I won! Oh, wait, maybe not.
I got a call the other day from a place called Healthtek Enterprises (according to my call display) asking me to participate in a survey. The woman I spoke to wasn't clear about what it was about, so I asked her to clarify, and she simply stated, "it's about products in your home that clarify the air and your environment." Um, okay, shoot.
After the five-question survey (that were not at all the type of questions I expected with regard to the topic,) the representative happily informed me that to thank me for participating, I would be entered into a draw to win a prize. They'd be calling me back if I won. I thought, "I'll probably be hearing back from them, then."
Sure enough, this afternoon I got another call:
Me: Hello?
HT: Hi, is this Rebecca?
Me: Yes it is.
HT: Rebecca, I'm calling from Healthtek and you participated in a phone survey for us the other day. Do you recall doing that?
Me: Yes, I think so.
HT: Well, I'm
calling to let you know that you have won our daily draw for your choice between
two prizes - an all-expenses paid weekend trip for two, or a set of high-quality
knives. Which would you like to choose?
By now this just smacks of some weird scheme, and I wanted out. But on the slim chance that it could be for real, and to see what would happen if I went along with it, I decided I'd go for the knives, (since I never did get any for Christmas.)
Me: Um, okay, I'll go for the knives.
HT: Okay, we'll send them right out to you. In the meantime, we'll have someone come and explain to you about our air-filter system and it's benefits.
Me: Hold on, someone's coming here to
do some kind of demonstration?
HT: Yes, that's how we get our business, is through word-of-mouth.
Me: Yeah, I don't think so. I just...
HT: Thank you - *click*
Me: ?!
So I'm guessing I don't get my knives then, you bastards??
I did a little preliminary research and found that not only do they apparently not have a website, but I found these comments on a message board:
HealthTek Enterprises is a legit company that is in the air purification business (check out the TSE). Yes, they have telemarketers calling at all times of the day, but what company doesn't these days??? If you take a 30 second survey your name is entered in a draw that will take place in September.
Then they call back to say you were chosen as the winner of either a portable BBQ, a set of steak knives (incl. the wood block) or a 3 night stay at one of 80 hotels located across Canada. Only catch is you need to sit through a 1 hour presentation when they deliver the prize you have chosen.
We didn't think 1 hour was too much time to spend, considering we will now be spending 3 nights at the Grand Okanagan Resort in Kelowna over the July long weekend, courtesy of HealthTek Ent. And we didn't even have to make a purchase. This is no different than sitting through a 1-1/2 hour timeshare presentation to get a free rental car while you're in Mexico.
Work the system - it gives you a few free perks here and there and makes life more exciting.
I did check the TSE, or TSX as it's better known, and there is no listing for this company at all. (I did find listings under "Vacuum systems - home sales.") My suspicion is that that particular post was by someone from the company itself, or someone who did not end up getting their trip in the end. What benefit does the company have to demonstrate their product to someone who does not buy, then pay for them to go on a weekend trip at a nice hotel?
The healthtek prize is your choice of a portable bbq, steak knoves, or hotel gift certificates. The catch is that they have to hand deliver the "prize" and demonstrate their "indoor air quality system." I don't know how legit this is, but I would check with the BBB before allowing them into your home.
Healthtek Enterprises NEVER gives away the trip - they always say they are OUT of trip packages - and offer the block of knives instead. My daughter lasted six hours as a telemarketer for this bogus company and they never paid her. They will try to sell you a $10,000 vaccuum with some slick salesperson.
Maybe they are legit, but their poor marketing "techniques" turned me right off. If your product is of any quality, there is no way you should have to be offering bogus vacations and crap prizes just to get yourself in people's houses to sit through a demo about your product. And you DEFINITELY don't offer someone a prize and then don't follow through because they don't want your product information!
If that's how you have to do it, I would question the validity and quality of your product.
So here's my "word-of-mouth" for them: Avoid this ridiculous company!
