SLS Recruitment & RST Organisation Limited

So yet again, I apply for ‘Customer Service’ roles. To me, that generally means being of assistance to customers, either face to face or over the phone. What it does not mean to me is a SALES role. I would really appreciate it if sales jobs just made this more clear when advertising their roles. Why don’t they? So that people that need a job or a new job will apply. If they clearly advertised them as sales jobs, I doubt they’d get the same level of response.

So anyway, I received an email from SLS recruitment, stating that they’d passed my CV onto their client and that they wanted to give me a ‘heads up’. If I wanted to ‘fast track’ my application, I could call the client directly on  0121 631 3659.

So I Googled 0121 631 3659 to see what company it was actually for. It comes up with RST Organisation Limited. Just like other companies I’ve talked about on here before, they are also offering a ‘Business Development Programme’. And this is another one based in Birmingham City Centre. What this means is that you can work your way up the business. You start off as a Sales Representative, and eventually will have your own team. Whilst working for very little pay, even less if you’re rubbish at sales. Read my other posts for more information on exploitation by these companies. So I look a bit more on the RST Organisation Limited website. What do I see? A familiar face. Now of course, I wouldn’t normally recognise the face of someone who had interviewed me years ago. But as I keep researching these ‘linked’ companies, their faces are being ingrained in my memory. I looked under Gallery on their website, and it’s no other than Irram Kaleem. Have they changed their name from Irram’s old company name Wit Organisation? Or is this yet another linked company that exploits the vulnerable and unemployed? I don’t know. Either seems viable.

You work from 11am to at least 9pm each day. You’re pressurised to arrive at the office earlier. You’re brainwashed by some cult-like sales people. You brainwash newer recruits. You quickly grab some lunch & eat it whilst walking to the bus stop or sitting on a packed bus. You then arrive on the ‘field’. This means being given a map & a huge list of houses they want you to knock on. After being given the paperwork you’re left on you’re own. You have to fill in if potential customers were in, if you have to call back later, etc. Most people slam the door in your face. Some give you abuse. You’re freezing cold and soaking wet. You don’t know if what you’ve earned that day/week will be enough to feed you/ your family/ pay your bills, or even pay your bus fair. It’s generally not. You’re told by your team leader and manager that they earn a huge amount. You’re made to feel like it’s your fault if you don’t earn much or anything at all that day.

It’s not just me saying all of this. These people are building these companies worldwide. They all seem to be under the same umbrella name of The Cobra Group. Take a look at some forums using Google. Research them using news websites.

A couple of examples:

A1: the legal jobs scam

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2010/08/cobra-group-makes-a-mint-while.html

These companies use a loophole to get out of paying you even minimum wage. You’re classed as self-employed whilst working ridiculous hours, not eating much, freezing, and you can forget about your social life. You work day & night and you’re pressurised to work Saturdays too. You do get a Sunday off though. Bonus. Probably because what customers would put up with that, eh?

If all of this sounds good to you, then be my guest, and feel free to apply. You WILL be offered employment. The late nights are drawing in again, so please wrap up warm. And since you’ll mostly be working alone in the dark, perhaps order yourself a rape alarm off Ebay. And make sure your phone has plenty of battery.