A reader contacted me requesting an replace to our Viv evaluation.
Hello Oz. Because you printed your evaluation there have been some adjustments with comp plan and companies provided.
Would you replace the evaluation and confirm if the brand new comp plan moved Viv into ponzi territory?
Thanks.
Our authentic Viv evaluation was printed in November 2018.
Viv nonetheless don’t hyperlink to a replica of their compensation plan on their web site. A “compensation at a look” PDF is on the market by way of Google, however it’s not full.
Nonetheless, it was sufficient for me to see there had certainly been adjustments made to Viv’s compensation plan.
At present we revisit Viv for an up to date evaluation.
The Firm
Viv continues to be based mostly out of Connecticut and headed up by CEO Cami Boehme (proper).
Try our authentic Viv evaluation for extra info on Boehme’s MLM historical past.
Viv’s Merchandise
Viv’s merchandise haven’t modified considerably since our authentic evaluation. The corporate nonetheless sells utilities and third-party service subscriptions.
Supplied utility companies are cut up into house and enterprise.
The house service is Autopilot Financial savings:
- prospects “add their payments” to Viv
- Viv’s service provider supplier haggles with the client’s service suppliers
- buyer saves cash
That’s the way it’s purported to work, with Viv accumulating “50% of the financial savings every month you save”.
“Pay-in-full reductions” are additionally talked about however no specifics given.
For vitality payments Viv nonetheless makes use of Utiliz to handle automated service supplier switching.
For enterprise Viv presents a lot of the identical. The one additions I famous have been invoice auditing and an effectivity service for local weather management (aircon, heating and so on.) and refrigeration.
No pricing is given, with Viv’s web site as a substitute directing potential prospects to “request a session”.
Viv’s third-party service subscriptions look like the identical as they have been in 2018.
Professional Membership prices $139.98 after which $69.99 a month.
Viv’s Professional Membership supplies entry to
- MediCall – “entry to a digital MD 24/7” ($29.99 a month individually)
- TechRescue – “24/7 tech help” ($19.99 a month individually)
- GetAway – “unique journey membership” ($29.99 a month individually)
- OutReach – “advertising and marketing automation & gamification” ($29.99 a month individually)
Observe that the above is correct as per Viv’s on-line retailer dated January 2020.
Their compensation plan materials references further companies. It’s unclear whether or not these companies are nonetheless provided.
Viv’s Compensation Plan
Viv’s compensation plan relies on direct commissions and a unilevel group for residuals.
Rank-based Weekly Base Pay can be supplied, together with a Technology Bonus to flesh out the unilevel group.
Observe that Viv associates should have a Professional Membership to earn the Mentor Bonus and Weekly Base Pay.
Private Buyer Factors
Private Buyer Factors (PCPs) are factors allotted on the sale of utilities to Viv prospects.
Viv’s compensation documentation doesn’t specify whether or not particular person subscription companies and Professional Memberships generate PCPs.
Given these are additionally merchandise nevertheless, it’s assumed they do.
PCPs are required for Premium Service Subscription commissions and residual commissions.
Community Factors (group PCP) is used to trace Weekly Base Pay qualification.
Professional Membership Gross sales
Viv associates obtain $25 per Professional Membership sale to a retail buyer or recruited affiliate.
A Mentor Bonus supplies a residual fee on Professional Membership gross sales.
Viv’s compensation documentation states the Mentor Bonus pays “$5 to 3 certified ranges”.
Whether or not these are primary unilevel group ranges or generations is unclear.
Premium Service Commissions
Viv’s compensation plan particulars commissions on HomeSecure ($150), IntelliHVAC ($150) and EnerG2 ($75) “premium service” product sale.
IntilliHVAC is the vitality effectivity product. The others don’t function in Viv’s on-line retailer so it’s unclear whether or not they’re nonetheless provided.
Observe {that a} Viv affiliate wants 5 PCP a month to qualify for Premium Service Commissions.
Residual Commissions
Viv pays residual commissions out by way of a unilevel compensation construction.
A unilevel compensation construction locations an affiliate on the high of a unilevel group, with each personally recruited affiliate positioned straight underneath them (stage 1):
If any stage 1 associates recruit new associates, they’re positioned on stage 2 of the unique affiliate’s unilevel group.
If any stage 2 associates recruit new associates, they’re positioned on stage 3 and so forth and so forth down a theoretical infinite variety of ranges.
Viv caps payable unilevel group ranges at six.
Commissions are paid out as a share of gross sales quantity generated throughout these six ranges as follows:
- stage 1 (personally recruited associates) – as much as 50%
- stage 2 – as much as 11%
- stage 3 – as much as 9%
- stage 4 – as much as 7%
- ranges 5 and 6 – as much as 6%
Observe that Viv’s compensation documentation doesn’t make clear why said residual commissions are “as much as”.
Additionally observe a Viv affiliate must be producing 12 PCP a month to qualify for residual commissions.
Weekly Base Pay
Weekly Base Pay is a rank based mostly weekly fee paid to Viv associates.
Rank qualification relies on Community Factors (NP), which is the sum whole PCP generated by a Viv affiliate and their downline.
- Promoter 160 – generate 160 NPs a month and obtain $10 per week
- Promoter 320 – generate 320 NPs a month and obtain $15 per week
- Promoter 650 – generate 650 NPs a month and obtain $25 per week
- Pacesetter – generate 1250 NPs a month and obtain $50 per week
- Associate – generate 2500 NPs a month and obtain $100 per week
- Silver Associate – generate 5000 NPs a month and obtain $175 per week
- Gold Associate – generate 9000 NPs a month and obtain $250 per week
- Platinum Associate – generate 15,000 NPs a month and obtain $500 per week
- Diamond Associate – generate 25,000 NPs a month and obtain $750 per week
- Govt – generate 40,000 NPs a month and obtain $1000 per week
- Silver Govt – generate 60,000 NPs a month and obtain $1500 per week
- Gold Govt – generate 90,000 NPs a month and obtain $2000 per week
- Platinum Govt – generate 130,000 NPs a month and obtain $3000 per week
- Diamond Govt – generate 200,000 NPs a month and obtain $5000 per week
Observe that no extra that 40% of NPs can come from anyone unilevel group leg.
From the Pacesetter rank this requirement is dropped to 30%.
Technology Bonus
Viv pays a Technology Bonus utilizing the identical unilevel group construction residual commissions are paid out with.
The Technology Bonus pays out on as much as 4 generations.
A era inside Viv’s compensation plan seems to be outlined when a Pacesetter or greater ranked affiliate is present in a unilevel group leg.
- Pacesetters earn 3% on 1 era
- Companions earn “as much as 4%” on 2 generations
- Silver Companions earn “as much as 5%” on 3 generations
- Gold Companions earn “as much as 6%” on 4 generations
From Gold Associate the proportion cap will increase. Viv’s compensation documentation states Diamond Executives earn “as much as 10%” on 4 generations however doesn’t present particulars on inbetween ranks.
As with residual commissions the usage of “as much as” isn’t defined. Additionally unclear is on what quantity Viv’s Technology Bonus pays out on.
Observe that 30 PCP a month is required to qualify for the Technology Bonus
Management Pool
Viv takes 4% of company-wide income and locations it into two 2% Management Swimming pools.
- Platinum Companions and better ranked associates obtain a share within the 2% Associate Pool
- Silver Executives and better ranked associates obtain a share within the 2% Govt Pool
Observe that 30 PCP a month is required to qualify for Management Swimming pools.
Quick Observe Bonus
Viv associates obtain $150 in the event that they generate 30 PCP inside 30 days of signing up.
A bonus $50 can be paid to their upline (the affiliate who recruited them).
Accelerator Bonus
Throughout a Viv affiliate’s first thirty days, they obtain $10 per 5 “certified payments” submitted to the corporate.
A bonus $10 can be paid to their upline (the affiliate who recruited them).
Observe {that a} “certified invoice” isn’t outlined in Viv’s compensation documentation.
Becoming a member of Viv
Primary Viv affiliate membership is $99 after which $19.99 a month.
Full entry to Viv’s revenue alternative (requires Professional Membership) prices $189 after which $69.99 a month.
Observe that there’s additionally a free Viv affiliate possibility (non-MLM commissions solely).
Using “affiliate” on this evaluation doesn’t consult with this Viv membership possibility.
Conclusion
Since launch Viv’s utilities service has taken a backseat to Professional Membership recruitment.
The Buyer Level Bonus seems to be gone, which was the one retail encouragement bonus the corporate had.
Now Viv associates are required to keep up a Professional Membership to completely take part within the MLM aspect of the enterprise.
This lends itself to Professional Membership recruitment, which given the month-to-month charges is successfully autoship recruitment.
Autoship recruitment is a powerful indication an MLM firm is working as a pyramid scheme.
In Viv, this might happen if the vast majority of commissions are tied to affiliate Professional Membership quantity.
And I’ve a sneaking suspicion that’s the case.
The utilities at this level could be ignored. MLM + utilities is all the time a tough promote, owing to the complexity of companies provided throughout a number of states.
That is why pricing isn’t supplied, and so it’s not precisely a straightforward promote.
Worth comparability sure. However when you need to hand over 50% of your financial savings month to month, why not simply name up your supplier your self?
Viv’s best product to promote is the Professional Membership, however largely due to the hooked up revenue alternative.
One thing that Viv themselves promote as the choice with “most incomes potential”.
They’re not incorrect, however that’s the issue.
Revenue potential in an MLM alternative must be dictated solely on gross sales efficiency, with the vast majority of gross sales made to retail prospects.
Revenue potential tied to how a lot an affiliate spends once they join is “pay to play”, once more one other pyramid scheme indicator.
As a potential Viv affiliate, what you wish to discover out is how your potential upline is primarily getting paid.
If it’s by means of recruitment of Professional Membership associates, that’s a pyramid scheme.
The $69.99 Professional Membership provides as much as $839.88 yearly, which is the naked minimal worth it’s essential to receive simply to interrupt even.
Can’t actually see that taking place for most individuals, making it’s retail viability questionable.
To reply our reader’s query, no Viv isn’t working as a Ponzi scheme.
The Weekly Base Pay may very well be construed as one ($69.99 in and no matter out based mostly on Professional Membership recruitment), however that’d hinge on affiliate Professional Membership gross sales making up 100% of Viv’s company-wide income.
Even when Viv is generally working as a pyramid scheme, that’s nonetheless unlikely.
In case the purpose hasn’t been pushed house, Viv is probably going working as a pyramid scheme at this level.
Consider your potential upline’s major revenue supply quantity and go from there.
Oh and wouldn’t it kill Viv to offer precise compensation plan info to the general public?
No excuses guys, not adequate.
Viv’s presentation of subscription companies on their web site additionally must be overhauled. Merchandise are talked about of their compensation abstract that don’t function on their web site, and vice-versa.
Additionally as a substitute of the infinite scroll mess that branches off into what appears like 1,000,000 totally different choices, consolidate the subscription companies right into a single-page abstract format.
Your associates and potential prospects will thanks.
Replace fifteenth Might 2021 – Viv made adjustments to their compensation plan in late 2020.
Consequently BehindMLM has printed a 3rd up to date Viv evaluation.