said that the price reflected a inside cabin and off-season price of $99. Still...that''s not too bad a deal anyway. I talked to the salesperson and they verified that the $99 was for 2 tickets, inside cabin, off-season and that all I had to pay was port charges and tips in addition to original $99. They said that I could select from many cruise lines, sailing dates, and could even upgrade my room for additional charge, so I bought 2 packages. The packages said that I had to register my cruise ticket purchase online to get the various options and prices sent to me in the mail. All I had to do was select what I wanted and then call them up to book the travel. I found that this is not how it goes down.

I registered my purchase online and waited for my great prices and options to arrive. After almost a month (you get 30 days to return the cruise package) I finally got my options in the mail. EXCEPT NOW I had to send another $50 to get my package "registered" and THEN it said I would get the prices. I called the travel agency that this offer was provided by (PTS Travel) and they told me that I would have to send the $50 and then they would send more information. I asked about the $99 cruise offer and they said the $99 was a "handling charge" and the cruise prices averaged between $300 - $800 per person depending on the length of the cruise and time of the year. IN FACT THERE IS NO $99 CRUISE TICKET AT ALL. What a rip off!

I went to Sam's Club and told them all this and they cheerfully refunded my purchase price since I was on day 25 of my 30 day refund guarantee. It was close, but I almost got taken.

I write this to warn others about these kind offers and to remind others that you get what you pay for. There is no free lunch and THERE IS NO $99 CRUISE TICKETS AT SAM'S CLUB. I hope they ban Smart Circle and PTS Travel from their stores in the future.

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doug-1234
Orleans, CA
Aug 10, 2011 4:13 am EDT

I too was almost "taken to the cleaners" - except that I was also checking things as we went. In our case, I booked an NCL cruise, and got a quote from PTS travel for a different one just a couple weeks later. End result: we got a much better deal working with NCL directly, than through this SCAM of a 2-for-1.

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Terry45
, US
Jan 04, 2010 3:13 pm EST

I agree VERY UNETHICAL SALESPEOPLE IN SAM"S CLUBS!

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Smart Circle International unusable card

STRONGLY RECOMMEND NOT BUYING A SMART CIRCLE CARD! I bought a RTJ Golf "Smart Circle Card" at Sam's Club in huntsville, AL. When I went to the golf course to use the card, they would not honor it because there was no expiration date or signature on the back which invalidated the card. They told me they expired months before. The company did say they would provide my money back but it was a hassle. at first, the operator kept telling me that I had to swap for another card. upon my insistence, the third time, he finally connected me to the manager who said if i send the card back they will refund my money... we'll see.

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pistonandpistoff
houston, US
May 10, 2011 12:42 am EDT

Husband purchased from his office two sets of coupons for Studio movie grille and FINS restaraunt which is no longer in business and at the time we purchased the coupons, called the restaraunt and said they were remodeling.No such thing ever happened.Called to get a refund for my 39.95 and got nothing but a runaround.Was told to go online and pick something else.Let's see there were hot dog places and paintball.none of which appealed.I called them back more run around.no refund, just got screwed out of 40$.WOW WHAT A DEAL!

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B. Forde
,
Dec 02, 2008 9:43 am EST

The representative assured me and others that there would be no other costs or obligations. This is not true. She also said that there would not be any type of sales or promotional presentation that the card holder would have to attend. This was also a lie.

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Smart Circle International fraud

Beware,

I purchased a vegas from Smart circle and was told I could not use it. I tried to get my money back and to no avial. I bought it at Sam's Club. I finally contacted Sam's Club head offices and filed a complaint through my lawyer. We as consumers need to stand up and not put up with being scammed. If you are not happy, they are not going to refund you. Contact the corporate offices of Sam's club
[protected]. Tell them you need to speak to somone in the legal department of Sam's Club. This is a switch board for Sam's Club, and Walmart. You will get someone to listen to you. I promise- Sam's club needs to know they just hooked up with the biggest scam in the market!

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Lynn
,
Oct 13, 2008 9:27 am EDT

My husband purchased a "Smart Circle Card" for 4 Midas oil changes for 29.99. He was told it was to suppport D.A.R.E. When we tried to use the card, Midas said they had cut off the promotion months ago and told Smart Circle to stop selling them. They said, "if you call them, they'll tell you you don't have a receipt. You just tell them you have the card and that's your receeipt." That's exactly what went down when we called Smart Circle. They offered a refund, but only if we mailed them the card.

And nowhere on the card does ir mention D.A.R.E.

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Damita R
Hampton, US
May 22, 2013 10:55 am EDT

I bought a movie ticket deal for Cinema Café and I was quite pleased! As a parent we are always looking for inexpensive ways to have family outings and this was a REALLY good investment!
I would do it all over again!

Sincerely,
Damita Robinson
Hampton, Virginia

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Tgdre
Cleveland, US
Jul 19, 2010 4:43 pm EDT

I bought a Smart Circle Vegas trip ( Tahiti Village) at Sam's Club, It cost me $198 for 3 nights. It was fantastic, the room was huge with a kitchenette, living room with couch, chair, 2- 42" T.V.'s, a stereo, huge bathroom, awesome pool and lazy river. Great place and great vacation.Also bought a local dinner cruise on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Normally $46 a person, got the smart circle deal got 3 free cruises, 3 buy 1 get one and a 20% discount for $39. Wen't this past Sat, used a buy 1 get 1 and it already paid for itself. Going on the brunch cruise next.

I did however have a problem with a salon card I bought for my fiance, the problem was the girl who was working for Smart Circle wrote down the wrong experation date by mistake. The salon would not honor it, smart circle said they would issue another but it would take a month, Sam;s Club refunded the money instead. So mfar I have been bery pleased with this company.

Tom

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KPT
Round Rock, US
Oct 17, 2009 7:19 pm EDT

We have just returned from a wonderful vacation in Cancun with Sams Club/ Smart Circle, no complaints great food, best trips. Now heading for Orlando hoping for the same.

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CustomerCare5048
Plano, US
Sep 03, 2009 2:56 pm EDT
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Dear Lisa 80220,

We are sincerely sorry to hear about your experience with the Las Vegas travel promotion. The Smart Circle strongly believes in upholding a consistent and quality customer satisfaction policy, which includes honoring full refunds for customers who request them, and your purchase is no exception. In order to begin processing your refund, we will need a few additional details, such as a mailing address where we can deliver the check. We also hope to obtain more details from you as to the reasons given for not honoring your requests so that we may remedy the situation and prevent further incidents such as this as quickly as possible. Please contact us at [protected], ext. 216, at your earliest convenience to get the refund process started.

Your feedback will definitely be taken into consideration as we continue to look for additional ways to enhance our service for consumers across the country and bring only the best promotions to Sam’s Club members. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you and very much appreciate your business!

Best Regards,
The Smart Circle

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laugh365
Pasadena, US
Nov 07, 2008 3:19 am EST

You are required to return the certificate so that you don't get a refund and then try to use it. I

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Smart Circle International - Deceptive employment practices

Hello to all. I'm guessing many of you have come upon this after a google search for "Competition Marketing Group" (henceforth referred to as "CMG"), or one of its affiliates, maybe even after being offered and interview or a position with them. Congratulations, I'm here to help you out. For the sake of clarity I'll say that I'm referring to the Laurel, MD...

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Smart Circle International coupon tickets purchased for $40.oo are all invalid

I purchased a fan appreciaton coupon packet for $39.99. There are 2 two free game coupons, as well as 6 coupon for buy one ticket get one ticket free, and two $25.00 off coupons for all inclusive seats. This appeared to be a very good deal, as they were selling like hotcakes. The BIG catch is when I put in the coupon codes to purchase tickets All coupon codes are "INVALID" I certainly feel like I am entitled to a full refund since no coupons in this pack are any good.

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Jillio
Chesterfield, US
Jul 10, 2011 8:26 pm EDT

The Smart Circle coupons do work! I have bought them for two years in a row now - 2010 and 2011. The terms and conditions can be found on the Cardinals' own web page at www.cardinals.com/fanapp. The Cardinals are the ones that offer this package. You can only redeem the half price and the all-inclusive tickets online with an additional fee (I think it's $10). The free tickets coupons you can redeem by mail or in person. I have used my coupons last year and this year and had no problems. Because I don't want to pay an additional fee and I live in town, I just get organized, figure out all of the dates that I want to attend games, go in person and redeem all of my coupons. This is a great deal especially if you're going to a lot of games! I'm not sure why other folks had problems; maybe they didn't READ! There are blackout dates and conditions, but you should be able to get the seats they offer as long as you get them way ahead of time (I would recommend at least 2-3 months ahead).

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tjdavis1988
Trenton, US
Jan 05, 2011 10:48 pm EST

I got these last year and although the process was not perfect, I'm still glad I purchased them. I waited too long into the year to use the free tickets but I used all the others and saved hundreds of dollars at the end of it all. At time I had trouble getting some of the codes to work but eventually I was able to sit in all-inclusive seats for half the price which was great. Hoping I can find it again this year so I can see a few more games.

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shoemiester
Waynesville, US
Jul 06, 2010 4:42 pm EDT
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the only website that comes up when you enter the cards smart circle address on the back of the card is the complaint site! go figure!
it's a shame i'd really like to go to the game and sit on the porch, but the chances don't look to good from what i'm reading above, and i won't drive over 100 miles on the chance that it'll work, if i can't mail them in and get the tickets in hand, then i guess i am SOL !

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l.castleman
Centralia, US
Jun 15, 2010 6:29 pm EDT

I cannot find a website to access tickets as listed in my package. Where do you go online to get tickets. I bought these last year and did not have a problem. So, what's the problem

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B2g
, US
Jun 04, 2010 3:56 pm EDT

I agree that this is nothing but a big scam... I purchased my ticket package through SSM Healthcare in St. Louis and as I went to redeem my tickets, all the codes were invalid. This is ridiculous. I call their customer appreciation hotline and then explained that I needed to mail my vouchers back to Ontario Canada, it could take 5-7 days to receive it and the whole process could take up to 4-6 weeks. I guess 4-6 weeks is a set time frame for all telemarketer, tv ads and scammers so they think you will forget about being ripped off. I fully intend to get my $40 back and make sure that they never are allowed to sell any items in SSM facilites. For those out there, dont waste you time supporting SMART CIRLE, THEY are a bunch of scam artists.

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pgboy
Port Gibson, US
Apr 28, 2010 1:32 pm EDT

The website to redeem your tickets is cardinals.com/smartcircle its on the back of your coupon book

The deal is great! I have used several in the past and they work perfectly if you follow the directions. All you have to do is get your tickets early and not wait till the last minute. the games sell out like the rep told me, so if you send off your vouchers like they give the option to do, then you get the best seats . also, if you look at regular ticket prices you will see how awesome of a deal you are getting because it would cost my family of 4 over $80 to sit in the terrace seats, so even if we do sit there, we are saving at least $40.

And for people who are having trouble with the buy one get one free tickets, if you don't type in the redemption code exactly as it appears ( it is case sensative), then they don't work. So pay close attention when your typing in the codes.

And you can also take any of the tickets to the stadium and redeem them too. Hope this post helps.

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Kim Schlottog
Bland, US
Apr 28, 2010 12:52 pm EDT

What is the website to redeem the coupons at?

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GMgirl
Springfield, US
Apr 18, 2010 11:43 am EDT

I cannot find anywhere on line to redeem my coupns. The sales people said there was site to order a form to mail in, I would like that information or a refund, Not many people have money to throw away ... Please advise @georgiamos@aol.com

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monicalee
O'Fallon, US
Apr 15, 2010 11:26 am EDT

I have to say, it's very disappointing to think you're getting sucha great deal and then your codes are not valid...I just got my package deal and the codes are also saying invalid...

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Disappointed Fan
, US
Sep 22, 2009 2:23 pm EDT

The same thing happened to me as happened to Sharitech. When I called Smart Circle, they told me to call the Cardinals. After 30 minutes on hold with them - and I understand why because they are so popular! - I gave up. I have emailed the address and called the number given to Sharitech. I believe I, too, deserve a refund.
Disappointed Fan

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Smart Circle International No Refund for failure to provide service

I recently returned back from deployment and decided to take my
my wife and son to Disney World. Unfortuately I'm up for deployment again soon. I called to cancel my reservation with Smart Circle and it was refused. The supervisor told me that the military isn't special and no refund would be given. I spent $119.00 and the advertisement didn't mention that the reservation was non-refundable.
It breaks my heart to know that other soldiers could be booking with this company.

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dlakers
Davenport, US
Aug 11, 2009 6:17 pm EDT

This only shows the advertisment page. During the booking process, did any of those pages show the cancel policy? You may have not seen it.

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Smart Circle International no refund for failure to provide service

I recently took a volunteer group of 30 people to a go carting track, to thank them for their efforts. Out of my pocket, I was willing to spend $600 for the efforts of the people who put their hearts out to help others. We were told by numerous Smart Circle representatives, and the head of it, Tim Chase, said we would have a blast. When we arrived, we were told that Smart Circle coupons were no longer taken.

No problem, everyone is pretty flexible so we went out to eat. But then when we tried to get a refund (which still hasn't happened) we were told to go through this supervisor, that director etc. and they would not issue a refund for the services they said they would provide.

I advise not using Smart Circle since they lack any type of business ethics, honesty and integrity

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mnm463
Las Vegas, US
Nov 11, 2009 4:40 pm EST

I completely disagree with Hopper2648, I think that was a script they copied and pasted. Tell me, have you received your refund? I bought a smart circle card for a salon in Vegas, it was supposed to be good for 6 months but when I went to the salon within the time frame they told me they were no longer accepting it. I tried to get a refund through smart circle and was told I couldn't. when I threatened to tell the better business bureau the response was "Go for it, I deal with the BBB everyday". WHAT KIND OF COMPANY HAS TO DEAL WITH THE BBB EVERDAY, absolutely ridiculous. Do not trust these sales people and do not purchase their products! Try to find one good story regarding this product, I highly doubt you will.

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Customer Care Supervisor
Plano, US
Jul 14, 2009 12:32 pm EDT

Hopper2648,

We are sincerelyy sorry to hear about your experience with the go cart promotion that was offered through the local marketing firm affiliate in your area. We've contacted the company in question to have them immediately examine your purchase so that we can clear up this issue. The Smart Circle strongly believes in following a customer satisfaction policy that offers full refunds for our customers and your purchase is no exception.

We would like to start the refund process as soon as possible, but need some additional information from you. Please contact us at customercaresupervisor@thesmartcircle.com so that we may begin to gather this information.

Your feedback will definitely be taken into consideration as we continue to look for additional ways to improve our service to consumers across the country and we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you. We appreciate your business and hope to work with you again soon!

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Smart Circle International FALSE ADVERTISING

4/20/09

I purchased a vacation package from The smart Circle and was told I could stay at any Disney Resort of my choice I just had to make sure there was availabilty an to make a rsvp at least 30 days prior. And when I called (they ) smart circle said I did not have a choice of where I was gonna stay and they could not tell me I had to wait for an email or letter with a conformation and It would take up to 7 days and said I had to pay the $15.00 a night tax on the room right then on the phone or I could not get it. I had already paid $49.99 for the package so I went ahead and paid the $45.00 and it's now going on 2 weeks and I have not received any emails or letter in the mail. I have no way of getting ahold of them and when I try to call Smart Circle I can't get anyone on the phone. And also I was told when I called to to book the room that I would have to go to a welcome center first (the day Im due to check in) an they the welcome center will tell me where Im gonna stay for the weekend and then give me the voucher for the hotel they pick which would be a Holiday Inn express or something similar. And it would be atleast 6 miles from Disney and they would make arrangements to take us to the timeshare and do the tour for 90 mins. I am so disappointed at how this company keeps you in the dark on where your gonna stay an how they turn everything around but take your money right away. I do not like the fact that I have to waste my time driving to Orlando pay for gas and have no idea on where Im gonna stay until I go to the Welcome Center at which I have no idea where that is until they email me. Save your money an dont waste your time to much of a hassle. I'm gonna try an get my money back.)
M.Parker

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xmiss
Ft Lauderdale, US
Feb 18, 2010 2:30 pm EST

I bought that very same package you are talking about and ended up staying at the dirtiest nastiest Ramada Inn (I believe it was called Westgate)... anyway, the 90 minute tour is not 90 minutes but rather 4 hours, where you are taken on Timeshare tour and afterwards insulted and kept "prisoner" for 4-5 hours. I say prisoner because the sales people insist you take a ride with them, instead of using your own vehicle. The free tickets they mention is given in form of cashback, which I believe was only $120 dollars. The hotel charged us a $10 a day fee for processing, the people on the phone charged us $15 a day to take a reservation AND we had to pay for the package.

OVERALL I would not suggest people to purchase this FRAUDULENT advertisement/vacation/package!

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Smart Circle International terrible experience

As you glance through the job opportunities on career builder you'll likely see some enty level marketing and sales rep positions. Being a junior in college with no relevant work experience in the field I wish to pursue (marketing) I thought this 'opportunity' could benefit me. I went in for a first interview that was more of a quick formality that lasted approximately 15 minutes.

I was scheduled for a second interview quickly after where I had to to 'shadow' the assistant manager in a day of field work which I was led to believe was not the majority of what my job entailed. Sure I knew door to door sales was sleazy but I was promised all sorts of financial 'opportunity' so I figured I could do it if the money's right.

I feel so stupid for just accepting a job that didn't offer any concrete figures or direct answers. I took the job and left the place I had been working at for over 4 years making $16 per hour plus some benefits. I was in training for two weeks making $40 per day working 11 hr days and in the short two weeks I noticed an alarming trend that screamed GET OUT. Everyone there in the office (all the sales leaders and even the people in charge) was broke.

They all drove around crappy cars that weren't maintained well, ate at crappy restaurants and were HUNGRY for cash. Pretty much everyone there was pressured into working 60 hr weeks only to bring home $700 at the very most. This works out to a little over $11 per hour before taxes with no benefits, paid time off, health insurance, gas reimbursement, NOTHING. No wonder three of the 'lead people' were living out of one apartment broke and desperate for money. They were all working themselves to the bone day after day while they're being fed this pipe dream of 'owning their own business' so that they keep making smart circle rich.

I was duped into thinking this was some great opportunity when in reality it was just a scam that takes advantage of suckers who fall for deceptive sales tactics like '90% discount' and some 'free rounds of golf' when in reality the discounts are minuscule and nothing is free. Also, sales reps are taught to solicit businesses illegally by walking into office buildings with NO SOLICITING displayed clearly at the entrance. I was even instructed to hide my 'merchandise' when entering these buildings in case of security guards.

People look at you like you're trash and it's by far the most demeaning job I've ever done (and I've washed dishes and worked on a farm). I'll be the first to say that I refuse to do anything illegal for a living especially for crappy, less than minimum wage pay. Coaching people to engage in illegal activity and requiring commissioned sales reps to work from 7:15 am to around 7 pm has to be illegal itself.

The atmosphere was extremely sketchy and cult-like and I got out as quick as I possibly could. I'm not saying that this job isn't for some people because maybe you could succeed at it but... I'm not here to make judgment calls on anyone's character there but I was subject to a lot of deception and indirect answers when I had questions.

Honestly, I wish everyone at this office the best and I hope they get out before they lose all their friends and family from the ridiculous hours and end up penniless because of the ridiculous pay. Mainly, the purpose of this article is to inform any perspective employees of what they are really getting into at this 'dream job' and to get them to do some research on smart circle and its satellite companies before 'drinking the cool-aid' like I did.

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KaitlinLara
Philadelphia, US
Mar 26, 2012 8:48 am EDT

The big problem with Smart Circle is that they open these small branch offices through new "business owners" when in reality these are just more people feeding the machine. Defined Industries Inc. is one of these so-called "businesses" and runs exactly the same scam, but because it goes by a different name you cannot find any info online showing it for what it really is. Defined Industries Inc. IS a sub-company of Smart Circle and will screw you over the same way. STAY AWAY.

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ftworth
Fort Worth, US
Oct 17, 2010 10:02 am EDT
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I have been working for a company like this for 5 days now. My first day was horrible. I walked around Dallas from 9- 5:30 and made $30. My feet had blisters all over them, I had shin splints, and I was exhausted. The next day, I was feeling like such a horrible person and so upset about the way that people were looking at me and judging me, that I called my leader to express my concerns. She referred me to another leader to talk to them. They told me to just keep going and I would sell. So I did. I got told that I needed to get a real job by various people that I would try to sell to. On my fourth day, I was sent to a bad part of town for the second day in a row. The day before that I had only made two sells, giving me $20 for my eight and a half work day. I was almost mugged by a guy in the parking lot of an abandoned shopping center. I called my store owner and was promised commision for two sales, even though I had not sold anything for that day. I DID NOT recieve that money at the end of the day and went home empty handed.
If someone is reading this and thinking that I should just get out of this job and stop complaining, I can ensure you that I am actively looking for a new job right now. I have $665 to pay in rent every month and need to be making some money. Times are tough for everyone and those of us who have been weaseled into this job were NEVER told that it would be a door to door sales person position.
In addition, I would just like to say that this company is not ethical. They lie to people. For example, the girl that I went around with yesterday told people that Planet Beach, which was who we were selling for, had just opened a new location right down the street, but in reality, the closest location was about 20 miles away. We also sold a package to a pregnant woman and I have been loosing sleep about the fact that this woman was assured by my coworker that is was safe to tan while pregant just to make eleven dollars. You don't get a tax form to fill out either. I cannot justify going around to different businesses and lieing to their employees.

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Marketing Guru
, US
Aug 30, 2010 9:28 pm EDT
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Thank you for your frankness and sharing your experience with Smart Circle. I was approached by VS Advertising (Colorado Springs) this week regarding an Entry Level Marketing position with the same promises and sales pitch as you described. Now, after reading your comments, I will politely turn down their employment offer and not turn back.

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Smart Circle International - Fraud and cheating

I recently wrote to CareerBuilder.com about these companies: I have fallen victim to working for Dallas Edge (Arlington, TX) and Principle Management Group (Addison, TX); subsidiaries of the Smart Circle (enabling companies like the one mention nationwide). It wasn't until after I conducted more extensive research that I realized this was an elaborate...

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Smart Circle International complaints ~ not fake ~

I am sick of seeing the 1099 field sales people that couldn't hack it in a 100% commissioned position saying that the company is a fraud or that the advertising is fake. To all the 10, 000 field sales people that have gone business to business for Smart Circle...Thank you to the ones that are committed to their jobs and can make it in a stressful outside sales 100% commissioned environment. And to the other 20 that can find nothing better to do than slam this company online...make sure that your next job is not selling door to door/business to business or selling at all. That is obviously not your place in business.

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KayFin
, US
Nov 06, 2015 6:46 am EST

I'm sorry, but I'm already starting to see that there is nothing professional or corporate about this company and I've only been with them for 4 weeks. I've already decided that this is my last week. The people that you speak of aren't necessarily afraid of a job that pays %100 commission; they're afraid of not being paid what they are owed and wasting a lot of their time and gas to be brainwashed into thinking that they are going to handed this golden ticket if they work hard enough. I personally don't think anyone with a vagina is ever going to be promoted to owner and this is based on me seeing females in the company that are working just as hard and putting up as many numbers as the men and they are stuck at account manager and assistant manager status. I, personally, am still stuck in "training" mode because they claim that they haven't yet been able to obtain my rep ID number which would allow me to start getting paid off the people that I sign up for a free phone and are approved and sent a phone. I'm putting more and more wear and tear on my car with all this driving and honestly, almost from day one I smelled a pyramid scheme. I didn't show up for work yesterday and never called with an explanation and my manager (who says he's an "owner") was blowing up my phone all day. Now do you think he was concerned about my well-being or concerned about the cash cow that he's managed to cultivate in just a few short weeks to make money for him while he stands behind a stand doing nothing? As long as I don't have a rep ID number they get to pay me $8/hour to make someone else money. As long as I get at least 27 sign-ups in a week I've already covered my salary and anything else after that goes straight into my manager's pocket. Trust me when I tell you, when you're giving away a free phone getting 27 sign-ups isn't a hard feat to accomplish. I've read too many complaints and have already seen plenty of things myself which are questionable about this company and the people working for it. I go bye-bye now...

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Someone Concerned
Richmond, US
Aug 15, 2010 1:32 pm EDT

The funny part, is that they (the person writing the first one) stated that it is 100% commission. That was incorrect in the first place. I just went into an interview two days ago. It stated 30%. Also, if I find out that this company is making fradulent sales, I will contact an attorney and sue the pants off of this company. I was 'shadowing" a EC (Event Coordinator) yah, right! More like sales person, and it showed a bad reflection on me because the people purchasing this product looked at me. I don't lie, steal or cheat and this is deformation of character, so I do have a case. I called the hotel that they were in and told the HR manager how fake this company is. I don't think they will be in business anymore after all of the class-action lawsuits that will take place.

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psychobass13
, US
Jan 30, 2010 4:23 pm EST

And what about money missing from our pay checks. And honestly, you've just been brainwashed, or you're a manager who is scared because if people read this, you wont make any money!

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Terry45
, US
Jan 04, 2010 3:21 pm EST

It's funny that you defend the "10, 000 salespeople" at Smart Circle but not customer who was mislead into buying products from a " 100% commission salesperson." Thanks for enlighteneng me on this companies practices. Also, if they are in a retail environment they are not allowed to make 100% commission. It's against the law. I'll be contacting the attorney general in Texas to look into this further.

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sued by promotions
whores, US
Mar 04, 2009 12:51 pm EST

the whole time there they talk talk talk all about creating buissness people. teach you to run your own buissness. [censored] if you do try to start your own they'll sue you. and treaten you. crooked horrible dishonest people. liers scam artists. FAKERS. Sue me you fake ###!

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Smart Circle International Refused Services

I purchased two Smart Circle Cards from Heavenly Nail Spa in St.Augustine Fl. for Christmas gifts. When I called to receive the item detailed in the package they refused to execute these services. They stated that they have a lawsuit with Smart Circle( because they refused to pay them)and will not be accepting anymore smart circle cards! You can understand my frustrations. So I contacted smart circles customer service and they stated they don't know why Heavenly Nail Spa wouldn't accept my card but I could return them as long as it's been within sixty days and it would take 6-8 weeks to receive my money back. Well I purchased before Christmas and it's been past 60 Day's because I've been trying to deal with customer service. So I e-mailed them asking if there was a different procedure if the services where refused and also my frustrations about my $100 being in transit for so long. There respond was I can go online and pick out a different service. I stated I just want my money back because I am afraid they would refuse services elsewhere. Then I received this E-mail and of coarse I did not purchase them online or over the phone!

Dear Valued Customer,

& nbsp; Thank you for your most recent email. I do apologize for all the inconvenience that you have experienced as well as my late reply to your email. We have been experiencing a high volume of calls, messages and emails. Unfortunately I do apologize for the long procedure but it is a standard time wait for a refund. If you did not order your certificate on line or over the phone directly through SmartCircle, we DO NOT credit back on your credit card. We are not the company that directly charged you, the representatives do work for direct marketing companies.

We do have a procedure when it comes to receiving your money back. You may receive a full refund providing that your package has not been used and is within 60 days from the date or purchase or 60 days before the expiry date if the company is not wishing to honor the package.

If there isn't anything in your area, we may give you a credit voucher that can be used at a later date for another promotion. The credit voucher does not expire and will only be removed once you call to redeem it.

I will kindly ask that you contact our customer service department [protected] so we may further assist you.

Thank you and have a great day!

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Smart Circle International - Scam, Marketing

Job applicants be forewarned(UPDATE: San Antonio Police have been made aware): A 'marketing' company referring to itself a 'JDR International' located on San Pedro Street is recruiting people for a job which consists of soliciting door-to-door (residential and business) to sell off 'Smart Circle' coupons for discounts on various services and sports ticket...

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Smart Circle International website not working card not working

I purchased a card for close to earlier this year for a card that entitled me to discounted meals at the Enterouge restaurant in Schaumburg, Illinois. I believe I was entitled to 8 different discounts and have only used 2 of the and now there is no website to let me know what I still have avaialble. When I called the 800 number on the card they claim they never had a website get in the cirlcle. - Yet I have a credit Crd type card with a membership number on it that I have in fact used before as well as visited their website, which is printed on the back of my card.

Membership number [protected] Jennifer Reiger for the Enterouge restaurant in Schaumburg. my number is [protected]. - would appreciate an explanation!

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Smart Circle International scam and cheating

I am not a pissed off employee, I actually like the company and the people I work with. However, you need to know the truth. They are just sales people and they have to lie to you. First off, they never stop hiring, ever. They will always be hiring because your only way to get promoted to management is through taking people out on interviews and making them join the company.

This is a commission only job, there is no base salary. They call it profit sharing, but it is the same. You make 20 - 40 dollars a lead but if you piss the boss off or if he feels like it you will make 20 a lead with out him telling you until after you are paid. Then he will give you a lame excuse as to why.

For your interview, be prepared to drive all the way to Bethesda, then you will have to follow behind someone in a car to some Home Depot or BJ's 30 minutes or so away. You will walk around the store with them as they pitch people and as there job is to also pitch you. They are not allowed to tell you the pay scale until lunch because they know most people will leave. They make you promise to save your questions for lunch. Then if they like you and have convinced you that you actually can make money in the job, then they make you drive all the way back to Bethesda by your self for a 'test' and another interview. They do not pay for your lunch or gas.

As far as work goes. You come in between 9-930 you are trained how to pitch and different theories you need to learn. You then have a meeting from 10 till 1045. Then you have to drive everyday to a different store far away from the office. You can go as far as Annapolis and Waldorf over 1 hour and 20 minutes away. Then you work until about 7 in the store walking around talking to every person in the store trying to sign them up for free consultations.

Then you have to drive all the way back to the office to turn in your leads and by the time you leave it is almost 830pm. If you are promoted to a leader then it is almost 9 or later because you can't leave until the distributors have left. Then you repeat that 12 hour day for five days then it is mandatory that you work on saturday if you want to get promoted. That is from 10 until 6 pm. That is a 68 hour work week. They Do not pay for you gas.

Did I tell you there is no base pay! If you get no leads, which does happen, you have worked 12 hours for nothing. The most I ever got in a day was 6. Which isn't bad if they pay you the 35 to 40 dollars per lead they are supposed to pay you, however if you piss the boss off or are late or any other reason, they change it to 20 a lead and that is not so great. You won't find out if they have changed it until after you get paid.

You don't have quota's, but they push conversion rate on you. Now conversion rate is when your generated lead actually has a person go out to the home and try tp sell the product. The problem is that they don't have enough people to go out and they don't go to all the appointments for whatever reason they make up. clients will come back to the stores and tell you of the experiences. In the end you should have 100 percent conversion if the sales people would go out like they are supposed to. They don't so you won't.

Setting up the leads. You have to call a call center based in Florida. You use your own cell phone which they do not pay for. Now these people have to qualify the people. They can completely screw up the lead for you. For example, we were told that they can reface metal cabinets to make them wood. Which our designers will do, but if you customer says that to the call center, they will not go out. Why you ask? No good reason, the company does reface the metal cabinets. The call center will tell you they don't but the sales agents will go out and price it and tell you they do reface them.

Now the results are true. You can make it to management. You can open your own store. You will have to lie to everyone you interview. You will have to alway be hiring to stay afloat. You will work long hours and never know if you can pay your bills or not. The choice is yours. If you have integrity and don't feel like risking being broke then I would not recommend taking this job. If you are a criminal or an ex drug dealer and can't get any other job. This is perfect for you. I hope I did not miss anything.

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iamthejuan
Portsmouth, US
Feb 15, 2012 1:30 pm EST

Not only this, but they will fire you for things that arent your fault to coveir their own ###, and then try to stiff you on the money they owe you. Would not trust this company with a raccoon, and certainly would never do business with them after I have seen how they work.

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Yireh Marketing
Miami, US
Jul 15, 2010 10:21 pm EDT

I currently work for a company in Florida under Smart Circle. It is true that they do not pay salary and it is Comission only... I work with certificates and I have used them myself. Thank God I havent had problems with the certs that I've purchased neither than with my boss. I'm already in Leadership and I'm on my way to get promoted to Assistant Manager (I've only been in the business for 2 months). If you have good people skills, you will progress in the company. You also need to be a great salesperson. I have to agree in the interviewing part... We do say the exact same "pitch" to every interview that comes in to the office. It is almost 12 hrs, but remember that the time that you're in the office is not work time. Also have in mind that you can deduct all your expenses when you do your taxes. I'm making $1, 000 weekely (Just so You know).

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shetellstruth
Hollywood, US
Sep 17, 2009 10:30 am EDT

this job is commission, no base pay, they call it profit sharing, you work up to if not more than 12 hours a day. when they send you to one of their sams clubs or BJ's or whatever it is hard to keep track of your sales they tell you that sams club sends out the checks weekly and sometimes have you working the location with one or two other people. This is how they cheated me out of my money. When I first worked at sams with 2 other people at the smart circle display/kiosk we sold a lot and had to "share" the profit. The next day they said we would get paid $400 each. I waited for a week and asked for my check it was not even half of that mind you i worked there all week. I asked what happened to the money i was supposed to make they told me the customers brought the products back to the store so we didn't get credit for it. also a couple of weeks later i spoke to one of the people that worked with me that day and he asked me did i get my $400 check for that day and i said no he got kind of quiet and said that's messed up. he said him and the other girl both got their checks for the $400 for that day. They would give me advance payments at times which made them seem cool but every time i was supposed to get my hundreds of dollars check they would take out for the loan of course and give me change. I made enough money just to pay my babysitter and i am a great sales person i pulled the long hours and made the sales but not the money. This place will take advantage of a nice person quickly the smiles and pep talks and flexibility at times gives an illusion they care about their employees. I have to put it out there the ### who scammed me her name is Kayla shes a dick sucking [censored] who lies cheats and steals and she does with a big ### smile and a mini dress. She is evil beware! ###in Theif

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shetellstruth
Hollywood, US
Sep 17, 2009 10:08 am EDT

My experience with this company was pretty similar. I got hired by a company called Global yes they took me on an interview that consisted of going door to door to different businesses and pitching people working at their desks to buy gift certificates. The interviewer did take me to some city that was pretty far out i was new to the state so i don't know exactly where i was lol anyways she did tell me to save my questions till lunch and did pay for my lunch. I went out for a few weeks with the same woman because i didn't have a car at the time and i sat and listened to her give other interviews and realized it is a scam. I did make money but they did cheat me out of most of it and this company is a boiler room growing and creating other boiler rooms. All u have to do to become a team leader is get 5 people under you and you can open up your own office and create a name for the business you branched off. You have to be a real ### whole and a person with no conscience to go far in that business not to mention you have to have your head so far up the bosses ### you can see his bald spot. i got sent out with a male leader after a while on one of their home improvement businesses and got sexually harassed in a residential neighborhood at like 10 at night about 2-3 hours away from home. I played it cool so i wouldn't get left and never went back.

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SmartCircleSurvivor
astotria, US
Sep 16, 2009 1:24 am EDT

This is probably too late for you but I recently quit working for a Smart Circle (now Community Appreciation, formerly DS-Max or Granton Marketing) satellite office and have begun to do research on the cult mentality/deceptive business practices of the organization. Here is an amazing rundown of the business, written 6 years ago, with little difference between then and now:

http://wolfram.org/scam/ds_max/index.html

The person who wrote it worked with the company for four years, making them a veritable expert. I, on the other hand, only wasted 4 months and only a few thousand dollars. You'll notice I've listed a few different names that they've been known as. I assume it's because they want to avoid postings like this.

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oommma
Stone Mountain, US
Jul 15, 2009 10:51 am EDT
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Sounds like a great job for someone with no experience in the work force in a time when skilled and highly trained people are finding it difficult to get work. Burger King is probably safer, but the pay is definitely low. In a position like this a driven and determined person can make good money. 20 plus years ago I sold 8 x 10 portraits made from snapshots (obviously before the technology boom). By getting someone to commit to pay $680 (over years) I earned $68 straight commission. It was a tough job, sucking people into listening to me, convincing them what I had to offer was worth the money, convincing them they could afford the low payments. I didn't particularly like working from 10 am to 8 pm to barely make ends meet, but making minimum wage working retail didn't appeal to me either. After about 6 months I quit, but I had learned a lot about human nature. I had learned to sell myself which came in real handy getting better jobs. Today I credit my time selling those portraits with my career success as much if not more than my college degree.

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binder
, US
May 28, 2009 11:15 pm EDT

So..you enjoy the comapny & people you work with lying to you & treating you like crap?

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Jerzboy08
Helotes, US
May 28, 2009 10:55 pm EDT

I work for smart circle and everything you said is completly backwards they do pay you a base pay of minimum wage for 40 hours or if your leads that you generate is higher then that base pay you get the commision. However if you suck at the busniess then you will be getting fired after 2 or 3 weeks at base pay because you are just dead weight. Hours are 12:00 to 7:00 and it is 6 days a week so that is about 42 hours not 68 and I know the pay scale did change scence you left but it is actually $54 a lead and I do anywhere from 20 - 30 leads a weeks do the math but we dont get paid on lead but on issued lead which I have a 60% conversion so that is still a great check. Also as far as the the people not going out to interviews being USHS or directly Home Depot your manager should be able to print you out a list of all your leads with the Phone numbers of those people or just keep the info that you got from them when you generated the lead to call them back and ask how it went and usually if it didnt issue they say they cancle but im sure you are just not an entrepreneur and this job isnt for you but dont smite it because it wasnt for you.

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Smart Circle International False advertising/rude customer service reps

I am writing regarding the very rude customer service representatives that you have in your office. I have had the worst experience with your company from the beginning until now. I had one rude customer service representative after the other. My first bad encounter was with your customer service representative Stacy. This is who I spoke to when I was trying to get my money back for the certificate I was given as a gift. I then had to ask for a manager because Stacy was unable to give me the type of service that I deserve.

I called THE SMART CIRCLE's customer service line [protected] with the hopes of finding out when I would receive my refund on the gift certificate that was misrepresented and sold to someone, and then given to me as a birthday gift. I spoke with Lindsay (the manager) who let me know about how to go about getting my refund. The customer service representative Gabrielle was talking over me and not listening very well at all and then she hung up the phone on me before I was able to get an answer as to when I would be receiving a refund. After the very rude Gabrielle hung up the phone I called back and spoke with Lindsay again who was very rude and also hung up the phone one me. If a customer is calling in, it is obvious that they need help but if the help that you have is rude and abrupt, the customer will not want to do business with you as well as will spread the word about their bad experience. It is very difficult to recover from a bad reputation. I am willing to call every company as well as forward this email to the companies that you currently do business with to let them know of my poor experience.

I am also prepared to report the smart circle to the Better Business Bureau as well as get this information onto the internet so that when someone searches the smart circle they will see my complaint.

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Update by LG
Oct 31, 2008 10:12 am EDT

I am writing regarding the very rude customer service representatives that you have in your office. I have had the worst experience with your company from the beginning until now. I had one rude customer service representative after the other. My first bad encounter was with your customer service representative Stacy. This is who I spoke to when I was trying to get my money back for the certificate I was given as a gift. I then had to ask for a manager because Stacy was unable to give me the type of service that I deserve.

I called THE SMART CIRCLE's customer service line [protected] with the hopes of finding out when I would receive my refund on the gift certificate that was misrepresented and sold to someone, and then given to me as a birthday gift. I spoke with Lindsay (the manager) who let me know about how to go about getting my refund. The customer service representative Gabrielle was talking over me and not listening very well at all and then she hung up the phone on me before I was able to get an answer as to when I would be receiving a refund. After the very rude Gabrielle hung up the phone I called back and spoke with Lindsay again who was very rude and also hung up the phone one me. If a customer is calling in, it is obvious that they need help but if the help that you have is rude and abrupt, the customer will not want to do business with you as well as will spread the word about their bad experience. It is very difficult to recover from a bad reputation. I am willing to call every company as well as forward this email to the companies that you currently do business with to let them know of my poor experience.

I am also prepared to report the smart circle to the Better Business Bureau as well as get this information onto the internet so that when someone searches the smart circle they will see my complaint.

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nboyle7
philadelphia, US
Apr 06, 2010 8:50 pm EDT

I also have had the same experience, not only am I disgusted w Smartcircle but also w the holiday inn that I thought I was buying this discount card for. They took no respnsibility for this saying that it is a third party thing, funny though because holiday inn is the only name I see on it. Bunch of CraP !

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Candy F. Rodarte
La Mirada, US
Mar 17, 2010 10:53 am EDT

Wow; after reading all the complaints, I feel I am not alone. I have been calling and leaving messages for someone to call me regarding a so called travel package that I was supposed to have received.
To this day, I have not heard from anyone. I send an email with my complaint all they sent me was a ticket number to hold on to.
Maybe they are waiting for it to expire, then they will call me and say (sorry but your coupon is expired).
I would like to know if anyone of you ladies have a direct phone number or contact number so that I may apply for my refund.
I wanted to take my 85 year old mom on a mini cruise and sorry to say it never happened thanks to their bad representation. Please help!

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Al-Kar
Alpharetta, US
Oct 02, 2009 8:26 pm EDT

I too bought several packages...when I went home excited, I got on the internet to see just how much I was going to save...boy, was I shocked...Not only can you get a better deal going direct to a company...you can get even better deals booking on the pricelines, expedia and etc. I work for a fortune 500 company so I figured that they would not bring in an unreputable company as an "Employee Appreciation" program for it's well deserving employees...again, I was wrong!

There were many hidden fees, Complimentary nights can cost you well over $100.00 with undisclosed charges.

When I called to request a refund, your about to read the same thing as above...the first call, I stated I wanted a refund as stated on the packet, "100% guaranteed within 30 days, no questions asked". The CS told me it would take 6 weeks or more to process my request and then they would issue me a check...I explained to her that was unacceptable...She hung up on me. I called back and went through the process again, this time I did get confirmation numbers for each packet...after spending all of my time going through the questions for each individual packet, I was informed that it would take at less 6 weeks to process my request after I had returned all of the packets, along with a written detailed statement of why I was returning the goods. What happened to "No questions Asked" as stated on their 100% Satisfaction Guaranttee? Upon hearing this I requested to speak with a supervisor...I was put on hold for an extended amount of time, my minutes on my cellphone are ticking away and then the phone hung up on me, imagine that!

I have no choice but to go to my bank and request a "stop payment" thank god for credit cards and dispute arbitration!

I wonder what the Attorney General in Atlanta would think of this? Hmmm, maybe it's time for an investigation!

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nswilliams
Oklahoma City, US
Jul 14, 2009 5:01 pm EDT

I contacted the CS department to see about what i need to do for a refund. The first time I tried to use the coupon the salon wouldn't take it. then my coupon burnt in my house fire. They said they could not do anything, not even with a copy of my check. This is bad customer service, but they certainly tried to sell me another coupon. I asked her why I would buy another coupon if the salon didint even take the first one, she stated that is all i can do for you and hung up.

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Michelle
New Port Richey, US
Apr 20, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

4/20/09

I purchased a vacation package from The smart Circle and was told I could stay at any Disney Resort of my choice I just had to make sure there was availabilty an to make a rsvp at least 30 days prior. And when I called (they ) smart circle said I did not have a choice of where I was gonna stay and they could not tell me I had to wait for an email or letter with a conformation and It would take up to 7 days and said I had to pay the $15.00 a night tax on the room right then on the phone or I could not get it. I had already paid $49.99 for the package so I went ahead and paid the $45.00 and it's now going on 2 weeks and I have not received any emails or letter in the mail. I have no way of getting ahold of them and when I try to call Smart Circle I can't get anyone on the phone. And also I was told when I called to to book the room that I would have to go to a welcome center first (the day Im due to check in) an they the welcome center will tell me where Im gonna stay for the weekend and then give me the voucher for the hotel they pick which would be a Holiday Inn express or something similar. And it would be atleast 6 miles from Disney and they would make arrangements to take us to the timeshare and do the tour for 90 mins. I am so disappointed at how this company keeps you in the dark on where your gonna stay an how they turn everything around but take your money right away. I do not like the fact that I have to waste my time driving to Orlando pay for gas and have no idea on where Im gonna stay until I go to the Welcome Center at which I have no idea where that is until they email me. Save your money an dont waste your time to much of a hassle. I'm gonna try an get my money back.)
M.Parker

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