A number of clients have also reported a consistent decline in earnings from the ad scheme over the past few months.<\/p>\n
From figures supplied by one user, it’s evident that the scheme had a lot of ups and downs (despite consistent kilometer levels traveled), with a sharp drop off since the start of the year.<\/p>\n
![\"Satinsky](\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Satinsky-earnings.png\")
<\/a>Monthly earnings for one EWYD user travelling between 500-1000km a month<\/p><\/div>\n
Speaking to the Independent Group’s Consumer Watch, Satisnky CEO Albert Venter effectively confirmed the issues<\/a>, responding to queries about the decline in advertising fees since the start of the year.<\/p>\n However, the CEO blamed the declining fees on bad publicity and client fraud.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of bad publicity started happening,\u201d Venter told Consumer Watch. \u201cPeople started pulling their stickers off, and then sending us pre-dated photos to keep getting their fees, so we got fewer and fewer advertisers on board.\u201d<\/p>\n More telling, however, was the group’s aggressive push to get clients off of the mileage-based contract – which started in 2013 already.<\/p>\n A number of Satinsky clients told MyBroadband that the group played out an aggressive marketing push since late 2013 to get users to change from a EWYD contract to the EWYO contract.<\/p>\n This push included SMSes, email marketing and phone calls “every other week” trying to convince clients that they were missing out on potential commission on the EWYO model.<\/p>\n The marketing pitch involved clients being told they’re missing out on commission as an x-number of people had signed up to the scheme using their unique code.<\/p>\n However, after querying details about possibly moving contracts, one client was told the transfer of contract to a EWYO model was one-way, with no option to transfer back to EWYD.<\/p>\n According to Venter, the commission-based option of R3,000 per month per new client signed up still exists – something which was not communicated to existing clients at all. However, user accounts of this scheme are also not positive.<\/p>\n According to another user, at least 3 people to his knowledge signed up for the scheme using his unique code as early as February – one SMSed in 4 times in a week – yet none of them received call backs on the deal.<\/p>\n No call backs, no signing up, no commission. Similar reports have also surfaced elsewhere.<\/p>\n Accelerator rewards option<\/p><\/div>\n The other option is the rewards scheme – a Satinsky-owned scheme called Accelerator Rewards – which offers discounts and vouchers.<\/p>\n According to Venter, over 4,000 people have signed up to the Accelerator Rewards scheme.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we can get 7,000 people signed up for this rewards programme, we\u2019ll have the biggest car sales force in the country,\u201d Venter reportedly said.<\/p>\n “We should have engaged more effectively with our customers,” Venter told Consumer Watch. “Lack of communication was the one mistake I made.\u201d<\/p>\n R699pm car business falls apart: report<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n SA consumers brace for July price shock<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nCurrent options<\/h3>\n
\nThe new scheme would also see members punting other products like insurance.<\/p>\n![\"Accelerator](\"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Accelerator-rewards-option.png\")
<\/a>More on consumers<\/h3>\n