Selling "Get out of debt" classes. Wow, just wow.

Yeah, I got the email too. Soliciting to shoppers in their database is sorta inappropriate, don't you think?

I think it would be cool if they were giving away the classes to their shoppers, but selling it to shoppers who are getting hit hard by the coronavirus shelter in place is...hmmm.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/2020 11:22PM by JASFLALMT.

I thought it was completely inappropriate to use their database that way. I did not sign up for financial planning. I do a pretty damned good job of that myself, and I don't look to mystery shopping companies to teach me about ways to get out of debt.

Not to mention that it's some Dave Ramsey thing (insert eye roll) whom I detest. But I am not in debt anyway. And I would say a lot of shoppers aren't in debt either, but maybe will be hurt by not being able to go out and do shops. Anything DR has to say is likely not applicable during COVID-19 pandemic.

Sounds like they're spamming their shopper base.

It's all about the Almighty Dollar, isn't it?

Well, I think that some of their reps post in here from time to time. Maybe they will read this thread and address this. I think most of us feel like it's an imposition.

I read the email, hit Delete, and moved on with my day.

I have seen quite a bit of unprofessional behavior. ACE's email was beyond most of it. When the industry comes back, if ACE is still around, it will cause me real pause whenever they want a shop done.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2020 02:30PM by Rousseau.

Don't buy crap that you don't really need and never ever carry a balance on credit cards. There you go, your first and most important steps to being debt-free. You've read it here, for free. No charge. You're welcome.

I too thought that email was inappropriate. I think many of us could probably teach a class on how to maximize benefits from credit cards and bank accounts.

I just looked online, it is $129 per year membership. Some people really need a plan and assistance in doing basic things. It is like decorating a house. Some people have no clue how to move a sofa and a table to make the room look larger and better. I did not even bothered to read the email as in these tight financial times I limit myself for which MS companies I will do shops. It is entertaining to listen to DR when I drive and some of the callers are unbelieveable. They do need tough love and when you listen to someone far away, a complete stranger, telling you what deep inside you know is the truth about yourself. Like that MD from NYC who called and said she was amazed that they could not buy a house, even though they were making more than $600K per year. She said that by listening to DR, she realized that she had to modify her behavior so she stopped doing her nails weekly, as well as some other luxuries and was able to pay all her med school student loans within a year. I know it sounds basic to many people but clearly it is not. Do not let me start with those who call and have bought these really expensive cars. When you have 7 yr olds that think that when you go to a store, the cashier pays you (when you get change back) to purchase merchandise at that store, people do need to listen to such shows to learn basic financial skills and how to set their priorities.

So how, why, when did this all become acceptable and normal? So, so sad. Leave it to the humans.

@sestrahelena .. Since time immemorial, people have looked for ways to take advantage of other people. Sad but true. That's why I wish that young people would realize the value of education. Don't listen blindly to what some talking-head has to say; make your own decision. Businesses' ONLY reason for existence is to make money. They will willingly take your money if you let them.

You don't get paid for leading those classes, you just get a free class. I don't think she's getting more out of it than that. This is based on what they did years ago though. I remember asking the company about it. You pretty much press play on a video on a tape in a church.

From his site:
"Do coordinators get paid? Coordinators are volunteers with a passion for helping others learn how to win with money. While coordinators aren't paid, they do receive special perks—like one-year access to financialpeace.com ($159 value), EveryDollar Plus, product discounts, exclusive access to events and more!"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/2020 03:25PM by Niner.

Well, I like to listen to DR as well when I was on the road doing MS. I think he makes sense. Especially during the current pandemic with his recommendation that everyone save 3-6 months emergency fund. I know his plan can be difficult for some, but I have been completing the steps for over a year with some hiccups.

@Opanel wrote:

@sestrahelena .. Since time immemorial, people have looked for ways to take advantage of other people. Sad but true. That's why I wish that young people would realize the value of education. Don't listen blindly to what some talking-head has to say; make your own decision. Businesses' ONLY reason for existence is to make money. They will willingly take your money if you let them.

And did you see the report on how much those televangelists make? OMG, I am ashamed to be human.
Anyway my 2 favorite mottos are, "Trust no one" and, "Question authority."

Might be a great way for a MSC and their reps to do some networking for when things get back up and running. There has to be some sort of benefit for them besides a free class.

I also looked at the site, and lesson 1 is about building that starter emergency fund...now how exactly are out of work shoppers supposed to achieve this?

@Niner wrote:

From his site:
"Do coordinators get paid? Coordinators are volunteers with a passion for helping others learn how to win with money. While coordinators aren't paid, they do receive special perks—like one-year access to financialpeace.com ($159 value), EveryDollar Plus, product discounts, exclusive access to events and more!"

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Might be a great way for a MSC and their reps to do some networking for when things get back up and running. There has to be some sort of benefit for them besides a free class.

I also looked at the site, and lesson 1 is about building that starter emergency fund...now how exactly are out of work shoppers supposed to achieve this?

@Niner wrote:

From his site:
"Do coordinators get paid? Coordinators are volunteers with a passion for helping others learn how to win with money. While coordinators aren't paid, they do receive special perks—like one-year access to financialpeace.com ($159 value), EveryDollar Plus, product discounts, exclusive access to events and more!"

You sell things. That's one of his recommendations. You work multiple jobs, maybe food delivery now if mystery shopping is your main source of income (I don't think this is safe though).

I'm going, to be honest here, folks. Brutally honest. Some of you left me in tears (literally). And I would also like to share with some of you why I am doing this, and why I want to help people, even though many of you are less than supportive.

I'm the owner of ACE Mystery Shopping. And I am also a graduate of the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace class personally. If it wasn't for that class, my coordinator and classmates, I am not sure I would be in a position to weather the storm we are having, personally OR as a company.

Because of this class, even though we still have over 60% of our clients that have told me that they can not pay me, I am still able to make sure there is enough money left for shoppers and other contractors, even though I have removed myself from the payroll.

Because of what I went through, I asked my coordinator how to get involved teaching my own class, so I could help others achieve the same financial peace. It just so happens I have more time on my hands and I love helping people. I had heard about their two week trial and that they actually encourage everyone to binge-watch all of the lessons before their free trial ends. So technically, I could help shoppers for free.

I can't count how many emails I have received from shoppers that have asked to be paid early, or checked in to make sure we still could pay them, because they were going through a rough time and out of work. So I decided to just do it. I thought to myself, "Julie, you can't give them any work right now, because we don't have much of it, but maybe you can help them out some other way."

That was my only motivation behind this. I don't earn any kind of commission. I am teaching 9 lessons and all I get out of it is the app to use, that I could afford to buy myself instead of spending 9+ hours and mentoring to get it. And I don't want to make anything from it. My payment is going to be the satisifaction of even just helping one person to become debt free.

I probably shouldn't have come here, and wouldn't have seen it if it weren't for another good friend in the industry. I have received tons of emails from many shopper friends that are excited about it. So I think I'll just go back to my email and serving people from there if I can. One thing that I wish shoppers on forums would remember, mystery shopping providers are YOUR customers.


Some of my emails are copied and pasted below (names removed, of course). One of them is actually from someone on here that wasn't very nice.


**********************************************************************************************************************************************
Hi Julie,

I am very happy for you. Your class sounds like it is going to be very helpful for many others. I personally am blessed to be debt free. My house is paid for, our cars are paid for, no credit card debt, etc.

Thank you for your email and have a great day!

**********************************************************************************************************************************************
Julie,

This is SO awesome that you’re doing this! My husband and I went through FPU a year ago and have been leading classes as well! Life changing class for sure and LoVE his podcast!

Sent from my iPhone
**********************************************************************************************************************************************
Julie:
Awesome idea to 'serve' your shoppers! My husband is a teacher/mentor for this class at our church and teaching is life changing.... Barring the stockmarket crashing, we should be all set for retirement in 3.5 years because of his teaching, and the blessings of the Lord.

Thanks for the opportunity, but am good on this myself. But, I pray you get a great response!
**********************************************************************************************************************************************
Great to hear that you’re leading this class and reaching out to your shoppers. My wife and I are huge into Dave Ramsey and led FPU as part of a church outreach a few years ago. We’re debt free and looking to be mortgage free as well by the end of this year.

Congratulations on your financial journey! And best of luck to you with gaining attendees for your class.

I don’t see what all the fuss is about, If you don’t like it, delete it and move on. There are bigger things to worry about like getting that grifter out of the White House. Julie keep your head up!

Thank you, @audrialyn30!! I appreciate your kind note.

My goodness, I would think with the huge influx of deaths due to the COVID-19, which is also putting a lot of people in our industry, out of business for awhile (and some MSPs may have to close doors forever) would not show such disdain for an email that rubbed you the wrong way.

I have gotten emails from other MSPs simply wanting me to go expose myself and do audits at gas stations, parking lots, etc. You know what I do during this time? I just delete the email instead of acting like a child over it.

If you truly knew Julie, you would KNOW that she is the kindest woman you would probably ever meet. I know she has removed herself from payroll to make sure all shoppers are paid, even though 90% of our clients say they cannot pay us at this time.

I knew Julie was going to send that email before she did, because she was talking to me about it. She gets NO money at all for the Dave Ramsey training, but has time on her hands (with mystery shops on hold) and simply wanted to help others. She did NOT want anyone to sign up for the $129 classes but expressed to simply watch the videos during the trial period (or dl them) for FREE and maybe, just maybe, it could be of help since so many mystery shoppers have lost their primary source of income.

This thread brings up a thought to me. I also, on my own, sent out an email to our database of shoppers that had NOTHING to do with mystery shopping last week on 4/2. What my email was about was my concern for everyone and prayers that no one would get sick and that their families would be safe. I received OVER 100 email responses and all but 2 were positive (the two negative emails were from two gentleman who said the COVID-19 was all hype and not real....)

Why didn't anyone start a thread on a person representing ACE talking about the positive? I have been seeing so much on MSF that people like to bully and gang up on others. It seems that 99% of what I read on here is simply drama... it's starting to sound like Volition here, IMHO.

@sestrahelena wrote:

Selling "Get out of debt" classes. Wow, just wow.

I thought it was a FANTASTIC idea, very appropriate for this time!
I applaud ACE for thinking of their shoppers and knowing they could use some financial guidance during this time.
Thank You ACE!

Thank you so much for the kind words, SamShopper!!!

I did not appreciate the email and felt it was a misuse of the Ace shopper database.

You posted the appreciative emails. I would love to see the ones that were on the opposite side of the spectrum.

I have seen the very few that were the opposite side. However, there was one positive one sent to us that on this forum, she retracts what she said in her response to us. I find that very questionable. Playing both sides of the fence.

Hey, sorry I was busy doing a few other things and hadn't gotten around to responding in this thread. Here goes.

Let me address this. That was me. The email caught me as I was just waking up and was reading emails on my phone (sleeping late due to being quarantined) and I barely read the email, but my initial reaction was a little indignant that you people thought shoppers were not capable of managing their finances. However, instead of reading the email more closely before responding, I shot off an email that said this:

"Hi Julie,

I am very happy for you. Your class sounds like it is going to be very helpful for many others. I personally am blessed to be debt free. My house is paid for, our cars are paid for, no credit card debt, etc.

Thank you for your email and have a great day!"

Then later, after coffee and breakfast, I started thinking about it and reread the email, then began to consider how offputting it is to be contacted by a mystery shopping company about something that had nothing to do with mystery shopping, and then, after further examination, I noticed it was Dave Ramsey, which set me off a little bit. I don't like how he treats people like they are simpletons and aren't capable of handling money. Okay maybe some people need it. I don't, and I obviously am not the only person who feels this way.

Now I realize that Julie was honestly trying to be helpful. I didn't mean to sound like I was slamming anyone or her integrity. But I still stand by my final opinion that it was inappropriate to use the shopper database to contact shoppers about this. That's just my opinion. I don't mean to be hurtful to anyone. However, perhaps putting it on the homepage would have been a better way to alert people, and shoppers could discover it themselves.

Again, I realize that Julie was just trying to be helpful and sorry to hurt any feelings. That being said, Deva, I am not "playing both sides of the fence" to anyone and I resent that comment. Hope everything is clear now. Have a good night.

But why didn’t you just respond to Julie’s email as such instead of downing her email in public? You were nice initially in an email but then publicly downed her. That was my point regarding playing both sides. I’m not trying to be mean, but Julie is one of my best friends in the world and when things are put out in public to hurt her, it hurts me and I feel the need to defend her.

@Deva:

Now that the gate to "the fence" has been opened, what fence are you even talking about? I have done maybe 2 shops for ACE in the past 20 years that I have been a mystery shopper. I am not trying to curry any favor, what would be the purpose? There is nothing wrong with ACE as far as I can see, there just aren't shops in my area that I find appealing and worth my time.

I don't believe I have been mean or exhibited "drama" with my posts. If anything I have posted is cause for me to be deactivated from ACE, well that's unfortunate. On that note, I believe forum members in general dislike when MSCs hint at exposure of shoppers' identities. So you know who I am. Great. There are many of us who have read of another Shop Metrics company owner who loves to deactivate people in the forum who have disagreed with him for whatever reason.

Back when I was an editor for Ardent, a very wise woman, Tracey Estes (owner) told me: "Be extra kind to our shoppers. We need them more than they need us."