ComplaintsforCreative Repute, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  04/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired creative repute to help rebrand my business in April of 2022. They promised the rebrand to be done by September of 2022. My payments and contract were all signed and sent promptly from my end. The first half of the total payment was $7521.00. Creative repute completely bailed on my project and never refunded a single penny to me. They have completely ghosted me; not answering any emails or contacts to them. They are unresponsive, unreliable, unprofessional and scammers.

  Business response

  04/23/2023

  To *************************, Founder of **** ******,
  
  The portion of your statement that begins with “Creative Repute completely bailed on my project…” through the end of your statement is completely untrue. It is a textbook example of defamation wherein one publishes demonstrably false statement(s) that cause injury to another’s reputation. 
  
  The last message sent between us was from the agency to *****, and we never received a response to that email. 
  
  To be clear, the actual issues that were omitted in the defamatory statement are that ***** was unsatisfied with the design options shown mid-way through our work agreement, and the contractual manners for resolution were a point of contention. Per our contract, the agency should be allowed the opportunity to address client feedback through revisions, and there are options for terminating the agreement. Also, ***** felt uncomfortable during the initial kickoff meeting because she felt that too many team members from the agency attended to learn more about her business goals, and this unintentionally made her uneasy as an introvert. After becoming aware of this, we limited who would be client-facing to just one or two of the most necessary specialists at maximum, depending on the topics at hand; which is a note that contradicts this new complaint about feeling ignored. 
  
  We are more than willing to provide evidence from our steady communication with *****, before she expressed concerns with our work, during conversations where she stated her issues, and after we began dialogues for resolution. 
  
  These conversations show that WE NEVER IGNORED YOU. Per Creative Reputes initial contract, we email weekly progress reports that note steps your assigned team has taken towards accomplishing the initially agreed-upon outcomes and what were proposing as the next steps. The client is urged to respond to the report with questions about clarification, discontent, or shifts in direction. Additionally, the client can determine a communication process that may work better for him, her, or them–a point that we explicitly addressed with you. 
  

  General Remedies Offered: 

  Not charging the next retainer installment until work is done and sticking to the flat rate for completion of all agreed-upon deliverables. 
   More client behind-the-scenes involvement in the process with designers.
   Switching out the team or having the FOUNDER of the agency take over completely. 
   When meetings are scheduled with you, a deliverable will be emailed at least 1-2 days beforehand so that you can review it prior to the meeting. Additionally, stating that feedback doesn't need to be processed on the spot when we present; work can be presented, and you can ask initial questions and then take time to circle back later with feedback. 
   Willingness to move to one-on-one meetings to fit your communication style. 
  
  Because your concerns were communicated mid-way through our contract (rather than earlier and, thankfully, not at the end), we devoted more time, attention, and team members behind the scenes than we normally would for any project in an attempt to redress your dissatisfaction. Thus it is simply untrue and unfathomable that you were ever ignored by the agency. 
  
  Our discussions with you were always in good faith and in accordance with the initial contract to which we both agreed (though generally standard, clients can and do suggest addendums and adjustments that suit their circumstances):
  
  Responsiveness: If I become unresponsive for longer than a month, Creative Repute may decide to end our agreement together, and a new agreement will need to be created to resume work. Work billed against the flat rate will not be returned to me, including efforts billed to try to reach me. Any unused funds will be returned. I cannot blame Creative Repute for ineffective services if I become unresponsive. If I ask Creative Repute to pause work, Creative Repute will honor this agreement and estimate for up to two months from the start of that pause before a new agreement and new estimate will need to be implemented to resume work.
  
  Communication: Most communication will take place through email so that there is a paper trail. All phone conversations, text messages, and in-person meetings will be met with follow-up emails, the responsibility of both me, The Client, and Creative Repute.
  
  Termination: I have the right to terminate this agreement if Creative Repute fails to show significant progress on the project within 10 weeks of receiving all my project information and assets without communicating a reason for the delay. If terminated for the reasons above, Creative Repute shall relinquish the remaining balance from the flat rate. If terminated for reasons other than stated above, Creative Repute may still retain the full payment and will be granted an opportunity to correct any dissatisfaction. If I feel the work is unsatisfactory, I will discuss it with Creative Repute prior to termination and allow them the opportunity to fix any problems. I understand that I cannot claim any additional expenses, damages, or claims based on the failure of Creative Repute.
  
  This Contract is intended to protect both The Client and Creative Repute. You may decline this contract before it is signed, thus terminating Creative Repute’s responsibility to provide any service previously discussed.
  
  Below this response, I will copy and paste the last email correspondence between the agency and *****. This email from the agency came after we provided a breakdown of the expelled labor, and then we offered a refund of funds not used from your retainer. 
  
  Creative Repute DID NOT GHOST you. You indicated in multiple emails that you would have legal counsel contact the agency while simultaneously demanding a refund in direct contradiction to our legally binding contract, and Creative Repute responded to both of your statements, per the email that you will see pasted below. 
  
  To further demonstrate your critical role as a client and the agency’s commitment to professionalism and growth, we must highlight a key lesson we gleaned from our experience working with you:
  
  • We straightforwardly ask clients through a communication form and during early meetings what their communication preferences are now. This method accounts for client nuances while granting us an opportunity to openly discuss different communication scenarios. If a client has difficulty offering constructive feedback or fairs better in one-on-one conversations, Creative Repute can develop practices that account for such modulation throughout the tenure of the working relationship. 
  
  *****, this agency had outlined what to expect during the initial Brand Audit meeting, the Proposal, and the Work Agreement you signed before work began.
  
  Additionally, we directly asked for feedback on our weekly progress reports that outline work completed so far and what we’re proposing as the next steps, in scheduled **** meetings, during the mid-project survey, and in emails and documents for the client’s transparency. The client was not restricted to a certain response method. 
  
  Client feedback helps push the direction our team takes a project. Unfortunately, you did not express your interest in taking your project in a different direction until it was time to process the payment on your next invoice. You approved development on your project: and wrote on the mid-project feedback form that you were keeping an open mind to see how the Discovery findings would inform Logo Design and Style Guide.
  
  All things considered, you were granted numerous opportunities throughout our interaction(s) to offer constructive feedback on the agency’s work. Your voice was never overlooked or ignored by the Agency. Our goal at Creative Repute is to make the client feel empowered in the design process while allowing the agency the chance to produce an impactful deliverable. 
  
  The contract you signed asks clients to grant us a chance to correct any dissatisfaction with deliverables. However, after you finally expressed feedback on the Logo and Style Guide draft, you refused to allow any revisions. We did not move through even one of the three rounds of revisions you are guaranteed in the contract. Often times it takes at least one round of revision to push work closer to the finish line.
  
  Unfortunately, you accumulated ill feelings in silence, beyond the point where you’d grant us at least one chance to try a different approach to your project, which ranged from trying a new team and different communication methods. We escalated your concerns so far up the ladder that the founder, a noted and celebrated visual artist, offered to volunteer their time to step in and personally pick up where the designers left off because client satisfaction is crucial. 
  
  Instead, and quite unfortunately, *****, you became aggressive in your communication, finding every detail of our interactions–from start to last– to problematize in efforts to coerce a full refund, like characterizing the founder as unprofessional for taking one of your calls while riding as a passenger in a car. Keep in mind your project had been labeled critically important, which is why the call was taken while the founder was out of town. 
  
  Nonetheless, Creative Repute has maintained a professional and open posture regarding your situation despite your demonstrated microaggressions and contractual disinterest. Our position per our last email correspondence still stands: 
  
  1. We are willing to refund you the amount that has yet to be used. 
  
  2. We are following the terms in the work agreement you signed. 
  
  3. We are willing to split the cost of speaking to a mediator to agree on the best way forward. 
  
  Creative Repute will not, however, be baited into a public mudslinging match. You are more than welcome to continue communication directly with the agency or through your legal counsel regarding one of the stated three terms. 
  
  We wish you and your company the best. 
  
  Below is the last email our company sent to ***** *******, Founder of **** ******:
  
  On Thu, Aug 25, 2022 at 2:18 PM
  
  Hi *****, 
  
  Thanks for reaching out again. I wanted to clarify that I responded to your email previously because your questions were generally focused on invoicing and funds. Previously, I know you've worked with Project Managers [redacted names] in regards to fund based questions, and I wanted to make sure your answers and dollar amounts given were accurate, so I offered to respond to you. 
  
  I have reviewed your questions and concerns, and I do agree we have funds out of the retainer you did pay that we did not use in the amount of $160.15. I would love to process this for you via ACH so you can get it as soon as possible. Would you be comfortable with that? I would just need the routing number and account number of where you would like me to send these funds. I would be able to process this for you as soon as I get that information. 
  
  As far as any requests for more documentation that your counsel is asking for, are they able to request what they need further directly? I have provided you the initial invoice through [redacted name] previously as well as the breakdown. If we are going through the process of counsel at this point, we would request they reach out to us directly. 
  
  Please let me know if you'd like the $160.15 due to you via ACH and I will get this processed. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩