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The So Cal Group

Is this your company?

Slave labor - Account Executive The So Cal Group Employee Review

1.0
Jan 7, 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

I worked here at a time in my life when I needed something positive in my life cause I was headed in a dark direction. The one positive thing I will say is that by working here, I realized how much worse my life could've been. Beyond the epiphany I gained from perspective, there was very little pro's. The people you work with are nice, but it's is 90% for show.

Cons

After my first day I realized I had to approach working this job much like Jane Goodall with the gorilla's she worked with. Observe, mimic, blend. My personality does not fit that of a sales person, but desperate times call for desperate measures I suppose. In the mornings you are subjected to 2-3 hours of "training" which is not much more than ridiculous games you would play in a high school drama class, pretending to sell and practicing your pitch. It's basically excruciating. In the field, you are taught to "overcome objections" (which means ignore when you're bothering people and keep pestering them until you get your way). They want you to be able to surpass the "gate keepers" and talk to the "decision makers". So you're taught manipulation techniques disguised as sales etiquette. Which feels unethical. Many of the other reviews have mentioned the "base salary" they offered, which only lasts for 3 weeks that you're training, and you don't get paid until those 3 weeks are over. So basically, good luck with that. They talk openly about what everyone is making (which of course is hyped up non sense) so that you can compare yourself to them and hopefully it motivates you to work harder, even if effort is not directly rewarded. They have a specific meeting in which they tell you about how much "owners" make, which was an immediate red flag for me because everything he said in the meeting was the basis of a pyramid scheme. They make well into the 6 figure range off the sweat of their little drones in the office. Every sale you make, the person who hired you and your team leader make a percentage off of, as well as the owner. A tower of sales... Also known as a pyramid scheme. I realized after my second day that I didn't want to return, but I was in a desperate bind for money and knew I had to fake it for 3 weeks to get paid. So I worked my tail off for a few days and built their trust in me, once they sent me out into the field on my own, I went home and slept. I would then wake up, faked some numbers and details about my day and head back to the office. Trying to walk into businesses on a cold call and convince them to waste money on something they don't need is such an awful feeling. Unless you're a sociopath. It got to the point where I couldn't even walk into a place and try to pitch them. They knew I wasn't welcome, I knew I wasn't welcome, why try to circumnavigate that and continue on? They want you to be so blissfully unaware that everyone you talk to hates you. Once my first check cleared on my last day of week 3 I was gone. Not a moment too soon. I don't feel good or bad that I somewhat scammed the scammers. I felt like the time they wasted from me and the effort I put into faking the awful things they do on the Reg was worth the small amount of money I pulled away from them.

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The So Cal Group Response
7y
Dear Reviewer, We are truly sorry you had such a negative experience with our company. We want our employees to feel proud of the work they do, proud of the leadership skills they're gaining, and proud of the success they're building upon. While we don't feel like you are representing our company fairly, we clearly weren't a good fit for each other. We wish you the best of luck in the future.

Explore other reviews about The So Cal Group

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Mar 11, 2022
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Pros

Learn alot Salesforce CRM Executive level conversations

Cons

Low pay No benefits High turnover rate

5.0
Mar 1, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

After college, I dabbled in a few different industries, but couldn't really find a place where I felt like I could both add value, and gain something for myself at the same time. I searched online to see what was out there, and was intrigued by The So Cal Group's Leadership Development Program. I was a little intimidated by the sales and marketing industry at first, but I quickly realized I could master the skills I needed, if I followed their outlined training program. I'm really glad I stuck with it because, I feel like so far I've gained a lot of other transferable skills that I can use no matter where I end up in life. After I mastered the basics of the campaign, I was more involved in the business training portion of their Leadership Program. They coach and develop employees on topics like business finance, Franklin Covey priority management, interviewing, training others, public speaking, and business development. I think it's great that I get all this business experience by showing up to work willing to learn.

Cons

The only reasons I think people wouldn't like working for the company would be if they don't want to work hard or be asked to perform, or if they don't want to put in the effort to learn basic sales and marketing. You have to have a student mentality, good work ethic, and good attitude. If you don't, this is not for you.

8
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The So Cal Group Response
7y
Hi Reviewer! This is so great to hear. Thanks for taking the time to leave some info that will help others get to know us. We wish you continued success!
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