I worked for Universal for 2 months. In the beginning, I was very motivated! The opportunity sounded great, the way they presented it. I wanted to run my own office in a few months, which is what they said would happen. I jumped out of the gate running! The first day-- they call "training"-- I went with a man that was very good at his job. I knew that I could be great, so I was excited to begin my new career. I soon found out that it was door-to-door sales & not much more. The only paycheck was $25 per signature, and there was bonus every week. At first, bonus was having your name drawn out of a coffee can,if your "production" per day met the right number to give you chances to get your name in the can.

They also told me that going on "road trips" was optional, but good experience. The word optional means "if you want to keep your job." The company takes $20 per night out of your next check, to help pay for gas and the lodging for the trip (even though we're out there making money for them.) We had to share a bed with another person to save them money, and many expenses had to be paid by the Team Leader up front, and they had to wait for a reimbursement check. The word paycheck was a dirty word, too. We had to get our checks (we were self-employed-- no workmen's comp or unemployment) from the office Manager. Not only was this a weekly barrage of excuses when the paycheck was different than the production for the week represented, but it was pointed out that I was not doing enough production to ensure that I'd get a check ( I had 3 weekly $0 paychecks in Dec 2007 alone ) When customers cancel, because they do have that option, we did not get paid for them, or they would be deducted from my almost nothing check (any commission job does this, to be fair )
They did get me a $500 advance (because I did not get paid for my deals) Thjey always blamed Consumers and Michcon, saying they did not process very many "because of the holidays."

I'm sure that someone moved through the program, but "The Man" in the Southfield office is still a Team-Leader after something like 18 months (and he's the example for success that everyone uses in training meetings.) I don't have 18 months and counting!!!