Globals Research Innovation & Development (GRID) posted an Advt for Franchisee Investment. The Advertisement stated “Franchisee Investment for Rs3.00 lakhs and profit of Rs9.20 lakhs per year for “FIRST VIRTUAL INTERVIEW PORTAL FOR IT/ITES”. Contact – 90360 32327 / 93423 30666.
GRID is located at #363, 1st floor, 16th Main, 4th ‘T’ Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore – 560041. Telp No – 080 41554144 / 93430 30003. GRID is represented by some Trust as well as some Management officials. The CEO is S S Prasad.
SQUARE n CUBE is located at J.P. Nagar, Bangalore
Website: http://www.grid.net.in/ http://jobrace.in/
Contact Numbers: SS Prasad – 90600 06100 //// Email: ssprasadceo@gmail.com
Smitha Moorthy (alias Pooja Moorthy) – 90360 69000 //// Email: hrm.jobrace@gmail.com
GRID is into the business of Research and Development of IT / Electronics.
I took an Area Franchisee (for Kengeri, Bangalore) from GRID in the month of February 2016. I paid the amount of Rs3.00 lakhs as Franchisee Fees in 2 equal Instalments of Rs.1.50 lakhs each on 1/Feb'2016 and on 01/Mar'2016 respectively.
Smitha Moorthy (alias Pooja Moorthy), Manager (HR) talked and explained the details of how the Franchisee will do the visit to the Engineering colleges, offer Training and Project Training programs to the current batch students as well as the previous passed out students. Thereafter, SS Prasad showed me a ppt of how the Franchisee model works and the concept of JobRace (what is called as Virtual Interview).
Smitha Moorthy is also taking care of SQUARE n CUBE, could be related to GRID/JobRace in some way.
Nowhere during the discussions, there was a mention that the Franchisee amount is non-refundable by both Smitha Moorthy as well as by SS Prasad, thou they state it was told verbally.
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RECEIPTS FOR THE PAYMENTS MADE AND NEITHER HAS THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED.
I kept on asking for the Receipts as well as the Agreement verbally as well in my mails sent to both of them on regular basis. After writing and requesting to them for couple of months ie in August’2016, I was given the Agreement. I did not sign it as I had read it and understand the terms mentioned in it.
The Agreement was done on a plain but letter head and not on E-Stamp paper as the amount paid was in lakhs. No receipt was issued but I was told that the details are mentioned in the Agreement. When I read the Agreement, there were lot of aspects and conditions, which were not told to me. Neither they gave a draft copy to me to check before it is finalised. I wrote back to both of them seeking the clarifications and I have not received any response in writing from them despite my reminders to both of them.
For example: Non-refundable fees; Issuing of JobRace Membership cards; Business is run on pre-payment basis; Amount getting reduced with every transaction; validity of the Agreement; etc.
THIS ITSELF SHOWS THEIR TRUE INTENTIONS OF HIDING THE FACTS AND THE DELAYING TACTICS IN GIVING THE AGREEMENT AND ENSURING THAT IT IS SIGNED BEFORE THE FRANHISEE STARTS WORKING.
I worked almost for about 6 months (mid-March to Sept’2016). I kept updating every month about the results as well as how the Area Franchisee is really doing. I did not earn even an average amount of Rs10000/- per month from the day the Franchisee is taken. Based on the support and guidance given from time to time, I (along with my support staff – Savitha) did the Franchisee work diligently and performed the tasks sincerely. However, there was no acceptance of the Engineering students to the Virtual Interview, Project Training. Since the charges for the Training were on the higher side, the students could not afford it, as they would have to ask their parents/relatives for financial help or other reasons too. However, the objective to provide suitable jobs was lost therefore. They should charge the candidates for providing employment apart from Training charges.
I also requested them to give me some other Franchisee details, which I can check and correct/amend myself. Not even one Franchisee they could refer or direct me to them.
Since 6 months had passed and I should have earned atleast Rs4.5 lakhs as per the projections given, but not even an average of Rs10000/- could be earned on a monthly basis. Hence, from 1/Oct’2016, I stopped working on the Area Franchisee as the efforts put in was not bringing in the desired financial returns, I requested them umpteen times to return the Franchisee Amount and they have flatly refused to return it. Nowhere in the ppt shown to me does it mention that the amount is non-refundable against the Fees mentioned. Only the Agreement states as non-refundable, which I received only in August’2016, rather than in March’2016. So I could see the dishonest ways in which they tried to delay it considerably, for the reasons best known to themselves.
They kept on changing their programs and Fees Structures for the project training and Virtual Interview, which still did not find any acceptance from the students.
Then, GRID tried to get the Business Associates program to help me to get my Investment back - who will in-turn pay me an one-time Investment of Rs15000/- to Rs25000/- towards Business Associate program. Offcourse there was commission earning to the Associates on meeting some targets. Despite getting lot of enquiries (about 50+), none of the Business Associates were not ready to pay the Investment and neither ready to accept to work on the targets. This plan too did not work and this was informed to both of them.
Further, SS Prasad and Smitha Moorthy told to work on Recruitment-cum-Training activity for JobRACE only but through SQUARE n CUBE, where Smita stated that the candidates will be called for sourcing and screening of the candidates at the Franchisee Office and then sending them to SQUARE n CUBE office for further action. Again here too, there was a Membership Fees from Rs500 to Rs1000/-. Smitha also ensured to take care of few aspects, like providing laptops, salary of some resources.
Since, there was no Agreement signed on the earlier GRID/JobRace franchisee, I asked couple of clarifications and on the support being provided from SQUARE n CUBE. Also, if some MoU is to be signed between us to go ahead. To this, SS Prasad and Smitha did not respond despite my several reminders.
As a last resort, they told to give some advertisement and sell the Franchisee. I told them since the Franchisee itself is not working, on what basis I should go ahead, then they told me to just advertise it and don’t tell them anything but direct the enquiries to GRID office. If that be so, why don’t they
advertise and settle it. They were not willing to do this, despite they getting enquiries during the earlier phase and they could have tried to do their best in helping me out. But they did not want to.
In between they took the names of ‘TRUST’ and ‘MANAGEMENT’, and they were not ready to give me the names and contact details of any of them, as they told they cannot give it.
THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT TO DO THE BUSINESS, ONE HAS TO DO THINGS DISHONESTLY. For example: to get the student database, you have to grease the palms of the Training and Placement Officer (TPO) of the Institutes. Do some back-door entries of the candidates for the companies to earn some money and what not.
ALL THIS SHOWS THE WAY IN WHICH THE BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED ON LIES, DECEIT AND FALSE REPRESENTATION OF FACTS.
There is a lot of documentation in the form of mails, word docs, etc, which if required, can be shared.
I would therefore request you to see how best you can follow with the company and help me in getting the Franchisee Amount back to me. Thanks for your help, in advance