A letter from former Amway UK employee Simon Dobson

Dear Jerry and Mandy,  

I read with interest the posting on the website which prompted me to respond.

I am not sure whether you will remember me, but a couple of years ago I worked in Sales alongside Branka Jurcic and Tracey Burrows. Towards the end of my time with Amway I was working closely with IBS and shadowing Ian and Jean Lawson (Hope they are well?)  

I will be honest and frank, I have no loyality to IBS, yourselves and certainly even less to Amway. It is clear to me from working in the UK office, that Amway operates anyway it pleases and I am 99.99% sure that your theory on being a scapegoat is the most accurate account for what has happened.  

Before people question my reasons for writing, yes, there is a part of me that wishes to damage Amway and that is because of the way they treated me and my friends in the business and the detrimental effects it had on my life, my family and my career.  

|To give some background, the marketing department for some time had been having key elements of peoples jobs moved across to Europe (Germany) and this left some people looking for things to do. Suddenly, an investigation was launched that lead to the entire (bar one part timer) of the UK marketing department being suspended and fired. I was a bi-product of that and was kept on suspension for 5 months. What kind of a crime would warrant that kind of punishment? Well - Joke emails between friends, some a little risqué but no different had you looked at anyone’s computer in the Amway building, even the senior management, as these came to light at the tribunal and were no different to ours. Its also became apparent, when taking them to tribunal that we were fired before we were suspended. We heard a mail from The right hand of God himself, the one and only Mr Mark Beiderweiden that we were to be fired straight away, however, the UK felt it prudent to follow the charade of  HR protocol, and string us along for 5 months to fire us anyway. It was such a thought out process that I met Mr Ben Woodwood when handing into the office my appeal document, that he had not been made aware that I had even been terminated. I know of lots of members of staff who were ‘pushed’ out the door – offered payment to leave quietly (after signing a disclosure of course!) and I also know the cohort manner in which Amway never told IBO’s what had happened to those members of staff. It was almost like they had been lost in a black hole! (nuff said).  

Just another quick point of conjecture, I was fired for everyday joke emails, yet Branka Jurcic who was sighted for bullying by three members of staff got a warning. Where does that fit with Amways zero bullying policy? My conclusion, is that they make the rules up as they go. 

I just wanted to state for the record that I do have some ill feeling, but also wish to state that I still have belief and pride in the way I represent myself and treat others.

I have no doubt at all that you are scapegoats for a company that is taking on water and trying to get rid of weighty objects to stay afloat.  During my time at Amway, I was Privvy to many conversations regarding yourselves and Pat and Greta where the general feeling for you was more of contempt as you dictated what you wanted for your business and if I am honest, some senior management did not like your attitude. They were waiting for any opportunity to do something to discredit or even get rid of you.  

Their New love and energies were to be diverted into N21 and the fast growing Britt organisation. Fast growing, because some addresses had 25 Ibo’s registered to them none of which were really contactable in the UK. Great business sense when 25 copies of Amagram get printed and posted! But those groups were the favourites, Amway worked closely with Network 21 on their new systems, which to me resembled stacking, which I believed was against the rules but who was I to ever question why? 

It also does not surprise me that the DTI could not find anyone who knew the business model. Me, Branka and Tracey knew the plan and bonus scheme , Tracey left because of Bullying, I was fired to reduce headcount and Branka bailed like a scuttling Rat the minute a situation occurred in which she could be deemed incompetent to her peers and professionals from the DTI. Probably the best moved she could have made though. And where were the likes of the ‘old’ school like Andy and Sharon Norman? Speculation is, that they also disappeared into a vortex!

 I cant lie and say I liked everyone I met, but I met some really great people and some well just kinda sitting around their own rears, but no one deserves to dedicate themselves, push themselves and invest time and their families time into something that can so easily be trod on by people who sit pretty in big houses never worrying how they are going to pay the mortgage or put their last twenty quid into a car to make it to a meeting. (Hello Van Andel and De Vos!)

 I hope you get justice, as I feel you have been dropped from a great height by a company that in essence, You, Mandy, Pat, Greta and all the IBOs before and now, made. Without the IBO’s Amway in the UK would be nothing and Amway would have not had a UK affiliate.

 Amway spent every day pushing its values down my throat but never once has it adopted them itself.

If you need anything or have any questions please let me know, I cannot be sure I can help but will if I can.

 Best regards

 
Simon Dobson.

Fomer Amway UK Sales co-ordinator

See Jerry and Mandy's website.