08448841111

I have worked for them too and my experience is that you need a LOT of money in the bank to support yourself and your fledgeling "business" by buying stock (their starter pack is almost unsellable), paying the deposit, van rental and today's high fuel costs, plus at least 9 blocks of ice per week at £6.00 per block, for AT LEAST 3 months before you see any real return from your accrued customer base, so be prepared to wave at least 3 or 4 thousand pounds goodbye as your "business investment".  None of this is ever explained to any new recruit - fact.

What I found utterly unacceptable though was the opportunity for a sale from cold calling is 1 household in 22.5 on average which is deplorable for a direct sales orientated business, when Mr Bewley knows full well a better product range and smaller box sizes would dramatically reduce that "no-sale" figure to around 1 household in 6 so YOU can make money each day, not wait for months.  But Mr Bewley doesn't care, he blames YOU for being the poor salesperson while he is making a very fat mark-up on every box he sells you and when you fail he makes threatening phone calls to you and your family without even the courtesy of a formal written claim for the money allegedly owed.

Oh yes, before I forget, date expired boxes do get a fresh new label by as much as another year added on to what is already a year old.  The amount of ice weight included per box is also rather questionable too.

Despite all the protestations that their doorstep sales people are "self employed distributors", I noted many examples of company operations that directly contravene HMRC's rules about the difference between an independent agent and an employee in all but name.

I got drawn in by an advert saying that I could earn a minimum of £40K a year back in 2009, I attended an ‘interview’ where I was fed a load of crap by a guy named Stuart (where I was told nothing about the costs involved with starting work for Dining Solutions Direct).  I took a couple of days off from my current job to attend the two ‘training’ days, I was appalled by what I saw.  I arrived at the hall that they used in Okehampton, where there was a bunch of blokes messing about and showing off to each other, demonstrating the best way to rip people off, I saw Stuart show how to rip people off using an old calculator (add a bit of money on to the total and if anyone notices then just blame the calculator).  I soon found out the costs involved in starting out with the company (as mentioned in previous comments…. Van rental, buying the crap Findus food, even ICE) but decided to see how the products sell.  I spent the morning as a passenger in Exeter trying the hard sell on innocent retired people (the majority of people that would stand up to the hard selling salesman were at work, so it made sense to rip off the elderly APPARENTLY).  By midday we had made no sales and just been sworn at and called parasites, I was told that the people of Exeter had obviously been hit hard by salesmen before and we had no chance.  It was at this point I decided to cut my losses and say that it wasn’t for me, I got dropped back to my car and went home……………..  VERY VERY ANGRY.

I have followed the comments on this website since my awful morning three years ago, I am still angry about the company and the people that work for it.  I decided to write this post after the comments saying that the previous posts had all come from one person.  If they have come from one person (which I don’t believe), then I am the second person who is appalled by the company and I have no doubt that there are thousands of other people out there who have had interactions with DSD that would like to see the company burn in hell.  I sincerely hope that a salesman turns up on my doorstep so that I can tell him what I think of him and of the company he works for.  HARD SELLING AND DOOR TO DOOR SELLING SHOULD BE A CRIME.

I see my previous posts have vanished, obviously too hot and contentious to be discussed openly.

I will say again though that I do not take too kindly to this company ringing me and my family demanding money that is derived from pure fiction, more so when no figure or indeed reasons in writing are given, open to be challenged and questioned.  It is bad enough that I lost a lot of money working for DSD and it rubs salt into the wound when this business decides they also want to take a pound of flesh they are not entitled to unless they prove otherwise.

If money is claimed to be owed then at least have the decency to put that claim in writing to ensure it is 100% accurate, legal and open to scrutiny.  Secondly, discussing business with someone other than the recipient contravenes the Data Protection Act, especially so when the caller KNOWS it is not my number they are ringing - despicable and unprofessional behaviour at best.  Thirdly, demanding payment over the telephone from anyone is also illegal and I shall be reporting this fact to the appropriate authorities.  Finally, upset my family and what little regard I had left for this company has entirely evaporated and I don't want others to be treated in a similar manner - even though they probably are.  Given that the numbers of new recruits that don't "make the grade" and may have run up debts with van rental, ice and replenishment stock must number very highly, but it is really their fault if none of that is explained at interview apart from misleading income claims, the company decides that it is the ONLY recruitment policy it will adopt, the training may not be adequate enough and like all new businesses losses may be suffered as well as any purported gains.  It is that dishonesty that decent folks dislike and react to.

All I see is vain attempts at damage limitation by DSD personnel posting here, because what would convince me 100% that these testimonials are from genuine satisfied customers is entirely missing from every single one of those comments.  It would of course be wrong to say what exactly is missing from these posts, as we don't want to let these people know how to make the comments appear to be genuine!

If indeed these 'genuine' customers have read all of these posts on this forum, then not a single one of them  has even raised an eyebrow that the very nice sales rep that calls on them with a smile is getting £15 out of that £40 they pay PER BOX, never mind how much profit DSD HQ has made per box before the rep bought it from them to sell on.  Nobody yet has questioned or even been perplexed or curious even about how long that product is fit for consumption, given that more than one poster has stated the labels are being 'updated'.

Yes "Erika", whatever you say...
If you're such a happy customer then 2 things:
1) What are you doing on this website, searching on a website like "whocallsme" for a number you'd have already known?? DUH!
2) How would being a satisfied customer make you such an expert on their employment conditions? Don't tell me... You also happen to be an expert in employment law and DSD allowed you to scrutinise their full terms and conditions of employment!
Is that some strange loyalty bonus for buying x-number of boxes of re-packaged relabelled dodgy frozen fish!??

Idiots

This one raises a lot of doubts so best to avoid there's other more reputable businesses to use

Thanks...This saved me a trip..  Welldone..

Fake messages have been removed from this thread.

I also wasted a couple of days working for DSD.  When I went training with one rep I was put off by the hard sell tactics.  If I had been a customer it would have put me off buying anything,  One customer who was about to buy one box was put off by the pressure to buy more and ended up buying nothing.  
I was told not to use words like please and thank you - I had always been taught that "manners maketh the man" so that again was a red flag.  I also asked the policy on going to houses with "No cold callers" stickers on the door.  I was told that they were good targets as people who have those stickers find it hard to refuse sales reps.  Needless to say, when I did visit a house with a sticker the owners were not too pleased and they let me know it.
I'm not saying you cannot make money but the tactics and hours you have to work were not for me.  For example - You'd pick up and load the van at around 8.30 am but I was told the best time to sell would be from 5 to 9 pm when people had gotten home from work.  (and if they are like me would not want to be bothered by cold callers after a hard days work)

Just thought I'd leave a message for mr nick bewley on here. Sour grapes, get over it. Can't compete, then waste time on a [***] comparison price website. Must be having nightmares at night in your sleep. Treat your SELF EMPLOYED fishmen like [***] and rip them off. Greedy selfish [***]. I wonder why your fishmen walk.

We were asked to conduct an investigation into the trading practices and refute or confirm allegations submitted to this site about the company in question. This is in accordance with the good practice principles set out in the Enforcement Concordat and the Regulator’s
Compliance Code. (Trading standards enforcement policy)
The following results were established after an intensive review was conducted.

• Inspection of trade premises carried out by Trading Standards Officers
• Company was found compliant with all relevant trading standards legislation.  
• There was no evidence of deception, or fraud or intent
• There was no likelihood of past or future perceived non-compliance
• There was no behaviour likely to give unfair commercial advantage

Summary: The internet is becoming an increasingly popular medium for discrediting companies via the use of sites such as this. Users are encouraged to use facts to base their opinions on. We found absolutely no evidence to associate these allegations to the said company.

More information available from http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/northsomerset/

I'm not sure how Dining Solutions Direct managed to get away with this, but the fact remains that during my 2 training days with Stuart I heard him say "when totaling prices up on the calculator, add a bit on and if the customer spots that it's wrong then blame the old calculator", refer to my previous post for more details, and if Stuart reads this then I'd be happy to hear what you have to say about this.  This company angers me A LOT.

How angry am I? Angry at myself for turning up at my "interview" with Andy this morning to find a dozen other poor victims of this shower. All sat in a pub at 09:30 filling out a career and personal question form waiting in turn to be openly pitched in front of all present by Andy? What a waste of my time. Realising my chain was being pulled I left, but I guess some of those present get drawn in and end up posting here! I hope DSD rots along with some of it's out of date food perhaps?

Saw an advert for a job and went for a interview. With no company name on the advert I was concerned to whom they were.
Interview was basically a waste of time and was definitely not happy with the way the vans were kept cold by the use of dry ice. After hearing what the bloke said and all the other typical sales speech about the job I came home to do some research on the company. I think its safe to say that I wont be joining there ranks as after hearing a lot about there tactics to selling I don't want  to be associated with a company that allows it workers to pray in the old and the weak.
So to end it all I thank you for the invite into your company but I refuse on my own moral grounds and self respect.

At leased give it a go its good of them to give up they're time to intirview peolpe and all they get is peolpe on hear slannderring them. I'm happy with my job.

its just happened to me,everything you have just said is true,was unemployed and desperate to get back to work,took our car as deposit for van,now i supposedly owe them £123,and wont give my car back.STAY AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE,THEY DONT PUT THEIR HANDS IN THEIR POCKETS FOR ANYTHING,ALL AT YOUR OWN EXPENSE.STOCK OVERPRICED SO YOU CAN EARN(OR IN MY CASE CANT)I WAS TOP SALESMAN FOR TWO DIFFERENT DOUBLE GLAZING COMPANIES BUT I CANT SELL THIS CRAP,PRESSURISING THE VULNERABLE AND ELDERLY AND THOSE WHICH CANT REALLY AFFORD TO BUY IT IS NOT FOR ME..STAY AWAY FROM THEM AND CERTAINLY DONT BY IT,THE STOCK IS PROB ANCIENT ANYWAY!!!!!

as an ex employee i can say you DO have to buy the food the ice the van

I have an interview with DSD foodgroup:company car supplied!now can anyone tell me before I waste. My time is there any catches ie money out lay or working ridiculous hrs for peanuts?
Its a sales/delivery job!

Hello Dale have you ever heard of DSD food group? As I have an interview and unsure wether I'm wasting my time!