Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 7949969, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
In my original complaint, I stated that on 3/23, my wife went to discuss events of the previous Saturday with Ms. Llacuna, and Ms. Llacuna “made matters worse.” To expand on that, Ms. Llacuna made several comments about our children, including saying they were “not normal,” calling them “awful,” and told my wife that they needed therapy. I have two issues with this. First, Ms. Llacuna admitted to me in a later conversation that she was upset at my wife for coming in to talk to her. It is apparent that Ms. Llacuna was expressing her anger by verbally attacking my wife through our kids, presumably to put my wife in her place. It also suggests that Ms. Llacuna has treated my wife poorly because she deserves it. I take issue with that. Second, my family had attended the school for over 2 years. Apparently, my children weren’t so “awful” that the Llacunas felt compelled to discuss their concerns about our children before that point, and the Llacunas were certainly willing to take our money and allow our “awful” kids to attend classes.
Despite the words that my wife and Ms. Llacuna exchanged on that day, a later discussion I had with Ms. Llacuna gave me hope that we would be able to reconcile and return to the school. I tried in good faith to restore our relationship, but in the end, it was apparent we couldn’t return, given Ms. Llacuna’s apparent feelings towards my wife and children.
The Llacunas offered that my family and I could train at another American Taekwondo Association (ATA) school. Setting aside for the moment the fact that Ms. Llacuna agreed to cancel our contract in March, I have three additional objections. First, our contract is between us and the Llacunas’ school, not between us and all American Taekwondo Association-affiliated schools in the area. Second, I do not necessarily wish to attend another ATA-affiliated school, given the difficulties we have had with this school. Third, and most importantly, why would the Llacunas wish to inflict our “awful” kids upon another school, if they were so bad that Ms. Llacuna felt compelled to lash out to my wife about them? The answer seems obvious: to collect money on a contract that the Llacunas no longer provide services for.
I do not seek a refund for the almost 2 ½ years we dedicated to the school. We learned, made friends, competed in tournaments, and had an enjoyable experience. I want Ms. Llacuna to cancel our contract as she promised, and I want a refund for the money I have been obligated to pay since March, when she agreed to the cancellation. This is an opportunity for the owners to demonstrate the Lifeskills they profess to teach, to demonstrate integrity, and honor their word. Anything less reduces the Lifeskills they teach to some sort of punch line; a cheap gimmick to get prospective students to sign on the dotted line.
Regards,
Paul Hancock
Predictably, my appeal has fallen upon deaf ears. I have received the following from the Better Business Bureau:
Dear Paul Hancock :
Better Business Bureau of Central, Northern & Western Arizona (BBB) has communicated your most recent correspondence to ATA Martial Arts.
At this time, it is noted that the business’s position has not changed. After careful review of this case, BBB has determined that the company has addressed the issues you presented by either making a reasonable offer to resolve the complaint, or by explaining why it could not practically meet your desired resolution.
Please note BBB considers this dispute to be at an impasse, and is unable to facilitate the matter further. We understand you may not be completely satisfied with the outcome of our efforts. Because of this, BBB has closed your case to reflect your dissatisfaction with the end result.
We would like to thank you for sharing your experience with BBB. Be assured your dispute will remain in BBB files for three years as part of the company’s customer experience record. BBB will monitor the company's file for reports of a similar nature; if a pattern develops, BBB will be able to modify the company’s record more specifically, referring to the information you have provided.
Sincerely,
Esenia Solano
Your Better Business Bureau
Whether the Llacunas' offer was "reasonable" is open to debate, but by failing to honor her word, Mrs. Llacuna has demonstrated that while the school teaches Life Skills, the owners don't necessarily feel compelled to practice what they teach. It is hypocritical.
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