Ever since The Smart Group moved into our residential community we have had issues with the individuals this direct marketing compamy employs \ contracts.
Here are just some. Rubbish. Hooning. Parking. Noise. Drunkenness. A lack of respect for the residential neighbourhood they operate within. The Smart Group is a public company representing many clients, in Brisbane the main push appears to be TRU ENERGY. Door to door canvassing, mostly by backpackers.
As elected chairman of the local community action commitee, I will fight for our neighbourhood and have these issues addressed by local, state and federal governments and their agencies. Local residents and stakeholders have signed a petition in an attempt to have THE SMART GROUP clean up their act.
What outcome? Respect for the community. We live here and the majority have done for years. Some for generations.
20110605
20110603
Once again THE SMART GROUP have demonstrated a total lack of respect for our neighbourhood parking anywhere and anyway they see fit. Over our driveways, against the flow of traffic and even blocking in the Governor General visiting a local gallery.
Time to take this to the next level. This has gone on for too long and we are going now where. TRU ENERGY are represented by THE SMART GROUP a public company answerable to a board of shareholders. We are sure they would not be pleased to receive any negative or embarrassing publicity. Following are the pictures taken Friday night the 3rd of June 2011 at around 8pm.
Again council officers were called to book the vehicles concerned.
20110408
The Smart Group - still no community respect!!
Again council inspectors called to move the Smart Groups vans from our driveways. What will it take to make this stop? A letter to the board? They just dont seem to care, about their workers, their vans and least of all their neighborhood!! Come on Adam Bray, show us some respect!!!
20101221
it IS a Merry Christmas ...
Finally we believe The Smart Group has had no choice but to take action and sort out the issues it had with neighbours in its Fortitude Valley QLD offices.
The past week has seen our community restored to what it was before.
To the National Sales Manager, Donnie, Thank you.
Hope you all have a great Christmas n New Years. ]
SteveJWR
for the Arthur Street Alliance
The past week has seen our community restored to what it was before.
To the National Sales Manager, Donnie, Thank you.
Hope you all have a great Christmas n New Years. ]
SteveJWR
for the Arthur Street Alliance
20101209
The Smart Group - Ten Years Old .. but ...
The Smart Group - Ten Years Old .. but ... The Brisbane manager, Adam Bray, who employs backpackers, dose not instill respect into his sales team.
Still the community surrounding the Brisbane office endure the torture apon them by the 'sales team'
Not good enough .. we have suffered in silence too long .. now we start making a noise.
I have even been yelled at by Adam and that wasnt nice. So on behalf of the nieghbourhood that chose me to represent them .. Smarten up Smart Group ...
Still the community surrounding the Brisbane office endure the torture apon them by the 'sales team'
Not good enough .. we have suffered in silence too long .. now we start making a noise.
I have even been yelled at by Adam and that wasnt nice. So on behalf of the nieghbourhood that chose me to represent them .. Smarten up Smart Group ...
20101208
THE SMART GROUP - NOT SO SMART!
Just when we thought it had all been addressed .. again the 'sales crews' leave their impact on the neighbourhood. More rubbish more noise and more grief! At the earliset opportunity I had I approached the Brisbane manager Adam. He denied that the National office had been in contact with the local office... I know this to be a lie as I have spoken with the National Sales executive Donnie Stewart about the issue more than twice. Donnie said to me that he would see to our issues personally. Moments after conversations with Donnie in Melbourne, [a coincidence Adam would have us believe], the rubbish in the street was cleaned up. Adam says he is a professional, well then he should have a look at the business he is responsible for and its impacts on our community.
There is more to come ...
There is more to come ...
Here we go again !!!
its 2130EDST and I just had to get out of bed after being woken by the doof doof of a car stereo. It was from another of the Smart Groups 'team'. Niomi she said her name was when she was approached stop the noise! Why are we being terrorised like this?? Will be taking up with managment on monday and speaking with our local members. This is not fair. Quiet enjoyment - it is our right!
Residents and business give notice to The Smart Group!
Not since the Queens Arms Community Action Committee has there been such a ruckus over one business!
I refer to publicly listed company, The Smart Group which Brisbane office is located at ‘86 Arthur’ street, next door to The Heiser Gallery. This sales company recruits young people, mostly backpackers, as ‘independent contractors’, to build a sales team that door knock Brisbane suburbs in an attempt to sell ‘better’ deals from a ‘cheaper’ electricity retailer, in their case - Integral Energy.
They all meet at about 10am each day at ‘86 Arthur’, evidenced by all the Hiace passenger vans parked in the street. It is at around this time when each group is briefed and given ‘their’ patch of neighbourhood to canvass for that day. Then they go off in these vans to do the hard sell. They return to ’86 Arthur’ in the evening, sometimes as late as 11pm.
The Smart Group shareholders, and the stakeholders of Arthur street are being let down by the lack of respect for our neighbourhood by the people that they employ.
The stakeholders, [the residents and business], surrounding the Fortitude Valley office have made numerous approaches to Brisbane City Council, Queensland Police Service and the owners of the 86 Arthur Street property about the issues concerning parking, hooning, honking horns, drunkenness, public urination, rubbish, cigarette litter to name just a few.
The sales teams use the vans as a base for the day. This is evidenced by the state they return to Arthur Street. Opening doors and rubbish smashing onto the street. Residents have had to put up with the noise of them partying in the street in large groups with loud music from the vans radios. The honking and hooning as the vans finally leave.
Business stakeholders arrive the next day to find rubbish, beer bottles, cigarettes littering their driveways and gutters. Urine in their doorways where these ‘sales people’ have been witnessed urinating.
We the stakeholders ask The Smart Group ‘smarten’ up their act and coach their sales teams to respect the communities they work within. Don’t leave rubbish on the street. Don’t have after work parties outside our homes. Don’t use our doorways as toilets. Pay for your parking like everyone is must do or don’t park on the street. Don’t head home honking and yelling to your mates after work. You would not like your neighbourhood treated as ours has. We wish the Smart Group to show respect to us and our community.
I refer to publicly listed company, The Smart Group which Brisbane office is located at ‘86 Arthur’ street, next door to The Heiser Gallery. This sales company recruits young people, mostly backpackers, as ‘independent contractors’, to build a sales team that door knock Brisbane suburbs in an attempt to sell ‘better’ deals from a ‘cheaper’ electricity retailer, in their case - Integral Energy.
They all meet at about 10am each day at ‘86 Arthur’, evidenced by all the Hiace passenger vans parked in the street. It is at around this time when each group is briefed and given ‘their’ patch of neighbourhood to canvass for that day. Then they go off in these vans to do the hard sell. They return to ’86 Arthur’ in the evening, sometimes as late as 11pm.
The Smart Group shareholders, and the stakeholders of Arthur street are being let down by the lack of respect for our neighbourhood by the people that they employ.
The stakeholders, [the residents and business], surrounding the Fortitude Valley office have made numerous approaches to Brisbane City Council, Queensland Police Service and the owners of the 86 Arthur Street property about the issues concerning parking, hooning, honking horns, drunkenness, public urination, rubbish, cigarette litter to name just a few.
The sales teams use the vans as a base for the day. This is evidenced by the state they return to Arthur Street. Opening doors and rubbish smashing onto the street. Residents have had to put up with the noise of them partying in the street in large groups with loud music from the vans radios. The honking and hooning as the vans finally leave.
Business stakeholders arrive the next day to find rubbish, beer bottles, cigarettes littering their driveways and gutters. Urine in their doorways where these ‘sales people’ have been witnessed urinating.
We the stakeholders ask The Smart Group ‘smarten’ up their act and coach their sales teams to respect the communities they work within. Don’t leave rubbish on the street. Don’t have after work parties outside our homes. Don’t use our doorways as toilets. Pay for your parking like everyone is must do or don’t park on the street. Don’t head home honking and yelling to your mates after work. You would not like your neighbourhood treated as ours has. We wish the Smart Group to show respect to us and our community.
Arthur Street Alliance
Today is Friday the 5th of November 2010. The Arthur Street Alliance has been created - and the refering website www.arthurstreetalliance.c
This has been brought about by the lack of result after contacting the Fortitude... Valley and National Offices of The Smart Group, The Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Police Service.
This has been brought about by the lack of result after contacting the Fortitude... Valley and National Offices of The Smart Group, The Brisbane City Council and the Queensland Police Service.
UPDATE
The person who posted this on gumtree.com has contacted the alliance. This individual has insider knowledge of the operations of The Smart Group and how their staff are treated.
THE SMART GROUP, 86 Arthur st, Fortitude Valley - A WARNING
Found this ...
//
BACKPACKERS AND OTHERS - READ THIS
I'm posting this to warn anyone looking for work in Brisbane to be very wary of The Smart Group. They are currently recruiting door-to-door salespeople from their office in Fortitude Valley, to sell electricity in South East Queensland.
They claim to offer a $300 weekly retainer plus commissions, ONLY after completing training (2 days) do they place a contract in your hands and explain that this retainer is performance based and drops to $200 if targets are not met.
They also expect one weeks written notice if you decide to leave (no retainer for that week) and hold commissions for up to 3 months after you leave.
Let me translate this:
They get you for a week, basically for free, if you want to get your pay for the previous week. Go figure.
The hours are long, 50+, with a 6 day week, the training is rushed and, get this, if you make a single mistake on the fairly complex contracts customers must sign, they will actually 'fine' you i.e. deduct from your pay (you also lose the commission) even though you are under constant pressure to speed-sell, wrap up and move on.
Do NOT believe the claims of massive earnings. Sure, some of the managers will be earning good money but the vast majority of reps will be well below minimum wage. A very good rep might get $1000 a week gross for those 50 hours, which is hardly outstanding. The average rep will get around $400/week for 6 days. I don't believe they pay any superannuation either, which I'm pretty sure isnt legal. The employment is full-time only as a 'contractor'. Hmmm.........
Considering all these things the staff turnover is understandably very high.
This is a link to the ATO which is worth a look:
http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/content.asp?doc=%
Unfortunately, there are a lot of companies out there that take advantage of vulnerable or inexperienced employees, and Gumtree probably isn't the best place to be looking for jobs. I can see a lot of young people and overseas visitors getting hired and not knowing their rights or simply being too desperate for a job to care.
Hey, don't get me wrong, if you like working long hours doing really pushy sales for crap pay, unfair conditions and no super then work at Smart Group might be right up your street. I'd advise everyone else to look elsewhere and steer well clear.
//
A Google search of the Smart Group shows that they have advertised on Gumtree - a backpackers website.
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO COME ON THIS ORGANISATION!!!
//
BACKPACKERS AND OTHERS - READ THIS
I'm posting this to warn anyone looking for work in Brisbane to be very wary of The Smart Group. They are currently recruiting door-to-door salespeople from their office in Fortitude Valley, to sell electricity in South East Queensland.
They claim to offer a $300 weekly retainer plus commissions, ONLY after completing training (2 days) do they place a contract in your hands and explain that this retainer is performance based and drops to $200 if targets are not met.
They also expect one weeks written notice if you decide to leave (no retainer for that week) and hold commissions for up to 3 months after you leave.
Let me translate this:
They get you for a week, basically for free, if you want to get your pay for the previous week. Go figure.
The hours are long, 50+, with a 6 day week, the training is rushed and, get this, if you make a single mistake on the fairly complex contracts customers must sign, they will actually 'fine' you i.e. deduct from your pay (you also lose the commission) even though you are under constant pressure to speed-sell, wrap up and move on.
Do NOT believe the claims of massive earnings. Sure, some of the managers will be earning good money but the vast majority of reps will be well below minimum wage. A very good rep might get $1000 a week gross for those 50 hours, which is hardly outstanding. The average rep will get around $400/week for 6 days. I don't believe they pay any superannuation either, which I'm pretty sure isnt legal. The employment is full-time only as a 'contractor'. Hmmm.........
Considering all these things the staff turnover is understandably very high.
This is a link to the ATO which is worth a look:
http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/content.asp?doc=%
Unfortunately, there are a lot of companies out there that take advantage of vulnerable or inexperienced employees, and Gumtree probably isn't the best place to be looking for jobs. I can see a lot of young people and overseas visitors getting hired and not knowing their rights or simply being too desperate for a job to care.
Hey, don't get me wrong, if you like working long hours doing really pushy sales for crap pay, unfair conditions and no super then work at Smart Group might be right up your street. I'd advise everyone else to look elsewhere and steer well clear.
//
A Google search of the Smart Group shows that they have advertised on Gumtree - a backpackers website.
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO COME ON THIS ORGANISATION!!!
The Arthur Street Alliance
The Arthur Street Alliance is a joint venture between the business' and residents of Arthur Street in Queensland's Fortitude Valley. Primarily those stakeholders between Brunswick and James streets.
The ultimate outcome for the alliance is comunication. Communication between the community, QPS, Local, State and Federal Governments and their oppostions and with any stakeholder with an interest in Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley.
Some of the issues raised are parking, residents permits, environmental [excessive noise], traffic management, speed restrictions and hooning, intoxicated pedestrians, cerbside collection, development and local planning.
Steve Roberts
Justice of the Peace (Qualified)
[old Queens Arms Community Action Committee, Chairman]
The ultimate outcome for the alliance is comunication. Communication between the community, QPS, Local, State and Federal Governments and their oppostions and with any stakeholder with an interest in Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley.
Some of the issues raised are parking, residents permits, environmental [excessive noise], traffic management, speed restrictions and hooning, intoxicated pedestrians, cerbside collection, development and local planning.
Steve Roberts
Justice of the Peace (Qualified)
[old Queens Arms Community Action Committee, Chairman]
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