Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2000
To: moving@avatar-moving.com
From: LaineGrant@aol.com
Subject: AMS-Forum Swappin' Leads in Jail
X-Hosted-By: http://www.avatar-moving.com
X-Legal-Notice: Please review the LEGAL NOTICE at the end of this message
X-Sponsors: Our sponsors make this possibleSign up for your **FREE** AMS-Forum Member Directory Listing in the Forum Resource
[ Return To The Hall of Fame ]Jim Clowers wrote:
> I have a question for everyone. We have had a large real estate agency come to us with the opportunity to do some business with them. What they are looking for is giving us their customers names (after the customer expresses interest in needing our moving services to their agents) and we call to set up appointments for surveys. If the move is booked, the agency will receive a fee based on the linehaul/hourly charge we charge the customer. This is for intra or local moves only. They already have solid relationships for all interstate business, which is were I would like to eventually go with this relationship. My question to you all is, since we are a regulated state, can we do this? I am uncertain and am treading in unfamiliar waters. They are not set up as a third party relocation company, which may or may not make a difference. We need to respond to this offer by next week, so I would appreciate any comments from the group.>Thanks.
Making new law. Used to be illegal to turn right on a red light. Common sense did away with that - in most cases. The reality is that referrals are rampant and dominate every aspect of the business. Legal or not, they are a fact of life - and are not the exception, but the rule. They also police themselves - if a real estate agent refers a client to a mover that messes up the move, you can bet they are going to hear about it. Just another case of a law, or at least enforcement of a law, being out of touch with reality. A bit like our national drug enforcement policy. We'd have to put 90% of the sales reps and many owners in jail on this one. Then cell mates could have the following conversation:
Drug User: "What ya in for man?"
Sales rep: " I took a lead from my local real estate friend and helped some people move. I paid the guy $50 and got fined and jailed."
Drug User: "Wow. I paid $50 for a vile and got fined and jailed too."
Sales rep: "Hey, did you know this prison is run by a corporation?"
Drug User: "Yup. And they gave $250,000 to the governor in his last campaign - soft money of course. No crime there, right?"
Sales rep: "Guess not. Good thing feds are looking out for our interests."Bob @ LGC
LEGAL NOTICE: Avatar Relocation Inc. may, but is not obligated to, monitor or supervise statements made by third parties on this Moving & Storage Discussion Group ("AMS-Forum"). Users or other third parties may post statements or information to this forum from time to time. Avatar Relocation Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy, appropriateness, legality, ownership or other aspects of such statements or information and EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS any liability for such third party statements under criminal or civil laws relating to defamation, intellectual property infringement, privacy, obscenity, or other areas of law. Also, at times, this forum may contain links to web sites maintained by other companies, individuals, or agencies. Avatar Relocation Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of information on such sites. Avatar Moving Systems Inc. does not monitor or review the content of such third party sites and therefore advises you that your access by link to third party sites is at your own risk.