If you never heard about Onforce, they claim to be an online platform / marketplace that connects computer repair services and IT consulting professionals with the consumers needing those services. They work across the US and Canada.
Well, we decided to give it a shot and join just to explore the endless opportunities for business growth and just for networking possibilities. We signed up back in 2007.
A part of the provider account setup process is that you add your skills, verify any pertinent computer certifications and take their online tutorials about the service. In order to have your service profile activated you have to complete their platform 101 training and exam online. In essence, this platform 101 and 102 it’s just series of simple questions pertaining to their service features, rules, etc. Surprisingly they don’t even have their own credentialing system and use www.surveymonkey.com online survey service to collect and store this info. I found this very odd, especially that they call themselves a platform.
Long story short, I added all of my pertinent computer certifications (Microsoft, Comptia) to my service profile and to my astonishment I hit a roadblock when attempting to “pass” their 102 and 102 tests!?!
I followed their procedures to the T, took their online tests though survey monkey and after having waited a week I decided to follow up since there was NO signs of any confirmation of tests. I contacted them via email and they responded pretty promptly, but the robotic email just advised to go through online training and complete the platform 101 test AGAIN!
I emailed them back asking if they had any records of my test results, but I didn’t hear back at all. Oh well.
After a week, I took the bullet and decided to take the 101 test again and in order to get to it you have to go though the tutorial again. So I took another 30-45 min to do so. Then took the test and this time around I saved the survey monkey URL, which seems to be unique.
The very next day I followed up via email simply to ask if they received results of my test, but I didn’t get any replies this time. Go figure.
Perhaps what had happened to me is an isolated incident, but based on my experiences I will NOT recommend Onforce to any IT company or individual.
Coincidently, I stumbled upon
Ripoff Report website on which there’s quite a few reports from various sources about Onforce being a rip-off, not treating its members fairly. Here’s just a few heading just to name a few:
• OnForce, Computer Repair, Jeffrey Leventhal, Ripoff Does Not Pay Contractor Taken For Large Amount Of Money New York New York Internet
• Rebuttal Onforce DO NOT USE ONFORCE EVER Lexington Massachusetts
• OnForce Blows No way can you make money with them ripoff New York New York
• OnForce ripoff Shady Unqualified Techs Internet
Take a look.
Update: 10/06/2008Shortly after making this post (less than 24h) I had received a few apologetic follow-up emails from Onforce staff offering help with activation process. Not only they offered help with expediting activation of my profile but they have also acknowledged the failure of their training authentication system.
Frankly, I was surprised how seriously the issue was taken (at least how it was expressed in emails) and how many people were personally involved to eradicate the problem. That tells me that someone listens.
It didn’t take more than 12h and I received an email from Verification stating that my Onforce profile was active and available to buyers creating Work Orders. I just wish this was a bit easier :)
Let’s see what happens next.
