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I am a small martial arts dojo in nor cal and one of my students came to me and said the billing company made a mistake on their address. I had it fixed. The same month the billing company charged him a $40 deliquent fee for a $50 payment because they had also put down the wrong ex. date from the credit card. From there on, they have threatened to spread rumors about my restaurant business if I show anyone their abusive emails, they have also made fun of me, and have not paid me the money they owe me from my students. I have contacted all the agencies. Maryland Attorney General, BBB, and the FCRA because they were call ing my phone at 3:30am. I have never seen anything like this before. I have pages of emails to anyone who wants to read them.
It is funny how the Winmars employee doesn't use her last name. They have many ficticious names. I have emails from Tom and Diane who are not employees there. I have sent in a registered letter that was refused. This had my request for a 90 day termination so the contract doesn't renew. Winmars has NOT paid me for 2 months. Who would want to do business with someone like that. They are advertising as a registered Corporation of Maryland in which they are not. They use a P.O. Box and actually do business out of a garage. I believe it is actually a husband, wife and 2 kids working there at the Gunpowder address. I have also been contacted by several other jilted clients of Winmars who have gone through much more than I have. As you see in Laurie AKA (Harry Stephan) posted comments, they do not address the abusive name calling, holding my money, addressing the issue in which I contacted them, (my student's profile was set up wrong by their company which resulted in a $40 late fee to my student for a $50 monthly program. They owe me aprox. $1200. For any martial arts instructor reading this, please take the time to go through the student's contract. My students are my exteneded family and my goal is to protect them. This is why I crossed out the renewal on all of Winmars contracts.
I just heard another horror story about Winmars charging a student over $2, 000 for a $150 balance from one of their contracts. Another dojo said Winmars hadn't paid them in 6 months and was automatically renewing the students without their permission. One of my student's parents called me to let me know that they paid their contract in full in October before all this happened and Winmars did not report that to me or pay me for the contract. For the record, go to Zillow and type in Winmars non P.O. address on Gunpoint Dr. In White Marsh, you will see it is a 2, 400 sq. ft. house. They cannot be trusted.
Winmars is being investigated in California by the Attorney General. Fact... Why do they not list the other address in Towson? Please go online and look. One of the instructors that approached me said they had to served athe the Gunpointe address because they didn't have an office. About the automatic renewal, I protect my students from this by crossing it out before I fax it to Winmars. They are out of luck. Please email me and I will show you the emails showing the threats from Winmars if I show anyone their abuse and unprofessionalism. I have a restaurant business in which they know nothing about but have made threats to spread rumors about it and I also have on email their childish name calling. Again, this is coming from a company that claims to have 1500 schools. Harry Stephan of Winmars can call my claims worthless but I have a paper trail with a police report from him calling me at 3am in the morning. This is from a company in which I owe ZERO DOLLARS to.
Please do your own research online. Look for their address, email me and I will forward their threats. Go to the BBB in Maryland and look at their record. I have nothing to lie about. I just want my money in which they are holding. They owe me around $1, 800.
If you are an instructor, please ask your attorney to look at Winmars contract and see if it friendly. I cannot mention any names because there is a pending lawsuit in which Harry doesn't acknowledge online. As you can see with his Eddie Hascal letters that he tends to redirect. Yes, he is correct that I forward the dojo phone to my house. Most instructors do that. He also always mentions contract law. Sign up with him and he will use that term a lot, especially when it comes to paying you. One instructor called me and said his check from Winmars bounced last January. Successful company? I did not breach anything. I asked to terminate the contracts in which I am doing the service. I offered to pay for the early termination fee like the contract says. Yes, Winmars are experts when it comes to contracts that protect them. For your students and the instructor, I think not. It seems as though Harry uses his company to help him deal with his insecurities. His emails are hilarious. The other instructor said that he blew up in front of his attorney. Harry is a 58 year old man in poor shape who can't control his temper. What kind of businessman calls their clients names over their own mistake regarding a clerical error? Please check to see if he is a registered corporation. Again, he is operating under a corporate shell but is not registered in Maryland. I know, he will respond and deny it with his blah, blah, and more blah.
As you can see, Harry is losing his temper. If this guy was so successful, why would he take time out of his valuable day to respond to all of my so called fabrications. I only have 5 more students under his contract for less than 3 months. Why would he not allow me to pay for an early termination of these students? He already has my money! If he had all of these schools, why would you want to mess around with a small time dojo like mine. If I was Harold, I wouldn't want a jilted client hanging around unless I needed him. It doesn't make sense. By the way, if there any dojo instructors reading this, please check out his website before you sign up and ask him to look at what your out dated log in page would look like. It is always conveniently 2 months behind. Most instructors are too busy to check the payments each month. Audit them and see if they balance.
Please read the emails as Harry Stephan makes fun of my name. Also, he mentions my Father Alexander. What does my Dad have to do with me making a decision to go with another billing company? I don't get it. This just proves my point. You can see him slowly unwinding again. And isn't your name Harry Stephan? Are you embarassed of your name? Also, did you notice how he beats around the bush about his corporate shell. What is the real name of the corporation? Please read his blog a few back and see if it makes sense. Whoever wants the name of the person who Winmars (the successful company) charged over $2, 000 for a balance of $150, Please contact the California Attorney General. They also complained to the BBB in California. I'm sorry, they didn't read the fine print in Winmars contract. They deserve it too. By the way, their website stinks. He is lieing again. My God, this guy can never tell the truth. I have'nt been able to login for 2 months. My user id is REK and my password is REN970. Try it and see unless he activates it and then the truth comes out. Caught you again Harry. Also, what does it matter if I forward my phone to my office in my house? Most small business people do. They don't have the luxury of working out of a garage like you. 3am in the morning is 3:00am in the morning. Why would you contact anyone at this time? By the way, the only readers to this post that I have heard from all have issues with you. There will be more. The $50, 000 in unpaid contracts, your $2, 000 collection letter on $150 balance and your bounced checks. Your right, none of this happened, your threatening emails are fabricated by me and I have nothing better to do but to deal with a outstanding businessman like yourself. I am being facetious, by the way. Geez...
Please notice Harry does not address the facts again. Yhe only thing he addresses is his 3am phone call. Who cares if it is forwarded to my house? Why would a professional billing company (like Winmars) call anyone at 3am? Why would a 58 year old man bring someone elses father into a discussion that has nothing to do with him? It just shows you his level of class. Harry is unraveling, just like he did with his lawyer infront of the other instructors lawyer at arbitration. Just like in his emails to me... Go to the city of White Marsh and see how many employees he has listed on there. How come this other address in Towson is not on his contract, his website, or any other documents that he gives to his clients? I will not tell you anything. I'm just asking questions that anyone who is thinking of using him or is using him to do their research. Hopefully if you are using him, your experience is different. I was actually contacted by someone anonymously, they did not want to be involved or have a pending case. Maybe ex employee, friend, ex dojo, I'm not sure. Harry talks about burning bridges. I talked to this person Harry calls my Master and he said Winmars called him last month to ask questions about me. He said he did not tell them anything but he did say that Winmars bounced one of his payments from them and that he was contacted by the attorney general for a complaint from one of his ex students. They charged him 1000% of what his balance is. Is this fair? During these times? Burning Bridges? If allowing Winmars to call my students parent unintelligent because Winmars made clerical errors and me sticking up for them, yes I burned that bridge. If Winmars was that good of a billing company, why would they keep responding to my complaints? Their so-called strong reputation would oversee my little comments. Their so-called CEO of 61 employees checks this blog in the middle of the night. But he just got 2 more companies, right! I tried to attach one of their professional emails that they sent to me, their client. Harry always says that I was abusive, I use profanity and Vulgarity? Please contact me and I will give you the emails. My new billing company looked at them and couldn't believe it. They never even heard of this so-called large billing company Winmars. The person I set up my account showed it to her boss, the owner, and he said it was the worst contract they had ever seen. When I sent them a registered letter at their (Winmars) request to cancel 90 days before my year was up. They refused the letter. Ask yourself this, if you had a large so-called billing company why would you waste time with a small dojo like mine? I do not owe them any money, in fact they are holding mine for my blood and sweat spilled. I gave my login info to show you what I see. Just follow your instinct. Have I mentioned Harry's father? He always makes this personal. If he is that insecure about himself, maybe he should join a good school in Maryland to help his confidence.
Harry, that is your name, right? Are you embarassed about it? You always seem to spell my name wrong. No more comments about my father? What kind of MAN talks about someones parent that they don't even know? Did you finally realize that you are 58 years old and not a child. Your Eddie Hascal letters are getting weaker. You say the same thing about getting new clients. Its funny because my new billing company said they got calls from some of your jilted clients. Even your own employees turn on you. I just don't get it how you can steal other peoples hard earned money and sleep at night? But then you don't really sleep because you are responding on this blog at 4am. I will not respond to your goofy comments anymore. Other dojo instructors know now that their could be a possible class action suit against your company. It is just nice to know that I am not alone in this mess with your small time company. Unlike you, I do not have the time. See you in court, Harry.
Strategic Management Inc., a.k.a. Stephan & Associates, PSG Inc., 7939 Honeygo Blvd., White Marsh, filed for protection under Chapter 11. Principal: Harry Robert Stephan, president. Assets: $828, 570; Liabilities: $1, 087, 872
I took the name out of this Negative Blog. Please look over carefully what they say about Winmars. This is copied from someone from California. Harry can't lie his way out of this one too...
He lies to people about signups and his billing system is terrible.
At the time of your initial enrollment he'll have you sign a bunch of papers and tell you that your initial contract is 4mons and after that it defaults to a month to month service. Thats a complete lie. He sets up his Billing through winmars billing co. out of Baltimore and Minnesota and AFTER your 4mon "trial" if the contract isn't terminated in writing you get contracted into a full YEAR commitment. Also, note you must cancel 30days prior to the end of your initial 4mons (so no later than 3mons) or you have no choice. He knows this to be false as he is the one who set it up this way.
There have been others who have been double or triple charged at random and he doesnt refund the money. Five others i have spoken to all didnt know about the contract terms and three had issues with not being billed for a few month then hit with penalties and dues randomly down the road.
I would advise that if you or your child has interest in learning martial arts as i did that you go elsewhere. There are many places that are better and wont cheat you out of money
Please email me and I can send you a link. I do not know this instructor so I removed his name. It is on the internet, which is public information.
The truth will set you free Harry. I just want the money that I worked hard for. Instead you use the term breach and refuse to talk to me and still collect money from my students.
Actually Harry, people have been calling me. You always say I'm not telling the truth yet my last 2 entrys are not my words but from the Baltimore Sun and a Natomas city website. I only took out the school's name because he has done nothing to me. This is public information.
If you would have just corrected the clerical error instead of making attempts to put me down then we would still be doing business together. Even in this blog you continue to bring up my Dad's name and change mine. You are suppose to be a CEO of a large Company like you always boast to me. Maybe next time you will not react to a client like the way you treated me. I will follow up with my students and if you are not telling the truth again then I am going to copy and paste your emails on this blog. I just want the money that I worked hard for. I expect a check from you minus the early cancellation fees.
Hi English Ian... That is exactly the problem. All he like to do is write. My problem was so small. If thiscompany was as large as he always boasts, then he would've taken care of this a long time ago and wouldn't be sitting on the blog waiting for a response.
This is the the email that put me in Breach. I have so many but i will do my best to list the good ones. :)
To Winmars: November 15th
You did make address mistakes. I saw them on the letter u sent out. Since you take no responsibility for anything, I will not be renewing any clients with you. I already have another billing company and have my newer contracts with them. I am definitely too small of a school for you guys.
This is Me responding to Winmars comments on November 16th
Dear Robert,
I have had enough of your threatening emails and letters. It must be pretty easy to make threats
over 2, 000 miles away. My student said that you threatended them. I can take all of your crap
because I understand what kind of people I am dealing with and of course being so far away makes
it easy for you. I have filed a complaint with the BBB regarding the emails from you and Diane. I am
also contacting The FCRA, Experian, Transunion and Equifax and sending me your threatening faxes and emails
regarding your threats to damage my credit and my students credit. Your emails only display you insecurities as a
man. By the way, you are not a member of the BBB like you wrote in your last email. In fact you have several complaints regarding
abuse from you and your employees. Another lie... My Aunt is also checking into the ACH laws in Maryland to address your comments about breach and holding my money. I will be forwarding all the emails to my new contract company showing your arrogant and abusive tone. I will be addressing all the blogs that I deal with
this week and list your company as one to stay away from. I just wanted this end. I do not have time for this ###. It is apparent
that you do. End this now and I will not make another move. If you continue to send abusive emails not addressing the issue at hand then I
will be forced to go to war and for what being right? Is this really worth it for you or do you enjoy this? Take your $20 per contract and be rid of me.
I will then withdrawal my complaint with you and throw away all of your's and your employees abusive emails.
Mario DiManno
This is one of Winmars responses on November 16th.
Mr. Stephan as you were told will NEVER see yoru childish emails! Unlilke you, he is too busy to deal with you. I assure you that he will never see your mail.He never said we were members of teh BBB onlythat we enjoyed an A- rating. BIG difference son!. No threats to you have ben made although you continue to banter rhetoric and hyperboel all over the place. Teh only promise we make is taht we will seek full compliance on our contracts, both student and yours. No threats at all! Simply contractual assurances.
And you are welcome to travel any time you like little fella. I highly doubt that you have the capability to bother Mr. Stephan. Delinquent accounts will be processed as promised.
You are the one who hides behind cowardly emails. And as for contacting the credit bureaus, that is enough to humor anyone. They have no impact upon us so call away little guy! As long as we go by the signed contracts and contract law, neither you or your Aunt will intimidate this firm.
Your Aunt is way off base about contract law. Let her check all she likes. I welcome that! Your Aunt will have no impact upon the contract we have with you or the students. She is of course free to represent you if you are threatening a childish war. That is what Attorneys do. Mario. You of ALL people do not intimidate Mr Stephan or this firm and are lacking in prioper decorum! Please try not to frighten us too much. You have no intention of letting this drop and this firm will NOT be coerced by you Mr. DiManno.
You don't have time for this BS but stir it like you were making candy? Grow up Mario!
You just sent me an email that got past our spam (which I promise will not happen again) and I am bothering you? Are you a troubled individual?
As for your billing company, I highly doubt that any billing company would like to open themselves to a major suit just for someone like you! A suit would be immediately filed if anything derogatory was on their site about this firm. Rattle your saber slsewhere. And if they could get away with, we could of course do the same but unlike you, we are smart enough to realize the stupidity of a company doing that.
Possibly if you wanted this to end, you would basically leave this firm alone and stop your childish contact! Just as you can place things on the blogs, so can this firm. Not only about your school since we have the actual facts now, but even about your pizza. Why threaten such a stupid thing and then expect that we will become frightened by you? Sorry Charlie! Leave this firm alone and maybe just maybe, this will end. Threaten us and naturally we will retaliate. And in the process, you might become a better Martial Artist with more honor!
Tom
As most of you can see Harry likes to write and even considers himself a third person. In the last paragraph he mentions my pizza place and my dojo in which none of the students cared for his company. The only reason he knows I have a pizza company is from this email I sent to him.
I CALLED YOUR COMPANY THIS MORNING AND WAITED 2 HOURS FOR A PHONE CALL BACK. THAT OF WHICH YOU DID NOT CALL ME BACK. YOU CALL IT RATTLING SABERS. I JUST WANT THE PROBLEM TAKEN CARE OF! ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS TELLING ME HOW GREAT YOU GUYS ARE. I OWN 5 PIZZA PLACES. IF I RESPONDED TO A CUSTOMER TELLING THEM HOW GREAT I WAS AND NOT TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM, THEN IN THIS ECONOMY I WOULD HAVE NO CUSTOMERS. IF YOU WANT TO PLAY GAMES, I WILL CONTACT MY LAWYER TOO. YOU TALK ABOUT MAN TO MAN AND YOU CANT EVEN RETURN A PHONE CALL. GIVE ME A BREAK! I AM NOT INTIMIDATED NOR IMPRESSED BY YOU AT ALL. YOU ARE PLACING MY ACCOUNT IN BREACH? FOR WHAT...
Yup! That's right a guy in Maryland has experience with my pizza restaurants because I put that in a sentence.
What do I know.
There is so much more, I have so many emails from them. I know this is entertainment for some people and I don't blame you. I just don't want somebody going through the same thing that I went through with Winmars.
I apologize if all this is too much.
Happy New year, if you got this far.
you are too funny English Ian... He is too pathetic to wind me up. I did want to go to Maryland and intoduce myself. He sure is come across pretty arrogant on the internet. If you can believe it, I was contacted by one of the Judge Talk shows. I sent them the Winmars email and they want me to come to LA. They ere entertained too.
We will see what the New Year brings for old Harry and Winmars. Thanks again for the email and Have a great New Year.
Thanks Bud... You made my year... Take care.
For the record. I have contacted all of my students that Winmars had supposedly sent out a letter to. As of 1/1/11 none of them have received Harry's phantom letter acknowledging December as their last month.
For all of you blog readers that have contacted me. Thanks for your support, especially English Ian who hit the nail on the head with his last comment. Also, Harry said he had sent the CFO to jail, if you look at the pasted article from the Baltimore Sun, it lists his name Harry Robert Stephan. I think it this guy just keeps on denying then people will believe him.
Its funny because Harry says this website has no intrinsic value yet he writes paragraph after paragraph. He says I lie and use profanity yet I did neither on this site. He says I can call him anytime, yet when I do while acting professionally he never gets on the phone. He says that he is cancelling the last 5 contracts that he has there, in December, and is sending out letters yet my students never receive them. He never mentions the money that is owed to me in any of the blogs. Deny and Lie! How do people like him sleep at night?
2 of my students have received letters as of 1-12-11. Harry must use 3rd class mail. I still have not received the money that Winmars has billed my students for my work since the end of October. If you choose to use Winmars, NEVER ever mention that you might or are using another billing company because they will cut off all communications with you and accuse you of a breach in contract. Lie and say you are happy with their poor and unprofessional service or You will NOT receive any of YOUR hard earned money from them. These people belong in JAIL!
Hey Dave,
Thanks for the email. As you can see from the dialogue, these guys are as unprofessional as they are crooks. I filed a small claim against them in Northern California. They will probably not show. I have heard nothing but negative information about these guys. I talked to 2 attorneys and both of them said their contract will never hold up in court because it is too one sided. My email address is renbukaikaratedo@gmail.com. I am just a small time instructor trying to protect my students as well as myself. It is contract companies like them who give martial art schools and gyms a bad name.
I just went through this blog and it looks like Harry had English Ian's comment removed. Thats too bad because he was truthful, honest and entertaining when he talked about Harry and Winmars. Way to go Harry, cover it up. Anyone who has an opinion, get ride of them. Don't worry Harry, I copied English Ian's comments to post on a rainy day.
To add to the Winmars saga. Harry filed a motion for dismissal for improper venue. The Superior Court of California rejected it. You should see it though. Wow... Harry must spend a lot of time in court because it was well versed. The only thing is these Judges and court personell see right through him. It's funny because the instructor that sent me to Harry is also using another billing company. By the way, for someone who needs to serve him, use the White powder address. This is his house and garage where he does business out of, for his 60 plus employees to work. j.k. For the record, Harry and Winmars does not have a business license in California. I had the deputy clerk do a search for him on our court date in which Harry did not show. He would not accept the certified letter from the court. I'm sure he gets a lot of these. It's funny because he calls me a little guy and the process server said he was a short and fat old man. I guess he means little because he outweigh's me... Too funny...
Nothing surprises me with this guy. He has got to be one of the MOST UNETHICAL people that I have ever dealt with. It sounds as though you have dealt with this thief before. You are absolutely right about his emails. He always writes as a 3rd party but he does have a unmistakable writing style. Good luck trying to recover your money. I'm sure he has spent it and this THIEF knows the court system. I just know that there are honest instructors who Harry the THIEF has ripped off. I only hope that they read this blog before using his company.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Unbelivable!
They are not helping now.
After trying to call them more than 14 times and send several e-mails.
The man name Brandon or Robert or not sure who since they never put their names in the e-mails now found a great alternative.
He wants to put everyone as a delinquents.
WOW-Just because I asked the copy statement that entitle my company to their company.
We never signed anything with this new company MBS-
Does anyone has a similar experience?
Amazing...What a fiasco!
This company is giving us a lot of problem.
All we wanted is to terminate our service with them!
I just can't believe it's so hard for justice and the right thing to make it happen.
One of my students called and gave us his doctor note saying to stop payments and as soon as I told them to stop payments I was suddenly the bad guy!
LOL!
Really?
All I was doing was watching after my peeps!
I'm also a business owner also affected by the Winmars scam.
They are treating me to hold my payments now.
Please e-mail me if you can!
Scott,
I'm glad to see that you see the BS for what it really is, good for you, I mean that.
I was the one who did the website a few years ago.
Sorry, here is the link to the site:
http://perryhall.patch.com/articles/martial-arts-at-perry-hall-square-rapidly-expanding
Rick Stephan just opened his own school. It is in a local web posting. I am actually his son and have not and will not ever talk to him agian. Plese feel free to write how you feel re: Rick Stephan...FYI, the emails that you received stating that Mr.Stephan would never read the emails, was in fact him. That's how he operates. I'm embarrassed to share his last name.
This company is now under investigation by The MD Attorney Generals Office for many violations, i fact I predict they will go bankrupt and resurface as a new company unless their shut down first.
If you satellite Google he address you can see a she in back of the pool in the back yard. That would be headquarters notice the number of cars in the driveway. Usually 2-3 employees at best high turn over because he doesn't pay on time and bounces checks. Help is on the way for you and if you want to cash in now be the first to start a class action lawsuit. You are not alone sir.
This doesn't surprise me either. These people are ###. I'm still doing everything I can to warn people about them and what they tried to do to me. if you know any gyms that still use them ill be happy to contact them with experience to discourage their use of sms.
Harry Robert "Rick" Stephan owned Martial Arts Management systems and Strategic Management which filed bankruptcy, he never sent anyone to jail but almost went himself when a million dollars went missing. He changed the name to Winmars then SMS Winmars and then finally Strategic Membership. His office is a shed behind his house on Gunpowder road in Whitemarsh MD. He employs family and the office holds 6 comfortably. I have been in there. His own sons Jay and Scott quit but he has 2 more Shawn and Brandon and their girlfriends and his wife Sheila. He allegedly kites ach withdrawals to cover returned ones plus adds a fee. He cancels contracts from schools but still collects from their students keeping the whole thing. You have lured him into exposing himself he has written every one of the rebutles . He has an un mistakable writing style and cannot not respond to emails.
Contact the Federal trade commission 1877-ftc-help to report smswinmars. They have an active file going for them. What they're doing to consumers isn't going unnoticed by them. Make sure you call the report them so something is done already.
Winmars attempted to charge me over $1300 for $107 class. They are also trying to charge others from the gym I was a member of. I know of at least 3 others and the gym owner is in a fight with them about renewing contracts without permission. Contact me if this is happening to you.
SMS might want to make sure their own employees know the scams they run before they let them talk on the phones to people they have tried to rip off.
Mario I was a student at a gym sms represented and they displayed the same behavior towards myself and 3 other students. They claim I owe them over $1000 when in fact I owe them $107. I have numerous recorded phone calls, threatening letters from this unprofessional company. Respond to this so I can fill you in on some of my ongoing problems with this company. I am preparing legal action against them.
(CORRECTED VERSION -- forum NOT firm)Mario. We have made a decision. Since this "FORUM" ONLY caters to those with complaints and NOT the truth, we will not only not be visiting this valueless site again, but not responding to any further lies or distorted truths you decide to banter. If you choose to handle this maturely and between you and this firm, we will see where that takes us. December is the last month of billing as stated but we welcome you to stay angry as long as you like. We will never see another post so go and have your fun. The readers can view one of your recent posts that state you will not reply again yet they can also see for themselves the fact that you do not stick to your position. For all readers, please refer to the blog quote he listed. It refers to a client school of ours in California. This firm NEVER signs up a student in ANY State! The SCHOOL signs them up. The billing is NOT handled by Winmars as DiMammo states at all. He has a great deal of problem harnessing the total truth and chooses instead to use bits and pieces. Any intelligent reader will see beyond his hyperbole. Are we always right? NO! But then, neither are the schools we do business with. No billing company will hold on to all of their clients and at times, a parting of the ways takes place. Take DiMammo for instance! He did not get his way by using profanity to our staff (which we have offered proof of to virtually anyone) or sending hostile and venomous emails to our offices (which he is not willing to show). For instance, the one company matter was handled in 1999 and the CFO did in fact go to jail! Yet, he chooses to try to paint a more mysterious picture when it was the company that was hurt, not the other way around. Do the research and you will see what DiMammos real intent is.
Since we find this site to only be one of entertainment and one which has only a one sided value to disgruntled people who fail to honor their agreements (while they blame others), we will no longer post NOR view this site. Anyone not believing this should simply review the entire post and see that DiMammo rants have always been replied to. No more! We will let him have his "time out" and spew more trash and rhetoric since we, unlike him actually do not have the time nor inclination to get in the sandbox and throw sand like children! Should DiMammo choose instead to act like an adult and communicate in a civil and professional manner, then he is welcome to contact our offices at any time. Naturally, any hostile emails will simply be sent to spam and nothing will be accomplished! If he then acts as he would want to be treated, then maybe he and this firm can work out the problems. He will of course choose not to do this but that is his problem!
DiMammo uses links to a school owner who may be upset at us and I am certain that there are many people who do not like his pizzas either. The world keeps spinning however! I offer this to any school owner who either has questions or issues for this firm. Contact us at any time at info@smswinmars.com and if it is a valid comment, staff will refer it direct to me for comment. You may or may not like my answer but it will be honest, no matter what DiMammo would have anyone believe. We have information we will offer that does not violate any laws regarding confidentiality that will convince all but the unreasonable that there are 2 sides to every complaint! You are also welcome to call us at [protected] and we will attempt to assist you. We know from experience on these types of blogs that normally only the disgruntled will complain as you can understand. Yet, we rely upon our BBB rating of "A" and realize that this forum will not affect that. Thank you again to all those who have contacted us and displayed their support and to those who have chosen to business. DiMammo cannot change those facts. So Mario...please have fun. You can now write a book if you choose as this absolutely is the last post you will see from this firm and also the last post we will ever see. An internal memo has already been sent stating that this forum has no intrinsic value and never to be monitored again. Thank you to all again and Happy New Year! We are thrilled to done with this forum. And all of this from someone who only has 5 students! Go figure!
Incidentally, why would anyone want to take time talking to someone who chooses to go out of their way spewing such garbage? Maybe they do it that way in Italy but over here, people don't waste time with you. Possibly had you handled this in a different way rather than threats, it would have been worked out by now. And anyone not understanding a contract they signed should not have signed it in the 1st place! Common sense! Just keep going. Your reader interest will wane and fall off. Have a great year Mario!
Strategic "MANAGEMENT" vs Strategic MEMBERSHIP. 2 different companies. Anyone reading the old company which had nothing to do with this billing company will find that we sent gthe CFO to jail! FACT! If you are going to disseminate such venom, then at least disemminate the entire truth! You seem to have a problem with that. As for your other rhetoric, have fun Mario. You really are not worth our time. Look at what is said about another of our competitors and ALL from disgruntled students owing schools money. We are not here to be the friends of the students. We have a job to do so play up on that Mario. It is ok. Finally, another lie you disseminate is the fact that we contionue to bill your students. YOUR students were all sent letters saying that December was the last month. Truth? Not yours Mario!
Thank you killerbe! Good sense of humor. Merry Christmas! Be Safe!
This back and forth is just fascinating. Is someone planning on selling the movie rights?
3rdPOST: (since it applies)
Our firm has replied to DiMammo with facts, clarity and a firm position yet he chooses to continue wasting valuable time by rehashing his previous points. Nothing of value has been accomplished except that we have been fortunate to acquire new business, thanks to DiMammo's efforts. God does work in funny ways! Anyone that would like to speak to anyone at this firm is welcome to call us at [protected]. Our invitation to have anyone visit our offices remains active and only then will his claims to be nothing more than that. DiMammo has had his 15 minutes of fame and now we choose to get back to to many MORE important personal matters such as Christmas. Please watch the ensuing DiMammo posts which will reiterate, exacerbate, fabricate and slander/libel all facts in this matter. Thank you again to all schools who have contacted us to date and to those who have now become clients. We thank DiMammo for that sincerely! His unfounded and repetitive rants will speak for themselves. We hope that in the course of his life, he will find that sometimes when he "tries" to bully and coerce someone (as he did in emails, phone calls and posts) that he will once in a while encounter someone who is not interested in his position. Finally, if any school has any open issues against this firm is welcome to contact us. We wish all readers the most sincerest Christmas wishes! Thank You
Final thought: Your Master certainly did speak with our office and the student you speak of is delinquent for $150 ONLY. THE OAG has not contacted this office but that student is in formal collections as the school owner knows. In fact, this firm assisted Your Master in the perparation of his BBB filing as he knows. We have the copies of the documented request! Of course, we are willing to share it but no, this firm will not charge 1000% but has sent that account to formal collections. Speak facts Mari!
3rdPOST: (since it applies)
Our firm has replied to DiMammo with facts, clarity and a firm position yet he chooses to continue wasting valuable time by rehashing his previous points. Nothing of value has been accomplished except that we have been fortunate to acquire new business, thanks to DiMammo's efforts. God does work in funny ways! Anyone that would like to speak to anyone at this firm is welcome to call us at [protected]. Our invitation to have anyone visit our offices remains active and only then will his claims to be nothing more than that. DiMammo has had his 15 minutes of fame and now we choose to get back to to many MORE important personal matters such as Christmas. Please watch the ensuing DiMammo posts which will reiterate, exacerbate, fabricate and slander/libel all facts in this matter. Thank you again to all schools who have contacted us to date and to those who have now become clients. We thank DiMammo for that sincerely! His unfounded and repetitive rants will speak for themselves. We hope that in the course of his life, he will find that sometimes when he "tries" to bully and coerce someone (as he did in emails, phone calls and posts) that he will once in a while encounter someone who is not interested in his position. Finally, if any school has any open issues against this firm is welcome to contact us. We wish all readers the most sincerest Christmas wishes! Thank You
2nd POST: (since it applies)
Our firm has replied to DiMammo with facts, clarity and a firm position yet he chooses to continue wasting valuable time by rehashing his previous points. Nothing of value has been accomplished except that we have been fortunate to acquire new business, thanks to DiMammo's efforts. God does work in funny ways! Anyone that would like to speak to anyone at this firm is welcome to call us at [protected]. Our invitation to have anyone visit our offices remains active and only then will his claims to be nothing more than that. DiMammo has had his 15 minutes of fame and now we choose to get back to to many MORE important personal matters such as Christmas. Please watch the ensuing DiMammo posts which will reiterate, exacerbate, fabricate and slander/libel all facts in this matter. Thank you again to all schools who have contacted us to date and to those who have now become clients. We thank DiMammo for that sincerely! His unfounded and repetitive rants will speak for themselves. We hope that in the course of his life, he will find that sometimes when he "tries" to bully and coerce someone (as he did in emails, phone calls and posts) that he will once in a while encounter someone who is not interested in his position. Finally, if any school has any open issues against this firm is welcome to contact us. We wish all readers the most sincerest Christmas wishes! Thank You
All of what is says is more of the same rambling and childish behavior from an upset person who did not get his way here. We will not waste more valuable time playing with this child as he apparently has nothing better to do. In fact, this post makes no sense at all. Mari, you have serious issues and it is our fondest hope that after the Holiday, you seek the guidance that will best help you. Incidentally, management arrives at 6:00 AM and the phone call was nothing of the kind but a fax replying to a discertation you had sent the night before. We can provide a copy and the transmittal. we had no idea you taught out of your house. Merry Christmas!
To any interested school, student, or potential prospect:
Our firm has replied to DiMammo with facts, clarity and a firm position yet he chooses to continue wasting valuable time by rehashing his previous points. Nothing of value has been accomplished except that we have been fortunate to acquire new business, thanks to DiMammo's efforts. God does work in funny ways! Anyone that would like to speak to anyone at this firm is welcome to call us at [protected]. Our invitation to have anyone visit our offices remains active and only then will his claims to be nothing more than that. DiMammo has had his 15 minutes of fame and now we choose to get back to to many MORE important personal matters such as Christmas. Please watch the ensuing DiMammo posts which will reiterate, exacerbate, fabricate and slander/libel all facts in this matter. Thank you again to all schools who have contacted us to date and to those who have now become clients. We thank DiMammo for that sincerely! His unfounded and repetitive rants will speak for themselves. We hope that in the course of his life, he will find that sometimes when he "tries" to bully and coerce someone (as he did in emails, phone calls and posts) that he will once in a while encounter someone who is not interested in his position. Finally, if any school has any open issues against this firm is welcome to contact us. We wish all readers the most sincerest Christmas wishes! Thank You
Mari, our BBB rating continues to be "A". It is that for a reason. Schools are invited to check and some have. We also invite schools to continue to email us privately for the truths Mari avoids. He has however helped us so we are not angry at him. We just feel sorry for him. Afterall, it is that special time of year. Merry Christmas Mari! Thank you again. And remember, your login rights were TAKEN away! That means...you are wasting your time trying! You lost it 2 months ago as even you point out.
Any school desiring the name of his own Master who has no respect for him can be acquired upon the asking. And that is someone who knows this guy personally! Thank you for the new business! :-) Merry Christmas Mari!
Mari, we are glad to have to go to another billing company because we know the experience will be short lived. Your track record shows that you burn bridges quickj. Just ask your own Master! You have not been able to login for 2 months BECAUSE your login rights were taken away! No lies whatsoever! What is it you do not understand? You will not login no matter who you invite to try it. We made that clear in the last post. Beyond this, you are simply rambling the same things and your post lacks creativity. We already responded to your lies and will not do it again. The fact is, your last post contains nothing but the same childish rhetoric and schools have already checked us out and found you to be a complusive artist when it comes to distorting the actual facts. Your own admission of the 3 am phone call says it all. You lost your right to complain when yuou did not identify the fact that your home phone would ring after a certain hour. You filed a false Police Report as a result. Any school owner can now make their own decisions. It is ok whichever way they go. We gained schools because of you and we thank you Mari! Merry Christmas! You trully are not bothering us at all! Please say hello to Alex!
Incidentally, Instructors who state that they are too busy to check their payments each month always subject themeselves to not understanding their accounts. We encourage school owners to verify the data also to assure that all students are listed and also to see who is delinquent so they might work with us hand in hand to ensure a minimum delinquency rate. A school owner who is "too busy" as you say is one who has no handle on his account. Audits again are encouraged and this firm does them monthly. We have seen many instructors do many things to harm their own accounts (such as you) but again Mary, we thank you for supporting us. I will say this. The ONLY schools that are successful or EVER will be successful are the ones who NEVER say they are too busy to know what is happening with their accounts. THEY are our best clients...the ones who care about their accounts and stay in touch. Thank you again Mary & Merry Christmas! Please keep steering business our way. Say hello to Alex!
Your login rights were removed about 2 months ago as you had breached and no longer had an entitlement. Sorry you did not understand that. Possibly you felt you were entitled to lilfetime access? Small time? That is the first bit of humility you have shown. Maybe there is some hope for you. Andc no, we are not getting angry at you. You have listed lies, innuendos, and harmless rhetoric as your attack vehicle so what is there to be angry at? You brought us business. I suspect we should consider paying you a bonus for your help. We are very appreciative. You had one school contact the Attorney General and signed up with us when that office advised that such was not the case at all. We did contact the Police Department in yoru area and also shared your admission as to the phone number on your letterhead and we were promised a conference call tomorrow. So mad? Not at all. Your admission brought us another school. Thank you again Mari! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Say hello to Alex.
Mari, Mari, Mari. Not losing a temper at all. You are simply interesting and humerous, although quite a sad individual. You are 2 months behind because we removed your login rights! It is real time access but that shows yourlack of ability to understand! We encourage an audit anytime! No, contrary to your belief, your account is not needed. Mari...the readers to this post have been quite kind to us and we are pleased at the attention you have brought to this company! Thank you very much. Merry Christmas! :-)
Mari-----Naturally if you use the wrong name in your search of registered companies, you will find AGAIN (you must have forgotten) that WINMARS is NO LONGER REGISTERED and has not been since 2007. It was taken over by the formal corporate name for SMSWinmars. SMSWinmars IS NOT REGISTERED! :-) It is a dba! Do you know what that is Mari? Search for the right name and you will find different facts...correct facts.
MERRY CHRISTMAS MARI! Best wishes in most everything you do! We will say hello to your Master who has had his own unfortunate experiences with you! Incidentally, who is NOT careful with contracts that protect them? But worse yet...why did you sign it? :-) Have a Happy New Year Mari and say hello to Alexander!
MERRY CHRISTMAS MARI! Best wishes in most everything you do! We will say hello to your Master who has had his own unfortunate experiences with you!
Mari - Too many schools have contacted us now and our points were made. You showed how childish you are and have hurt ONLY yourself. Schools requested proof...we showed ALL proof and they were convinced. People get sued everyday. So what! We do not worry about it...why are you so concerned? EVEN YOU HAVE BEEN SUED BEFORE as well and so has the other school. So what! There are always 2 sides and thank you to all of the intelligent school owners we have spoken to that see beyond your careless and childish scribblings and aggitated immature comments. We have enjoyed the cconversation although your side was always predictable, even with the comments regarding the "phantom" school owner. By the way, thank you for admitting in this forum that the fax number on your letterhead was forwarded to your home while no one using it would ever know! I am certain that the Police you refer to will like to see this now so they can know you filed a false police report. Don't worry. We will take care of that tonight. Very humerous! Mari, please go and have a Very Merry Christmas. We have enjoyed our communications and thank you again for the new schools. MARI - thank you again and we sincerely hope that one day when you learn how to deal with people, you may start to grow out of your home and teach in a real dojang!
He needs to study contract law. Even had he crossed anything out, this firm would NOT be liable since the contract was ours, not his and he could NOT obligate this firm to anything. He really needs to do better research. Anyone reading this can see from his posts that he is hostile in his approach, vehement in his delivery and disaparaging whenever he gets a chance. I would suggest that MARIO needs to spend time acquiring more students than instigating something for which the facts elude him. I will give all schools this task if you are interested. Simply call the Attorney General's Office in California and they will tell you that we are not under investigation. That one fact alone (as the 2 schools we just acquired will confirm) will convince anyone that DiManno is on an endless quest that will net him no ultimate satisfaction.
"SMS"Winmars is NOT being investigated at all! DiManno filed a complaint and he was sent a letter which we have a copy of that states this is not in their ability to resolve. We would be happy to provide a copy. What levels will DiManno sink to? And anyone wanting to see DiManno's contracts will see that his statement about crossing off the auto renew is nothing but a fabrication. School owners: please contact us at [protected]. As for the Gunpowder address, that is where anything would be served. As for DiManno's emails, history will show that he will only provide threads where his provocative emails to this firm are hidden. This firm will not stoop to his level. We will share ALL. No threats at all have been made to this Dimanno fellow. As to the phone n umber he claims was provided to the Police...that is the most humorous thing. The phone number as any school will see is the same number he has on his letterhead which causes one to assume that he teaches out of his house. The Police are always welcome to call which incidentally, they would not do. he rattles a hollow saber. As for how many schools this firm has, DiManno would have no more idea than we would about how many pizza's he serves on the mat, I mean his house, I mean at the parlor. As for the BBB in Maryland, by all means we encourage to check us out. We have an "A" rating. Nice Try! Also, this firm owes DiManno nothing. He breached an agreement and chooses to believe he is exempt. Interesting. Make a contract...break it at will and blame others! We have seen that before! Paper trail? Doctored most likely! We want to thank those schools who have contacted us about this person and teh support you have shown. In fact, thanks to DiManno, we picked up 2 more schools. Thank you DiManno.
Paragraph one of the student contract states that the student will automatically renew unless they provide 30 days written notice in "advance" of the expiration of their intial term. This auto renew is for teh advantage of the schools we represent and to date, not one school has opted out. Thus, SMSWinmars would not need the approval of a school owner to renew EXCEPT if at the time a school owner signed up they requested that the auto renew paragraoh be stricken. Unless this "phantom" school can provide a copy to all readers of the SMS contract they used that did not contain the auto renew provision, the "phantom" school owner alluded to would be responsible themself for approving the auto renew in the first place and causing their own student to renew and ultimately become financially responsible. Interestingly, this "phantom" school owner does not post anything themselves! I suppose DiManno speaks for everyone? Interesting! A blank copy of the contract is available to anyone reading this post who would like to determine for themselves who is actually correctly representing themselves. This firm has nothing to hide. Unless school owner lists facts and not faceless claims, this firm will not respond to his false and misleading posts further! We will let him spew worthless claims which harms him, not this firm.
Now DiManno is deliberately disparaging a complaint which goes beyond the border of ethical behavior. His allegations are nothing short of lies and this firm will go out of its way to prove this to ANY school requesting information. In fact, the thread initiated by this unethical individual combined with our borderless willingness to show his statements to be continual lies, should convince anyone of the type of person he is! He believes that his posting of lies will damage this firm when in fact; he is exposing himself to serious implications. In recognition of his fabricated construction of his elaborate claim, this firm challenges him to post FACTS and situations so that this firm can properly explain OR show that he is correct. His behavior in this post shows the same type of childish behavior he displayed when he attempted to coerce this firm to do his bidding. For any school requesting information on this person, our firm would be willing to provide the name of his own Master/Instructor to whom DiManno also treats in this manner! What type of individual is this DiManno anyway? Let his own Master/Instructor guide you! I think by now, DiManno has made a fool of himself but the offers to prove our position as well as the level of his lies, will convince anyone reading his useless diatribe that he is not one to be believed. His claims contained in this last post of his, will be proven QUICKLY to be nothing but the lies stated! What an honorable person he is...or is not! Incidentally Mr. DiManno, paragraph 11 of your own contract details our rights to renew which you signed as do ALL schools. Are you able to read? As for his offer to go to Zillow, this firm would love for DiManno with his limited intelligence to visit that address and he will see for himself that even Zillow is wrong. However, I suggest to DiManno that he understand what a resident agent is! Could that explain ANY address other than the Towson location? He makes a fool of himself assuming that the address of a resident agent is the address of the business. The law does not require that the agent be at the same address. Mr. DiManno, please study Law 101 to get more information on that topic! When DiManno is in Baltimore, he can visit us at our offices in Towson, Maryland 21204 and he will see that even to the readers of this Board that he will stoop to any level to mislead anyone. DiManno, prove your point and travel to Towson, Maryland! We will send a car to pick you up and bring you to our offices. Finally, if there were any school owner who would make such a claim, we predict that you and he would have also signed a contract without READING? Interesting!
DiManno's comments clearly show how uninformed he truly is. Tom is Tom Kurfoot; My last name is Daniels and Diane's is Carroll. Winmars does not even exist as this firm bought them out in 2007. Thus, DiManno continues to avoid the facts as they truly exist. His desire to mislead, misrepresent and distort the actual facts are almost humorous. Our previous reply stands in that ANY school or individual desirous of seeing the actual facts (without DiManno's distortions) need only contact our firm and we would be happy to supply them. The student he continually refers to had an issue caused by DiManno himself as this firm can prove beyond any reasonable doubt. While DiManno states that his students are his extended family, it is interesting to point out that he has been the one to expose them, not this firm. As for the abusive name calling, any interested school owner is welcome to listen to DiManno's demented message which contained nothing but profanity and vulgarity. His emails are no different. Also, the most humorous thing about DiManno's comment is that the owner of this company has no family members working here, has 61 employees (check out BBB) and operates in a 10, 000 sq. ft. facility. We invite any school owner to visit us in Baltimore, MD. While DiManno elaborates on other jilted clients, he knows not only that this is not true but that his art of creating fabricated stories is second to none. Finally, it is important to note that his letter to this firm was refused due to the profanity, rhetoric, vulgarity, and threats he has made against this firm, none of which we take seriously. I believe the funniest thing however is his comment that he was providing 90 days notice when we have in our file his letter stating he was terminating immediately thus creating the breach he is now in. As for this attorney he refers to, she is a bankruptcy attorney and our contract has stood up in front of many judges and has been deemed totally legal. We suggest that DiManno focus more of his time on growing his school rather than wasting valuable time. We do not take him seriously whatsoever. Again, all school owners are invited to visit our offices in Baltimore, and all such visitors will witness for themselves the hollow attack DiManno chooses to take.
Actually, this firm will be happy to share the complete thread of emails by Mr. Dimanno that will show he harassed, threatened, and used profanity when communicating with the staff of this company. It is our experience that martial artists are not "unintelligent" and realize that there are always two sides to every story. The thread of communications beginning from Day 1 will show that this school owner has not only fabricated this one-sided blog, but also included bashing on the school that referred him. This offer of communication sharing by this firm should show anyone interested that the efforts to malign this firm by this school owner serve no purpose except his own. As the referring school will attest, this complainant has a history of communicating falsehoods about people who do not agree with him. Out of 1400+ schools and 700 fitness facilities, we have never seen such an unwarranted attack. Like everyone, we recognize that we are not perfect and will make mistakes. In the case sited by this school owner, the documentation will bear out the "fact" that the initial problem originated from the school, not SMS. Again, we welcome any request from any legitimate school owner who is interested in seeing the "entire" thread, not just a one-sided version. Finally, it is important to note that one employee who had communicated with this school owner was terminated immediately when the President of this company discovered a less than professional interaction with Dimanno. Thank you. We hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. We wish you and yours a Very Merry and Happy Holiday Season!
Laurie
SMS Management
I am really sorry to hear this. It is unfortunate that companies like this are able to harrass people, take their money and get away with it. Companies like this do more bad than good for our industry and take school owners like yourself and make them hesitant to systemize their school for, what is suppose to be, a better result!
I've had a similar experience with a company called Membersolutions, but not to the unprofessional extent that you have. Calls at 3am, threatening to spread rumors about your restaurant business if you show anyone their abusive emails, making fun of you, and have not paid you the money THEY owe YOU?!?!? WOOWWWWW! are you serious?
My advice...Run! Run as fast as you can and take advantage of Social Media. Go on Facebook, twitter, write a blog and do anything else you can to warn people of your experiences. Check out www.flyingdragonkaratesucks.com - Social media is the way to go.
I would love to see the email correspondance that you have and even have a company that has a phenominal track record that I would recommend if you're interested.
I hope that everything works out the way it is intended.
osu.