Alias Training "Divorces"

[rob_s]

I had some experience as a Grey Group "coordinator" and bailed (I think) about the time Paul transitioned to Alias.

There are certainly benefits to the "broker" model for all involved when it works well. For whatever reason, it seems hard to make it run well.

The coordinator gets a free class slot, maybe two, for their trouble.
The instructor gets to just arrive and teach, rather than deal with paperwork (not exactly a strong point, or something they want to be bothered with, for a "tier one" gun).
The student gets a single POC and fee.
The range gets exposure to new students as potential members.

instead what happens (in my experience)

The coordinator gets nowhere near enough communication from either the broker or the instructor. I asked every single instructor for an equipment list and every single one said "we'll deal with whatever the range has" only to complain later on about the range equipment. Not wanting to do your own admin is not the same thing as not doing a minimal amount to properly prepare. I saw this as a failing of both the broker and the instructor. Grey Group typically sent along a box of some amount of supplies but it was often wrong, missing things, etc. and clearly indicated that the person on the shipping end hadn't a clue and was trying to save pennies where they didn't matter.

The instructor doesn't know what he's walking into, and has to deal with things he should have had to. He also has to wait to get paid. and has no control over who shows up. That last bit turned out to be a problem for me and for them in every single class I took. There was always at least one full choad that should have been filtered out by GG but who was there because they had money.

the student gets mixed messages, often still gets hit with range fees on arrival, and may have trouble dealing with canceled or rescheduled classes, mostly due to bad scheduling on the part of the broker (like conflicting with themselves or other classes at the same range or in the same market).

The range gets hosed on fees, beat up and trashed, and blamed for everything by all of the other three parties.

[Mitch]

The company formed in the wake, Aztec Training, will be run by SMGLee...


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Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

I don't know any of the people involved in this. Is SMGLee running things a good or a bad thing?


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[SouthNarc]

For anyone who may be attending the Sept 10-11th Pat Mac class in Custer, SD... We are still over the 60 day period for a full refund (today). Having an email into them requesting a refund could possibly help with a CC company fraud complaint.

Might help... I wouldn't be surprised if they try to take the money and run.

The "60 day window" is invalid. If you guys remitted a deposit or full payment for a class that is now cancelled due to Alias closing the doors then you need to ask for your money back as Mac, Noner, me and Jeff don't have it. Mac hasn't been paid for the last four. If Alias is non responsive then what you need to do is contact your CC company. This is fraud....pure and simple.

[TCinVA]

This is fraud....pure and simple.

This cannot be stated enough.

[LOKNLOD]

You know, if I was going to make a list of 4 people to screw over and potentially piss off, I'm not sure I could come up with a worse set of choices without diving into the world of fictional characters.

[orionz06]

I don't know any of the people involved in this. Is SMGLee running things a good or a bad thing?


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It's more sad that the same beat ass model is gonna be used once again. Unless Aztec is gonna be different but I'm not sure I'd bet on that.





Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

[rob_s]

It's more sad that the same beat ass model is gonna be used once again. Unless Aztec is gonna be different but I'm not sure I'd bet on that.

It always struck me that the model *should* work, but that nobody involved ever actually knows anything about business and so doesn't really understand what is needed. People that are successful in business and understand business are too busy actually running businesses.

Instructors will need to take on their own admin duties to avoid this kind of thing happening, and that's not why most got into instructing to begin with. Nobody wants to do the admin, CC processing, range booking, marketing, etc. so everyone is willing to pay someone else to do it.

Clearly stated goals, responsibilities, and roles would be a good start.

[Eyesquared]

Doesn't Kyle Defoor just have his own company, complete with employees whose job it is to handle booking and logistics? Is this not practical for other instructors?

It seems to me that having hiring/firing authority over your loggies is the way to go, given they way things have gone so far.

[Casual Friday]

You know, if I was going to make a list of 4 people to screw over and potentially piss off, I'm not sure I could come up with a worse set of choices without diving into the world of fictional characters.

LAV I can outrun, but Pat McNamara and Southnarc beating on my front door demanding their money isn't something I'd look forward to.

[SouthNarc]

Doesn't Kyle Defoor just have his own company, complete with employees whose job it is to handle booking and logistics? Is this not practical for other instructors?

It seems to me that having hiring/firing authority over your loggies is the way to go, given they way things have gone so far.

It's not hard. I will do 32 open enrollment and 5 .gov classes this year. Two were with Alias.

So if I can do it anybody can.