Watch out for hotComm / 1st Works!

[Black Knight]

I really dislike making posts such as this one, but I feel it is my duty to warn people of prowlers and abusers out there in the trading world. No doubt, if you've spent any time in trading rooms, you've run across hotComm. I first found this company a bit strange because they are the only ones out there charging you, the end-user for the client connect software (most just charge the presenter - but they greedily charge at both ends). Their website and product offerings are also quite confusing in my opinion.

None the less, in my due diligence, I looked at their product and compared it against the (much more reasonably priced) competition. Now, I personally hate contacting companies with questions. Experience has shown that once they have your e-mail address, they just abuse it with endless spam (and some even sell it). And most are so eager to give you their sales script, they ignore your original question(s) anyway.

Well, 1st Works (the makers of hotComm), surpassed even this. Believe it or not, their over-eager sales rep Kevin Driscoll actually researched & dug up my personal phone number (not listed in my info request, my website, or even in the local phone book) and actually had the gall to call me in the middle of the trading day to try and push his point (and this is after he already received an e-mail from me stating I wasn't interested - translation: "good bye").

Perhaps I over-reacted, but I really felt downright stalked by this individual. I guess I needed to find out whether it was just him, or whether this sort of heavy-handed approach was "company policy". So I wrote to the president of the company, as well as the head of their marketing. Sorry to say, but they only confirmed my fears:

Andrei,
Thank you for your email.
Forgive me if I fail to share your sense of grievance concerning Mr. Driscoll's legitimate and diligent attempts to present the advantages of hotComm.
Please enjoy the less expensive service you have found.
If, with experience, you decide to reconsider hotComm, we will be pleased to make our proposals again.
But only by email.
Regards,
Nigel Spicer
President
1stWorks Corporation, creators of hotComm and Files2Phones

Wow...

-=Black Knight