MATCO TOOLS Franchise Complaints

4,850 thoughts on “MATCO TOOLS Franchise Complaints”

• http://www.facebook.com/matcotools?sk=wall&filter=1
  Wilder Morey
  Im curious as to why when I google Matco tools I find a video on you tube about a former Matco tools distributor complaining about how Matco does not actually provide the franchisee with customers like they are required to in their agreement, and at the same time I have had to call Matco to get a rep out to our airfield 3 times and the only response I can get from the tool truck is “I dont make enough money out there”. I shouldnt have to beg to get I tool truck out to my work so I can spend money on it. We are an airfield comprised of over 500 mechanics with zero Matco tool representation (not for lack of trying mind you, several of us have called Matco several times), we are not out of any truck range we are within a metro area and still no support. Very poor customer service

• http://www.facebook.com/matcotools?sk=wall&filter=1

  wow, and some people think there is ONLY one unhappy distributor ………

  Jason Neil
  ‎1500 distributors, and 1 person who blames everyone else for their faults, puts out a you tube video…not a bad record.
  March 22 at 11:04pm

• 1500 distributors??? I guess Jasons fuzzy math works if you count dbr spouses, remember this is the narcissistic little man who exaggerates everything including his income, sales on the truck, how many distributors LOVED him as a manager (many of them actually despised him) etc…He supports Jim Lager’s ideals but not Debbies (same) which make him look like a hypocrite.

  OH wait!! he also quit once before as a dbr to become a manager…

  then quit management again to become a dbr…

  there is 0 credibility there, Matco…he is all yours

• I own a 6s triple bay box. I own Matco Tools. I love Matco tools. How ever I can’t get Matco to come to my shop so Snap On is getting my business. Wish Matco could get someone in my area. The best Matco can do for me is have me meet a dealer in a another town. Wow. Way to go Matco! Im paying off my Box ASAP and Ill buy my tools from a company that can give me service. I would be more understanding if I was out in the sticks but I live near Minneapolis.

  WAY TO TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS MATCO AND YOUR DISTRIBUTORS

• I know their are many more stories that exist out there of GOOD people with GOOD credit who were misled by MATCO and possibly even had horrible acts of FRAUD as well as being lied to. I would like to see more stories like mine where Matco used FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS to steal the DISTRIBUTORS customers as well as FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS to terminate them.

  It is pretty easy to LABEL someone a FAILURE at your Franchise Opportunity when you take away all their customers and then do NOTHING after you made PROMISES of SUPPORT!

  But to create FALSE DOCUMENTS as a BASIS to terminate a DISTRIBUTOR who was trying and doing his best to be successful with the less than 160 customers he had left that Matco had given him is FRAUD in itself.

  Your day is coming Matco!

  Jerry will let the truth be HEARD!

  Big Corporations will be held responsible for the same acts of Bernie Madoff!

  I hope our COURTS give these Corporate Managers the same Judgements that Bernie Madoff got!

  Lying and using a Franchise Agreement which only benefits a Corporation WILL BE CHALLENGED and I WILL DO EVERYTHING in my power and FINANCIAL capability to MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS!!!

• Quoted from Deb’s post above…………..

  “Matco even called me back and offered a 6 month free run at it to try to get me in.”

  I think this tactic will be common place for Matco in the future. The word is definitely out there now. Matco’s pool of “fresh fish” is drying up and people are wise to this pyramid scam. Which is actually good news for current DBR’s as Matco is less likely to burn them without a replacement. (You can thank us later)

  I wonder how many will hand the keys back after their 6 month “test drive”? If they have an IQ above 75 it will be 100% !

• http://www.bluemaumau.org/there_place_truth_franchising

  We all know there is NO truth in Matco franchising

• Forbes May Adopt Franchise “Churn” In Rankings

  by Paul Steinberg

  After protests by franchisees and franchise blogger Sean Kelly, editors at Forbes said they may consider franchise “churn” numbers when compiling rankings.

  The naming of Snap-On Tools in particular sparked a firestorm of criticism, and Forbes said it will consider revisions to their methodology.

  For many years, the franchise industry has waged a civil war over the key issue of “success” rates. Franchisors maintain that so long as a unit does not shut down, it is deemed a “successful” franchise, while franchisees counter that a high churn rate is more relevant to determining if a franchisee can be “successful.”

• http://www.bluemaumau.org/node/11343/talk

  Add YOUR comments!

• Posted Thu, 2012/03/08 – 16:40 by Sean Kelly
  Now entering the Franchise Zone. Ye Lovers of Truth, Turn Back Now!  Have you ever wondered why even the major business and news media seem to perpetuate the same old franchise myths, nonsensical rankings and serious misinformation?

  I saw a brilliant example of this recently when Forbes released its “Top 20 Franchises for the Buck” and crowned Snap-on Tools #1 franchise.

  The award was based on the writer’s incorrect belief that Snap-on had zero failures in the past 3 years. In reality, the Snap-on FDD lists 12 pages of locations that “ceased operations” and were reacquired by the franchisor. There were 835 standard franchises and 225 “Gateway” franchises reacquired in those 3 years, according to Snap-on’s own FDD.

  Is Matco Tools ANY different?

• I’ve stayed out of the “debate” here for almost 5 months but am really beyond tired of seeing all of the posts by those who believe that more often than not, a franchise failure is due to the “lazy” distributor who doesn’t know how to run a business, ect.

  Can any of you posing this criticism over and over again say with a straight face that you truly believe that ANYONE getting into a franchise such as Matco would put up approximately $140,000 of their money (in what ever form that may be…. SBA or bank loan, savings, ect.) with the idea of being lazy and not wanting to pursue success? How rediculously stupid would that be? Yes, I personally sat back and said hmmmm…. let me see, what would be the best possible way for me to blow my life savings, lose my business, go bankrupt, wind up in a divorce, and have my home forclosed on….. I’ve got it! I’ll start a Matco Tools franchise so I can be a lazy bum and ruin my life! That’s the ticket!

  Wake up people. The sad truth in my case was that I had a pretty darn successful franchise in a lousy territory for about 5 of my 7 years as a distributor, that a year later, is in danger of losing the guy they suckered into taking it after me. I’m really not one to pat myself on the back but ONLY because I worked hard, ran my business well, and most importantly could sell and knew how to take care of my customers, was I able to be fairly successful where I should not have been. ONLY because I lost at least 40% of my customer base after the recession began in mid-2008 did I wind up in a spiral that just could not be reversed. That, as well as a number of changed or new Matco policies/programs that were introduced from 2008 on, which did NOTHING but help drive the proverbial final nails into coffin of many of us, contributed as well.

  The simple fact is that until you’ve walked in OUR shoes, you have no business critisizing any of us because you don’t have a clue as to what we went through or the reasons behind or respective “failures”. None of us wants to hurt our fellow distributors that are still out there but I fear that the only reason some exisiting distributors continually feel the need to fight back on here is to save their own skin instead of recognize that there is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. I wish my situation on no one but would really be curious to see what would be said if those same people had suffered the unraveling and destruction of their lives they we have.

• Thank you “OneOfTheDeceived”

  It has been more than easy for critics to rip me a new one…………..

  My husband watched as I devoted endless hours and funds to our business.
  My customers watched as business afters business shut down, hoping theirs would be spared, hoping THEY wouldn’t be next on the ‘lay off’ list

  I am a smart, intelligent woman that HAD Exemplary credit…………. HAD

  No one gets to be almost 50 years old and has exceptional credit without being a hard working and sincere individual. I have literally succeeded in EVERYTHING I’ve ever attempted except Matco.

  I did NOT fail…………………. Matco FAILED ME, and SO SO SO MANY OTHERS.

  It is criminal how they operate.

  Go ahead ‘boys’ make fun of the ‘girl’, tell me again how everything was MY fault, and how “some’ are just not ‘cut out’ for the business………….

  THEN answer the COUNTLESS OTHERS that have come and continue to come forward……………………

  WHAT? about them???

• Sounds like OneOfTheDeceived has had the same experience as I have with Matco.

  If only Matco would have given me more customers so I could make myself profitable and sustain their purchase average requirements!

  OH! What am I saying! They did give me 405 customers to call on on July 29, 2010 and I did have a 13 week purchase average above the Matco requirements for the first time in two years after in the last quarter of 2010.

  So why did Matco terminate me? Was it because I decided NOT to go to EXPO or did Matco feel like they had to terminate me because they realized that Todd actually wants to work and pay off his Franchise and become Profitable as a company again?

  I guess we will never know but you can be rest assured that the fact I owed Matco less than $1300 on my ENTIRE Franchise payoff had something to do with it!

  You see Bob Demers already had my replacement!

• Who the HELL created the IFA and VETFRAN and why do they get to solicit FALSE OPPORTUNITIES to new and unsuspecting recruits?

  Can you be successful in a Franchise for Matco or Snap-On?

  Is anyone going to prove that they are REPUTABLE COMPANIES with REPUTABLE OPPORTUNITIES?

  What is the percentage of successful candidates over a 10 year period?

  How many soldiers are going to sign up in these Franchises through ads like the one I found on the VETFRAN website which give the idea that this is a career opportunity when I know, FOR A FACT, that it is a career TRAP!!!
  ————————————————————————————————————

  Many Franchises Offer Financial Discounts and Training
  March 23rd, 2012| IFA

  Will Kosnitch was a sergeant in the U.S. Army with three tours of Iraq under his belt, a specialty as a Black Hawk mechanic, and a plan to make the military his career, according to CNBC.

  Until a bad back got in the way. With a medical discharge in the works, Kosnitch, 35, was panicked at the prospect of looking for a job. “I had been in Army almost 12 years; it’s hard to know anything else,” he told CNBC.com. “At first I thought I’d look for jobs working on aircraft, something I have experience in.”

  Kosnitch considered opening a bar or restaurant. “I wanted to be my own boss. I had worked hard in the Army, moving from private to sergeant; I didn’t want to go back to the bottom rung on the ladder.”

  Then he saw an ad for Snap-on Tools, the Kenosha, Wis., company that operates 4,200 franchises worldwide — and suddenly it all came together. “We used Snap-on in the Army, so I knew Snap-on’s reputation in the field,” he said. “And before the Army, I was an auto mechanic. Then I saw the deal they were giving veterans, and it was a no-brainer.” Read more

  ————————————————————————————————————-
  This article is linked to another article which presents the idea that Snap-On is a career opportunity. But how long have these guys that are in the articles been in business?

  I believe any company that BOASTS of having HUNDREDS of Franchisees sign up through the Vetfran Program should also show HOW MANY OF THOSE SIGNED UP THROUGH THE VETFRAN PROGRAM ARE STILL IN BUSINESS!!!!!

  How about posting all the FACTS!!! I think Matco should lead the way!

• I am outraged by this article!!!
  ————————————————————————————————————
  A Message From Dina Dwyer-Owens, VetFran CFE Chair
  clip_image001.jpg

  It is because the community of franchising wishes to honor those who have so bravely served our country that a special program called VetFran was created. With the cooperation of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Corporation, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, and with outreach initiatives to our country’s military and veteran organizations, the program continues to expand. More than 200 participating member companies have agreed to help qualified veterans acquire franchise businesses by providing financial incentives not otherwise available to other franchise investors. Veterans will get the “best deal” from these companies.

  I was offered an opportunity to lead VetFran, and as I accepted, the outpouring of support from the franchising community was amazing. Along with that, it further fulfilled the wonderful memories of the mission my father, the late Don Dwyer, started in August 14, 1991 during the Gulf War. At that time, more than 100 companies came on board as participants in the program to further the dream of veterans having an opportunity to control their own destinies through our free enterprise system.

  IFA’s Web site, http://www.franchise.org, has a wealth of information about the VetFran program, with the participating members included on the site. We continue efforts to promote the initiative in consumer and trade press outlets, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Small Business Administration, Congress, and military organizations, and encourage your company to take part in this very important effort. For a listing of the franchise companies participating in the Program, please view our Franchise Directory.

  If you are an IFA member company and would like to sign up for the VetFran Program, please click here. For additional information, please contact IFA’s Vice President of Communications and Media Relations Terry Hill at thill@franchise.org. We appreciate your continued support.

  Sincerely,

  Dina Dwyer-Owens, CFE
  Chair, VetFran
  ————————————————————————————————————
  Dina Dwyer-Owens is the daughter of the man that created an opportunity to feast on our soldiers who are in need of jobs. Dina Dwyer-Owens has at some point been given the opportunity to a chair on the Vetfran Program.

  Don Dwyer Sr. was the owner of the Dwyer Group at the time the Vetfran Program was created. Does anyone else besides me find that it is ironic that such a program (Vetfran) is created by an individual who OWNS Franchising Companies which is what the Dwyer Group is?

  So if the Vetfran Program was implemented by Don Dwyer Sr. and the IFA and his Daughter who is still involved in selling Franchises to Franchisees has participated as a CFE.

  WHO IS REPRESENTING THE FRANCHISEE WHO IS GETTING SCREWED BY THESE COMPANIES WHO OWN THESE FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES???

  As a previous Veteran of the United States Army and an experienced Franchise owner of 6 1/2 years I am becoming increasingly aware of who the IFA is and why the VETFRAN program was created.

  I think that the intentions of those who created these programs might be honorable but without having standards PROVING that these companies are worthy of having VETFRAN Participant status or PROOF that the opportunities they offer will provide for the needs of the soldier then VETFRAN and the IFA should be programs DISBANDED and REMOVED by our POLITICIANS!

  All I know is my experience with the Matco Tools, after serving three years for my country, left me with Matco STEALING my successful Franchise and creating FALSE DOCUMENTS to substantiate the FALSE TERMINATION of my Franchise.

  No one in the Vetfran or IFA seems to care about that though!

  I am calling out for these so-called reputable companies to be forced to provide proof that the Franchises they are selling MEET certain requirements or show certain statistics that give the Franchisee an idea of the success they might be able to achieve as a Franchisee for that Franchisor. 5 year and 10 attrition rates would be a good start. You know! How many Franchisees who start a Franchise are still in business 5 and 10 years after they start?

  Also another important factor is whether your Franchise Agreement with that company will have the same expectations as the other Franchise Owners and are they at an advantage by having a separate agreement.

  After all these Franchisors are stating in their ads they offer REWARDING OPPORTUNITIES with Financial Security and the ability to be Flexible with your schedule.

• Where is the HONOR in a Program that does not look at the FACTS of my case and decide for themselves if that that Company participating in the Vetfran Program is worthy of the HONOR???

• Who is on the Vetfran Committee?
  ————————————————————————————————————-
  THE DWYER GROUP CEO DINA DWYER-OWENS AND MR. ROOTER PRESIDENT MARY KENNEDY THOMPSON TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON D.C. FOR SPECIAL VETERANS DAY PROGRAM WITH FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA
  Posted on November 15, 2011 by PaulHagan

  For more information, contact:

  Monica Feid, BizCom Associates

  (972) 490-8053, MonicaFeid@BizComPR.com

  THE DWYER GROUP CEO DINA DWYER-OWENS AND MR. ROOTER PRESIDENT MARY KENNEDY THOMPSON TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON D.C. FOR SPECIAL VETERANS DAY PROGRAM WITH FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA

  The Dwyer Group celebrates 10th anniversary of VetFran relaunch
  VetFran program started by The Dwyer Group now includes 428 franchisors that offer financial discounts to veterans who want to own a franchise
  More than 2,100 veterans have become franchise owners through VetFran
  The Dwyer Group counts 235 veterans among franchise owners

  WACO, Texas – (Nov. 8, 2011) – The Dwyer Group will celebrate this Veterans Day with special attention to the 10th anniversary since the relaunch of the VetFran program, and Dina Dwyer-Owens, chairwoman and CEO of The Dwyer Group, along with Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of Mr. Rooter and current chair of the International Franchise Association’s VetFran committee, will travel to Washington D.C. for a special announcement with the nation’s First Lady Michelle Obama to do more in helping veterans transition to civilian life with careers and jobs in the franchising arena.

  On Thursday, Nov. 10, the day before Veterans Day, a special ceremony to launch “Operation Enduring Opportunity” will take place at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to promote an industry-wide recruitment campaign to offer returning veterans career paths in franchising, including increased employment opportunities and incentives for ownership of franchise businesses through the IFA’s longstanding VetFran program.

  VetFran was the brainchild of the late Don Dwyer Sr., founder of The Dwyer Group, who wanted to thank veterans returning from the first Gulf War by offering them the best financial incentive towards owning a franchise. The program was later reborn by his daughter, Dwyer-Owens, after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Today, the program includes 428 franchise systems that voluntarily offer financial incentives to veterans seeking to become franchise small-business owners.

  Through VetFran, more than 2,100 servicemen and women have become franchisees since the program’s inception. And The Dwyer Group is one of the largest participants in the program with more than 235 veterans who have owned a franchise across its service brands.

  “The men and women who protect the very freedom by which we do business have proven that they are the kind of leaders for those businesses as well,” said Dwyer-Owens. “We will continue to thank them through VetFran, helping to provide a transition to civilian life with opportunities for business ownership that they deserve.”

  Thompson, who oversees one of the nation’s largest plumbing and drain cleaning franchise chains, Mr. Rooter, knows the program well. As a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps she served eight years and rose to the rank of captain. She then found a future in franchising as a successful franchise owner of Cookies By Design when she retired from service. She became a multi-unit franchisee and later the president of the organization. Then, in 2006, she took the position of president for Mr. Rooter at The Dwyer Group.

  Thompson counts her military training to follow systems as a strong foundation for her successful career in the civilian world. And in her role as chair for the IFA’s VetFran Committee, she seeks to help other military veterans achieve their dreams of business ownership through franchising.

  “Celebrating our 30th anniversary this year has been an incredible achievement for The Dwyer Group,” said Dwyer-Owens. “But celebrating the 10th anniversary of the VetFran relaunch across more than 325 participating franchise organizations is the icing on top. Together, the franchising world can do great things for business ownership, community support, the economy and more. VetFran is a shining example.”

  Thompson added, “Having the support of The White House to recognize our military members, create jobs and establish franchised businesses in communities sends a huge message for the will and determination of this country. Operation Enduring Opportunity will encourage economic prosperity and the free enterprise system, adding many men and women to the next generation of business owners who will move this nation forward.”

  NOTE TO MEDIA: The Dwyer Group will have a VetFran vehicle driving in Waco’s Veterans Day parade on Nov. 11th. More information about VetFran at The Dwyer Group can be found at: http://www.leadingtheserviceindustry.com/VetFran.asp

  About The Dwyer Group, Inc.®:

  The Dwyer Group, Inc., based in Waco, Texas, is a holding company of seven franchise businesses, each selling and supporting a different franchise under the following service marks: Aire Serv®, Glass Doctor®, The Grounds Guys™, Mr. Appliance®, Mr. Electric®, Mr. Rooter® (Drain Doctor in the UK and Portugal), and Rainbow International®. Collectively, these independent franchise concepts offer customers world-wide a broad base of residential and commercial services. In addition, Dwyer operates glass shops in New England under the Portland Glass brand name. The Dwyer Group is a portfolio company of TZP Group LLC, a private equity firm based in New York that focuses on control investments in business and consumer services companies with enterprise values generally up to $200 million. More information on The Dwyer Group, or its franchise concepts, is available at http://www.dwyergroup.com.
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  Why do Franchising Companies have this much influence and control over advertising Franchises to Veterans???

  The Vetfran Committee is made up almost entirely of Franchise Companies and not Franchisees!

  I would think at some point that people like MYSELF would have a voice instead of being dismissed by ROUGE MEMBERS of the Vetfran Committee who do nothing but perpetuate the “CHURN AND BURN” operations of the Franchise Companies they REPRESENT!!!! (Which they OWN)

• My claims are true but who is supposed to listen to me?

  Who is supposed to stand up and make a change?

  Beth Solomon of Vetfran blamed me for my FAILURE as a Franchisee but did it over the phone rather than through emails and did it not looking at the proof I have of the lengths Matco will go to FABRICATE information to MANIPULATE its FRANCHISEES!

  With all this IFA and VETFRAN care for our BELOVED U.S. SOLDIERS where is the GROUP created to make sure that these COMPANIES SELLING FRANCHISES are acting APPROPRIATELY?

  No doubt, none of these Questions will be answered but Franchisors who sit on VETFRAN committee chairs will still be “Catching up on small talk with the Vice Presidents Wife this NEXT Veterans Day” allowing the “CHURN and BURN” operations and the FRAUDULENT TERMINATIONS of GOOD, UNSUSPECTING, HARDWORKING and DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS who have SERVED our COUNTRY and do not deserve the treatment which I have been forced to endure!

• To Whom It May Concern,

  My name is Todd Peterson and I owned and operated a Matco Tools Franchise for 6 1/2 before I had it Fraudulently taken from me by Matco. This was only after they took my successful Franchise in which I was a top Distributor for them and reduced my business to nothing and actually less than is required to have as a NEW FRANCHISE owner (325).

  Serving my Country for three years, and half of that in Korea during Desert Storm, I developed many skills and abilities. It made me the strong and independant person I am today. These are the attributes that VETFRAN is looking for for its Franchisor owned opportunities. What I don’t understand is how a Company, like Matco, that rides along side an organization like VETFRAN can be allowed to perpetuate an opportunity which I know is not in the interest of my fellow servicemen. Matco has become a “Churn and Burn” operation catering to those who have been in longer and have different Franchise agreements than those signing up today! Matco committed FRAUD, LIED, CREATED FALSE DOCUMENTS and STOLE money from me and MANY others whom have served our COUNTRY.

  It is time for someone to except the responsibility of making our Country a better place to BE and WORK rather than be CONTROLLED and MANIPULATED!!!

  My Phone # and email is below!

  I look forward to moving on with my life but this has to be resolved and I need help to do it. No EMPLOYER would EVER be allowed to do the things that Matco has done to me under our laws. I don’t understand how Matco can get away with MANIPULATION, FRAUD and DECEPTION they are committing against their Franchisees.

  I prayerfully hope that someone can investigate our lead me in the right path to make sure that there are requirements put in place to make sure that FRANCHISOR Companies who participate with Vetfran be held accountable to the opportunities they offer. If they offer a CAREER OPPORTUNITY then those statistics should be released. If they say they don’t overlap routes then they should not be allowed to do so! At some point these companies should be in trouble for FALSE ADVERTISING their FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES!

  Concerned American,
  Todd A. Peterson
  (479) 435-0573
  todd@toddsmatcotools.arcoxmail.com

• snapon been getting a lot of press lately for being military friendly franchise, they have lots of websites with ads targeting us military. are they a better choice? see their name everywhere

• I would think a former Vet would be wary of anyone making
  them a “target”

  SnapOn is no better than Matco, and Matco abuses Veterans!

  Matco CHURNS distributors and will certainly be found guilty in the
  multitude of lawsuits alleging fraudulent activity.

  The “time” for the Mobile Tool Business is over.

  It is no longer a viable business – it has deteriorated to
  a shameful scam….

• Snap-On and Veterans,

  Yes! Snap-On is going after Vets too with their FALSE ADVERTISING and LIES! This is do in LARGE part to the organizations called VETFRAN and the IFA!

  The Vetfran Committee is made up almost ENTIRELY of people who PROFIT from putting individuals in Franchises! (Selling Franchises to Franchisees)

  This is why Snap-On in 2010 HIRED Jon Rucker to represent THEIR interests by implementing him into a Vetfran Committee Chair. To get their name in the hat at getting these unsuspecting HEROES to commit themselves Financially to MORE “Churn and Burn” operations that these Franchisors are selling!

  The Franchise Contracts that you are having to sign to be a Franchisee are being created by the VERY PEOPLE who are serving in the IFA and Vetfran. These Organizations which were created to PROTECT Americans from becoming VICTIMS are now PROTECTING those who are VICTIMIZING Americans.

  Ask yourself why Vetfran and the IFA both boast of NUMEROUS Franchise Companies stepping forward to give our Soldiers these GREAT FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITIES with GREAT DISCOUNTS? Answer: POLITICS!!!

  That’s right!!! Look at where Vetfran gets its money to BUY OFF!!! Politicians to get them to VOTE for all these NEW!!! TAX BREAKS!!!! and FREE TAX PAYER money to perpetuate the “CHURN and BURN” operations!!!!!!!!

  Don’t CALL ME a raving LUNATIC. Go the the IFA website and LOOK for YOURSELF!!!

  RIGHT NOW! They are trying to LOBBY CONGRESS to get MORE SBA Loan money for the POOR TROOPS who need jobs! Not to give them a CAREER but to SCREW the Taxpayer at the SOLDIERS expense!

  On November 11, 2006 this article (http://www.thefranchisemall.com/news/articles/16040-0.htm) was created to promote Matco Franchises through the Vetfran Program to our Soldiers. In it it boasts of 227 Companies who are willing to put a SOLDIER in their Franchise. According to my conversations with Mr. Gatewood from North Fort Myers, Florida he says Matco is a SCAM!!!

  How many Companies are willing to sell a Franchise to a soldier through the Vetfran Program TODAY? I was told 450+ yesterday! Yes 450 Franchisors want that SOLDIER!

  So who is Vetfran and the IFA SAVING us from? NOONE!!!!

  They don’t care if only 50% of those who sign up for a franchise are successful because Vetfran and the IFA is BIG MONEY to those who control and lobby the interest of our Government!

  Just imagine, a vast pool of money (Tax Payer) and if your in the club (Vetfran and the IFA) you have access.

  It is NO WONDER why NOONE has the BALLS to dig into this STORY!!!!

  Media is controlled by BIG MONEY!!!!

  When will people open their eyes and see that this is a Government / WALL STREET SCAM!! !

  You see a soldier sees the IFA AD. He decides he wants to be his own boss and signs up for a Vetfran Sponsored Franchise. The IFA and Vetfran who are PAVING the way for more TAX DOLLARS to be RELEASED for loans through the SBA Loan Program sell him a Franchise with an SBA Loan. This Loan (When he FAILS!!!) will cost him his CREDIT but it is the TAX PAYER who ultimately pays for it all.

  Yes! Our soldiers won’t pay for it with money just STRESS and feeling DISHONORED by our GOVERNMENT for being CONNED through FALSE ADVERTISING through Franchise BULLIES and Organizations created through our Government to SCREW AMERICAN TAX PAYERS!

• What makes me sick is this is just one way I have found that BIG MONEY is USING our Government to SCREW us the Tax Payer!

  You see, my experience with Matco is they used FRAUD, LIES and even created FALSE DOCUMENTS to terminate my Franchise. Yet noone I call that has the power to help will.

  Like, Beth Solomon, Vetfran IFA Campaign Coordinator, who told me through a phone conversation that “some people just don’t have what it takes to be a Franchisee.”

  This was her response to a SOLDIER who served 3 years for his COUNTRY in the Army and 6 1/2 years as a Franchise Distributor for Matco. Outlasted 9 of 10 other guys who were in my Matco Training Class in July, 2004, persevered after losing almost all my established customers and half of the ones given to me by Matco in July of 2006 to a hostile takeover of a SUCCESSFUL ROUTE, doing nothing but paying my business expenses and keeping my doors open for two years because a DM who was promising a ROUTE RESURVEY (DUE TO DECREASED CUSTOMER HEAD COUNT COMPLAINT) KEPT PUTTING ME OFF, receiving a FALSE SURVEY on July 26, 2010 after being given a SEPARATION LETTER on July 11, 2010, then told I had cured by my DM and to “FORGET THAT LETTER EVER EXISTED.” in Nov. 2010 and meeting my purchase average and retaining it in the Holidays with a 13 purchase average at the end of 2010 which was $100 BETTER than the NATIONAL PURCHASE AVERAGE.

  Why would Beth Solomon call me a FAILURE and not listen or head up an investigation into my allegations to PREVENT our SOLDIERS from becoming a VICTIM as I AM? Because I am not carrying the BILLIONS of dollars that these PROFITABLE “CHURN AND BURN” Franchisor Operations who are allowed to do so through a smoke screen of HER protection through the beloved Vetfran and IFA Organizations.

  My vote is to FIRE or ABOLISH all Vetfran and IFA Committee Members who have been allowed to profit through their RING OF CORRUPTION and give ALL of the money and belongings they have to DISTRIBUTE EVENLY for all SURVIVING MILITARY Personnel and any WIDOWS!!! There is probably enough money that has been stolen from tax payers to make all of us FILTHY RICH!!!

  I know there might actually be SOME good Franchises out there but I PROMISE YOU THIS!!! It is a HANDFUL! I can name four that will screw you GOOD and their all TOOL COMPANIES!

  WHY can I say that? Because they all have the same FRANCHISE language in their contracts. THEY CONTROL EVERYTHING! Who your customers are, how many you get, who gets what, where you go, when you start, how often you work, how much you make, how long your open, where you will go to court if you have a problem, how your problem will be judged and when you are done with your Franchise.

  The biggest deterrent to being a Tool Distributor for ANY Company is READING the UFOC which Vetfran and the IFA helped create to cover Franchisors asses when they SCREW people. If you read that you and sign you were WARNED!

• Are there any honorable Vetfran or International Franchise Association Committee members who might want investigate the situation which I experienced in which my Franchisor allowed their management to STEAL my successful Franchise then use FRAUD, LIES and FALSE DOCUMENTS to terminate my Franchise relationship with them?

  It is pretty hard to sell tools for your Franchisor if they won’t let you pay for them!

• Jerry,

  I have been reading lots of interesting articles on the internet involving Vetfran and the IFA.

  Correct me if I am wrong but the IFA (International Franchise Association) was created to protect innocent people who had money from becoming victims of fraudulent opportunities being created or sold to those who were willing to invest their money.

  Vetfran was created by the IFA and Don Dwyer Sr. in 1991 to give “Desert Storm” troops an opportunity to entice soldiers to own their own business after serving overseas. These soldiers would receive benefit from the Franchiser that others do not get.

  My first question is why are MOST of the committee members for both organizations profiting off of what I have come to know as “Churn and Burn” Franchises?

  It seems strange to me that an Organization like Vetfran would be ran by the very people who would PROFIT from the Entrepreneurship of the Veterans they are pursuing.

  Don Dwyer Sr. created Vetfran and at the same time owned the Dwyer Group which is a Group of Franchise opportunities. The IFA stood behind him to do it.

  It seems to me that someone has an Organization to DIRECTLY SOLICIT to Veterans!

  So, how much does it cost to join or what are the requirements to become a participant?

  I would think there would be no money made off an organization that claims to HELP Veterans. Yet an organization that had 227 participants in 2007 now has over 450.

  It looks like to me that someone created Vetfran to CONTROL something or PROFIT off of the ACCESS!

  So all the Vetfran Participants which include Snap-On and Matco must be viable companies who offer GOOD opportunities to those Veterans who are looking to be successful in the Civilian world?

  Surely our government would not stamp their approval on a program and mislead the American people and SOLDIERS into a FALSE sense of Entrepreneurship in which there is no PROOF of it being VIABLE!

  That is DEFINITELY the case with Snap-On and Matco. Both opportunities DO NOT yield HIGH SUCCESS rates yet the media is allowed to perpetuate their false sense of SUCCESS using the media and FALSE RANKINGS!

  Why is Matco allowed to represent Franchises as employment opportunities on the internet through media’s like careerbuilder.com?

  Is it because NOONE really cares if they are breaking rules or not?

  The IFA does not seem to care if Matco committed FRAUD, LIED or CREATED FALSE DOCUMENTS to Falsely Terminate my Franchise!

  Vetfran does not seem to care that Richard Brannies, Michael Gatewood, myself or the other Veterans who signed up through the Vetfran Program or not are being mistreated.

  My point is! My accusations are CRIMINAL! Why isn’t there anyone with Vetfran or the IFA (who was created to protect consumers) here to investigate my allegations to see if they are true?

  College football players can’t profit for their participation in a College’s program but it has happened and when allegation’s are made investigations are done and punishment is handed down.

  Why is there no investigation for my “CRIMINAL ALLEGATIONS”?

  Why is noone with Vetfran or the IFA taking action to see if my allegations are true! If they are found to be true who is going to punish or debunk their participation in the IFA or the Vetfran Organizations?

  Promoting Franchisers who have no PROVEN history of sustaining themselves as a Franchise Opportunity should be the IFA’s responsibility!

  The way I see it the IFA and Vetfran were created with GOOD INTENTIONS but somehow these Organizations are profiting from the Churn and Burn of Franchises.

• its all about corporate greed. they are all in it together and its like a bed of thieves. no one wants to bust on anyone nor do they want anyone busting on them.
  it is sickening how some people can rip honest people off and call i t doing business when it is just plain wrong.
  lies, deceit, deception. its the way america is now. look at all the politicians training their young to do as they do and rip off the american people to enrich themselves.
  the vetfran and ifa were created to enrich the pockets of a chosen few at the expense of those they claim to protect. its all bullshit. who profits, why they do of course. why do you think they invented it to start with. they knew what they were doing.
  its all wrong and no one wants to do a damn thing about it to make it right because they wouldnt make any money.
  they ought to get jail time for ruining peoples lives like they do.
  how is it that when you start with matco you are an above average person with stellar credit and have money in the bank but when they are done with you, you have no money in the bank, your credit is gone and ruined and you are a failure. even though you were promised the worlds finest customer support in the world. how does that happen over and over again, yet no one cares.
  yes, me , todd, debbie, and so many more have been there and know what it is like yet there are a few who like to think that they are better than anyone else and put us down. they are the real losers in the long run. they just dont know it yet.
  what happens when you have a really successful dbr who has over $100,000.00 on the streets, thats kinda what you need to be considered successful, dies. who is going to collect his money. matco isnt. they are going to divide his route and sell it to new dbrs and to hell with the money owed to the deceased dbr. all they will care about is the sales the new dbr can make.
  you old farts need to think that one because matco doesnt care at all once you are gone. just like they dont care about us now.
  the only problem with us is that we are alive and are going to have our day in court. spank, spank, somebody will have the red ass then.
  its not anywhere close to over so stay tuned for news.
  have i ever said, matco sucks. i think i have on many occasions but just to refresh everyones memory, matco sucks. they have no honest moral at all.
  cheat, lie, deceive, mislead, take advantage of, rip off, and there are so many more words to describe them, matco.
  i hear that train a coming. whooooooo hoooooooo.

• Our day in court is coming…………….

  Matco hasn’t and will not change – they continue to shamelessly advertise , FALSELY advertise JOBS that don’t exist on employment sites like Career Builder

  DESPITE THE FACT is is against FTC regulations to advertise franchise opportunities as legitimate JOBS

  They continue to CHURN distribututors………………….

  They continue to ruin people with excellent credit …………………

  They continue to defraud the American public with their SBA Loan Fraud………..

  OUR day in court is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!

• So who is on this IFA and Vetfran Committees?

  Would they profit from soldiers who sign up for Franchises?

  I wonder if Committee Chairman:

  Mary Thompson who is a CFE (Certified Franchise Executives) and President of Mr. Rooter (The Dwyer Group) would benefit from one of the soldiers who go to a Vetfran Convention and decide they want to invest in a Franchise offered by the Dwyer Group and sign up using the Vetfran Program? Don’t forget Vetfran was established by Don Dwyer Sr. and the IFA (International Franchise Association) in 1991 when Don Dwyer Sr. owned a group of Franchises called THE DWYER GROUP (7 different Franchise Opportunities).

  How did Mary become a CFE (Certified Franchise Executive)? This status in Franchising was started (ODDLY ENOUGH) in 1991 by the IFA (International Franchise Association) which is the same year Vetfran was created by Don Dwyer Sr. So what are the perks of being a CFE and how much did it cost to become a CFE? Is a CFE expected to CONTRIBUTE any of their money to certain groups or participate FINANCIALLY in any INTEREST?

  My Questions to Mary would be:

  Is the IFA an Organization created to protect Franchisers and sweep the UNETHICAL acts of Franchise Companies under the rug?

  Does the IFA PROFIT from the involvement of EDUCATION of Franchising?

  It seems that their are training events offered by the IFA which costs HUNDREDS of DOLLARS to go to for participants (New Franchisers). Who gets paid to do the training? CFE’s?

  If the IFA was created in 1960 to keep the International community from being conned out of their investments why is there no participation of the IFA in resolving claims of FRAUD, LIES and Creating FALSE DOCUMENTS of FRANCHISEES against their FRANCHISERS?

  Is their any accountability of a Franchiser in their actions and treatment of a Franchisee?

  Who holds them accountable???

• Now I am starting to understand how the IFA and Vetfran have a POSITIVE influence in allowing FRANCHISERS to mistreat Franchisees and commit acts of Fraud, Lies, and even create False Documents to perpetuate the Franchisers “Churn and Burn” Operations.
  ———————————————————————————————————–
  FranPAC
  Political Activism & FranPAC – Franchising’s Political Action Committee

  “Political action is the highest responsibility of a citizen.” John F. Kennedy

  One way IFA can be an effective public policy advocate for franchising is through a strong and vibrant PAC. FranPAC creates an opportunity for IFA members to provide financial support to candidates for federal office, and a robust PAC means more contributions to candidates who understand franchising and who will promote a legislative and regulatory climate favorable to franchising.

  Click here for frequently asked questions and answers about FranPAC
  See the Complete List of FranPAC-supported Candidates in this Past Cycle

  Thanks to the generosity and participation of IFA members, in the 2009-2010 federal election cycle, FranPAC was able to invest approximately $600,000 in support of over 140 selected franchise-friendly federal candidates. Click here to view a complete listing of FranPAC-supported candidates during the 2009-2010 election cycle.

  Successful pro-franchising political advocacy efforts include not only a healthy FranPAC, but a powerful grassroots network. The two go hand in hand. Since the launch of a political education Web site for its members in the fall of 2002, IFA has made great strides in increasing voter awareness and turning out the vote. Franchisingvotes.com provides voter information, candidate profiles and election results. The site, http://www.franchisingvotes.com, provides IFA members the opportunity to write their Members of Congress, Senators and state legislators about issues that are important to the franchising community. In addition, you can register to vote, gather information about state and federal candidates, and even find your polling places. And as a benefit to IFA members, IFA member companies can set up pages like the franchisingvotes.com page for their own companies for free.

  According to federal election law, IFA must have your permission before it can solicit your contributions to FranPAC. To receive the appropriate form or if you have any other questions, please contact Erica Fitzsimmons, Director of Political Affairs and Grassroots Advocacy, at (202) 662-0760 or efitzsimmons@franchise.org.

  For information about federal election laws, please go to the Federal Election Commission Web site, http://www.fec.gov.
  ————————————————————————————————————–
  So, the more members (Franchisers) you have the more money you can raise and the more power, influence and control you have over your Franchisees.

  So when a Franchiser does something like what I had done to me there is no one to represent me because our politicians need that money to get in office?

  Is this the way, me, the taxpayer is to be treated as an American who served my Country in the Military bought into the American dream of OWNING MY OWN FRANCHISE (Endorsed by Vetfran and the IFA) and then had these very serious acts of FRAUD, LIES and had FALSE non-factual Documents created to end my once SUCCESSFUL Franchise?

  This is the mission of the IFA to COVER-UP or SCREEN these incidents from becoming PUBLIC?

• Is Vetfran, the IFA and FranPac the tools that are being used to get POLITICIANS to vote for MORE SBA Loans and MORE TAX INCENTIVES for Franchisers and more support to Franchisers who should not be offering Franchises AT ALL?

  It is the TAX PAYER who is paying the bill!

  We need REGULATION in Franchising!

  Allowing Franchisers to perpetuate their “Churn and Burn” Operations under the cover of Vetfran, IFA and FranPac HAS TO STOP!!!

• Todd,

  You are a one man band same song same verse. The sad truth is you just sucked as a tool man / business man get over it.

• Really mature…..

  No response to the multiple VALID points presented.

  Just “name calling”

  Why?

  Because Matco is WRONG

  Matco will be found guilty of SBA Loan Fraud

  Matco will be found guilty of Franchise Fraud

  And your BEST reply is weak name calling….

  The Courts Will Decide

• Marks and Klein has an Incredible record!

  I’m glad their on MY side!

  The Courts will have the LAST word, and with Jerry Marks
  on MY side, I already know the outcome!

  Have doubts?

  Google their record….

  Go ask Snap On ;)

• Wow! tlman!

  I am ready to show you mine if you will show me yours. Maybe then we will see who the real salesmen are!

  But I am sure you must be one of those top Distributors of a Matco who sell over $1,000,0000 a year for Matco. You know the guys who pick and choose from their territorial agreement with Matco that the NEW Franchise owners have to try and keep up with an INFLATED purchase average.

  Or maybe you are one of those guys who have PLUS trucks that Matco doesn’t mention when they sell a NEW Franchise to the NEW Franchisee.

  You know, why don’t you tell the NEW FRANCHISEE PROSPECTS what is really in store for them. I was told today that the National Purchase Average for Matco was $4000.

  It must be hard to recruit NEW Franchise owners with a purchase average that high.

  It must be that high because of the LARGELY REDUCED number of Franchise Distributors that own Matco Franchises leaving only the top Franchise Owners who have TERRITORIAL AGREEMENTS vs. LOC Agreements.

  It must be nice to dump shops that you have loaded up with tools and be able to find NEW SHOPS that have not had service in your route before because you were the one supposed to be servicing that shop.

  I wonder if those people on Matco Tools Facebook page that are looking for service and have a truck driving by every week realize that the Distributor is just blowing them off because he thinks he can make more money elsewhere at the time.

• I know tlman,

  I should be like the important people who serve on the Vetfran Committee and look after our soldiers by giving them WONDERFUL opportunities to have Franchises with reputable companies like Matco who have to advertise their Franchises as EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES on sites like careerbuilder.com in order to reach NEW prospects, have their Vice President make recruitment videos in which he has to lie in order to make the Franchise Opportunity look more appealing, buy a number 1 ranking from reputable media source because HEY the other guy does it, focus on their NHRA, Hot Rod and 4×4 shows because HEY our tools are just like everyone elses, screw their Distributors by loading up the TECHS with tools at 50% or better off while their in School, sell directly to some shops bypassing the Distributor with programs put into place like J.B. Hunt, start off Distributors with routes that do not have a viable 325 customer head count like they did me when I started my Franchise or NOT COMPLETE annual survey’s required by contract to let the Distributor know where he is with his Franchiser or what expectations are not being met.

  Yeah! Your right tlman I am a FAILURE and ALL our servicemen should run out and buy a MATCO FRANCHISE today because some intelligent man called tlman says I can’t sell tools and I am a FAILURE and I should somehow be discredited by this intelligent man called tlman.

  Well my name is Todd Allen Peterson and I am here to hide behind nothing. The things I am saying are true, exist or have been done.

  For now Franchising is protected and their are many people who let these big corporations do UNSPEAKABLE things like what I have had done to me by Matco and look the other way. But for how long! All I have to do is find the RIGHT person that is pissed off at Matco and their False opportunities and my story will be heard by all.

  I am still searching! I am still planning! I am still enduring!

  I will have my day in court!

• I am tired tlman!

  But I am not through voicing my opinion and what I see and have heard to be TRUE!

  Dear Governor, Senator, Representative,

  My name is Todd Allen Peterson and I am a Veteran of the U.S. Army who served his Country for 3 Years from 6/88 to 5/91.

  I was also a Franchise owner of a Matco Tools Franchise from 6/04 to 02/11.

  The reason I am contacting you today is I am appalled and disgusted at the Fraud, Lying and Creation of False Documents that was committed against my Franchise in an effort to Terminate me from MY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

  My allegations of Fraud, according to Arkansas Franchise Law, would have my offenders receive JAIL TIME and PENALTIES to those found guilty of committing those offenses.

  But what I have learned and educated myself with while in my search to find justice in the world of litigation for the very immoral and unethical business acts carried out by my Franchiser against my Franchise is that those who sign up and become IFA (International Franchise Association) members get a free pass to do what ever and commit what ever acts they wish to commit against their Franchisees under the protective umbrella of the very organization who claims to protect Franchisees.

  The IFA has several training programs which costs hundreds of dollars to go to and educates the Franchiser on how to PROTECT their Franchise Brand Name from being pursued by their Franchisee legally. One of these is the contract that has to be signed to participate in a Franchise Program which says that any dispute between Franchiser and Franchisee must go through BINDING ARBITRATION in the State that the Franchiser does business.

  I have found that hiring an attorney in Arkansas to represent my Franchise which was a victim of very, very unethical and immoral business practices was impossible. For some reason, even though ALL the attorneys I met agreed I had been mistreated as a Franchisee NO ONE wanted to take my case.

  I feel very strongly that I will not be properly represented and my situation will not get proper due diligence because I am being told that it can not be done in Arkansas. I am being told that the only way I will get ANY resolution is to go through BINDING ARBITRATION because of the contract I signed.

  Discovering that the only mission of the IFA is to support the Franchiser to PROMOTE Franchising and PROTECT the the Franchiser.

  My questions are:

  Why is the IFA that was created to protect INNOCENT investors allowed to profit off of the education of and protection of its Franchise Members?

  If you go to the IFA website you will find courses of training which costs hundreds of dollars per student to attend. You will find a CFE (Certified Franchise Executive) course which costs THOUSANDS of Dollars to achieve and if you look at the CFE graduation classes you will see that their are hundreds of Graduates. You will also see organizations like FranPac where these Franchisers can donate money to ensure that their INTERESTS are secured and the Franchiser protected.

  My second question is:

  Who is looking out for the interest of the Franchisee and making sure they are not taken advantage of by the Franchiser?

  Matco threatened my SUCCESSFUL Franchise with termination if I did not surrender shops to put a new Franchisee in business.

  Matco trashed a Document I signed as a route change in an effort to put another Distributor in business.

  Matco forced me to surrender MORE shops with the threat and continued harassment if I did not give in.

  Matco promised me NEW shops to help me build up the business they took and then gave them to the very Distributor who I was forced to surrender my shops to.

  Matco Managers told me I would receive shops and then told me that Managers above them would not allow me to have those shops.

  I was promised a route resurvey (more than once) by Matco management due to my claims of decreased customer base (shop closures and reduced work force) and a weak economy. Instead on July 12, 2010 I received a Separation Letter from Matco stating that I was not at 80% of the National Purchase Average and I had 90 days to cure. It also said that I could be terminated if I committed the same offense within a year. When I complained to Management that the letter was not fair because for the last year and a half my DM promised me a route survey and that if I HAD the proper MINIMUM number of customers NEW Franchisees start with (325) I would have a COMPLIANT purchase average.

  My Matco DM would then hand me on July 26, 2010 a completed survey of my route which was a total fabrication and misleading for ANY managers in our chain of command to see. It claimed I had 328 customers to call on and that I was only servicing 67% of my route. I was outraged by the lengths that these managers would go to Falsely Terminate my Franchise based on NON-FACTUAL information. I then called Corporate to voice my opinion about the BOGUS SURVEY and within 72 hrs. on July 29, 2010 I was signing a NEW ROUTE with 405 potential customers. Amazingly enough these two routes prove the FRAUD of inflated head count, closed shops and the addition of shops that were NEVER on my route list that DO NOT appear and have lower customer head count on the July 26, 2010 False Survey.

  In November of 2010 my DM paid me an unexpected visit which led to the discussion of the July 12, 2010 Separation Letter in which he told me I was “Doing Great” “Forget that Letter ever existed” and “If anything is going to happen to you I will call you first.” The reason I was being so inquisitive about the Separation Letter was I knew it had the 1 year clause in it and that the Holidays were coming up which meant mechanics buying presents and going on vacations and Distributors NOT receiving their NORMAL collections which would limit my ability to make the Purchase Average. That is why I included the quote of my DM who was reassuring me I had nothing to worry about.

  On Feb. 11, 2011 I received my Termination Call from Matco Management in which I was told Mr. Tim Novak my RM (Regional Manager) on three different occasions “I don’t care what you do. You won’t be doing it with Matco.” He would lead me to believe I was terminated on the grounds of the July 12, 2010 Separation Letter and refer to the one year clause. Yet on the last week of the year week 52 my 13 week Purchase Average was $100 better than the National Average. I was allowed to work 215 days after the Separation Letter and 125 days after the cure period.

  Matco Vice President Ernie Lauber would further perpetuate the Fraudulent actions of Matco by telling me I had NEVER cured and that this was the reason I was terminated. This was only after I sent him Arkansas Franchise Law proving that a second offense of the same action within one year was due a 10 day cure period and that that alone granted me the rights of False Termination let alone all the other things I was claiming.

  As you can see I know FIRST HAND how corrupt SOME Franchisers are treating their Distributors. But what I don’t understand is how NO ONE will stand up and Protect ME!

  When I started my Franchise their were 10 NEW Franchisees in my training class. When I was Falsely Terminated only 1 was left.

  In NWA there was never more than three Distributors operating at one time in this area. When I was FORCED by Matco to surrender customers for a NEW Franchisee to start a route. They ran him right down the middle of me and he made number 5 in NWA. Since then their has NEVER been more than 4 Distributors in this area.

  Since the start of my Franchise to my termination I saw 7 Distributors leave a Matco Franchise, 4 leave a Snap-On, 4 an STS, 2 a MAC and 2 a Cornwell. This was just in NWA.

  My Point is, I have come to know that Matco is just a “CHURN and BURN” Franchise Opportunity. They have no intentions of HELPING and SUPPORTING a Franchisee for the long haul in Franchising and I find it offensive that NO ONE is holding them accountable for their actions in this FINE STATE.

  A great Coach named Bobby Petrino had consequences for his unethical and immoral actions handed down by a University which loved his Athletic Program and stood beside until they realized that the allegations were TRUE!

  I am PRAYERFUL that SOMEONE will have the POWER and INFLUENCE to make Franchising in Arkansas more Franchisee friendly and protect those investors of our GREAT STATE from being subjected to “Churn and Burn” Franchising. A State which will disallow the unethical business practices of the IFA which are using their Organization to STRONG HOLD Franchisees and create MORE TAX INCENTIVES and ACCESS to Financing to PERPETUATE those Franchisers who have a HISTORY of “Churn and Burn Franchising”.

  I understand that not all Franchisers are doing this to Franchisees but NO ONE is doing anything about the ones who are! Being part of an ORGANIZATION like the IFA should be a PRIVILEGE!!! Those who are not acting in an APPROPRIATE manner should NOT be allowed to participate!!!

  Perhaps if the IFA were not allowed to PROFIT by the EDUCATION and STATURE of being a CFE (Certified Franchise Executive) things like what has happened to me and my ONCE SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISE would never have occurred.

  Please consider my situation and find resolve and consequences for those Franchisers who choose to RIP THE HEART out of the American Entrepreneur.

  I know this is long and may require some in depth reading and study but IT IS VERY IMPORTANT! NOT JUST TO ME but to ALL those the IFA and VETFRAN is are subjecting “CHURN AND BURN” Franchising to which include our SERVICEMEN who are coming back from overseas.

  My story is NOT UNIQUE! I have others even from this GREAT STATE who feel the same as I do! Some of them are even HONORABLY DISCHARGED VETERANS who signed up through the VETFRAN PROGRAM. But these stories do not just pertain to this STATE!

  Thank You! For reading my story and understanding my concern!

  Sincerely,

  Todd A. Peterson

• Found this on Matco Tools Facebook page!
  ———————————————————————————————————–

  Fill in the blank: “Matco Toolboxes are the best, because they _______________”

  ^DP
  Workshop Wednesday
  Post a picture of your workshop on Wednesday! Show the world how you get work done!
  By: Matco Tools
  Share
  59 people like this.
  Radovan Gavrilović they are AMERICAN MADE, now send me a complimentary toolbox for a long time customer
  41 minutes ago · 1
  Jonn Jones are not crap-on.. opps i meant snap-on.
  41 minutes ago · 5
  Kevin L Ardent-Smith Last!
  41 minutes ago · 1
  Fred Tanner Jr Because there bad ass
  41 minutes ago
  Justin Gregor their quality kicks ass!
  41 minutes ago
  Benjamin Warren are reliable.
  40 minutes ago
  Dru Fountain are made in America!!!!
  40 minutes ago
  Jerry Iaciofano are so expensive!
  40 minutes ago
  Walter Frazier are built well and made to last…!!!!!!
  38 minutes ago
  Bob Newsom Have good customer support..
  38 minutes ago
  William C. Roper Are cheaper than Snap On…..
  38 minutes ago · 2
  Joshua Hamming Are built BY Matco, for Matco in the good ole USA, Jamestown NY to be exact.
  38 minutes ago · 1
  Travis Dee Because they say Matco on them
  38 minutes ago · 2
  Kenneth Mcneill American made an good tools
  37 minutes ago
  Jimmy Ruckus The only truck that ever seems to come around.
  37 minutes ago
  R Brian Rogers Out-Last the Rest , Now get the Best , and your friends will envy your Chest …
  36 minutes ago · 1
  Jeremy Parks American made, top quality from head to toe, tool box.. the Eagle says it all..
  36 minutes ago
  Jon Billings Cause there tits but not as tits as snapon!!!!
  36 minutes ago · 1
  Randy Ledzian because they cost way less than Snap On
  36 minutes ago · 1
  Lee Arnold Are extremely durable.
  36 minutes ago
  R Brian Rogers Real Men get Matco Tool Chest Implants …
  35 minutes ago
  Chris Hebert the ones i have seen and used didnt last a month before it had to be sent in for repairs.
  35 minutes ago
  Marco Santayygo Cuz I have a bad ass flat black 4s with a hutch … Nuff said
  34 minutes ago
  Angel Cheverez are strong.
  31 minutes ago
  Peter James Gonzalez are cheaper than snapon
  30 minutes ago
  Dennis Anh Tu Mac Because they are the only thing matco actually makes and not rebrand
  29 minutes ago · 1
  Kent Brunk American made
  28 minutes ago
  No Buddy Are Long-Lasting And Durable Like G.O.O.D. Sex
  26 minutes ago
  Kel Stovall Lmao, I was gunna say they WERE cheaper then Snap-On…. Lol, looks like a lot agree, they are now just as expensive…
  24 minutes ago
  Dwayne D. Welty built with unibody cons,more stable,and and longer lasting,etc
  23 minutes ago
  Ray Palat Because the owner of this page wants us to believe its true. Never seen a box rust up faster and the matco company reps try to reason as to why their “lifetime” finsh failed so quickly. Nice tools but I’ll keep my Snap-on Box with full wrap around graphics. No rust still and its been outdoors for rain and snow
  21 minutes ago
  Gary E. Morin last a life time!!
  19 minutes ago
  Joe Heaton AMERICAN MADE !!!
  18 minutes ago
  Jared Buchanan They are junk I have been I mechanic for along time and have had several boxes and their is no box comparable to a SNAPON box they are more expensive than Matco because the quality is so much higher. I like Matco tool but the Matco boxes are junk
  15 minutes ago
  Kiet Le Who the hell puts their box in the rain and snow lol
  10 minutes ago
  Anthony Radke Matco Toolboxes are the best, because they cost too much money for some sheet metal and bearings. IVE HAD THE SAME CRAFTSMAN IN MY SHOP FOR 15 FUCKING YEARS ILL NEVER PAY YOU THOUSANDS FOR A METAL BOX!!!!! PEOPLE THAT DO ARE STUPID
  8 minutes ago
  Oswaldo Orozco They the best n durable
  7 minutes ago
  Don Bramblett you can set a whole car on them, drop the bolts on the subframe, and lift the body off……….
  4 minutes ago
  ————————————————————————————————————-
  Does it still say Made in U.S.A. on that sticker?

  Or do the new stickers say different?

• Go to careerbuilder.com and learn how Matco COMPLETELY bypasses the DISTRIBUTOR and sells DIRECTLY to the J.B. Hunt employee which is a DIRECT violation of some Franchise Agreements.

  Type in search engine Matco Tools and see 8 employment opportunities for J.B. Hunt which list a Matco Tools Program that is used as an INCENTIVE to lure employees to J.B. Hunt.

• According to Matco Tools their are 458 Franchises available.
  http://www.matcotools.com/franchise/available/availablefranchises.jsp

  The Outlets at the start of the year in 2010 were equal to 1462

  At the end of the year 2010 they were equal to 1418

  The Separated Distributor total equals 232

  For a Combined total of 1650 routes.

  But the number of Franchise units that were vacant are unknown masking the true amount of Franchises that are available through Matco.

  But the fact that they have 458 available right now means that 25%+ have failed.

  But one could estimate that in years past their has not been a LARGE difference from one year to the next of active Distributors and Matco seems to CHURN the same amount of Distributors from one year to the next with the actual active accounts not varying a great deal that Matco’s true amount of Franchise Units is somewhere around 2000 which would indicate a MUCH LARGER Failure Rate equaling around 45 to 50%.

• The accounts keep coming, day after day, I get more phone calls, and more emails,

  ALL THE SAME,

  SCREWED BY MATCO!!

  I got a very nice phone message the other day, THANKING ME, for my courage to fight the corporation and telling others the TRUTH!

  TODAY, I received an email, sadly like ALL the other emails I’ve received………

  “My husband and I were duped into a Matco franchise. Joined only under false info that we didn’t find out was false until it was too late! We were left with a $53K tool bill (after they picked through which tools they’d accept a return on) and $10K owing on our returned tool truck. This was after we were terminated for not purchasing our minimum…the national average that was WAY too high for our route and our area.

  We can say that Matco ruined our life. Not sure how we’ll ever recover from this financially…and it’s been 5 years!

  Thanks for standing up against this… it’s nice to know that maybe we weren’t just foolish (which we felt after we “failed”…)”

  THIS WILL BE SETTLED IN COURT!!!!!!!!!!!

• someone told me that matco was advertising on plenty of fish, a free dating site so i checked it out and there they were. i guess they are getting pretty desperate so they are advertising everywhere that they can. i wonder how much that adds to the npa.

• I don’t know Richard but I just got off of glassdoor.com and reviewed Matco’s 2.2 business rating (out of 5) from 48 employees.

  Ex Employee Reviews go like this:
  6 employees = 1.0 rating of the company
  7 employees = 2.0 rating of the company
  2 employees = 3.0 rating of the company
  3 employees = 4.0 rating of the company
  0 employees = 5.0 rating of the company
  19 ex employees total

  Current Employee Reviews go like this:
  8 employees = 1.0 rating of the company
  11 employees = 2.0 rating of the company
  3 employees = 3.0 rating of the company
  5 employees = 4.0 rating of the company
  2 employees = 5.0 rating of the company
  29 Current Employees total

  combined total = 48 total reviews

  So, if Matco doesn’t take care of their OWN employees what makes the IFA and Vetfran think they won’t MISTREAT or FRAUD our soldiers signing up for a Matco Franchise. I KNOW first hand of the FRAUD, LIES and even creating FALSE DOCUMENTS to terminate and “Churn and Burn” its Franchisees. When is someone going to tell Danaher ENOUGH is ENOUGH!!!!! According to the letter I hold in my hand our Senators and Congressman could care less if Matco screws HARD WORKING and SUCCESSFUL Franchise Owners.

  According to my letter it states:
  ————————————————————————————————————
  Dear Mr. Peterson:

  Thank you for contacting my office regarding consumer issues related to the International Franchise Association (IFA). I appreciate your taking time to write.

  Unfortunately, as much as I would like to assist you with this matter, I am unable to intervene on your behalf because your concerns come under the authority of the State of Arkansas, not the federal government. As a United States Senator, I have no jurisdiction in such state matters. For help in resolving your issue, please contact:

  Attorney General Dustin McDaniel
  Office of the Attorney General
  323 Center Street, Suite 200
  Little Rock, AR. 72201
  (501)682-2007
  1-800-482-8982

  Thank you again for sharing your concerns with me. I hope that you will continue to feel free to contact my office in the future if we can be of assistance to you or your family in any way.

  Sincerely,
  Mark Pryor
  ————————————————————————————————————-
  So my Senator which was elected through the State of Arkansas feels that acts of Fraud, Lies and deceit by a Franchiser who partners with the Vetfran program devised by a Mutiple Franchise owner (Don Dwyer Sr. “The Dwyer Group” 1991) through the IFA who was created to PROTECT consumers (1960) does not feel that HIS position has ANY responsibility for UNETHICAL Business practice and Immoral False Business opportunities that a Franchiser represents DIRECTLY through a program instituted to BENEFIT our troops.

  Maybe Senator Pryor would have more concern if he new that I have ALREADY contacted the Attorney Generals office TWICE in regards to my personal situation. Mr. Daniels response feel DIRECTLY in line with Mr. Pryor’s.

  I can not believe that HUGE CORPORATIONS can TREAT and COMMIT the kind acts I have endured as a Franchise Owner while our Government Officials turn a BLIND EYE!

  I am PROUD to be an AMERICAN!!! But I am QUICKLY becoming an ANTI-Government American who sees our politicians ABUSE their place of AUTHORITY presented to them through the American citizens. I FIRMLY believe that as an American Citizen I am entitled to my day in court REGARDLESS of what contract I am forced to sign to become a Franchisee. No CONTRACT signed by two parties should EVER deny me or any other American the right to a FAIR TRIAL. What has happened to us as Americans where we ALLOW the TAX PAYER to pay for the benefits forwarded to Big Corporations for employing us! I know first hand that raises are VERY rarely given to employees anymore and the cost of a gallon of gas or milk or produce or anything is going through the roof. I have NO INTENTIONS of settling my case through arbitration and will ONLY FEEL some sort of justice when MATCO (Danaher) REFORMS their UNETHICAL and IMMORAL business practices and someone takes a GOOD, HARD look at the way my Business Franchise was treated!

  I am going NO WHERE Matco!

  I believe SOMEONE in our Government DOES CARE about how you treat Franchisees and SOMEONE will look into my allegations which I KNOW ARE FACT and you do to MATCO.

• Still sending out emails to reporters and Committee Chairs Matco. Still working on finding a government official who might help launch an investigation as well. Looks like Democrats and Tea Party candidates might be my best shot since the IFA who gave over $600,000 to candidates running for office and for their support of the IFA are mostly Republican.

  Yeah check it out! The IFA through FranPac takes DONATIONS from Franchisers and then gives it to CANDIDATES running for political positions so that when they become Senators or Representatives they will have their support while they serve our country. How is this LEGAL? Talk about control over Franchisees. It is no wonder that theses LARGE CORPORATE “Churn and Burn” Franchisers like Matco are able to MISTREAT and COMMIT the IMMORAL and UNETHICAL business dealings they are doing and get away with it. Everyone who makes the laws and sets the standards is on the PAYROLL.

  But I guess it has been going on for years. Look up the IFA and try and see how many organizations they have created to SUPPORT different groups of people.
  I know of two that the IFA has created Vetfran and Minorityfran. So, how many are out there and why are they SO important to an Organization that claims to be

• Todd
  Contact the Huffington Post who just won a Pulitzer for their work on what happens to soldiers returning from Irag/Afghanistan…

  Also Slate.com

  And Salon.com

  These are all digital media news outlets which have carried alot of weight in the media world in recent years and anything to do with our young soldiers is big news right now

• Todd

  Also put Fire Dog Lake and Daily Kos on the list

• I understand activity on this site has become a bit quiet of late.

  HOWEVER; Matco should NOT be getting the feeling they are ‘off the hook’

  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FAR FROM IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Not a week goes by where I don’t hear from yet ANOTHER CHURNED distributor! I continue to receive phone calls and emails. For every ONE of us posting and being public there are literally HUNDREDS supporting us and taking actions of their own. I can prove this as well!

  The stories are literally ALL THE SAME! It is reprehensible what Matco does – and they WILL be held accountable.

  Don’t be misled or fall under the false impression there are just a “FEW disgruntled”, oh no, the “few” are simply the VOICE for the many!

• Debbie
  There is enough information posted here from both sides over the last 6 months or so that anyone doing their research should get a clear picture of what to expect in the tool biz and owning a franchise in general.

  Because of contributions to this website among other reasons Marks/Klein are extremely busy, and I also hear there are numerous Managers coming forward on behalf of terminated Franchisees and some with their own lawsuits

  This is going to be an interesting year

• I still don’t understand how an organization like Vetfran (IFA) which will take ANY Franchiser as a participant in its program (Regardless of track record or history) does not have any accountability for the FRAUDULENT Opportunities that are being presented to our Military personnel by companies like Matco.

  Out of my graduation class of 10 Franchisees only one is left. That is a 90% failure rate.

  In my 6 1/2 years as a Franchise Distributor for Matco 7 Distributors left their Franchises in Northwest Arkansas alone. I was the third Distributor to start a route in NWA. Snap-On, STS, Mac and Cornwell had 12 leave their Franchises and their were 6 Snap-On Franchise owners when I started.

  This is absolute proof and not just an isolated case of Matco failure rates which are large in one area. The rest of the state of Arkansas has experienced the same type of CHURNING as well.

  If someone actually investigated and looked at how many Veterans have entered through the Vetfran program, how long they lasted as a Matco Franchisee and how many left or how many are still Franchise owners at this time, someone would DO something about it! Someone would take a stand for the VICTIMS of Franchising Fraud and say NOMORE!!!!!

• Todd
  I have a good one for ya’…Out of my class of 12 new dealers from all across the country there are NON left in business now, ZERO, ZIP, NADA, 0, GOOSE EGG

  Is that not 100% ???

  Facts are facts, Matco is making tens of millions of dollars “churning” Franchisees in and out

  Sounds like Vetfran IFA and the like have their hands in the “honeypot”

• Organized crime is all this is, they have kissed ass and paid alot of people off to keep their mouth shut, Matco is a bunch of crooks, just like our government.