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Ph group have been calling my company up to 3 times a day for over a year! I have told they on several occasions I am not intrested only to be told they will not remove me form there database and a new person then makes contact trying to bully me in to making an appioment as that is what they get paid off very very forcefull and rude staff dont deal with this company.
Please please don't have anything to do with this company, you are correct they will bully you as they are totally ruthless and without scruples. They use rollover contracts, a fact which they keep well hidden and they then sue you for thousands if you fail to give the 42 day notice required.
Agreed. Contracts such as these should be illegal. Any company that requires these type of contracts does not a have a product or service valuable enough to earn revenue ethically.
Agree, salesman got very stroppy when he didn't get a sale, said he would see himself out and he had come all the way from Essex just to see us (funny really), claims they got ask by BT to do their voice message, but they declined as BT did not have a good enough reputation (even funnier), but wonder what BT make of this claim. Avoid like the plague. Probably see Matt Alwright interviewing them on Watchdog soon.
What a awful experience we just had. Absolutely horrendous sales staff, using bullying tactics to try to nail a sale.
We are small company based in Yorkshire, two Sales reps came to visit us offering there full services. The product itself is very good, however the way it was delivered was very poor. I was often called 'MATE' by one of the sales rep. When i mentioned the product was too expensive they suggested they replied with 'We new you would say that, because your company is small, don not worry about payment we can ignore it for 6 months!'. Which is a load of rubbish! The Sales rep then said to one of the managers 'see you outside' because we decided the service was too expensive!
I would not recommend them, they are cowboys and need a lesson in customer service!
Whatever happened to your situation?
I had this company visit me and I found that the rep really new his stuff about our company and the way we could use the service, he even helped us resolve a telecoms issue we have been having for a long time. We didn't however take up the service as the cost was a little too high for us . But I recommended it to one of my clients who now uses it and has had really good feedback from his customers. It's not for everyone but my experience was a good one.
I live in New York, and I own a transportation company for the elderly. I had one of their sales reps come and see me at my office, and it was a total joke. Don't get me wrong, the sales guy was fantastic, and did an amazing job explaining their services and how it would benefit my business. He even did a complete return on investment for me, and even took that one step further by giving me projections that were very low ball numbers, so that it could be as realistic as possible. I was getting very excited about the services, and then he played me the "demos" that his "production team" back in Manchester, UK put together... which is where the companies true colors came out! First and foremost, what they do to put these "demos" together is border line illegal in my opinion. When their inside sales team in Manchester called me to schedule the meeting, they were so incredibly unprofessional and rude, that I really didn't want to have the sales rep come to my place of business in the first place. I honestly only took the meeting because he said that he would keep calling me and calling me until I said yes, so I agreed. What I didn't know about this entire conversation is that they were recording it to use for their "demos". They do this so you can hear what your customers are going through when you put them on hold. They then take that same exact call, and remove what your customers are currently hearing, and put in what they COULD HEAR while they are on hold if I use their service. Unfortunately for the sales rep that came to me (and let me stress that he does not have any involvement with creating these demos), they completely fabricated my "custom demo". The call that was used was actually a recording from a completely different business, but while the callers where on hold, they put the ON HOLD MARKETING that was created for my business on that call. When the sales rep finished playing the demo, he looked at me and asked me what I thought? I told him that it was very good, but that wasn't my company on that call. I could instantly tell that he had no idea based off his facial expression, and it really probably was the first time he found out that the company was creating fake calls to WOW their potential clients. The rep immediately started apologizing about all of it, and stated that he was completely embarrassed about the entire situation. He then called his supervisor "Nigel" on the phone to explain what was going on. I asked to be put on speaker phone so I could hear the conversation, and he gladly said "absolutely", because the poor sales rep had no idea that they were creating these false demos. His supervisor "Nigel" answered the phone, and he had a very strong British accent. The sales rep explained in complete detail with total professionalism exactly what happened, and instead of Nigel being shocked and saying there must have been a mistake, his exact words were "come on mate... don't worry about those details. Your job is to sell, not make excuses for your poor performance!" He then said "Like Mark always says, do whatever you have to do to get a sale! By hook or by crook!", and then just hung up the phone on the sales rep. I asked the sales rep who Mark was, and he said that Mark is his Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, which I couldn't believe that this was their hierarchy mentality. The sales rep continued to apologize to me not only for this entire incident, but also because he completely wasted my time. I own 3 separate businesses, and have been the CEO of my companies for over 30 years, and I have never heard anyone with a legitimate business model say that their mentality is "By hook or by crook"! Before I could even say anything, the sales guy said "thank you for taking the time to see me, but I am not comfortable selling you this service, or anyone else after what I just heard." I instantly gained a lot of respect for that sales rep, but for PH Media Group as a whole, I feel sorry for anyone that works with them in the future and uses their services. My only advice to anyone that is approached by them, just hung up the phone, but before you do, tell them that if they do not delete your number from their system, you are going to report them to the US Government, and make sure that they do not do business in our country anymore.
All in all. The sales rep was amazing, honest, and genuine, but the company is ran by con artist. I really hope that sales rep is no longer working with them, because I guy with that much integrity should be with a company that is not trying to decisive their clients on a daily basis. Based off the look on his face when this happened, I would guess that he is no longer working with them, and is happier some where else.
what was the reps name
I worked for this company back in 2015 and I can absolutely agree with this statement, a very bully sales style with repeated calls to customers who basically tell you to [censored] off! For employees, it was your job on the line every day, if you didn't meet the impossible targets you were out the door. I decided to leave after 4 weeks as the pressure was ridiculous to sell such an unwanted product. From an insiders perspective, avoid them, it's nothing but a massive con!
Please be careful when dealing with this company as they roll you over into a new 3 year contract without any notification. If you must take out a contract with them (and they are really expensive so please don't even consider it), then cancel the contract immediately ready for the end of the term so that you can't be rolled onto a new one. People leave companies and new staff often don't realise that the contract is up for renewal; this company send you no notification whatsoever, they just quietly and slyly roll you over into another 3 year contract. It's immoral and wrong.
This has just happened to us! It's such an unethical way to do business! Beware!
I was treated very badly by this company as an ex-employee... I was treated differently due to race, racist comments were made towards me and in general. When I reported these the entire team I worked in were pressured to back the company instead of myself. It was a drug, sex and ego-fuelled environment. Not surprised to hear these comments above.
Hi, Sorry to hear of your experience. Do you know if anyone has been successful in 'getting out' of their hidden 42 day notice roll over clause?
These guys have been calling the company I work for, for a long time now. On a number of occasions we've told them we're not interested and to stop calling us. They leave it a while (a couple of weeks or even months) then start again and argue with us when we say we've told them previously that we're not interested. At times they've been very aggressive.
I would strongly recommend you do not deal with PH media group as they use several low and underhanded means to sell and keep you in a contract. When this contract was signed the sales representative made a big deal about crossing out the 3 years contract to a 12 month contract when I told him I did not want to sign up. What I didn't see in the small print was this was a rolling contract so it continued into a second year, this company does not send any statement of accounts, invoices or any formal notice of the contract rolling over or of payments made so 1) it goes under the radar 2) you have no contact details for them. We sent an email in the 3rd year cancelling the contract and 6 months later when we saw direct debits were still be taken we cancelled the direct debit (this happened to be 20 days before the new year contract was due to start) and within a week they contacted us the first communication from them in nearly 3 years, first by accounts telling us the direct debit had been cancelled and then by the sales department telling us we needed to give 42 days notice before the start of the new yearly contract. When I informed them we had sent an email 6 month ago to cancel it but had heard nothing from them I was told they had not received it and as we were within the 42 days before the new contract starts they will start legal action if we did not pay for another full year £1942 or agree to see a sales representative to agree another plan. I am currently being threatened with legal action and expect to be served notice shortly of court proceedings judging by the solicitor letters I am getting. Stay safe and do not use this company they cannot be trusted!
Hello. Our company is based in Singapore and we ran into the same scheming tactic by them. May I know whether you finally managed to settle this without losing to them? Possible to share some tips?
We have just called to cancel after I thought a 24 month contract and been told the same about the rolling contract. Not sure if this is legal without giving us warning that it is about to roll over?
Hello, We are in Singapore and are facing the small issue too. What was your outcome?
We are in Singapore and would like to know too!
Hello, Did you lodge a complaint with CASE? These thieves have offices at Anson Rd. Please lodge a complaint.
how did you get on with this as we have just spoken with them and pretty much got the same answers as you have written.
we are now in the same boat did you get an outcome
As per reply have just come across this rolling small print on back of contract that was not advised upon
This company calls us every couple of months. I just tell them that the party they're looking for is unavailable. When I ask what this is in reference to they refuse to tell me specifically, they lie and say they met my VP in England. My VP has never been to England. What a crock of [censor]. They lie and say they've talked to him a few months ago. All these people do is lie to try and get past me, but they will never get past me. I'm an excellent gatekeeper!
This company has been calling us frequently since January this year. The caller's name changes, sometimes John Angus, usually John Anderson (it sounds like the same person!). The company name varies from PH Group, PHMG and variations on that theme. "John" now hangs up as soon as I ask the company name. We are registered on the Telephone Preferential Service (TPS) so should not be getting these calls at all. I have asked for our details to be removed as their product is of no interest to us at all but just get rude remarks or the phone cuts off. The next step is to raise a complaint with TPS, however they withhold their number now. It showed on one occasion in January to be [protected], but it came up as anonymous today.
My company has just been stung with PH’s 42 day rule. After reading the reviews online this appears to be nothing more than a scam. I would be interested to hear from anyone else currently in the same situation. Take my advice and avoid this company like the plague.
Would be great to hear the outcome! The are trying to scan us too with the 42 day rolling contract rubbish
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/unfair-terms-explained-for-businesses-full-guide#subscriptions-and-automatic-rollovers this is a useful resource. they are flouting the Consumer Act of 2015 with this hidden clause. Please make a formal complain. lets get this stopped!
Had a great experience with PH Media, always helpful and service is prompt, product is quality and works well for us.
The service is not the issue its the hidden 3 year roll over close thats the issue!
did you ever get a result we are in the same boat
Have had a horrible experience with this company, top to bottom. Very pushy salesman and I kick myself daily for agreeing to a contract with this company. I was an [censored]. Three year contract, way too expensive for what you get, took 3 months of back-and-forth for them to get names pronounced correctly. I demanded to be let out of the contract, but their "best" offer to be allowed out, despite my complete and utter dissatisfaction with the service and product, is still over $4000 which will put an awful strain on my budget--although the "generously" offered to continue the service so I can get my money's worth. Please. Worst business-to-business experience in my 11 years as a business owner. Avoid this company at all costs, or it will cost you thousands of dollars and endless headaches. Would give them zero stars if possible.
Unfortunately zero was not an option to select.
We too have been unaware of the rollover contract for a further 3 years if we did not give 42 days notice prior to the end of our contract. We have not been contacted at all by the company and this clause was never pointed out to us. I too have asked for a copy of the supposed e-mail sent to me the day after signing the contract. This contract is clearly designed to catch consumers out, otherwise why have it. Broden Lloyd, Barrowford
We are fighting the same battle. please share your progress
Any update ref Contract renewal with PH media
Does anyone have any experience of these crooks actually winning a court case against customers caught out by the rolling contract situation? I represent a company that was caught out by this and we did give 42 days notice and confirmed a date to close the contract. But they then came back later and are trying to take proceedings against us, with threatening letters issued by a micky mouse lawyer in Walsall.
We have also fallen foul of PH Media automatic rollover contract. I have searched every avenue to find out if this is legal, and thrown everything at them that I found out, but it seems ambiguous, I think you'll only find out if you go to court. The telephone message hadn't been working for some but they had no idea, they admitted that they could have made more of an effort to keep in contact with us. Which I shall use as this could imply breach of contract.
The problem seems to be that it's a business to business rather than a business to consumer contract, a consumer to business contract would have made this an unfair contract and therefore would not have held up in court. There are many avenues you can go down with a Business to Consumer ARC. Having researched this matter it seems that ARC's are illegal if you have less than 10 employees (as we do) and cannot be enforced.
Ofcom banned automatically renewable contracts for residential and small business consumers from December 2012.
After much precious time spent dealing with this company they did offer 30% discount. Which we declined.
After I cancelled the contract initially (not being aware, as I should have been of the 42 day cancellation clause - automatic rollover contract) I sent the equipment back, which they signed for. I know they were annoyed that this had got past them. I believe by accepting the equipment back they have accepted the cancellation?
We have also had the threatening letter from the lawyer in Walsall, they are a Commercial Debt Recovery company.
I have yet to find any information from anyone who has been taken to court by this company, it would be interesting to hear from them.
I am hoping that if it goes to court I can gather enough information against them to to get there claim thrown out.
Wish me luck.
Hello hazel,
I am in the exact same situation having received the first solicitors letter. I think that PHMG are in breach of contract as they have not provided the service for which they contracted to. I am also investigating the unfair contract act as I have been told that peninsula were doing the same but lost in court so no longer pursue in such a hard nosed way. lets keep in touch. regards
Richard pierpoint
Good luck ! we have also just been told that we did not put a 42 day notice in. I have asked them for our contract as we do not seem to have that. I am too investigating to see if this contract i fairs and legal. Please let me know if you find anything out and i will do the same.
Any update with PH Media 42 Day Contract renewal. Any advise form your end would be appreciated
we are in the same boat, did they ever bring you to court
Also got ripped now by PH media. They're requesting over $4, 000 to cancel my contract. Can I just ignore them?
Any update ref legal action by PH media
I just had the dreaded call with PH Media. They also told me I owe $3500+ since I missed my deadline a month ago. This is absolutely a horrible company to work with. They want to send a guy named John out to my company a month later to work this out with us. They refused to do anything over the phone except send John out. Stay away from this company. They just bully you. We are going to fight this, so I will keep everyone posted. If anyone has been to court with them, please let us know.
Hi Tony. I’m having the exact same problem. Did they take you to court?
Just experienced the most aggressive, abusive call from a "Jonathan Edwards" from this company ringing for a colleague claiming "if you mention it's Jonathan Edwards they'll take the call" - my colleague didn't recognise this person nor the nature of the call and therefore didn't take it. Responding back, I asked what is was in connection with and he demanded to be put through again claiming "how does he not understand?". Due to his aggression, I hung up and he proceeded to ring back about 20 times in a row, profusely demanding to be put through.
Absolutely disgusting behaviour - I hope this company collapses.
ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS COMPANY IS (RIPPOFF!
JAMES FLETCHER IS A BULLY, STAY AWAY FROM PH MÉDIA
Most reviews are old. PHMG is still a scam with ruthless and unethical sales. Their 3 year auto renewal with no confirmation is ridiculous and buried deep in the fine print. Negative option billing is outlawed in many places. They are threatening and heavy handed. DO NOT use buy their services if you are an honest and trusty business.
PHMG promised a service after multiple high pressure sales calls, we unfortunately decided to try them and after multiple problems with their service not working at all or not working correctly they blamed the phone service, our IT, our office employees and everyone else despite complaints from our staff on several occasions spanning several months. They continue to call daily and insist they are right, we are wrong and they will bill us for the balance of the 3 year contract term. Absolutely the worst experience we have had as a company and persistent time wasting conversations as they call pressuring us to renew/ continue service literally every day and sometimes multiple times a day. Today alone I received three calls in a row from the same sales person/ customer service rep. If they do not like your answer of "NO" they will continue to call daily until they get a yes. High pressure, terrible customer service and basically a scam. Much like a timeshare type company- please be aware of this company. Do your own research on line BEFORE you sign anything with them-also FYI their 3 year contract is renewable indefinitely unless you cancel in writing. I hope this helps someone seeking their service.
What a scam! PHMG maybe an international company and all, however they are the crookest organization to deal with by small business owners unaware of their unfair, very unfair practices. We are a small printing shop in San Diego, CA and signed up with them on July, 2019. When the pandemic hit we called to cancel the service in order to conserve cash and be able to survive. They absolutely denied this possibility. I insisted on the cancellation and we were firm on it... they just gave us a "no charge" quarter... what a joke... we ended up paying for 90% of the entire contract and produced only one announcement. Now they are saying my contract automatically renewed on July, 2022 because of no cancellation. We cancelled back in 2020 retarded! See how they are doing in Australia...
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/audio-company-please-hold-removes-alleged-unfair-contract-terms-for-small-business-customers
How did you resolve it? I am in same situation. Cancelled 1.5 years ago and have email proof. They say we didn't cancel in time and rolled contract over another 36 months
HELP
same problem
how did you get out of this
how is this legal
THIS COMPANY IS A COMPLETE RIP OFF!
THIS COMPANY IS A COMPLETE RIP OFF!
DO NOT SITN A CONTRACT WITH THESE CRIMINALS!
They will sign you up for a 3 year contract and quietly auto renew without consent. Unless you cancel the contract 42 DAYS before the auto renewal, you will be automatically renewed for another 3 years. If you are lucky to finally get rid of these people you can no longer use recordings you paid for. It's licensed. They us small print to hide their practices.
How did you ever resolve? I am in the same situation
No, we haven't resolved ours either. I would NEVER use this company. I am putting our cancellation and on AUTO RENEW FOR MY computer to send them notification every single day from now until the end of our contract so that they cannot say they didn't get it. We do not have any of their recordings on our lines now, so we will not accidentally be auto-renewed. WORST COMPANY TO WORK WITH!
I would love to know how some of you faired with this company. Unfortunately we are in the same boat. We sent our cancellation to them 1.5 years ago. They said we couldn't cancel, we couldn't do a buyout, then said if we cancelled, we would have to pay the remaining of our contract. So I let the contract run it's course. I expected the contract to be completed and now they say we didn't send in a cancellation before the 42 day period. Which is false, we sent it in several times by email 1.5 years ago. It should be on file. They choose to ignore your request and choose to keep debiting your account. They are horrific. I would like to know how others handled this situation. I won't allow any company to hold us hostage at all. This is insane that they can operate in the US this way.
I have been trying to terminate my contract for 4 years! I finally talked them down to a one year contract and was told I had to call on April 20 to cancel before the auto renew. I called on April 16th and was told I was too late and that the cancellation should have been done 12 days prior. I am at the end of my rope with these people. I haven't used the service in about 5 years.
I asked if it could cancel now, with an effective at the end of my contract period, meaning I would remain under contract and pay the bill for the next 12 months but be done after that. I was told that I can not, unless I wanted to pay the full amount now for terminating... even though I would be terminating service for NEXT year.
I don't know what else to do except try to get them to write all the shady and pushy policies in an email vs over the phone. They have no accountability to a phone call. I'm hoping I can get a little further and away from their double talk if it is all in writting.
They don't answer emails, either.