The lady asked for our CEO by first name like she knew him. I asked who was calling and she matter of factly said "courtney." I said, "Courtney, where are you calling from?" She said she was calling from Houlihan.
I felt she was deceiving me into getting our CEO on the line.
Just got a call from a guy and asked for my boss' name who's the president of the company I'm working for. I told my boss the name of the caller and since the name didn't ring a bell, he said to put the call to his voice mail. When I went back to tell the guy that my boss is in a meeting, he said in a very arrogant manner "I tell you what, I'll give you my number, it's 312-499-5900 to give to (first name of my boss)". Good thing I researched this number on the internet first before doing anything further...
this is a scam, same entry as below and a complete waste of time. will write an editorial submission for newspaper and see how long it take so ride the blogs.
appreciate this website gives me a place to at least attempt to stop this type of business practice.
ps you can return call and ask for their ceo voicemail as well. it is at least satisfying
To all the people that claim Houlihan Smith is a "SCAM"
I had the pleasure of having a position at Houlihan Smith in the headquarters in Chicago IL. I think I saw one comment on here that said "those guys must get paid per phone call they make." That is not the case and I think any Research Associate (Prospector) that works there now wishes it was that way.
Each RA there averages a little over 350 calls a day in hopes that he/she can reach a business owner to find out what kind of state that business is in. These are not sales calls - they gather information to see if Houlihan Smith can be of assistance to help them climb there way out of an economic crisis.
Now for the business owners that they actually connect with on the phone. The RA finds out what any business may be trying to accomplish to improve the overall state of the business. It is approached with a sense of "professional arrogance" because many of these business owners think they have it all figured out and do not need assistance. They may not have another "way out" by continually speaking to traditional banks and get turned down, time and time again for funding. Especially in the economic climate we all currently face. Business owners do not know there are other ways to accomplish what it is they are looking for (raising money or to sell the business for what the company is actually worth). That is why Houlihan Smith is around. To help business owners find another way by taking an objective look at their overall operations.
I am no longer employed with Houlihan Smith for my own reasons (very little pay for the amount of work put in). It was a tough job and I applaud all those that still put in the hours they do and make as many calls as they do to reach out to the business owners or CEO's of small to mid size businesses across the country. They are there to help, not to annoy or come across as rude.
Houlihan Smith is NOT a Scam - They are licensed properly for the work they do and more receptionists, gatekeepers, etc. should give them a chance to speak with the CEO or Owners because it could be imperative to your job and lively hood if there are financial hardships going on with the company. Houlihan Smith literally saves companies in the small to mid size market. They have proven this many times over since conception in 1996. So you cannot hate until you have all the facts.
Sincerely,
Former Employee and Prospector of Houlihan Smith
They may not be a scam, but they certainly don't act in a professional manner. The sales reps are rude and discourteous. They continue to call, even after being told by the company's owner not to call here again.
Here's what we do now:
When they ask if the owner is in, instead of answering the question, we simply ask "who's calling please?" The rep will reply with a name, probably fake, but not the company. That's your first clue. A legitimate business caller will almost always say "Bill Smith from Worldwide Widgets"
So, you then ask what company they're with. (Remember, it's your phone, and you're in charge of the call, not them. You don't have to follow their script.) They'll then reply, usually in annoyed tone "Houlihan Smith". Then you simply "Please hold" and put them on hold. That way you waste some of their time.
Works great. I've actually had them stay on hold for a minute or so, then call back. "Oh, I'm sorry, he didn't answer, let me try that extension again" and then quickly put them back on hold before they can reply. :)
It's also foolproof in that if it really is Bill Smith from Worldwide Widgets, you've answered in a polite and professional manner and you can pass the call along.
Note to telemarketers: Don't want me wasting your time like this? Simple solution, DON'T WASTE MY TIME BY CALLING ME! (Especially after being told to stop calling)