6 ms·

Groupon Fires Sales Rep Who Threatened Bad Reviews for Business Owner

108 points by antr 13y ago

mathattack 13y ago
They were very quick to determine that it was an isolated incident. I'd be interested to see if any more of this surfaces. Of course I'm sure being stupid enough to put extortion into email is isolated.
Oculus 13y ago
That sales rep. more than deserved it though I'm surprised Groupon's training didn't even prepare him for the hang ups. Shows poorly on both of them.
- greenyoda 13y ago
  If he's a sales rep who cold calls people, he's probably experienced dozens of hang ups a day in the year he's been at that job. Something must have pushed him over the edge that day. Either that, or he's done this to many other people, but this is the first time someone called him out on it.
  - Oculus 13y ago
    My guess is the latter.
  - 001sky 13y ago
    Either that, or he's done this to many other people... --seems more likely. dude comes off as a bully.
- mathattack 13y ago
  Nothing can prepare you for hang ups. But how you react to it shows your character. And if you can't handle it, find a job that doesn't require cold calling.
- bdcravens 13y ago
  He could have been well-prepared. That doesn't give him the emotional maturity to deal with it. An employer's role isn't to turn a child into an adult. I can be taught about the reality of being rejected when I ask a romantic interest for a date, but in the end, my response when rejected boils down to character.
pchristensen 13y ago
Looking forward to people writing about how this is indicative of corruption to the core, Groupon is a scam, this is a face-saving coverup, etc.
- kevin_rubyhouse 13y ago
  Are you suggesting that Groupon is a scam, or suggesting that people will demonize Groupon because of this one sales rep? If you do think it's a scam, then why?
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - nolok 13y ago
    He's making a generalization about people making generalizations. Dog chasing his own tail and all.
  - brymaster 13y ago
    > If you do think it's a scam, then why? https://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=grouponzi&start=0 https://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=grouponzi&star...
ececconi 13y ago
He's also deleted his linkedin, twitter, and instagram. This guy had no ability for recourse after this story broke. Let's hope that he doesn't have this kind of lapse of judgement in the future. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andy-johnston/41/81/119 http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andy-johnston/41/81/119
- beedogs 13y ago
  Something tells me he won't be working in an Internet-related field in the future, at least as long as this story sits around the top of a Google search for his name.
  - a5seo 13y ago
    Given that he listed SEO as a skill on Linkedin, perhaps he'll have an easier time than most at "managing his online reputation," as a certain NPR sponsor likes to describe the practice.
orillian 13y ago
Is Groupon still a thing? I could have swore people all agreed years ago that it was a business model that ate it's own tail. As for the rep, getting caught being a jerk has consequences regardless whether Groupon is just trying to save face.
- jtreminio 13y ago
  I've been mostly on the sidelines for Groupon, and realize most companies that sign up don't realize that it will most likely end up being a negative for their income. However, I do know a few places that have made very good use of groupons. One example is our local eat-in movie theater. Tickets usually go for $9. Groupon ticket is $5. Customer saves $4, but movie theater makes up for it by selling overpriced (crappy) food and alcohol.
- lingben 13y ago
  There is apparently enough retailers that simply don't know any better.
- rorrr2 13y ago
  Groupon is a 6.5 Billion dollar company, and it's doing pretty well financially. The stock is growing. https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&chvs=Logarithmic&chdeh=1&chfdeh=0&chdet=1376950962512&chddm=175168&chls=IntervalBasedLine&q=NASDAQ:GRPN&ntsp=0&ei=rZoSUriUAeGrwAPjywE https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&...
  - joelrunyon 13y ago
    "Stock is growing" & revenue numbers are different than actual profit of a company. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/groupons-growth-problem-sales-or-profits-2013-06-28 http://www.marketwatch.com/story/groupons-growth-problem-sal...
liquidcool 13y ago
"Threatened?" If you read the comments in the original HN story, you'll see he made good on his threats and kept reposting bad reviews after they were taken down. He was pretty vindictive about it.
- djim 13y ago
  yea AllThingsD didn't really get the whole story.
- fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6229410 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6229410
spdy 13y ago
Sounds plausible to get more deals, all those sales persons are only accounted for deals per day/week/month. And if you are not performing as needed you can look for another job elsewhere.[1] Getting payed minimum wage + extra on deal volume (which is not that high anymore) you encourage people to use shady moves like this. [1] http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2012/08/working-groupon-isnt-what-it-used-be/55701/ http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2012/08/working-gr...
- nolok 13y ago
  I agree with your point, but sadly I would like to add that this is the case for a large amount of companies hiring sales people for similar jobs, it's not restricted to groupon. Having worked in the "mass web site production for soulless company" at one point in the past, this is also why you can end up with terrible un-doable projects with ridiculous timelines that the sales department sold, they're not dumb, they get their commission and now it's your problem if it fails. If they did not sale, then it was their problem for failing a sale. Didn't realize how terrible of a job it was until I left. Yippee
- bdcravens 13y ago
  As it went down, even the bad reviews really don't reward the sales process. He received very firm no - he didn't say he'd post bad reviews if he didn't receive a sale, but retaliated after the fact. Additionally, it doesn't seem that he used bad reviews priorly posted with future leads ("don't let this happen to you ...") All in all, his actions were those of a bratty punk, and didn't directly come out of the base + commission model. You see this model everywhere: hire young kid who'd be lucky to work in a mailroom or as a waiter, and give them opportunity to earn big $$$ via results. In Houston it may be oil-related; Florida vacation properties; SF, Internet companies. Some achieve success through thick skin and tenacity. Immature response, especially when it has nothing to do with achieving sales objectives, is not a foregone conclusion.
  - afriesh123 13y ago
    google cached his linkedin profile. sigh. i feel bad for the guy, you just can't escape a bad move made in a consumer-facing market like this. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:X821DtR3QlUJ:www.linkedin.com/pub/andy-johnston/41/81/119+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:X821DtR... i challenge the comment above - that this reflects groupon hiring people who are "lucky to work in a mailroom or as a waiter". if anything, they are over-hiring for their roles - this guy is a UC Berkeley grad, which implies a certain level of intelligence. making sales like this could easily be done by a boiler room in manilla.
npguy 13y ago
What we need, is a Groupon model without Groupon in the middle. The idea is explained here: http://firespotting.com/item?id=2320 http://firespotting.com/item?id=2320
jacquesm 13y ago
The sales rep is bad, but groupon is bad too. After all this guy worked there and was not supervised properly, he should have never had the chance to behave the way he did. Groupon would need to show that they properly supervised this guy and that they instruct their new hires on what is and is not permitted to get a company across the dotted line. Firing the guy is just an easy way to distance themselves from him and his behavior, hopefully it does send a message to the rest of the groupon sales force.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]

108 points by antr 13y ago

They were very quick to determine that it was an isolated incident. I'd be interested to see if any more of this surfaces. Of course I'm sure being stupid enough to put extortion into email is isolated.

Oculus 13y ago

That sales rep. more than deserved it though I'm surprised Groupon's training didn't even prepare him for the hang ups. Shows poorly on both of them.

greenyoda 13y ago
If he's a sales rep who cold calls people, he's probably experienced dozens of hang ups a day in the year he's been at that job. Something must have pushed him over the edge that day. Either that, or he's done this to many other people, but this is the first time someone called him out on it.
- Oculus 13y ago
  My guess is the latter.
- 001sky 13y ago
  Either that, or he's done this to many other people... --seems more likely. dude comes off as a bully.
mathattack 13y ago
Nothing can prepare you for hang ups. But how you react to it shows your character. And if you can't handle it, find a job that doesn't require cold calling.
bdcravens 13y ago
He could have been well-prepared. That doesn't give him the emotional maturity to deal with it. An employer's role isn't to turn a child into an adult. I can be taught about the reality of being rejected when I ask a romantic interest for a date, but in the end, my response when rejected boils down to character.

pchristensen 13y ago

Looking forward to people writing about how this is indicative of corruption to the core, Groupon is a scam, this is a face-saving coverup, etc.

kevin_rubyhouse 13y ago
Are you suggesting that Groupon is a scam, or suggesting that people will demonize Groupon because of this one sales rep? If you do think it's a scam, then why?
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- nolok 13y ago
  He's making a generalization about people making generalizations. Dog chasing his own tail and all.
- brymaster 13y ago
  > If you do think it's a scam, then why? https://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=grouponzi&start=0 https://www.hnsearch.com/search#request/all&q=grouponzi&star...

ececconi 13y ago

He's also deleted his linkedin, twitter, and instagram. This guy had no ability for recourse after this story broke. Let's hope that he doesn't have this kind of lapse of judgement in the future. http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andy-johnston/41/81/119 http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andy-johnston/41/81/119

beedogs 13y ago
Something tells me he won't be working in an Internet-related field in the future, at least as long as this story sits around the top of a Google search for his name.
- a5seo 13y ago
  Given that he listed SEO as a skill on Linkedin, perhaps he'll have an easier time than most at "managing his online reputation," as a certain NPR sponsor likes to describe the practice.

orillian 13y ago

Is Groupon still a thing? I could have swore people all agreed years ago that it was a business model that ate it's own tail. As for the rep, getting caught being a jerk has consequences regardless whether Groupon is just trying to save face.

jtreminio 13y ago
I've been mostly on the sidelines for Groupon, and realize most companies that sign up don't realize that it will most likely end up being a negative for their income. However, I do know a few places that have made very good use of groupons. One example is our local eat-in movie theater. Tickets usually go for $9. Groupon ticket is $5. Customer saves $4, but movie theater makes up for it by selling overpriced (crappy) food and alcohol.
lingben 13y ago
There is apparently enough retailers that simply don't know any better.
rorrr2 13y ago
Groupon is a 6.5 Billion dollar company, and it's doing pretty well financially. The stock is growing. https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&chvs=Logarithmic&chdeh=1&chfdeh=0&chdet=1376950962512&chddm=175168&chls=IntervalBasedLine&q=NASDAQ:GRPN&ntsp=0&ei=rZoSUriUAeGrwAPjywE https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&...
- joelrunyon 13y ago
  "Stock is growing" & revenue numbers are different than actual profit of a company. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/groupons-growth-problem-sales-or-profits-2013-06-28 http://www.marketwatch.com/story/groupons-growth-problem-sal...

liquidcool 13y ago

"Threatened?" If you read the comments in the original HN story, you'll see he made good on his threats and kept reposting bad reviews after they were taken down. He was pretty vindictive about it.

djim 13y ago
yea AllThingsD didn't really get the whole story.
fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6229410 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6229410

spdy 13y ago

Sounds plausible to get more deals, all those sales persons are only accounted for deals per day/week/month. And if you are not performing as needed you can look for another job elsewhere.[1] Getting payed minimum wage + extra on deal volume (which is not that high anymore) you encourage people to use shady moves like this. [1] http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2012/08/working-groupon-isnt-what-it-used-be/55701/ http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2012/08/working-gr...

nolok 13y ago
I agree with your point, but sadly I would like to add that this is the case for a large amount of companies hiring sales people for similar jobs, it's not restricted to groupon. Having worked in the "mass web site production for soulless company" at one point in the past, this is also why you can end up with terrible un-doable projects with ridiculous timelines that the sales department sold, they're not dumb, they get their commission and now it's your problem if it fails. If they did not sale, then it was their problem for failing a sale. Didn't realize how terrible of a job it was until I left. Yippee
bdcravens 13y ago
As it went down, even the bad reviews really don't reward the sales process. He received very firm no - he didn't say he'd post bad reviews if he didn't receive a sale, but retaliated after the fact. Additionally, it doesn't seem that he used bad reviews priorly posted with future leads ("don't let this happen to you ...") All in all, his actions were those of a bratty punk, and didn't directly come out of the base + commission model. You see this model everywhere: hire young kid who'd be lucky to work in a mailroom or as a waiter, and give them opportunity to earn big $$$ via results. In Houston it may be oil-related; Florida vacation properties; SF, Internet companies. Some achieve success through thick skin and tenacity. Immature response, especially when it has nothing to do with achieving sales objectives, is not a foregone conclusion.
- afriesh123 13y ago
  google cached his linkedin profile. sigh. i feel bad for the guy, you just can't escape a bad move made in a consumer-facing market like this. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:X821DtR3QlUJ:www.linkedin.com/pub/andy-johnston/41/81/119+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:X821DtR... i challenge the comment above - that this reflects groupon hiring people who are "lucky to work in a mailroom or as a waiter". if anything, they are over-hiring for their roles - this guy is a UC Berkeley grad, which implies a certain level of intelligence. making sales like this could easily be done by a boiler room in manilla.

npguy 13y ago

What we need, is a Groupon model without Groupon in the middle. The idea is explained here: http://firespotting.com/item?id=2320 http://firespotting.com/item?id=2320

jacquesm 13y ago

The sales rep is bad, but groupon is bad too. After all this guy worked there and was not supervised properly, he should have never had the chance to behave the way he did. Groupon would need to show that they properly supervised this guy and that they instruct their new hires on what is and is not permitted to get a company across the dotted line. Firing the guy is just an easy way to distance themselves from him and his behavior, hopefully it does send a message to the rest of the groupon sales force.

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]