Complaint Review: Houlihan Smith Investment Bank - Chicago Illinois

Rip-off Report Investigation:

Editor's UPDATE: Positive Rating and Recognition has been given to Houlihan Smith & Company for its Commitment to client satisfaction.

Houlihan Smith & Company gets a POSITIVE RATING in client support from Rip-off Report and they are fulfilling their commitment to provide excellent customer service. We found that Houlihan has always quickly resolved any complaints and has openly stated to Rip-off Report the measures it takes towards continual customer service improvement strategies. This EDitor reviewed the 6 reports levied against Houlihan and found that two of the Reports filed were not filed by clients of Houlihan Smith & Company, they were disgruntled entry level ex-employees that did not make it through their probationary period, more than likely because Houlihan's fast pace environment and high expectations are difficult for some to measure up to. The remaining complaints were not from actual engaged clients and those issues had already been resolved. Some asked us if we could remove the Reports, we said no. Houlihan's approach to this finding was that it didn't matter where they came from, they simply wanted to know if they were doing everything possible to leave clients with a positive experience. Houlihan looked to Rip-off Report and its Corporate Advocacy Program to highlight any challenges it may have and followed its suggestions openly.

Houlihan Smith & Company has been representing clients in the investment banking industry for over a decade and maintains a highly respected reputation for its strong client representation. In the investment banking world there are many intangible factors that can ultimately influence the direction of a clients relationship with its investment banking group. Houlihan recognizes that it has long relationships, and often highly charged and emotional relationships with its clients simply given the reasons for being a client. As stated by a company executive, just as in life, in business not every relationship ends the way you would have hoped or expected! That doesn't mean that it falls short of its efforts or responsibility and it doesn't mean that Houlihan didn't do everything within its power and even beyond its responsibility to benefit its clients. Houlihan Smith & Company is an employee owned company which means that every employee has something to gain from building the best client experience possible. It is rare to find a company with so much dedication to its employees and clients as we have to ours.

Houlihan Smith & Company recognizes that complaints posted on Rip-off Report (true or not) are issues that need to be addressed and if handled correctly can be valuable learning opportunities. With the feedback generated by Rip-off Report's Investigation Houlihan Smith has made organizational changes allowing their clients a more streamlined approach to problem resolution and a total overall commitment to customer experience.

In summary, after our investigation, which included discussions with Houlihan Smith & Company Senior Management, Rip-off Report is convinced that the company has been and is committed to quality delivery of services resulting in total client satisfaction.

Read more about Houlihan Smith & Company's Commitment to Excellence and Total Consumer Satisfaction and why consumers should feel safe, confident and secure when doing business with a member of Rip-off Report's Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program. ..yes, a long name for a program that does a lot for both consumers and businesses alike.

Read about Rip-off Report Corporate Advocacy Business Remediation & Customer Satisfaction Program,..A program that benefits the consumer, assures them of complete satisfaction and confidence when doing business with a member business. this program works.

=====================

NOW TO THE ORIGINAL REPORT THAT WAS FILED

=====================

Houlihan Smith Investment Bank Houlihan Smith "specialized investment banking" - RIPOFF 3RD FLOOR Chicago Illinois

If you are interested in moving into investment banking...stay away from this company.

I was interviewing for a "Research Associate" position that would deal with Mergers & Acquisitions. I was told I would be on the phone with C-Level execs and company owners and that I would learn the M&A deal process including valuation. So I quit my well paying job because "on behalf of the excutive commitee I was selected to join the team." After the second day of training I realized I just signed up for your classic boiler room fake a*s Wall St. chop shop. What I found out was that I was to be cold calling business owners all over the country trying to scam them into telling me they were interested in "raising capital" and/or "selling their company." I was told to memorize a script and all. They told me to change my name and basically hustle people on the phone. Finally, they brought me down to the floor where I would be working and I come to find out that this floor was filled with about 40 people (of all walks of life) on the phones trying to scam business owners in having a "financial advisor" come out and do some due dilligence on their company...to see if Houlihan Smith would actually work with them. At the end of the day, these companies would be told that they needed to fix XYZ before Houlihan Smith would work with them and smacked them with a fee. The truth of the matter is that none of these deals would actually turn into a real transaction for the real bankers to work on. Its all bullshit. This 3rd floor that was hidden from me during the interview and training was 10X worse than the Boiler Room movie. Nobody down there knew a dam thing about investment banking or cared to learn.

I was fooled into thinking I would be trained into an overall investment banker and that the "research associate" position was the entry level position. It was all bullshit and I cought on fast. HOULIHAN SMITH INVESTMENT BANK IS A SCAM.

Don XXXXXXXXX iii

Chicago, Illinois

U.S.A.

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.