At the last count this thread has been viewed 573 times, 74 of them this evening alone!
I’d like to thank all the other students in the class of Jan 09 for the kind words of support, and the people who have posted for their input. If you’re yet to post, your opinions matter and we have fought wars to defend our sacred right to air our opinions without fear of reprisal. We look forward to hearing what you’ve got to say.
I HAVE REQUESTED, IN THE PRESENCE OF WITNESS, THAT GEORGE COME INTO THE CLASSROOM ON MONDAY TO APOLOGISE FOR SATURDAYS BULLYING OUTBURST.
I was extremely upset at being bullied and threatened on Saturday morning (just before an exam) but I don’t believe anything is served by posting in anger so I thought I’d take the rest of the weekend to go for a walk and calm down.
I had started Saturday as a happy customer. However George’s words rang in my ears and caused me to review; promises made at the time of purchase, inconsistencies in the bullying tirade I was subjected to, and the less than perfect nature of VIYs business practices. My opinions are just that, opinions. But the response that airing them has drawn from George has led me to look at some facts that should also be in the public domain so that potential customers, current customers, and all other interested parties can get an understanding of the kind of service you can expect.
At the time of George’s outburst I was the only person on the course whose user name on this forum is common knowledge amongst the class AND staff. I wrote a review of MY experiences in the early weeks of the course. A review in which I praised George and his team. I believe that Joe was not able to provide the standard of instruction I would expect, but I have also stated my unequivocal approval for Mark, Simon, Steve and Brian. I even said I liked George. That’s changed.
On Saturday morning George came into the classroom, launched into a bullying tirade against me, and issued a series of veiled threats to the class, the basis of which was the content of my original post.
George this IS bullying. If you had a problem with me saying what I think it would have been far more courteous (and indeed professional) to speak with me in private. You choose to threaten me in front of my classmates. I have requested you apologise to me in the same situation you attacked me in. You have yet to do so.
George claimed that:
1. One of his competitors had ‘tipped him off’ that his course was being reviewed in a less than positive light on this forum.
Suburban Plumber responds -So you knew of the forums existence but weren’t reading it? That would also suggest you weren’t using the forum as a sales tool yourself. Bit remiss wasn’t it? It’s your name above the door after all.
I and the subsequent posters on this thread all view my comments as positive in nature so I’m shocked to hear these totally unfounded claims.
2. His competitors are using the post that started this thread as a sales tool.
Suburban Plumber responds -As if I believe that! I myself had told George (conversation of last week of Nov 08) I was calling VIY as the other thread had had a few positive comments about HIM in it despite a fair amount of whingeing. The other companies whose reviews I read on the forum did not receive nearly such positive feedback.
3. George claims he had to justify himself to prospective customers who had called and asked him if he was the ‘sweet talker’.
Suburban Plumber responds – Once again I find this hard to believe, but George will of course be able to provide evidence of this conversation. My professional opinion (former sales director and sales trainer) is that this is ‘sales 101’ (i.e the newbie’s class), if he were really unable to overcome such a concern he would never have been able to raise the capital to start VIY.
4. He threatened that if we posted negative comments about VIY, external assessors would read them and it would make life more difficult for us at our assessments.
Suburban Plumber responds – How dare you threaten us, and expect to do so with impunity?
This threat also raises an interesting question; in our phone conversations George told me HIS assessors would be travelling to review my work.
So which is it?
A claim that external assessors have a negative view of VIY, in which case their must be a question mark over his business and training practices? My original post only mentions a one thing I wasn’t happy with, and lavishes praise on the teaching staff. The other thread has been live since 04-04-08.
Or
He himself misled me as to the process by which assessment takes place to influence my decision to book a place on the course?
5. He also claimed this wasn’t a veiled threat.
Suburban Plumber responds – So it must be a direct threat then ‘gorgeous’?
Now then there are a few other things that are worthy of exposure to the ‘sunlight’ of further scrutiny.
Part P
George told me that included in the course was my Part P certification which would allow me to wire new installations within houses, AND certify the work of other trades people. NOTHING was said about joining trade body’s, further assessment, or further fees. I don’t seem to be alone in this understanding. I have also been told by Joe that Part P would enable me to issue PAT tests on tools and installations, I now have no idea if or if not this is the case. Joe added to this confusion and resisted attempts to get a straight answer. Every student I have spoken to seems equally confused as to just what we’ve been sold. What’s your definition of mis-selling?
While we’re on the subject of alleged mis-selling………
1. I was told, by George, that I would be able to have my two days of assessment done the in the week following the course. Now I am being told that this is not the case.
2. The website lists the course as being 400 hours of tuition 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday.
From the VIY site –
IT HAS TO BE AT LEAST 10 WEEKS - City & Guilds state that the course should consist of 400 hours of teaching. This is equal to 40 hours per week x 10 weeks. _(If you choose a City & Guilds course lasting less than 10 weeks you are probably not getting the certificates you require for a career in plumbing.)
However that is not what is being delivered. Class has never started before 9.30 and rarely makes it beyond 4.30.
Lets take a look at the maths
2 hours less than advertised every day = 10 hours per week.
10 hours per week X 10 weeks = 100 hours ie 25% of the course!!!!
3. The course materials were 4 WEEKS late. Unbelievable I know!!
4. As pointed out by
wot-no-joe the steel we paid for was not present. If the steel supply company had indeed sent the wrong stuff surely it is VIY’s responsibility to send it back rather than pass on defective materials to its customers?
5. Tools are frequently of dubious quality, welding torches that have bent spindles making them difficult to adjust.
Today I saw the confidence of a student sapped by his inability to set the flame to the right setting, never having used the equipment before he naturally assumed it was something he was doing wrong, as soon as he moved to a bay with a torch fit for purpose his was able to take advantage of the excellent tuition Mark and Simon give in lead burning.
The Low Carbon Steel has provoked several comments on this thread it wern’t easy. But it wasn’t made any easier my VIY issuing worn out Pipe-threaders that strip the threads as soon as they cut them.
Need I go on?
6. George came in and told us that he had sacked Joe, the rights and wrongs of his telling us this aside, if as stated at the time the company had ‘had problems with Joe before’ that surely shows prior knowledge of Joes training not being to a sufficiently professional standard?
So what’s the next step?
If as we all hope, there are credible explanations for all of the questions I have raised I look forward to hearing them. I have asked George to apologise for his outburst. An apology I am yet to receive. So at present I hold out little hope.
Over the next few days we’ll have explosive new revelations about VIY and more so much more!
Stay tuned.
Your pal
The Suburban Plumber