You know, it has always just amazed me what some competing virtual tour companies will do just to try to compete with the Real Tour Vision providers. There have been times over the last eight years that I have seen dirty tricks from struggling competitors. I have read false statements and outright lies on websites used to hoodwink unsuspecting real estate agents and prospects. But, never in history people, have I received a phone call from someone claiming to be the police informing me that one of my providers was under investigation for grand theft auto!
For Chad and Becky Munsterman of Dream Realization Media, Inc in IL it came as a shocker. “I don’t steal cars! For crying out loud I don’t even download songs illegally!” Chad exclaimed, as I told him about the recent phone conversation I just had with a so called police officer.
No I did not think to get the police officers name, location, or phone number just in case I remembered something later, nor did he offer any of that information up. I sat there and listened to him as he asked me how I knew the Munsterman’s, if I knew where they were and if I had any idea of the kind of operation they were running. I did most of the talking and the call ended. I was shocked to think this could be happening. I am a great judge of character and Chad had been with RTV for quite some time now. This could not possibly be true. I scratched my head and decided it was time I did a little Sippowitz action of my own. It was just about then that the emails started coming in.
This so called police officer was on the virtual tour company website here: www.dreamrealizationmedia.com And was going right down the lists of testimonials asking each and every person the same string of questions he had asked me. With every phone call the client complied as they should, answered all of questions and hung up in a state of disbelief that their friendly virtual tour provider was just a front for a car boosting operation. Amazing!! What is this world coming to? Hmm….
Chad was just as surprised and right away he emailed me the stream of requests to remove testimonials from his site. He had no idea what was going on. Here is one sample request:
“Please remove my testimonial from your website ASAP and provide written
proof of completion. Thank you.”
I picked up the phone and started calling some of the testimonials and within five minutes Chad went from being a car boosting front man for the mob to an all American good guy fallen victim to back alley black hat ruthless sales tactic. Someone was impersonating the police and calling all of his clients in an attempt to discredit Chad and his thriving virtual tour company.
Talk about grasping for straws here. Now I know the Real Tour Vision product is hard to compete with if you are out there on the front lines. And I know that it is hard to keep up with our virtual tour technology. It must even be agonizing when you see your numbers start dropping as soon as one of our virtual tour providers gets started in your town.
Does this pent up frustration and inability to compete with our virtual tour providers fairly drive other virtual tour companies to turn to such shady tactics as this? We really are that good. Hats off to Chad Munsterman’s has-been competitor for giving us all around the world a good chuckle. Apologies to the people who received the phone call from the imposter. We are terribly sorry that our product and industry strength drives people to such madness. Let’s try keeping it clean out there folks! Stunts like this just sour the industry.