Asirvia Summary

What Is Asirvia?

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Asirvia is a now-defunct technology company that specialized in providing proximity based marketing device. It offered Asirvia Go, a tiny device that broadcasted promotional messages to Bluetooth-enabled Android smartphones within a 300-feet range.

The device was powered by Google's Nearby technology that is why it was unable to send promotional messages to iPhone users. The messages should have a maximum of 40 characters, and a URL is also attached so prospective customers could visit the business website immediately.

The messages broadcasted via Asirvia Go were unobtrusive (the recipient's phone would not ping or vibrate) which made it less annoying to smartphone users. When the person is out of range, the messages disappeared within several minutes. The recipient could swipe the messages away the moment he received them or mute them if he choose.

The beacon devices were completely legal, and were CRTC, FTC FCC, and Anti Spam compliant. They only broadcasted messages, but the devices did not have access to the recipient's phone number, email, text messages, and other information.

Asirvia had an MLM business model. It offered four ways for independent representatives to earn more money under their commission structure. We'll explore more of this below.

The company was based in Manchester, New Hampshire. It was founded by Donald LaPlume who also served as its president. Kevin Marino served as its CFO. The business started offering beacon devices in 2016 but finally closed shop in December 2018.

Today, Marino seems to be connected with a business called Energy Network and Viv. Marino was last seen encouraging Asirvia customers and affiliates to join him at Viv. All traces of the unfortunate Asirvia had been scrubbed from his Linkedin profile.

Although Asirvia has closed shop and its website has been empty for some time now, Donald LaPlume claims that he is still working as its president. He created Mobile Connect Systems at the heels of Asirvia's demise.

In 2017, a company called Hiram Lodge Enterprises Corp. filed a complaint against Asirvvia and its directors for breach of "exclusive distribution agreement" between the two companies.

Is Asirvia A Pyramid Scheme?

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So, is Asirvia a pyramid scheme?

Well, the company has not been heard of since December 2018 so I guess the point is already moot. Any speculations as to whether it is a pyramid scheme seem like flogging a dead horse at this point so we're going to discuss where it went wrong instead.

Asirvia Go had a lot of potential as a proximity marketing device, but it was the victim of its own poor design and lack of quality. Plus, the company seemed to be extremely mismanaged, and the customer service extremely crappy. 

A testament to this is the F rating it received from Better Business Bureau reviewers, as well as the numerous complaints posted on the website. Its Facebook page is also flooded with complaints.

It had an MLM business model -- something which its management also bungled. Independent representatives complained that they sometimes did not receive their commissions at all. But more importantly, the company only has one product that its members couldn't sell properly because of its questionable quality.

Success is Rare at Asirvia

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Success is rare at Asirvia, and never has a truer word been spoken.

The business was ill-fated from the start. The beacon device had serious flaws, and instead of working on improving its quality, the company decided that it would siphon money from its affiliates instead by introducing an MLM business model.

Then there's the lawsuit filed against it by its former partner, Hiram Lodge Enterprises Corp. The numerous complaints about the quality of Asirvia Go, the company's crappy customer service, and the awful way the company was managed became the final nails in Asirvia's coffin.

How Much to Join Asirvia?

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The monthly fee customers and affiliates paid depended on the number of units they purchased. A single unit had $25 per month fee, while 3 units was set at $49 per month. 8 units, on the other hand, had a $99 per month fee. These rates are already discounted.

But the fees don't stop there. Affiliates and customers had to pay $30 for the Asirvia Go activation fee for all units. Whether they ordered one unit or eight, the activation fee remained the same. This was a one-off fee.

An additional $25 was needed for the Virtual Training Center (VTC), and another $25 for shipping and handling for orders placed outside of North America.

What is Asirvia's Compensation Plan?

Asirvia affiliates are the only ones qualified to become an independent representative. But before an affiliate can become an independent representative, they should have 3 retail sales and should have enrolled another affiliate. Only then will they receive an invitation from the company to climb the rank from affiliate to independent representative.

Once upgraded, the independent representative will now be able to access the company's entire compensation plan. There were four ways independent representatives could get paid.

* Direct Sales Commission

This is a commission independent representatives received thanks to any direct sales made by new customers or affiliates they referred. The purchase should have been made within their first 30 days of signing up. 25% of the sale goes to the person who sponsored the customer. The sponsor's team also get a 10% matching bonus.

* Direct Sales Residual

First level affiliates were qualified to receive a 10% monthly direct sales residual on every retail customer or sponsored affiliate who renew their subscription. Second level affiliates, on the other hand, were eligible to receive 5% direct sales residual commission.

* Base Pay

Unlike other MLM companies, Asirvia base pay is paid daily. This commission is based on the monthly sales volume generated by the affiliate's downline. The daily base pay depended on the affiliate's rank. The base pay ranged from $1 up to $3000 per day.

* Generational Check Match

Independent representatives can earn matching bonuses on the base pay of their team members.

What Products Does Asirvia Offer?

Asirvia's sole product was Asirvia Go. This was a device that automatically broadcasted your business promotion on Android phones up to 300 feet. Entrepreneurs could promote their products, brand, or services via the Asirvia Go.

The character limit was set at 40, and the custom promotional message came with a clickable link. The message appeared like a text message on the recipient's phone. The device did not stop broadcasting promotional messages even when the entrepreneur was no longer at work. Prospective customers could still get a custom notification even when the owner was on the road or elsewhere. According to Asirvia, battery life lasted up to two years.

The Asirvia used Bluetooth technology to connect with Android phones within a 300-feet range. But this proved to be a challenge for Asirvia as the prospective recipient needed to have Bluetooth enabled for them to receive the notification.

Before the company went out of business, the device was priced at $49 a month. Three units cost $99 a month, and 8 units cost $199 a month. The discounted price was $25 a month for one unit, $49 each month for 3 units, and $99 per month for 8 units.

What I Like About Asirvia

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* It was a compact yet effective promotional device

The Asirvia Go was a pretty compact and lightweight device that entrepreneurs could take anywhere. The device was designed for checkout counters, office tables, receptionist tables, and other surfaces.

It was so compact it could be placed on top of the dashboard or a table during trade shows. Asirvia Go owners could take it anywhere at all because it would still work anywhere.

* The device could be used by any business and just about any entrepreneur

The good thing about Asirvia Go was that the device was designed to be used by any business. Some of these businesses include:

* Real estate
* Web design
* Car dealership
* Insurance provider
* Bar
* Restaurant
* Hair salon
* Housing cleaning service
* Direct sales company
* Nail salon
* Delivery service
* Spa and more.

* Easy to use

Asirvia affiliates had the option to buy multiple devices to give to their families and friends to boost their business. The device was easy to use too. Users just programmed a custom promotional message, added a link, pressed send, and voila! Instant promotion.

* Device had a long-lasting battery

According to Asirvia, the device's battery life lasted up to two years. Plus, the unit was water-resistant.

What I Don't Like About Asirvia

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* It could not broadcast promo messages to Apple devices

Asirvia Go can broadcast messages to Android-powered phones but was unable to send messages to iOS-powered smartphones. Although the majority of people who own smartphones still prefer budget-friendly Android, the number of people who own iPhones is still high (comprising up to 47% of respondents in the US). This was a missed opportunity for entrepreneurs who used Asirvia Go.

* Recipients could sometimes mistake the promo messages for spam and swipe it away

Asirvia Go sends promo messages via Bluetooth technology. It's instant, it's free, and it's convenient. But these messages just pop up out of nowhere and flood the notifications of anyone who happens to be nearby.

The flood of notifications was something many people did not appreciate. Some customers simply ignored the messages or swiped them away after mistaking them as spam.

* Bluetooth only

Bluetooth is still useful. but in the age of SHAREit and other similar apps, who needs it?

The fact that promo messages could only be sent to people who have Bluetooth enabled on their phones was one of the worst limitations of Asirvia Go. A lot of smartphone owners -- even millennials and Gen Zs who are always staring at their phones -- rarely enable Bluetooth these days.

Individuals who enable Bluetooth to connect their speakers or headphones are the only exception.

* So many customer and affiliate complaints about the company

Asirvia has a BBB rating of F, and that should be enough for customers to run in another direction. Some of the chief complaints against the company include its refusal to issue refunds for products that were never delivered in the first place and the refusal to cancel subscriptions even after the customer has complained that the product did not work.

Some affiliates have complained that they never received their commissions. Asirvia's customer service was also notoriously crappy, and a lot of the Asirvia Go devices worked partially or never worked at all.

* It finally folded several months ago

Asirvia finally crumbled in December 2018 under pressure from all the customer complaints and bad press it received. Today, the Asirvia website is down, and its social media has not been updated in many months. It seems that it is now connected with companies called BNI and Viv, but there is no information about that also. So if you're thinking about buying Asirvia Go or joining as an affiliate, you can't simply because it's gone.

Is Asirvia A Scam?

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To some extent, yes, Asirvia was a scam.

There numerous complaints that the device was defective and the company's cavalier way of treating customers certainly did not help.

The MLM business model did not work, as Asirvia Go had unresolved issues. Complaints such as the company's refusal to refund customers money for devices that did not work or were not delivered were rampant. The subscription cancellation process was also convoluted.

The good news is Asirvia is now defunct, so that's one less MLM company that's out to recruit hapless individuals looking to make money. The bad news is there were many people who lost money thanks to Asirvia's defective device and poor management.

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