English conversation school sued to stop undue solicitations

Thursday 28th August, 03:56 PM JST

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9 Comments

Notginger at 04:34 PM JST - 28th August

They refused to promise not to lock people in their offices to make them sign a contract!?!?!?!?!
serindipity at 06:07 PM JST - 28th August

Ah, yes! When a Japanese business uses harsh tactics to get clients it's called, business skills. I've got a mate running his own school and he is always looking for new students. I'll have to investigate these tactics and pass them on to him.
JackDorff at 06:25 PM JST - 28th August

This sounds like the ol` pink bunny method. Lure the unsuspecting punter in with a free demo lesson which is all of 15 minutes, get them in all nice and settled, and then stand in front of the door until they sign.
haytkayokomiya at 10:56 PM JST - 28th August

NOVA part2? All they need now are the creepy old guys working there.
amannin1 at 11:35 PM JST - 28th August

so what if they close or lock the door -- unless they are holding a gun to my face, i would simply walk out...

or perhaps, are they locking them up from the outside with a deadbolt or something and refusing to open the door until a signed contract is slid underneath and validated??? (if that was the case, that would be just plain creepy)
neverknow2 at 11:52 PM JST - 28th August

A company called Fortress Japan??? C'mon!!!!! This is a hoax 4 sure???
Betting at 12:38 AM JST - 29th August

"...it was not engaged in such practice at that time but refused to pledge that it will not do so in the future".

They say that are not doing it, but won't promise not to do it in the future? Anyone else think that is a little strange? Or are my eyes playing tricks on me at this late time of night.

I think this practice isn't so rare in Japan as you may think. I've talked to several people who have been snagged on the street via "catch sales" and literally held in the sales office for hours and hours till they bought something.
tripank at 04:18 PM JST - 29th August

This is a sign of what is truly happening in the English industry at the moment. To many schools fighting for a shrinking student base.
bushlover at 05:30 PM JST - 2nd September

So they don't promise not to do it in the future because it would be admitting that they are doing it in the present? I tihnk that is why Betting. But really anyone feeling like they are being unduly pressured into buying something and doesn't have the balls to walk out is really weak. I don't think that people are being physically prevented from leaving as much as they are mentally being prevented. Japanese sales people do recognize that their own citizens are as weak as we see they are everyday.