Freeman Group
I just saw a shop posting on Volition for Private Eyes (www.privateeyesonline.net), which at the end says to sign up for their top clients, one of them Freeman Group. Is Private Eyes legit, as well as the rest of their companies?
[jobs.volition.com]
B Business Solutions [shopper-businesssolutions.archondev.com]
Freeman Group [www.sassieshop.com]
Select Information Services [selectinformationservices.clientsmart.com]
[jobs.volition.com]
B Business Solutions [shopper-businesssolutions.archondev.com]
Freeman Group [www.sassieshop.com]
Select Information Services [selectinformationservices.clientsmart.com]
Private Eyes is legit - Lysa is one of my favorites. I was very sorry to see Private Eyes scheduling for Freeman. It lowered my opinion of Private Eyes. I wonder if Freeman is having difficulty getting shoppers and that is why they are having their shops independently scheduled the last few months. I'm not sure how schedulers feel about scheduling shops with shoppers when the shoppers are not paid timely.
Through our advocacy, many shoppers have been paid and they are catching up quickly. Additionally, many shoppers have reported to me that they've now been paid. We have worked very hard on behalf of the affected shoppers, and worked diligently with the Freeman Group, to help resolve the issue of them being behind. I see significant relief, and want to continue to do our best to get this completely resolved.
Freeman Group. I have done twelve shops for them, the first of which was October 7, 2011, the last of which was May after I was begged to do another one, because payment would be soon forthcoming. I have not been paid for ANY OF THEM. They owe me at this time over $1200.00 dollars. I just spoke to someone from there, and was only told, she would do her best to pay one shop or maybe two. This is unacceptable. The jobs I did for Freeman, used money I was planing to use for a family reunion the end of this month, across the country. Six children and spouses and twenty two grandchildren. I at this time will not be able to attend that reunion without the money that is DUE ME. What can we do?
Quelou,
I hate that you are out that much money and that it is having an impact on your ability to be with your family.
Some of the rules I have set for myself-
With any new company, I limit myself to one or two shops (especially if there is an outlay of money) until I see what their requirements are and how timely the pay. I may be willing to risk doing a few more before the first payment if I get overwhelmingly positive reviews from a site like this one.
I personally prefer not to have one company tie up to much of my money at any given time. Even companies that have seemed to be in good shape can disappear. This is much more likely with a small company, but if I were to have $1000 or more in reimbursements tied up in one company I would be more nervous than I would be about having it spread over 4 or 5 companies. The likelihood of them all going belly up at one time is very small.
I hate that you are out that much money and that it is having an impact on your ability to be with your family.
Some of the rules I have set for myself-
With any new company, I limit myself to one or two shops (especially if there is an outlay of money) until I see what their requirements are and how timely the pay. I may be willing to risk doing a few more before the first payment if I get overwhelmingly positive reviews from a site like this one.
I personally prefer not to have one company tie up to much of my money at any given time. Even companies that have seemed to be in good shape can disappear. This is much more likely with a small company, but if I were to have $1000 or more in reimbursements tied up in one company I would be more nervous than I would be about having it spread over 4 or 5 companies. The likelihood of them all going belly up at one time is very small.
PrivateEyes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Through our advocacy, many shoppers have been paid
> and they are catching up quickly. Additionally,
> many shoppers have reported to me that they've now
> been paid. We have worked very hard on behalf of
> the affected shoppers, and worked diligently with
> the Freeman Group, to help resolve the issue of
> them being behind. I see significant relief, and
> want to continue to do our best to get this
> completely resolved.
Really? While I appreciate the 'advocacy', I remain suspect that years of back pay amounting to unknown thousands of dollars are now flowing in. While I would love to hear that this company is up-to-date, it seems doubtful.
If a little pressure was all that was required, it seems they would have been caught up before they were required to hand of the scheduling duties and add yet another additional expense. I fear that Private Eyes may soon be joining the group of people who are complaining about not getting paid....
-------------------------------------------------------
> Through our advocacy, many shoppers have been paid
> and they are catching up quickly. Additionally,
> many shoppers have reported to me that they've now
> been paid. We have worked very hard on behalf of
> the affected shoppers, and worked diligently with
> the Freeman Group, to help resolve the issue of
> them being behind. I see significant relief, and
> want to continue to do our best to get this
> completely resolved.
Really? While I appreciate the 'advocacy', I remain suspect that years of back pay amounting to unknown thousands of dollars are now flowing in. While I would love to hear that this company is up-to-date, it seems doubtful.
If a little pressure was all that was required, it seems they would have been caught up before they were required to hand of the scheduling duties and add yet another additional expense. I fear that Private Eyes may soon be joining the group of people who are complaining about not getting paid....
PrivateEyes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Through our advocacy, many shoppers have been paid
> and they are catching up quickly. Additionally,
> many shoppers have reported to me that they've now
> been paid. We have worked very hard on behalf of
> the affected shoppers, and worked diligently with
> the Freeman Group, to help resolve the issue of
> them being behind. I see significant relief, and
> want to continue to do our best to get this
> completely resolved.
I do not understand this post at all. Who's advocacy and what exactly are you doing. If this was expained in a previous post, I apologize. Who do you work for? I do not get it.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Through our advocacy, many shoppers have been paid
> and they are catching up quickly. Additionally,
> many shoppers have reported to me that they've now
> been paid. We have worked very hard on behalf of
> the affected shoppers, and worked diligently with
> the Freeman Group, to help resolve the issue of
> them being behind. I see significant relief, and
> want to continue to do our best to get this
> completely resolved.
I do not understand this post at all. Who's advocacy and what exactly are you doing. If this was expained in a previous post, I apologize. Who do you work for? I do not get it.
cynb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do not understand this post at all. Who's
> advocacy and what exactly are you doing. If this
> was expained in a previous post, I apologize. Who
> do you work for? I do not get it.
Cynb, PE is now scheduling for Freemen and claiming to have made an impact of the retarded pay schedule. I found the claim doubtful...
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do not understand this post at all. Who's
> advocacy and what exactly are you doing. If this
> was expained in a previous post, I apologize. Who
> do you work for? I do not get it.
Cynb, PE is now scheduling for Freemen and claiming to have made an impact of the retarded pay schedule. I found the claim doubtful...
call them 
You can be more annoying on the phone.
PM for the contact.
I have to bug them every time, but continue to take shops because they have my favorite clients and do pay.....eventually.
You can be more annoying on the phone.
PM for the contact.
I have to bug them every time, but continue to take shops because they have my favorite clients and do pay.....eventually.
Hello Everyone:
Well.. thanks to the generous help of LisaP465, I took her advice and e-mailed everyone in the company on Saturday. I was not surprised that I did not receive a response from anyone.
Then.. yesterday.. I was notified by vgarcia@freemangroup.com that I was FINALLY paid for one of my assignments via pay pal.
I did not stop at that. I sent another e-mail to everyone in the company, inluding vgarcia asking when I would be paid for the other assignment, which was done 6 days after the first one.. in DECEMBER 2011 !! I will keep you posted on what they have to say.
To anyone that didn't read Lisap465's post, here is the list of contacts at Freeman. E-mail them DAILY regarding getting paid!!
khofheins@freemangroup.org, jboles@freemangroup.org, kwolff@freemangroup.org, pmoore@freemangroup.org, pobryan@freemangroup.org, pvishy@freemangroup.org, bavant@freemangroup.org, gmarquart@freemangroup.org, dhyatt@freemangroup.org, rscott@freemangroup.org, bgarbacz@freemangroup.org, wtarrant@freemangroup.org, bfreeman@freemangroup.org.
I know one of them came back "undeliverable" but I don't know which one. Don't be alarmed, apparently the rest did or I wouldn't have been paid.
Good luck everyone!!
Well.. thanks to the generous help of LisaP465, I took her advice and e-mailed everyone in the company on Saturday. I was not surprised that I did not receive a response from anyone.
Then.. yesterday.. I was notified by vgarcia@freemangroup.com that I was FINALLY paid for one of my assignments via pay pal.
I did not stop at that. I sent another e-mail to everyone in the company, inluding vgarcia asking when I would be paid for the other assignment, which was done 6 days after the first one.. in DECEMBER 2011 !! I will keep you posted on what they have to say.
To anyone that didn't read Lisap465's post, here is the list of contacts at Freeman. E-mail them DAILY regarding getting paid!!
khofheins@freemangroup.org, jboles@freemangroup.org, kwolff@freemangroup.org, pmoore@freemangroup.org, pobryan@freemangroup.org, pvishy@freemangroup.org, bavant@freemangroup.org, gmarquart@freemangroup.org, dhyatt@freemangroup.org, rscott@freemangroup.org, bgarbacz@freemangroup.org, wtarrant@freemangroup.org, bfreeman@freemangroup.org.
I know one of them came back "undeliverable" but I don't know which one. Don't be alarmed, apparently the rest did or I wouldn't have been paid.
Good luck everyone!!
Spikeconnie,
Glad you got paid and I could help. The point is not to just lay down and take it right, management gets more annoyed and is more apt to have it be dealt with. I will still not do any more assignments with the company, can't be bothered to deal with that kind of company on a regular basis.
Lisa
Glad you got paid and I could help. The point is not to just lay down and take it right, management gets more annoyed and is more apt to have it be dealt with. I will still not do any more assignments with the company, can't be bothered to deal with that kind of company on a regular basis.
Lisa
Hi Lisa:
Again, thank you for your help. Yes, I agree, it is the "squeaky wheel" that gets "PAID".. haha!! I re-sent all of the executives e-mails again asking about the other assignment they still owe me for, and I got an e-mail back from Kim. I didn't e-mail Kim. I am guessing the exec's are getting tired of me and told Kim to handle this. She claims they are getting another round of receivables in August, and said I would be paid when it was received. I'm not holding my breath.
Like you, I will NEVER shop with Freeman again. It is definitely not worth the time or hassle involved trying to get paid / reimbursed.
I'm not sure where you are located, but I am now working with a company called B Business Solutions. They perform very high end luxury hotel overnight evaluations. I have worked with them in the past, and they are a very good company. They pay within 30 days, and all hotel charges are reversed on your credit card within 2 - 3 weeks. If you are not already aware of them, look them up.
Thanks again, and take care!
Again, thank you for your help. Yes, I agree, it is the "squeaky wheel" that gets "PAID".. haha!! I re-sent all of the executives e-mails again asking about the other assignment they still owe me for, and I got an e-mail back from Kim. I didn't e-mail Kim. I am guessing the exec's are getting tired of me and told Kim to handle this. She claims they are getting another round of receivables in August, and said I would be paid when it was received. I'm not holding my breath.
Like you, I will NEVER shop with Freeman again. It is definitely not worth the time or hassle involved trying to get paid / reimbursed.
I'm not sure where you are located, but I am now working with a company called B Business Solutions. They perform very high end luxury hotel overnight evaluations. I have worked with them in the past, and they are a very good company. They pay within 30 days, and all hotel charges are reversed on your credit card within 2 - 3 weeks. If you are not already aware of them, look them up.
Thanks again, and take care!
Thanks, I'm in Canada though and while I signed up for this company before I had forgotten about it. Just looking I see I could have done a revealed shop for $25 on my recent trip to Calgary assuming it was there at the time. Other than that I didn't see any other shops in Canada at all, maybe it's just not the right time but I think it's probably more in the states 
.
Lisa
P.s. But still glad to be done with Freeman. I also work with SQM and they do some hotel shops, many they only pay 50% but some they pay all. If you need a room anyway it makes sense.
.
Lisa
P.s. But still glad to be done with Freeman. I also work with SQM and they do some hotel shops, many they only pay 50% but some they pay all. If you need a room anyway it makes sense.
Hello Everyone:
How many of you got this yesterday:
My name is Bill Freeman - owner and founder of FreemanGroup. I want to communicate directly with you as to where we are with our present payment issues and what we intend to do to correct the situation. Firstly, I need to give you an unreserved apology for the issues and hardship for which I am responsible. As a company we are embarrassed and dismayed that we have failed to live up to basic expectations. That is not who I am and not the vision I had for this organization when I founded it.
How we arrived at this point is completely explainable, but not relevant to your concern of getting paid. So with the intent of communicating with you today regarding reimbursement and payment, I do not want to dwell on the chain of events that led us here, as it would be construed as an excuse. I do want to stress though that we are completely committed to resolving the issue and I personally am very aware of my responsibility in this matter.
I want to outline our plans for getting payment issues resolved. We have set ourselves the objective of achieving an eight week pay cycle by November 1st. In no way are we implying that an eight week cycle is satisfactory or our end goal, but we need to get to that threshold by November 1st in order to achieve a more desirable and competitive cycle by February 1, 2013 (which we will provide additional details on as that date approaches).
Plans for achieving those goals include the selling of property, short-term borrowing, and other investment options. In addition, we continue to source opportunities for new business within our training division. For this to work, it is critical that we retain our mystery shopping clients. To be completely honest, without our existing accounts, this plan does not work and while the monies will be repaid, it will be over a much longer period of time.
I understand the level of frustration that exists with you personally as well as the general mystery shopping community. For 24 years FreemanGroup enjoyed a very good reputation and during the last three years that reputation we previously enjoyed has been obliterated. This damage to my reputation affects me personally as well as the members of our FreemanGroup team.
In closing, we are taking additional measures to streamline many of our processes from scheduling, to assignment execution, to payments and reimbursements. With that said, we want to communicate with you in the most transparent a manner that we can. For questions regarding the status of your payment and reimbursement, you may email our team at payments@freemangroup.org. Again, we ask for your patience in receiving a response as we communicate with many of you daily and this letter will no doubt increase the number of inquiries we receive. If you are confident that all of your information and supporting documentation has been received by our office, no contact is necessary.
Finally, thank you for your previous support of FreemanGroup and my apologies again for letting you down,
Bill Freeman
They can send out e-mails apologizing.. but still can't pay the shoppers? AND.. they are asking us to continue to work with them?????
Talk about guts!!
How many of you got this yesterday:
My name is Bill Freeman - owner and founder of FreemanGroup. I want to communicate directly with you as to where we are with our present payment issues and what we intend to do to correct the situation. Firstly, I need to give you an unreserved apology for the issues and hardship for which I am responsible. As a company we are embarrassed and dismayed that we have failed to live up to basic expectations. That is not who I am and not the vision I had for this organization when I founded it.
How we arrived at this point is completely explainable, but not relevant to your concern of getting paid. So with the intent of communicating with you today regarding reimbursement and payment, I do not want to dwell on the chain of events that led us here, as it would be construed as an excuse. I do want to stress though that we are completely committed to resolving the issue and I personally am very aware of my responsibility in this matter.
I want to outline our plans for getting payment issues resolved. We have set ourselves the objective of achieving an eight week pay cycle by November 1st. In no way are we implying that an eight week cycle is satisfactory or our end goal, but we need to get to that threshold by November 1st in order to achieve a more desirable and competitive cycle by February 1, 2013 (which we will provide additional details on as that date approaches).
Plans for achieving those goals include the selling of property, short-term borrowing, and other investment options. In addition, we continue to source opportunities for new business within our training division. For this to work, it is critical that we retain our mystery shopping clients. To be completely honest, without our existing accounts, this plan does not work and while the monies will be repaid, it will be over a much longer period of time.
I understand the level of frustration that exists with you personally as well as the general mystery shopping community. For 24 years FreemanGroup enjoyed a very good reputation and during the last three years that reputation we previously enjoyed has been obliterated. This damage to my reputation affects me personally as well as the members of our FreemanGroup team.
In closing, we are taking additional measures to streamline many of our processes from scheduling, to assignment execution, to payments and reimbursements. With that said, we want to communicate with you in the most transparent a manner that we can. For questions regarding the status of your payment and reimbursement, you may email our team at payments@freemangroup.org. Again, we ask for your patience in receiving a response as we communicate with many of you daily and this letter will no doubt increase the number of inquiries we receive. If you are confident that all of your information and supporting documentation has been received by our office, no contact is necessary.
Finally, thank you for your previous support of FreemanGroup and my apologies again for letting you down,
Bill Freeman
They can send out e-mails apologizing.. but still can't pay the shoppers? AND.. they are asking us to continue to work with them?????
Talk about guts!!
There is a link that is specific to this letter titled Freeman letter.
Hi,
I have called Freeman group many times in the past year the phone service is out. I cannot find out if Freeman Group has filed for bankrup case in Texas.
I have called Freeman group many times in the past year the phone service is out. I cannot find out if Freeman Group has filed for bankrup case in Texas.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that exact same letter from Bill Freeman was circulated well over a year ago to those of us at that time that were waiting to be paid. Clearly, it was BS then and it is still now. I did end up getting paid for the jobs, but only because of some great advice I got from someone here on the forum. She gave me all of the e-mail addresses for management in the company, and I bombarded every one of them at least once per day with e-mails demanding to be paid. Much to my surprise, although it did take over 3 months, I was paid in full. Guess they got tired of my e-mails. I have not worked with Freeman since, and rumor has it that they are either out of business or very close.
For whatever good it may do, here is a list of the e-mail addresses given to me:
khofheins@freemangroup.org, jboles@freemangroup.org, kwolff@freemangroup.org, pmoore@freemangroup.org, pobryan@freemangroup.org, pvishy@freemangroup.org, bavant@freemangroup.org, gmarquart@freemangroup.org, dhyatt@freemangroup.org, rscott@freemangroup.org, bgarbacz@freemangroup.org, wtarrant@freemangroup.org, bfreeman@freemangroup.org.
I wish all of you the best. Nothing is worse than not being paid for an assignment, except perhaps not being paid for an assignment where you put money out of your pocket upfront.
Spikeconnie
For whatever good it may do, here is a list of the e-mail addresses given to me:
khofheins@freemangroup.org, jboles@freemangroup.org, kwolff@freemangroup.org, pmoore@freemangroup.org, pobryan@freemangroup.org, pvishy@freemangroup.org, bavant@freemangroup.org, gmarquart@freemangroup.org, dhyatt@freemangroup.org, rscott@freemangroup.org, bgarbacz@freemangroup.org, wtarrant@freemangroup.org, bfreeman@freemangroup.org.
I wish all of you the best. Nothing is worse than not being paid for an assignment, except perhaps not being paid for an assignment where you put money out of your pocket upfront.
Spikeconnie
These emails came back to me as undeliverable. I still have not been paid! I'm due about $600!!!!!
khofheins@freemangroup.org
jboles@freemangroup.org
kwolff@freemangroup.org
pvishy@freemangroup.org
dhyatt@freemangroup.org
rscott@freemangroup.org
bgarbacz@freemangroup.org
khofheins@freemangroup.org
jboles@freemangroup.org
kwolff@freemangroup.org
pvishy@freemangroup.org
dhyatt@freemangroup.org
rscott@freemangroup.org
bgarbacz@freemangroup.org
Unfortunately, the chances are very slim you will ever see that money again. The company is out of business. Many folks, myself included, have lost money with Freeman. I'm sorry your loss is so high.
I heard that they are scheduling shops through another mystery shopping company. Is that not true?
Freeman, or the client? Either way, I haven't heard, but would like to know if it is true.
sme7500 Wrote:
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> I heard that they are scheduling shops through
> another mystery shopping company. Is that not
> true?
Who/what is your source?
-------------------------------------------------------
> I heard that they are scheduling shops through
> another mystery shopping company. Is that not
> true?
Who/what is your source?
What are the odds they have opened under a "new name" and are going to rip shoppers off again?
I know I have seen a few for the client, but much more limited than what I saw with Freeman.
I am sure some of the principals will be showing up with new companies.
I am sure some of the principals will be showing up with new companies.
I wish someone in the Dallas area would stop by Freeman group office and see what is going on?
deltadagger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wish someone in the Dallas area would stop by
> Freeman group office and see what is going on?
I'll be heading by there tomorrow,. what would you like me to ask them?
jk..! I wish....
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wish someone in the Dallas area would stop by
> Freeman group office and see what is going on?
I'll be heading by there tomorrow,. what would you like me to ask them?
jk..! I wish....
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