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From:    Private
E-Mail:  Private
Subject: Ex Pacesetter Employee

The purpose of this email is to give you the sad sad story of how pacesetter employees work. I am an ex employee of a Pacesetter office, however I would appreciate if you do not use my name if you choose to puplish these statements. I do know that current Pacesetter employees do check this website so, and do not wish any legal ramifications for posting this. But here is what I know about Pacesetter from being an outside sales representative:
My career (or so called career) with Pacesetter started in June of 2004, where I was employed there for roughly 7 months. I was neive coming out of college fresh with a degree in Human Resource Management and was lured in by the false promises that were made to me. As a pacesetter outside sales representative you rely strictly on your commissions. Any sales persons' efforts to try to persuade someone that they make an salary is a lie.

The way the prices work are simple. The prices ARE extremely high because they are paying high commissions to their employees. But what it all boils down to be is a pyramid scheme within the company. The regional VP gets a 10% kickback off the total sale of a customer, the Sales Manager of the store gets a kickback as well, and finally the Salesman gets the final chunk. For instance, if a typical sale is $9,000 dollars for their "best" window line they have out their, the Sales Representative will get 13% kickback of the sale. If you do the math on a $9,000 sale, the representative is getting $1,170 for a 3 hour session. That is just for the sales represntative. You still have the kickbacks for the regional vp, the sales manager, and whoever else gets a chunk of that money.

Onto the product. If a sales representative tells you that it is a custom made product made by pacesetter, they are full of it. That is just what they know the customer wants to hear. The truth of the window lines is that Republic Windows makes the window, and the cost of their "best" window line for the company is a small $200.00. The rest of the money is used for the representative kickbacks and the installers getting paid.

Warranty. The warranty on the window is BS. They say that the top of the line window has a lifetime warranty. Well the only lifetime part of the warranty are the parts of it. If anything is physically damaged with the window, it will not be replaced, or at least without a fight. Not to mention that if you read the fine print of the warranty, their is a $60.00 dollar trip charge every time someone would come out to even look at the window.

The truth is that every pacesetter employee is trained to perform high pressure sales tactics. they will hammer until they literally force you to sign. My advice to potential buyers, is take your business elsewhere. The telemarketers at pacesetter will constantly harrass you until you accept an appointment to get the sales representatives in the house. At that time the sales representatives will try anything and everything to get you to sign. Remeber buyers even if you do sign, you have 3 business days to cancel. that is a right even Pacesetter has to give you.

And if for some reason you should decide to still go with pacesetter, whatever you do do not take their financing. What pacesetter does is put a second mortgage on your house. You heard right, MORTGAGE. With that they charge you a ridiculous interest price. When i was working their interest prices depending on how long the term is could get up to 15%. Now if you were to buy from pacesetter, get your loan through the bank. The bank will get you an interest as low as 3% for a home equity loan. Also do not let the sales representative trick you into believing that you automatically be able to deduct the home equity from your taxes. You have to fall within a certain bracket to be able to do that.

The truth is Pacesetter is full of halve truths. So why am I telling you all of this? Pacesetter as a company left me out high and dry. Ever since I started I always had a sense in me that I was taking advantage of all the customers I had. But as a salesman you do what you have to do to make a living and get a paycheck. However, last month after being fed-up with all the BS that the company tells you as an employee (ie the wonderful company trips, the yacht clubs, making $100,000 in a yr. and everything else that they claim to do) I started interviewing for real jobs within my degree. The company found out I had been interviewing and fired me on the spot. So I have my own personal reasons for telling my side of pacesetter.

If I change the mind of just one person on not to go with pacesetter for home improvement products, then my time spent for writing this email was worth it. My best advice I can give anyone: SHOP AROUND, and dont let Pacesetter salesman into your house.

Admin's Note: This post may have been altered from the original version to remove the sender's name and e-mail. Spelling and grammar have not been corrected. The author incorrectly named "American Repubic" as the company that manufactures the windows for Pacesetter Corporation. This has been corrected to read "Republic Windows".