You MUST be making at least $20k per month profit to have the funds to make this system work properly.
My experience was lack lustre with PEMA. The ROI did not eventuate and once the 20 original leads arrived, I was left to continue the system alone, even though 7/20 were no show, 8/20 were not my target market, and remaining 5 could not afford my program. I can see the PEMA outreach would work for businesses who can afford to upkeep 10 or more personas, ($1000AU/mth)
Plus platform subscriptions & VA $$.
And who can afford to keep PEMA available for adjustments. Less than 10 personas is not financially viable. These ongoing costs are not explained at the beginning. Realistically, if you are making less than $20K per month in profit you will struggle to afford the ongoing cost of the system. I persisted with my system for 12 months my return has been 10% of my total cost.
MM
Marcus M.
*Zero risk guarantee* not as Zero risk as implied
The #1 thing I want to stress in this review is that Pema’s *zero risk, double guarantee* is not zero risk. I feel it necessary to share my personal experience to shed light on potential gaps between PEMA's expectations of what that means, and you as the consumer.
The onboarding process, and initial campaign launch went quickly, and smoothly with good communication. This is where I award the two stars for the review. After launch, we made other small adjustments, but let the campaign run its course.
Nearly 8 weeks after my campaign launch date, my weekly campaign progress note included a video stating that my campaign was working, but it needed more volume(budget) to hit the guaranteed 20 appointments.
This is the point at which I felt that the terms of the agreement were being changed. I had already paid a significant amount of money for this program, as well as additional budget to operate the campaign, with the expectation that if this didn’t work out, I would be able to recover my investment. However, I am now being asked to invest more to meet the number of appointments PEMA guaranteed me? This didn’t sit well with me, and I did not add the additional budget, and I let the campaign run as is.
By the time of the end of my 90 day agreement, PEMA had booked 12 appointments out of the guaranteed 20. If you’re reading this, ask yourself if you feel you would be entitled to exercise your no risk refund if you were to find yourself in the same position?
After I engaged them about my refund, my AM stated that I didn’t meet my end of the guarantee due to various reasons, and that I would only be able to extend their services until I hit the number.
I provided my documentation, and made multiple attempts to work together to resolve the situation amicably, but PEMA declined each time. I filed a dispute with Amex and was able to recover my investment.
Here are two other notable exceptions I would want to know if I was reading this review:
Cancellation Policy: During my time with PEMA, I learned that even canceled appointments are counted towards the guaranteed total. This was not initially communicated and felt misleading as it effectively reduces the real number of guaranteed appointments. Be aware that the definition of 'booked appointments' may not align with your expectations.
Stringent Communication Expectations: PEMA expects that any communication from their side must be responded to within a day, as stated in the agreement. While efficient communication is key to any partnership, a strict one-day rule is quite limiting and could potentially be used to contest refunds.
Additional Hidden Costs: The advertised cost for PEMA's program doesn't tell the full story. Expect additional running costs on top of the stated VA cost. This came as an unwelcome surprise and significantly increased the expected investment for me, making their initial cost quote seem misleading.
While I embarked on this journey with PEMA with high hopes, my experience left me wishing for more transparency and integrity. The 'zero risk' guarantee proved to be more complex than it initially seemed, the communication expectations were stringent, and the hidden costs were a bitter pill to swallow. If you're considering PEMA's services, arm yourself with this information to make an informed decision.
Response from PEMAJul 28, 2023
It is impossible to deliver on our end if the client doesn't provide the needed resources. Marcus was informed of exactly what volume of outreach he needed to do 20 meetings and well beyond if he so desired, and he chose not to do it. Of course, if the process (Volume of Outreach in This Case) is not followed, you will not obtain the result (Volume of Meetings). The AMEX dispute was resolved in PEMA's favor as the bank also agrees that the agreement is very clear on what warrants a refund.