Reporting Agencies to the ASA

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

TobyJug-LC:
I am not sure though why the lack of work is taking this long this year…

A quick count-up on the number of threads about hauliers going bust, coupled with the constant reminders that we’re in a bit of a recession, should provide some kind of a clue.

If it gives the agency-haters any satisfaction, they suffer as much if not more when business is quiet.

Another comment; the more specific you are about what you will and won’t do, the less chance you’ve got of being considered for work. If the only work the agency’s getting is for trolley drivers, and you won’t do it cos you don’t like it, then you can’t really complain when your phone stops ringing.

22

dinosteveus1:
Don’t know about anybody else but I’m fed up of seeing Agencies advertising non existent job just to get you to sign up.
The latest ad from DriveLink is offering immediate start on either days or nights. There is NO work from them and they ain’t supplied a night driver for over a month.
Could we report these to the ASA for misleading ‘punters’■■

Reply from ASA;

"Dear [Sir]

Thank you for your e-mail to the Advertising Standards Authority. Apologies for the delay in responding.

This is something we can investigate. If the ads are misleadingly giving the impression that there is a job available but actually they are just using this as a route to get people to sign up with the agency then it could well be found to be problematic under the Advertising Codes. The advertisers themselves would need to provide us with evidence to support the claims they are making.

I note you mention a number of different ads. It would be best in the first instance if you could give our complaints team some specific examples and detail your objections about those ads. To submit a complaint, please complete our online complaints form or contact our Complaints team at the address or telephone number below.

Kind regards

Debra"

So there you have it, if an agency advertises a non-existent job then the ASA will investigate. The agency will have to prove the job exists, you don’t have to prove it doesn’t.

This is the link for the complaint form http://www.asa.org.uk/Complaints-and-ASA-action/How-to-complain/Online-Form.aspx,

Their address is; Advertising Standards Authority
Mid City Place 71 High Holborn London WC1V 6QT

Telephone; 020 7492 2222

Anyone can complain (not just someone responding to an ad), it’s free and doesn’t take much time.

23

Ummmmmm, interesting, thanks. :wink:

24

Don’t pick on a little agency, pick on one of the biggies, ADR, Manpower, TRG etc for maximum effect.

However, I suspect they will “adjust” their advertising to suit if pulled on it!

25

44 Tonne Ton:
Don’t pick on a little agency, pick on one of the biggies, ADR, Manpower, TRG etc for maximum effect.

However, I suspect they will “adjust” their advertising to suit if pulled on it!

DriverHire please :smiling_imp:

26

44 Tonne Ton:
Don’t pick on a little agency, pick on one of the biggies, ADR, Manpower, TRG etc for maximum effect.
However, I suspect they will “adjust” their advertising to suit if pulled on it!

All need reporting. :unamused:

27

Biscuits:

dinosteveus1:
Don’t know about anybody else but I’m fed up of seeing Agencies advertising non existent job just to get you to sign up.
The latest ad from DriveLink is offering immediate start on either days or nights. There is NO work from them and they ain’t supplied a night driver for over a month.
Could we report these to the ASA for misleading ‘punters’■■

Reply from ASA;

"Dear [Sir]

Thank you for your e-mail to the Advertising Standards Authority. Apologies for the delay in responding.

This is something we can investigate. If the ads are misleadingly giving the impression that there is a job available but actually they are just using this as a route to get people to sign up with the agency then it could well be found to be problematic under the Advertising Codes. The advertisers themselves would need to provide us with evidence to support the claims they are making.

I note you mention a number of different ads. It would be best in the first instance if you could give our complaints team some specific examples and detail your objections about those ads. To submit a complaint, please complete our online complaints form or contact our Complaints team at the address or telephone number below.

Kind regards

Debra"

So there you have it, if an agency advertises a non-existent job then the ASA will investigate. The agency will have to prove the job exists, you don’t have to prove it doesn’t.

This is the link for the complaint form http://www.asa.org.uk/Complaints-and-ASA-action/How-to-complain/Online-Form.aspx,

Their address is; Advertising Standards Authority
Mid City Place 71 High Holborn London WC1V 6QT

Telephone; 020 7492 2222

Anyone can complain (not just someone responding to an ad), it’s free and doesn’t take much time.

As nice as this all sounds, it’ll never stand up as it’s your word against theirs. If I was running my own agency I could think of no end of ‘excuses’ to put a lid on any ASA investigation. If the ASA asked you to prove existence of the job you’re advertising for, it’s not exactly difficult to create some paperwork to support that. Furthermore, if the ASA says “x said he signed up last week in response to your ad for ‘drivers urgently required for new contract’ but no-one has contacted him since, why?”, it’s quite easy to quosh that one by dreaming up any number of plausible reasons such as he doesn’t have the 2 years experience for insurance cover; the client requires previous experience of x vehicle combination which he doesn’t have; we tried to call him but there was no answer; we offered him work in the past but he didn’t turn up for the job; he was rude to our client on his last job for us, etc etc etc.

The ASA are highly unlikely to get involved in personal matters between the agency and the driver, and assuming the reasons given are plausible (which all the above examples are) it will be “case closed”.

Do it if it makes you feel better, but I’ll guarantee you 100% that it won’t make any difference whatsoever. :bulb:

28

dinosteveus1:

44 Tonne Ton:
Don’t pick on a little agency, pick on one of the biggies, ADR, Manpower, TRG etc for maximum effect.
However, I suspect they will “adjust” their advertising to suit if pulled on it!

All need reporting. :unamused:

You’re missing the point… :unamused:

29

dinosteveus1:
Don’t know about anybody else but I’m fed up of seeing Agencies advertising non existent job just to get you to sign up.
The latest ad from DriveLink is offering immediate start on either days or nights. There is NO work from them and they ain’t supplied a night driver for over a month.
Could we report these to the ASA for misleading ‘punters’■■

To report them you need to get with Reference Number from jobcentre Office to them to apply for that one Job.
if no work you do it with the next job Offer the same.
After a while you have a Reason to complain.
But
If you sign in they search you work,give ya 1 Day/week to get there Pay and you can’t get jobseeker allowence,althought you under 16 Hour but paid more the £56.-/week and no other Benefits in that case.
Now,thats reason too to complain after a few Week,as they offered a job via Jobcentre but were not able to give you enough Work to leave on it.
Think there anywhy too many Agency at moment around.
Some just play with Tricks to get there Pay and don’t care for drivers,or Agency feight another on the Cost of Drivers.

30

Rob K:
As nice as this all sounds, it’ll never stand up as it’s your word against theirs.

It’s not, it’s a judgement about the truthfulness of an ad.

If I was running my own agency I could think of no end of ‘excuses’ to put a lid on any ASA investigation. If the ASA asked you to prove existence of the job you’re advertising for, it’s not exactly difficult to create some paperwork to support that.

True to an extent, although such an agency would now be running the risk of a much more serious deception charge. It depends on how thorough the ASA is; the ultimate proof of a job is to see a person doing it. Don’t forget the end client has no interest in helping an agency lie.

Furthermore, if the ASA says “x said he signed up last week in response to your ad for ‘drivers urgently required for new contract’ but no-one has contacted him since, why?”, it’s quite easy to quosh that one by dreaming up any number of plausible reasons such as he doesn’t have the 2 years experience for insurance cover; the client requires previous experience of x vehicle combination which he doesn’t have; we tried to call him but there was no answer; we offered him work in the past but he didn’t turn up for the job; he was rude to our client on his last job for us, etc etc etc.

The ASA are highly unlikely to get involved in personal matters between the agency and the driver, and assuming the reasons given are plausible (which all the above examples are) it will be “case closed”.

This would never happen. They are a standards agency, not a court or tribunal. They are not there to adjudicate between two parties. Anyone can make a complaint about any ad, you don’t have to have had a connection with the agency, or even be a truck driver.

Do it if it makes you feel better, but I’ll guarantee you 100% that it won’t make any difference whatsoever. :bulb:

Put that statement in an ad and I’m sure the ASA would 'ave ya. The road to misery is paved with apathy. Here’s something I’ve discovered; 80% of things we try don’t work. But here’s the thing; the 20% of things that do work make our lives better, and we don’t get to that 20% unless we try the 100% of things.

So folks, if you see agency ad that’s a pack of lies, tell the ASA. Coz it’s free and you don’t know til you try. And if you don’t, it will DEFINITELY carry on.