“The Recertification of the smart serve is totally a money grab, over a million Canadians required a re certification ? all of the sudden !! I did my online recertification and i failed because of the tricky questions !! give me a break money grab that's all it is .i think a lot of smart serve applicants going to agree with me ,i have done more difficult training none of the BS with this training was encountered. We don't need to know so much make it simple people or you just want the money ?”
“The layout is subpar at best and runs as if it was made for a website in the early 2000's. Many of the already awkward and clumsily designed activities failed to load properly without multiple re-loads of the content.
The course itself is also a confusing mess. The inconsistent and frustratingly poor organization of the module/chapter type layout makes effective studying of the material nearly impossible. Searching for specific terms or topics within the course material is made extremely difficult by the vaguely named modules and the inability to properly search through the material as a whole only adds to the confusing nature of the course. This is also not disregarding the final test, which only serves to exacerbate these complaints due to its rigidity in tandem with its poorly designed and wholly inaccessible content.
If it is not designed specifically to be difficult in order to force multiple attempts (and thus multiple purchases), it would seem that it is also not concerned with sufficiently educating those who wish to properly serve alcohol in a safe and legal capacity.”
“I recently completed my final test for my smart serve and got 78.8% on my first attempt. I am really disheartened because the questions it said I got incorrect are the 'select all which apply' and I'm very positive and confident that I did not get some of them incorrect. I got in a total of 7 of those question types wrong; if I got one correct I'd pass. I strongly believe the 'A. I' used to mark multiple-answer questions is bugged.”
“There needs to be a separate test for cashiers. Absolutely disgusting taking money from people who aren’t trying to be bartenders and won’t be serving open alcohol and obviously won’t need the information a bartender would need.”
“Had to relaunch the test at least 6 times. Causing me to rush, so it would not happen again!!! Did 2 tests back to back, making corrections based on first test results! Got same mark! 79% !?
No faith in this system! Fully think it is a scam to take my money”
“Such a waste of money!!! They make it so difficult to understand when the real test is and you think ur taking the pre test but it’s actually the real test! When I called the support the lady told me I should have been proactive and studied. Excuse me who is she to say that to me.”
“If there is a way for the government to make something more convoluted, that's the way they'll do it. I've had my smartserve for over 20 years and now we have to renew it for some government cash grab?!?! Nothing new, nothing educational, just made the test more vague and they charge more to take it. Typical government, a bunch of boomers who got their careers with a grade 8 education but make it impossible for the next generations to succeed in anything.”
“I managed the course and test very well. My problem now is as a member of a senior club my fellow colleagues are having issues for recertification and as new comers. The online is not that friendly and difficult to manage through. For this reason many members are just throwing in the towel. As a spoke person for these members your policies and procedures should be revised. Our seniors deserve better services and made easier for them to move on during these challenging times.”
“I was very disappointed lately when attempting to recertify myself with Smart Serve. I took Smart Serve back in 2014 and passed with apparently 96% on the test according to my Smart Serve Ontario profile details. Lately I took an in-class session, it was one-on-one and only really needed 25 minutes to answer the 33 questions. I failed both times. I understood 90% of all the material and information covered in the training sessions, the questions are not so worded well in my opinion, but there should have been no reason why I didn't pass. I am 48 years old, with a lot of common sense, I am sure a lot of people have failed.”
“I haven’t had to use my Smart Serve in 20yrs. I have been told all those years that once you have it, you have it. Now suddenly when I start working in a retail as cashier part time min wage Smart Serve decides we have to take the test. I have just finished spending over $100.00 several times & spent days, hours, months trying to get what other people are telling me they passed in their first or second attempt. I am done with Smart Serve as I agree it was just a money scam I won’t see any of that money back to me. Now I am unemployed, thanks Smart Serve.☹️”
“It is a scam . Government of Ontario is making money off of people trying to make a living . It is difficult enough to pay bills and working in a grocery store to make ends meet. Mar you decide to add stress to people who just went through the pandemic and tried to work .”
“Although after 21 years of having my Smart Serve I did learn a lot with the modules. I agree with everyone else that this may perhaps be a money grab. I literally kept getting 78% or 79%. Took me four tries until I finally got an 84% and passed. I studied so hard and I know after 21 years in the industry that I know this stuff. Not too sure why they make the question so hard, especially the pick all that apply questions.”
“I'm giving a bad rating because I got an unfair score. My first quiz attempt was 66% because of technical issues with the webcam I later took the second quiz and it was 57% Later the Smart Serve proctor system emailed me (Integrity Advocate) saying my government ID was incorrect Meet the requirements so sentenced me to violate the rules. Let's say I submitted the correct ID but self-qualified due to a problem with my computer or laptop webcam. But due to resolution issues, I seriously suspect that something went wrong with multiple exams, and it was in the proctor system.”
“Its a scam!! I literally got scored 78% my first two test and had to rebuy the course and then magically I score a 93% on the first test??? Like I didnt even pay attention when I was going through the second course because I already knew everything. So why did I score a 78% both times at first and now ife payed $90 for a pdf smart serve. In all honesty the pdf looks fake even….”
“I was about to do my final test when the whole training page disappeared and they said there was a scheduled maintenance when there were no notices on the website or even an email letting us know. There's no info on when the site will be up again either. You'd think they'd at least send a notice with how much they charge”
“Worrible website!!!!! The training is super expensive and the website does not work well. There is always a bug asking for repeat the same module for several times. The support team is very unhelpful and does not provide necessary information for clients who are buying the online course.
I asked for feedback and they REFUSED to let me know.”
