I have been selling Aerus products for a while, and I too am disillusioned with the company as it exists today. The lack of oversight of the franchises, the often incomprehensible service policies (not company set but not managed either) and the shear lack of desire to take care of the customer, without whom they have no business. I am sick of being pressured to sell someone a vacuum because their old one needs new brushes, bearings, a new hose or just a good cleaning. Especially to be discouraged (often strongly) from selling them a Classic that they will be perfectly happy with and can afford, and practically forced to sell only Platinum's. My Franchisee only stocks one each of the Classic, Legacy and uprights and they are on display in the office. To sell one requires leaving a potential customer's home and making the hour long round trip to sign it out and get the third degree for why you aren't selling a Platinum. The absolute lack of any business acumen of many Franchisees is appalling. Anyway, today I turned in all the equipment I had and start a new job with Apple on Monday. At least I'll get paid on time and for the work I do rather than the hit or miss payment of commissions (I always get them, just often not when I should) that I currently experience. Found out that I am keeping the whole franchise afloat and I get treated like some kind of slacker. I've sold 95% of the volume for the the last 7 months and you'd never know it. None of it would really matter if I'd just been treated with honesty. Especially when I discovered just how much money I was making for the Franchise vs. what I was getting paid. The worst part is I could have easily made more money for myself and the franchise and sold more units by being able to offer them at more competitive price points. Like I said, no business acumen, he keeps raising the prices which just drives down volume and profits when I could sell Platinum's all day at $1,500 or a bit less and still make loads of money for everyone. Worst thing Aerus ever did besides selling back the Electrolux name was dismantling the branch network and giving up control. Done with it.
