ComplaintsforCornerstone Ballet

• Initial Complaint

  12/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We signed our daughter up for two classes and for medical reasons, decided to take one. After receiving a bill that indicated we were 1) overcharged by $50+ per month from the start of the year through January 2) overcharged for recital fees ($125 each), and 3) discovering during observation week that the "6-8 experienced" ballet class only contained two students that age (others were ages 4-5), we contacted the owner directly (via email to discuss and resolve these matters, and hen we didn't get a reply, we sent a text. It appears some emails replied to the "do not reply" when selecting the reply icon). The owner Amy refused to have a phone conversation, and stated over text we must talk to an employee "after break." The owner "refunded" us by crediting the "dance" account and didn't even return the money to our actual bank account. The owner kept the balance owed back to us as advance payment. After expressing our disappointment and asking for an explanation and a revised financial statement before the break ended, the owner ignored us. The next day we got an email stating we weren't a good "fit." The owner also stated the students are at least six which is false. The videos and the dress code on the website show the students were ages 4-5, and the studio never bothered to tell us. We were told they would have resolved it...but refused to do so now. How would a parent know who the students are without observing a class? Since then we've requested a refund for all payments, and showed the owner proof that we know we've been lied to. Important to note that this was done just days before Christmas to a child.

  Business response

  01/03/2023

  On Wednesday December 21, 2022 we responded to this client while she was aware that the business was closed.  We happened to see her email and tried to assist her while we were closed. We fixed the oversight on her account where her tuition was not adjusted after she dropped a class she originally signed up for.  We credited her account for that error and apologized for the mistake. Jennifer then demanded we call her and send her a statement in which she has access to via our online portal.  This information was in the statement she initially emailed about.  The studio reopens on January 9th and we offered to have our account specialist assist her and give her a call when the studio reopens.  Due to the nature of her contentious text messages to the studio we felt that she would not be a good fit for our business and offered a refund for the credits on her account once the charge back from her bank is settled. 

  We did not receive any notification prior to the closing of the studio that there was an issue with billing nor about her dissatisfaction with her daughters class. The recommended ages for the level of her dancer was 6-8 year olds.  It is recommended and listed on our website that dancers in the 4-5 year old  and 6-8 year old experienced level take twice a week.  Jennifer's chose to have her daughter take just once a week where as all the other students in her class take twice a week.  There are currently 3 (6-8 year olds) in the level enrolled and the average age of the class is 6.75 years.  I have no record of saying that every student in the class is at least 6 years old. The 5 year old class was the same level as the 6-8 year old class and the teacher with her 40+ years experience of teaching ballet felt that combining the two levels was in the best interest of the students as they were of the same caliber and ability.  The age range of the class ended up being 5-8 year olds all of which took the recommended two classes a week except Jennifer's daughter. Every level has students who fall outside of the age range based on maturity, talent, and schedule availability.  We invite parents to peek into the studio anytime to see their dancer's class and a complaint was never made until after the issue with billing was brought up over Christmas Break.  

  We proactively offered Jennifer a refund of the services she did not receive and apologized for the billing error.  Each time we answered a question for Jennifer over break on the 21st of December she responded back with another issue.  We happily explained to her the recital fee and put a credit on her account which we would have gladly just refunded had she asked before making a chargeback to her bank.  Due to the pending chargeback we were unable to issue a refund immediately because we are not sure what the fees for that will be. We do not offer unlimited access to the owner or the employees outside of business hours or during holidays.  

  All students pay tuition by class time duration and not by ability level.  A dancer who is 5 who takes 1 hour of class pays the same amount as a dancer who is 16 taking one hour a week. We have not ignored any messages from Jennifer and planned to dress them when the studio reopens on January 9th as stated on our website, a sign on the studio doors, and via email.  

   

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