ComplaintsforAR Workshop

• Initial Complaint

  12/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Event date 12/9/22 Business is to provide a DIY sign building and painting experience. My dispute is that the experience and quality of trained staff was terrible. The staff included 1 lead and 3 others that did not know how to teach us how to do our projects. Our group was guided incorrectly causing errors to projects, such as how to build the project (nail the boards together) how to pull off stencils. This caused projects to fall apart physically and unable to paint properly as pictured when signed up for the class. Another guest paid for a certain size project and was given a smaller size. Another guest was even unable to do her project at all bc the stencil would not stick to the wood, even after the lead reprinted the stencil she was also unable to get it to stick. We arrived at 6:10-6:15 for a 6:30 class and staff was late and not prepared. We were also rushed out at 9:30. Not given the opportunity to sign our boards or get our stamps to our VIP repeat customer cards Since this evening I have reached out to the owner and she wanted to hear from everyone individually so that was passed on to our group. They reached out to her and we all received responses along the lines of “doesn’t sound like this workshop is the place for you and your group anymore “. I have supported this business since day 1 and brought many customers in. Never have I had an experience like this, hence myself and others continuing to come in. Also, Since all this the owner contacted my Human Resources dept and spread false accusations related to alcohol and group behavior. This is crossing a line. The event was not work related but a group getting together for a holiday party. The owner only knows where some of us work bc we have come so many times. The attached pictures are from the owners Instagram acct. never has our group been a problem and as you can see in the comments they were happy to have us.

  Business response

  12/17/2022

  Hello!

  Thank you for letting us respond to this claim. Yes, we are a small business that has been in business for 5 years now and this is the first time we have agreed that our business isn't the best place for a group of customers based on their expectations and how they treated our staff.

  I was in contact with all customers referenced in this email prior to receiving this complaint. I responded to a specific email this customer sent during the workshop with a concern of hers (attached) even though the concern should have been and was correctly handled by the main staff member present during the workshop. I also returned a call the morning after at her request until we were able to connect the Monday after her workshop.

  The call ended with no further action needed between us and with her agreeing to let others know to share their experience and with me assuring her I would talk to staff and reach out to 2 specific customers who didn't have finished products. 

  I have replied to everyone who emailed in about their experience. I took phone calls and confirmed that correct projects matched their confirmation email (see attached where Florence ordered a 12 inch - this confirmation email is auto generated by our website and came directly after she registered).

  Customer's confirmation email shows the start time of 6:30 (see attachment). Our staff arrives between 6:00-6:15 and I've attached our time clock that shows they were there to start on time.

  While we never want customers to feel rushed out, workshops do end at 9:30 as shown in the confirmation email. 

  I believe there was a disconnect on the extend of BYOB in our workshop. We do allow groups to bring their favorite beverage. According to my staff, this group brought jello shots, hard liquor, 5 bottles of wine consumed between 2 people, and a cooler filled with beer. My staff says they were slurring their words and were very degrading from the start about how they didn't know what to do and telling them not to touch their projects.

  Since we have never put specifically what beverages are allowed under our BYOB, my staff made the decision to continue through the workshop so everyone would leave with the pieces they paid for.

  I have included the email where customer did set this up as a work event (see attached email correspondence). After my staff of 4 described the evening as feeling harassed and bullied, I was specifically asked by my head staff member to contact their HR department since it was set up as a work event.

  Customer did not say anything about her completed project not being satisfactory, so I don't believe a refund is necessary as requested. DIY always comes with its mishaps. We consider ourselves the experts at fixing these things, not ensuring everything with the project will go perfectly. I also am not sure what the contact she has requested would be for since we already talked Monday and there wasn't anything for me to follow up with this specific customer on.

  I'm unsure the connection of the pictures we've posted on our Instagram of her past workshops. Customer always has complaints, typically from the unknowns of DIY that we are able to fix. Our social media is our advertising, so that doesn't accurately depict the issues we have had nor does it give her a pass to treat our staff the way her group did.

  We have customers who have been around longer than our staff (same as this customer) but understand where the line is for them as a customer and for our employees.

  Customer response

  12/19/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I do not see the attached document of email correspondence regarding it being a work event. Regardless, you have known me and our group for many years and to reach out to our place of employment with slanderous accusations is crossing a line. We have never nor were we that night unruly. Possibly annoyed and aggravated staff didn’t know what they were doing bc we had never experienced that. Obviously, considering how many times we’ve returned. I’m not asking for a refund or credit bc I don’t want to return. I’m requesting contact as an acknowledgment that you went to HR in retaliation bc so many complaints and unsatisfied customers. 
  As for the alcohol brought in or what was in our coolers you have no idea nor do your employees. My cooler for example had 2 beers and 2 water bottles. So your facts are not accurate. 
  and you can show your timecard all you want. Bottom line is this was the first terrible experience and rather than owning up to it you are placing blame on some very loyal customers which is shocking and disappointing. 
  i also have feedback from your prior employee that this behavior you’re claiming has never occurred with us. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *********

  Business response

  12/19/2022

  Here is the proof again but saved as a PDF so you can see where the event was set up as a work party.

  Yes, I did reach out to the HR department because I was asked by my head staff member. This was due to the way staff was treated and the disregard for the way our workshop runs.

  This answers what you said you desired. Proof that it was set up as a work event and that I contacted your HR department

*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. ↩