Guarantee updated 6.21.10
What you need to know about Food Manager Training and Certification Companies.
We have always welcomed competition here at Food Safety Certifications, LLC and NationalFoodManager.com. In the past, healthy competition has strengthened our company to better serve you. Unfortunately, with the current state of the economy many Food Safety Companies are suffering. This has resulted in dishonest, deceptive and at times fraudulent behavior in everything from their advertising to their exam administration. We are happy to say that there are still honest Food Safety Companies to choose from. We would like to give you the tools necessary to quickly and easily make the right choice for your Food Safety Certification
Dishonest companies often make wild claims that can't be true...
Guarantees that you will pass the exam
No one could guarantee that someone else will pass an exam or anything for that matter. It is crucial to understand that any company making such a guarantee would be, at the very least, suspect of cheating. This is a blatant violation of standards. Any company caught cheating in any fashion would jeopardize all past and present certifications. They could be deemed invalid by regulating authorities. Do not take a chance using a dishonest company.
Claims of extremely high pass rates
Honest, cumulative pass rates within a few points of 95% are statistically, extremely unlikely. While it is common for all students in a particular class to pass the exam, it is unlikely that any company could honestly maintain such a high overall pass rate. If the exams were designed to be that easy, the State would not mandate their use. Any company making such a claim is being less than honest with you. Why would you ever do business with such a dishonest company?
Online Food Manager Exams
The Food Manager Exam my be taken online, HOWEVER what a dishonest company will not tell you is that the exam MUST be taken in the presence of a State Approved Proctor. This means that you still must go to a testing center to take the exam; unless of course you are willing to pay a very high fee to have a proctor come to you. You must also be diligent when dealing with online training companies. Many of them will convince you that the exam at the end of their program is the State mandated certification exam. Please know that their exam will not be accepted by your inspector unless you have had a proctor come to you and administer one of only three exams that are approved, ServSafe, NRFSP (National Registry of Food Safety Professionals) or Prometric (formerly Experior, formerly Thomson Prometric). Why would you ever do business with such a dishonest company?
Claims that you can retake the exam if you don't pass
You may take the Food Manager Exam over if you fail. Actually you may take it as often as you like. However, what a dishonest company will not tell you is that you will be expected to pay each time you take it. Why would you ever do business with such a dishonest company?
A low "open class" price with no cities and dates found on the website for "open classes"
When you call you are up-sold to a much more expensive "private" or "semi-private" class, usually at your location. Smaller operators will often follow this business model. Scheduling classes and renting venues 12 months into the future is an expensive undertaking for us here at Food Safety Certifications, LLC and NationalFoodManager.com, yet it is crucial for you. Students and business owners need to know when and were these classes are. If you are unable to attend a class at the last minute you need to know when and where the next one is. Calling one of these smaller providers and playing "let's make a deal" is the last thing you need during a scheduling crisis at your restaurant or place of business. Offering a low "open class" price with make-believe classes or no classes at all is dishonest. Why would you ever do business with such a dishonest company?
Jack of all trades and master of none
Some providers and Food Safety Training Companies offer everything from Divorce Classes and Sexual Harassment Protection to undercover surveillance and unqualified kitchen inspections.
At Food Safety Certifications, LLC and NationalFoodManager.com we are masters in our field. Food Safety is our only business!
Posted cities and dates that are later cancelled
Many Food Safety Training Companies are guilty of this on a regular basis. The two main reasons that this is done; not enough students registered into the class and the company is not willing to lose money on that class or they use this section of their website to appear to be a larger and more stable company, they do this knowing all along that only full classes will be honored.
At Food Safety Certifications, LLC and NationalFoodManager.com, with the exception of natural disasters and similar circumstances beyond our control, we do not cancel classes. If we should ever cancel a class, all students are 100% refunded and WELCOMED TO OUR NEXT CLASS AND CERTIFICATION EXAM FOR FREE!
They claim to offer the only approved training or exam
While the Food Manager Exam is mandatory, Florida has no training requirement for Food Managers and accepts the following Food Manager Exams and Certifications; ServSafe, NRFSP (National Registry of Food Safety Professionals) and Prometric (formerly Experior, formerly Thomson Prometric).
Guarantees of the lowest price
There is nothing wrong with guaranteeing the lowest price when your price is actually the lowest, or at the vary least, close to the lowest. HOWEVER some companies use this as an opening to negotiate with you, or worse yet you simply believe that it's the lowest price when it is not. We feel it is dishonest to guarantee the lowest price when your prices are substantially higher than the average rate. At this time anyone charging more than $88 for Food Manager Training and Certification Exam, in Florida, is OVERPRICED and not even close to the lowest price. There are some companies that advertise lower prices, before using them it would be advised to compare them to this tutorial to determine their honesty, quality and level of customer service. Many of the low price leaders employ some or all of the tactics mentioned here to separate you from your hard earned money.
At Food Safety Certifications, LLC and NationalFoodManager.com we will beat any low price offer, even if it comes from a blatantly dishonest competitor. We believe that we already have the lowest honest price. If you don't think so please call and ask to speak to JP, the Operations Manager. JP will be happy to hear what you found, if it's something he was unaware of, don't be surprised if he gives you the item in question for FREE.
Other ways to spot less professional providers and Food Safety Training Companies
Simple static websites that are nothing more than a glorified ad and an invitation to call in. They have very little content in print which leaves you little to no recourse for bad or dishonest service.
No instant online training
Accepts only checks in advance or cash at the door
No SSL certificate to enable a secured shopping cart (NEVER enter your credit card number before clicking and verifying a sites SSL certificate. Ours, by GeoTrust, could be found on the left hand panel of every page.)
No posted prices for services
No toll free number to call - 1-800-874-1009
No posted re-schedule policy
No Posted Terms & Conditions