"Hey Joe,
I have looked through the Metropolitan Magazine and see that Pohanka yet-again won. Being an ex-employee, (leaving on good terms), let me enlighten you on how they win. When it is time to vote, Pohanka e-mails all of it's employees and offers them extra incentives to provide names and addresses of friends and family to vote for them. The more names and addresses provided by the employee, the bigger the incentive they get. This is totally unfair to the other honest dealerships around that work just as hard and are just as good if not better than them. Why must they feel that they have to cheat instead of earning what they get?! I refused to do this each time that the email reached me because it is just plain wrong!"
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
62 comments:
Thats partially correct.. Also, all the winners are advertisers in the mag. Except for an individual person award. Compare the winners to the ad's in the mag
Our lives are full of scams by people or businesses looking for dishonest ways to "get ahead". The Lord sees this and will deal with this accordingly. Thank God that there are people out there that have integrity and know what's right. Surround yourself with people like this and all your endeavors will succeed. Support the businesses that are honest and you will recieve much more than just a product.
Furnitureland does the same thing. They give a bonus to the employee who fills out the most ballots.
I also know of a business that was at one time competition to mine that has won the Metropolitian Best of the Shore Contest. They encourage their members to vote for them somehow, someway and just like that, EVERY year for the past probably EIGHT or more years they have been "Voted" the best.
Boy, there's a real shocker. Just like Ed(Has he even got a pulse?)Thomas winning for "Best personal banker" from Bank of Delmarva a few years in a row. I can't think of anyone more impersonal. You know those employees were loading that vote also. He didn't get it this year , but guess who did? A Bank of Delmarva employee.
The incentive was to get the employees to fill out ballots. The hope was they would vote for where they shopped and yes worked. Not one person was told to vote one way or another. I was an employee there when this happened and I never felt pressure to participate or that I had to vote one way or another if I did participate. I thought it was simply a way to get people involved!
The ONLY way to get ink in the METROPOLITAN is to advertize with them. They try to compare themselves to other urban mags(Baltimore, Philadelphia, etc.) with no stories other than positive spin on their advertizers.
No articles on politics. No articles on the city itself. No investigative reporting and for that matter no reporting period.
They should run a disclaimer stating that "we are biased and report only what our advertizers tell us to print AND pretend this is news"
Not just Pohanka. One of our beauty salons is famous for 'padding' the vote. You want to deal with the best... word of mouth will provide the best referrals.
I am the person who puts out this "incentive" to the employees. We simply encourage every employee to vote and ask them to get there customers to vote, that's all. The Best of contest is always for a worthy cause and I resent the notion or implication that we cheat or tell our employees who to vote for. How is encouraging participation even close to scamming the contest, it not! Its not even against the rules! My guess is this former employee who "left on good terms" has different motives and simply wants to slander Pohanka.
This is completely false. My husband has worked for Pohanka for years, there has never been an incentive.
T too am a former employee.
There was no incentives for anythuing like that. Where are you geytting these sources
As far as this consumer is concerned...BFD???!!! Get a LIFE!
I've worked for Pohanka as well and I've never been incentivised. I don't know where this person is getting their info.
People are just now figuring out that this contest is rigged?? It's been going on for years...if you dont advertise you dont win.
DUH!!!!
Did anyone else get a phone call from the Metro this summer to validate your entry ballot?? I sure did - I was at the Tawes Clam bake when I did! You can only vote once and a certain amount of blanks must be filled in in order to qualify! The incentive at Pohanka was to get people involved, not cheat at anything. Whomever got thier panties in a twist obviously misread the email to put it nicely and did not leave on good terms! What a jerk to even imply that!
I work for Pohanka now, and the marketing guy simply says to fill a ballot.
Theres no incentive except to promote the place where you work. I wish there was an incentive though lol.
Where did you get this from, and wheres my incentive haha.
DID EVERYONE FORGET THAT THE STUPID CONTEST IS FOR EVERYONE. EVERYONE THAT SENT IN A BALLOT GOT AN INVITATION TO THE BEST OF PARTY WHERE THE PROCEEDS GO TO AT WORTHY CHARITY! THE MARCH OF DIMES!
This is simply not true. Pohanka encourages us to vote, they dont ask for names or addresses, they just ask us to fill out a ballott and send it in. They only ask us to participate in the contest and there was no incentive. I work for pohanka and my guess is that they win because they participate and they sell and service the most cars in our area. We also bend over backwards to please our customers, isnt that being the "best"?
The funniest thing was Robert Messick's office sending out an email asking Steeplechase residents to vote, when they repeatedly won't answer emails about things that might need fixing or attention. Then the add they ran talks about "service". Quality construction, yes. Service - no. Rude, rude, rude office staff. They redefine arrogance, even in the down market.
Who cares? The Metropolitan isn't a magazine anyway; it's just an advertising flyer all gussied up, with no substance to speak of, unless you realy care about pictures of some of the homes owned by Salisbury's own "elite."
It's a worthy toilet rag! You can tell that Postanka sent an e-mail out this morning giving a reward to everyone that put a post on this blog! (HAHA)
Scott Shwartz did it too
who cares about POHANKA anyway they dont sell american!!!!!
remember FORD CHEVY DODGE.....
And being voted best in the Metropolitan Mag means and gets you what?
Nadda. Nuttin. Zilch.
Who cares. It's a fluff magazine. Nothing more.
Some of you don't get it do you? Isn't this supposed to be voted on by the public and not employees and families and friends?! The Best should be just that...THE BEST. Voted #1 by the consumer!
I was awarded a second place in the Best Of contest one year and must say I hope they NEVER publish my business in it again. We still field phone calls from people just looking for a price because of the listing which has proved to be nothing but a royal pain in the a$$. For about five years after we were in the magazine we were hounded by the chamber people to join and refuse to because it is nothing but a marketing ploy to get you to join in the first place. The company we were second to joined and is in the magazine every year although their employee's and customers do nothing but complain about them! I lost all respect for them because of how they do business you might win one year but if you don't join the chamber it is highly unlikely you will win again.
Anonymous 11:36: You are absolutyely right.
Chris: I'll bet that Pohanka is quick to tell all of it's potential customers that they (Pohanka)have been voted "Best of the Best. Now that's misleading if the employees, family and friends did a lot of the voting!
Pohanka lost any chance at my business when they refused to give my wife a price on a van for HER without me being present. I didn't even need to be on the loan documents, she qualified all by her little self.
Look folks, don't waste one more minute contacting anyone about Metropolitan Magazine.
Anyone, and I mean anyone, who has the money to advertise with their magazine will be the best of best in any category.
It is the biggest running joke in our household when we see BEST OF BEST.
And that is the bottom line.
This has been a joke for as long as they have been in business. They have so many 'best' categories that everybody gets a little love. Before long there will be best paper clips and best potato chips. We see the 'best of' signs everywhere and just laugh because we know it's rigged.
I hope Pohanka gets it stuck up their ass.
I have purchased three Toyotas and one Mercedes from these people. I have always changed all of my own brake shoes with factory equipment.
One day I go in and purchase a set of front disc brake pads for $56 and two weeks later I go in and purchase the same pads and am quoted a price of $110.
When I refused to pay and questioned the significant price difference, I was informed, no account, no discount. Then, I emailed Pohanka's owner - one Sandy Fitzgerald - and never have gotton a response to date.
Frustrated, I went down to Pep Boys and bought my last set of Ceramic front disc brake pads - (first time not buying Toyota Brand) - and they charged me $35.00 which is a real deal, AND, PLUS, they don't squeak anymore.
I'm going across the bay for my next Toyota purchase.
That's what I did, I went to Jessup and bought a brand new truck for $2,000.00 less. I gavce them every opportunity to work a deal with me and they almost swore on thedir mother's grave that this was the best they could do. Knowing I was being bullshitted, I went across the Bridge and save a smalll fortune.
Wow what a lot of sore loosers!!! There are a lot of businesses that don't advertise in the Metro Mag that have won. I think it is a great marketing tool to have a contest for the best of the best to benifit a local charity and get attention to their magizine. It is a great list of businesses that it way more attractive that the phone book. I really wish that some of you people that write these comments would know your facts before you accuse others! cj
I wonder how many times the Liquor Dispensary has won Best Liquor Store? LMAO!
the 'Metropolitan Best on the Shore' should be renamed to, 'Metropolitan Best on the Shore that Advertise with Us'....
While the folks at Pohanka may be accused of playing to win, and being somewhat aggressive, unless they made copies of real ballots and submitted them, they aren't really cheating....now, I feel as though the real flavor of the contest isn't being shown, since they're making a contest of the contest. If we were allowed to go by the ballots submitted by genuine customers, THAT would be a true "best of" competition.
OH WELL, winning is everything to some people. Not just doing the best job that you can and serving your customers in the best way you know how.
The 'best of' contest was an advertisement ploy up until the point where people were winning and not advertising, therefore not showing up on the winners list. They say they dont do that anymore. A group of us came up with a deli called Cyclones Deli and voted it in with the help of our friends. We won and got a call congratulating us and asking us how much we would like to spend in advertizing. We declined advertizing and didnt make the list. The funny part is Cyclones Deli didnt exsist and they didnt even research that fact before they called us (it was one of our cell phones)
OMG!Those blue ribbons mean nothing.I appreciate whatever Metropolitan does for charities but its nothing more than a magazine-length advertisement flyer aimed at the uber rich.Some of the goods and services advertised are priced out of the reach of "normal people" and extensive photos of "social events" are nothing more than a whos-who collage of bored rich housewives.
And Pohanka?I own a Honda and the only time I have ever been a Pohanka customer is when I needed a replacement key.Heard too much about them and not good.
hey mardela, that's twice now just this morning i read something you wrote. you are full of opinion and no fact.
to all who didn't like your service at pohanka - did it ever occur to you that you just weren't dealing with the right person? I've been in many an establishment to find out service from one employee doesn't mean all of them fall under useless. I'm sure we could rant and rave about poor service at one point in time for most businesses. your hope as a business owner or manager is to weed out these employees to replace them with the ones that maintain the reputation you desire! as far as this stupid contest - who cares! The point is for charity, but choice. One simple contest to promote our local businesses and maybe have a little fun in the making has turned into a sour puss farce with sore losers and antagonists! Seriously! You people are out of your minds!
You are all missing the point...Joe views them as competition and, as such, they are to be demeaned. I like the Metro. Gives this city some appearance of "society" and class.
This comment is directed to the "owners" of Cyclone Deli: How did the Metro contact you? If my memory is correct, there is no spot for a phone number on the ballets! Sounds like a tall tale to me. cj
Not a fan of Pohanka here either. I emailed them several times in regards to a vehicle on their website & got the run around as far as getting a response back. Still no answer to date. Not a place I would like to do business with, regardless of the "status" bestowed on them by a magazine. Like someone else said, word of mouth will get you everywhere (or no where)!
anonymous 3:57,
Don't you dare put words into my mouth!
I have never considered them competition.
I don't know where you get your ideas from but before you ever speak for me, contact me and ask my opinion.
Remember, Idiot, Salisbury News isn't selling ad space.
This response is to blutojthetotmom, I am one of those women in one of those "social events and I am NOT a bored housewife, I am a hard working business woman who works very hard to maintain a business and give back to the community. Before you accuse anybody of something, know who and what you are accusing! cj
I worked at a well known automobile dealership on the upper Eastern Shore. One year I was contacted to let us know that we had won the Best Automotive Dealership on the Upper Eastern Shore. When we declined to advertise in The Metropolitan the category disappeared. This contest was a joint effort between The Metropolitan and The March of Dimes for years, with the MOD being the creator of the event. Several years ago the two organizations parted ways and The Metropolitan kept the name. I think the partnered with someone else non profit but I don't keep close tabs with such an underhanded bunch.
Yes, there is scamming going on at Pohanka on winning the Metropolitan dealer of the year.
I was waiting for my son to get his hair cut at the HairCuttery two years ago and heard employees talking to one another about it. The Pohanka employee and his girlfriend, whom worked for the Ford dealership, were talking to another Pohanka employee. That was two years ago and I didn't think it was right then!!
There difinitely is some scamming going on!!!
THATS FUNNY CAUSE POHANKA DOESNT HAVE A FORD DEALER .... HMMMM.....
Two comments actually....
CJ,I am sorry if I offended you personally with my "bored housewives" remark.Actually it was kind of tame compared to what I WAS going to say but thats beside the point.The fact is that most of the "regular" working class women I know just cannot relate to the women in the pages of the Metropolitan.Its not cutting you down,its just a fact.
Secondly,Metropolitan is NO competition for SalisburyNews.Anyone with enough bucks to buy an ad is "featured" in that magazine and everyone knows it.Sure it has pics of social events,but nobody I know goes to these "balls" or "galas".It is simply a vanity publication.Metropolitan serves no useful journalistic purpose,they do not provide local news or anything close to it.
BY THE WAY POHANKA DOESNT HAVE A FORD DEALER MAYBE YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT?
Anonymous 5:20,
WHAT'S EVEN FUNNIER IS HOW YOU FEEL THE NEED TO YELL AT EVERYONE!
who cares about the metropolitan ratings or pohankas rice junk they sell and so called service.after this winter alot of them stealerships out there on the north end of town gonna be giving alot of pink slips i would bet.how would all you ppl just like to have what they spend on electric to light the parking lots which now noone rarely even steps in to look at a new vehicle. buy good used american vehicles there is plenty of them out there .
ASAP Services enjoys a Tax Payer Funded Ad in the Metro! HoooHA!
Other honest dealerships ??? Get real.Every corner of the auto industry is corrupt and crooked.
Wow, it's pitiful how people are so quick to make statements without facts. That usually happens when you're too lazy to research the truth. I counted and there are at least 38 categories won by businesses that DON'T advertise in the magazine. And I know that every person who filled out a ballot was called to verify that they chose to vote. If the voter phone numbers weren't accurate, or the person didn't know anything about voting, those ballots were not counted.
Did any of you who are trashing the reader's poll actually vote? It's your choice. Either vote yourself, or don't criticize people who do. And by the way, it's a "Reader's Poll" so it would be natural for many of the advertisers to win because their customers are the ones reading the Metro. What's wrong with encouraging your employees and friends and family to vote? Who wouldn't? That's a no-brainer to me. As long as it's their choice, I see it as support for the team. And as far as the Metropolitan not being "journalistic". I don't think it has ever claimed to be a "news source". It's meant to help promote local businesses and give readers an insight on some of the things going on in this town. Besides its FREE! Is your newspaper free?? And do you consider it impartial and unbiased? Not hardly!!! Plus, the big city magazines are NOT FREE. So readers pay for content pages. You can't publish something that's full color like the Metro without having advertising to support it. Anyone with a brain gets that.
As far as Pohanka is concerned, no business is perfect, and I'm not employed by ANY car dealership, but I think that Pohanka has provided this community with many jobs and has done their part to give back to our local charities on a regular basis. My parents bought a van from them and my sister bought a car, and both had a pleasant experience.
Some people can find the negative in anything. Try looking on the bright side of life. You just might like it :) LM
Sbynews has all other forms of media beat. . . HANDS DOWN.
Come on folks, once I think about look at the following glistening facts.
Where else would SBYnews readers find the following.
1. When people inquired where to dine out all one has to do is read the reviews that were posted on this website. A few months ago several recommendations were lamented including Tapatila , and Tapatila in Seaford, and the other Mexican restaurant in the Allenwood shopping center. And let's not forget about La Tolteca being recommended to. And how about the fine food served at the Pittsville Fire House restaurant.
2. Was it not Sbynews that informed the public to expand their car shopping across the bay in order to SAVE SBYnews readers thousands of dollars?
3. Did Sbynews not recommend killer delicious Natan's hotdogs that can be acquired with a softdrink at Sam's for record low price of $1.78?
4. How about all of the money Sbynews has saved countless people by posting the gas prices at Sam's. I'll even go so far to say that Sam's dropped their prices even further because of SBYnews exposure.
No Damn Wonder That SBYnews media is rated as 'THE BEST THING GOING IN AND AROUND SALISBURY'.
By God they've earned that rating in my book.
The " Best of the Best" is a real crock of sh*t contest and the Metropolitan Magazine owners laugh their way to the bank every year while they sell tons of slick advertising to Salisbury's high-rollers and "wanna-bes". The big question is what is more legit, professional wrestling or the "best of the best" contest?
Metropolitan is nothing more than an advertising magazine. They have never claimed to be anything more than that, certainly not a real magazine. Maggie is the same on a smaller scale, all bought and paid for advertisements. You can even write your own article for the Metro if you choose to. After you've signed on to pay for advertising of course.
I can name at least 5 companies that I know of personally that stuff the ballot boxes with votes for themselves.
SBYnews is not the end all and be all of any of it. I would think Jow would agree that if you really and truly care to find out something for yourself, don't assume anything and actually ask the source. Um, wait! He said it in a comment on this very post. So don't take anyone else's word for what is or what isn't the truth. A real person, with real ideals will do their own research and come up with their own conclusions and not just jump on the bandwagon like a bunch of sheep. Kudos to the employees that stood up for their employer, and to those who didn't get a fair shake at any place of business and have nothing nice to say, well, did you let the company really know about your experience. My guess is no. There is no way for any business to right a wrong without knowing. Try owning a business and see if you can please 100% of the people 100% of the time. I'm sure there will always be someone willing to tell you about their bad experience, and one up to sharing their good ones? For every good, I'm sure you will find someone on the opposite side of the fence. Just a thought as there were both a lot of positive and negative comments delved into this one.
CB
Merritt Athletic Club did it too. Look at them now. Out of business.
it is really sad that so many people would jump on the bandwagon and post negative comments about something without actually doing research and coming up with their own opinions. It totally plays into the backwards and "small town mentality" that Salisbury gets insulted for on a daily basis. The Metro IS full of ads but however, has never claimed to be anything other than an advertising medium for businesses striving to educate local consumers about the services and products that they offer. If you are looking for a big magazine with lots of fluff and and stories about nothing other than the latest diet fad, go pay 5.95 at your grocery store. As for the Best of Contest if any of the people that posted negative comments had taken the time out to research the facts to back up their statement before they sounded like total idiots, they would have found that there are MANY companies that won the contest but have NEVER advertised. It would only make sense for everyone who won to be offered an opportunity to let everyone know of their accomplishment. Also everyone who posted a negative comment must not have actually voted because if they had they would have received a phone call verifying their ballot like EVERYONE did who filled one out. Which again just goes back to not knowing anything about what you are talking about. It's too bad that these uneducated people are holding Salisbury back from being the industry leading community that it could be on the Eastern Shore!!@!!
First of all, The Metro has never stated that they are a news source.
Second of all, I work for The Metro and I personally COUNTED those ballots. If a company chooses to ask their employees to vote, then I don't see that as being unreasonable. Many employees don't have to ask their customers because they are great companies.
I personally counted and called everyone that filled out a ballot...fake or not. If no one answered, then we called back a few days later. You are given 4 chances to answer and confirm. Some of the time, we are given fake phone numbers...which we don't count, or the person did not fill out the ballot; therefore, we don't count that vote either. You must tell us that you did indeed fill out the ballot. It does NOT matter who advertises with us. This is a "Reader's Poll." Plain and simple. Whoever has the most votes wins...advertiser or not.
Anyone who wants to see the votes can. We have them in our computer on a counting system and printed as well. So for those non-believers and people who want to wish that this poll is rigged...we have the results right here. All the ballots are filed accordingly and saved over the years.
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