Swing an’ a Miss…
I have to admit, since the Convention, there really hasn’t been much in the way of news about YTB to report. The vast majority of what was released has been implemented and underway for the last month and half. We’re simply riding the wave of momentum coming out of the convention. Of course we have Funshine Travel Trade Show down in Orlando next week which will produce new upgrades and enhancements like we experienced at the Convention. In other words, don’t worry. We’ll be reporting the events at Funshine just like we did at Convention both here and in our Newsletter. (So if you’re involved in YTB, you’ll want to make sure you’re on our mailing list.)
Like last year and the Convention, Funshine was merely a pipe dream that would never happen according to the obnoxious and outspoken critics who were absolutely certain Coach, Scott, and Kim would be long gone at this point in time. The hope was they would be “pilfering” some other industry and the critics who detest our business model would be able to go back to “business as usual”.
Unfortunately, critics appear to be stuck in a quandary with the lack of news and have resorted to more lies and deceptive statements. The activity provides people like me an opportunity to show just how desperate and angry they’ve become since things aren’t working out they way they planned. They should be desperate. Most were absolutely certain that the California lawsuit filed just a day before the 2008 Convention would fulfill their desire of complete and total elimination of YTB. Unfortunately, not even Attorney Generals have the luxury of shutting someone down with false and misleading statements about “paying for the opportunity to recruit others into a gigantic pyramid scheme” without providing the proper proof and documentation to the courts.
Think “Amended Class Action” here. Much like that blunder, where critics made all kinds of outrageous claims, and followers waiting in the wings cheered how “powerful” it was, instead came out the other side battered and severely bruised for redundant, immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous claims. While the Judicial System’s desires in California were not quite as public (exposed on the internet) the process did demand that California and YTB work out their differences (in the case of the Attorney General – illusions) and come to an agreement. Like the class action that was filed in Illinois, California courts didn’t want their time wasted either.
In the end, California got what they wanted – $875,000 in their pockets. Critics got what they wanted – a press release with claims that YTB’s pyramid has been shut down. And YTB certainly got what it wanted – a blue print in the form of settlement agreement and the ability to continue doing business in the state of California.
Because the hopes and dreams of YTB being long gone is nothing more than a pipe dream at this point for our critics, when all else fails, you simply make things up to keep up appearances that something dastardly is afoot. Which of course leaves me a great opportunity to link and document the blunders. While some get angry and bitter over the false and misleading claims made against our company, I’d advise you to take some of the following list and put it in the proper perspective.
They really don’t have much else left to do.
So let’s begin.
Over on Scam.com, we find another “no name” who came up with the brilliant idea of posting a picture from Google Earth of the YTB home office parking lot in an attempt to show how few people are actually working there now.
Small problem…check out the date posted at the bottom of the picture. February 2004, two years before YTB even moved into the current home office location. (Ouch!)
Another critic decided to hang out on Coach’s Facebook page and magically turned “They are running a SPECIAL.” into “I’m running a SPECIAL.” (meaning Coach and YTB) promoting a 90% discount on Restaurants.com.
Apparently because Coach didn’t put and asterisk (*) next to the words “the promo code is “ninety” somehow that turns it into a false claim. I guess we learn something new every day huh? So remember the asterisk when sending someone to another store through shopYTB will ya! Otherwise any promotion or special that run from these 600 stores will firmly land on YTB’s head as false and misleading.
In another strange and bizarre twist, apparently people who double opt in to our “Steals and Deals” e-mail campaign have an issue with being offered free trips. How someone doesn’t understand that clicking the link to verify that “Yes, I want to subscribe” from the very e-mail account that requested it escapes some people blows my mind. But under the circumstances, it gives them something they can complain about. Besides, I can see how a free cruise would offend some people. (??)
Truth be told here, it was the best excuse this critic could come up with after taking bets that he would get a “recruiting pitch” for signing up for shopYTB. Here’s the quote from the day before.
John said…
Rod– send me the URL in an email and I will sign up. I want to see if I do get recruiting messages….anyone want to take bets?
If you’re wondering how shopYTB and YTB Marketing got thrown into the mix, it’s all a part of mixing everything together so they can report it to California as a violation of YTB’s settlement agreement. Not to worry however. YTB can provide a date/time stamp, and the IP address from the account that opted in from the initial request.
Also…how on earth do you lose and e-mail address from the day before so you can claim you can no longer contact the TSO with questions?
Very odd.
When you run out of things to complain about YTB, you can always fall back on the name calling and slandering of it’s members. That’s always a lot of fun and given enough time and energy you can go back months to find a single article on the Examiner so you can file an abuse report. Management and I however had a good laugh at this idiot for not checking the dates and trying to pin me with a plagiarized article.
Wonder if it’s okay with him if someone else copies my original work on the Mexico reopening on May 31st if they wait to the very next day?
Honestly, I find it amusing that some think I’m a deadbeat writer while others apparently like it enough to re post my work, and journalists quote that I’m “one of YTB’s most articulate defenders“.
And being the doting parents that critics are, with this illusion they need to keep me in line, they take our new YTB Success System launched at Convention and turn it into another claim that I’m doing something underhanded.
While they most certainly read about the announcements posted here regarding the new partnership with Pinnacle Systems unfortunately they got distracted with a Tina Turner appearance. Not only did they take exception to a missing “r” in the name, but of course had to ask why I felt the need to comment about her famous legs. Completely irrelevant to the upgrades and announcements I know, but when your a critic and need to find fault, that’s about all your left with. It also provides a great excuse as to why they can lay claim “I didn’t know”.
Through it all folks. Don’t think for a second that you or anyone else will be able to enlighten these poor lost souls who have nothing better to do than conjure up examples like these. I know it looks really bizarre, but they claim to be quit content in their activities and illusions. To correct and educate will not only prove futile, but the backlash of name calling and pestering would certainly tell you that they have absolutely no intent to change their thinking or perception – regardless how stupid it makes them look.
But it certainly makes for a great post and a good laugh when you add it all up.
PS - If you're involved with YTB, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. As a Website Owner or Website Seller, we'll keep you up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB.
PPS - Subscribe to the Just Picture It Now RSS feed, (including e-mail) for all the latest posts and updates found right here!
|
|
Doug & Ronda Bauknight AKA: TravelPro Travel Agent / Networker Phone: 678.458.5812 |
Learn How To Become A Travel Agent |
Book Your Travel & Vacations With  |
Do You ZamZuu? |
| TSO #588629 |
Tags: Anti-MLM, Critics, John Frenaye
September 17th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Do any of these people have actual lives? It appears to me that all they do is try to find stuff to complain about, and when there’s nothing going on, they just make it up!?
I wouldn’t advise reading the comments in that last post of John’s. He needs to have some type of adult content disclaimer on that site if he’s going to allow that. (And I can’t imagine Google would be too happy about it either.) You’re the only one who was talking about the topic, while the rest of them just dumped all over you. I honestly don’t know how you keep your cool with them.
I sure couldn’t do it.
September 18th, 2009 at 6:14 am
Unfortunately, their lives are wrapped up in YTB.
Katie’s little sob story how YTB doesn’t pay me and all I do is defend a scam? Well, YTB does pay me, and its crap like these links that’s the scam and needs to be exposed.
And John…still has no earthly clue that the Examiner article he’s all bent out of shape about was a copy of my work. Do you think he’s going to offer up a “mea culpa” the same way I have dozens of times?
Not on your life.
They don’t want to resolve anything; nor do they want to discuss the issues. They just want to beat people into submission. When you don’t agree with their views they’ll get vulgar and dirty enough to expand beyond most people’s tolerance. The hope is the “Pro’s” will simply go away and the “Con’s” can get back to bashing whatever they want without anyone exposing their lies and spin.
Take John’s latest “question” in an attempt to cast doubt on Coach and YTB.
Do you know that part of the problem the Travel Industry and California had with YTB was splitting travel commissions more than twice? It’s traditional that the selling agent gets a cut and the host gets a cut of the commission paid by suppliers. (You know – the 70-30 or 80-20 splits we see all the time.) Part of the “laws we were breaking” in California was this 10% override to the Power Team Leader. We were breaking the law by giving a cut to Power Team Leaders.
Yet, during our discussions we could not find, and they could not provide one shred of documentation that this was actually a written law. While we took California and the industry at their word and did the right thing by eliminating the 10% override – we come to find out it was nothing more than an unwritten industry standard that while I agree they take issue with, they had no legal right to force YTB to eliminate.
YTB did what it thought it was right to be compliant and change a year ago – only to find out the industry didn’t have a leg to stand on. And when we do the right thing – it upsets others (like Diane) and provides a nice little piece of fodder for John to spin that Coach broke his promise.
By the way, a couple points about the 10% overrides. How much do you want a bet the Diane got the news about First Class Training and the 70% commission contracts last October? If so, she also knew about the 10% overrides going into that increased contract.
Second, the overrides are back in the form of a “bonus” now for qualified Coach’s Corner members. (Same thing, just a different word) So while John’s trying to spin that Coach took things away – my personal commission contract has gone up 15% for travel sales I personally produce. (60% to 75%) and qualified Coach’s Corner members also get an additional 10% bonus on everything earned. (YTB Travel and shopYTB)
That being said – what do you think anyone’s chances are of helping poor John understand that Ms. Diane has John and the rest of the cronies to thank for getting all worked up about YTB not complying with California law?
It’s not even slim – it’s none. Nobody has a shot of turning this question into anything other than Coach screwed Diane.
And the reason why I can remain calm – cool – and collected about it is because I can see the entire picture. John’s spin (or question) doesn’t change what actually happened and what I know as fact. The trick here is to file John spin where it belongs – in the trash because it’s not only bogus, but I put most of the blame on John personally for what Diane and the rest of our fine company had to endure over his pipe dream that YTB was breaking California laws that didn’t even exist.
That my friend, is the real scam.