Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  11/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I started a subscription to utilize Brightwheel service, however Ive seen discovered that it doesnt work for my business because I am contracted with a third party. Upon discovering this, I requested a cancellation in Brughteheels website, I called, texted and emailed and they refuse to cancel my membership. They have charged my card two months and I have not been using their services.

  Business response

  12/05/2024

  We would like to sincerely apologize for the difficulties Ms. ********* ****** encountered in her attempts to contact brightwheel and resolve issues related to her account.

  Our records show that Ms. ****** enrolled in our Premium subscription on May 24, 2024. As per the subscription terms, Ms. ****** was billed on the 24th of each month. On October 24, 2024, at 12:52 PM EST, the subscription fee was processed as scheduled. After the fee was charged, Ms. ****** contacted us via live chat later that same day, requesting to cancel the subscription. During the live chat, our team informed her that a representative would follow up within 1-2 business days.

  As outlined in our Terms of Service, cancellations of auto-renewal must be made at least 30 days prior to the renewal date. Subscriptions are non-refundable. Unfortunately, because Ms. ****** requested cancellation after the auto-renewal charge for the next period had already been processed, the cancellation could not be immediately actioned. However, we made several attempts to reach Ms. ****** and provide assistance, including:

  - October 25, 2024: Phone call attempt
  - October 29, 2024: Email sent
  - October 30, 2024: Email sent
  - November 1, 2024: Phone call attempt
  - November 5, 2024: Phone call attempt
  - November 12, 2024: Phone call attempt
  - November 14, 2024: Email sent
  - November 14, 2024: A successful phone call connected, during which Ms. ****** requested cancellation and the conversation ended.

  On November 25, 2024, approximately 30 days after Ms. ******* initial cancellation request, her subscription was officially canceled. In recognition of her timely request, a refund of $54.44 was processed on November 27, 2024.

  We consider this matter fully resolved. If Ms. ****** or anyone else has further questions or concerns, we encourage them to contact our Support team via live chat (available through both the web and app) or by emailing us at ****************************************************************.

  Thank you for your attention to this matter, and again, we apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused.

• Initial Complaint

  10/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had problems with our preschool director of the school we own. She has locked us out of brightwheel. She is no longer employed by us. We need to log into brightwheel to take over preschool. Brightwheel has no way to contact them. It is terrible and there is nothing we can do.

  Business response

  11/22/2024

  We would like to sincerely apologize for the difficulties Ms. *** ****** encountered in her attempts to contact brightwheel and resolve issues related to her account.

  Our records indicate that Ms. *** ****** and ****** *** reported fraud on their brightwheel account on October 18, 2024. Unfortunately, the malicious actor responsible for this activity was able to lock the account, preventing the legitimate account owners from accessing it. During this time, the bad actor also contacted our support team, claiming the account had been hacked and requesting that no one be allowed access to it.

  In response, our Payment Operations team took the necessary precautions and reached out to both Ms. ****** and ****** *** to verify the requested changes and ensure the security of the account. After conducting a thorough review, our Payment Operations Specialist was able to successfully resolve the issue on October 21, 2024.

  To ensure future ease of communication, we provided Ms. ****** with a direct email address to reach a PayOps Specialist at any time. Additionally, she can always contact brightwheel via live chat (available through both the web and app) or by emailing our Support team at ****************************************************************.

  We consider this matter fully resolved and closed. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us using any of the contact methods provided.
  Thank you for your attention to this matter, and again, we apologize for any inconvenience this situation may have caused.

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We signed up with Brightwheel at the end of February 2023 and completed the sign-up process over the phone. The board of directors/owner were sitting in on the meeting and paid for the subscription over the phone with the bank checking account. The account number was spoken over the phone only by the owner and the person that signed ** up took down the information. However, a transcript was never sent to ** verifying the information that was sent. Brightwheel essentially jotted down the wrong account information and all of our parent payments were going to a different account. Almost $55,000 was deposited into this incorrect account. We asked ********************** to help ** track this money down and refund it. They refused and said all they can do is give ** a Trace ID number for the bank to find the money. Our bank does not find money with Trace ID numbers. ********************** has been terrible at finding a solution for ** or even returning the money.

• Initial Complaint

  02/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  on 2/24 I reached out to Brightwheel for user assistance. Their system wouldn't allow me to make changes from my end and I needed technical support so I went through the live chat. "*****" was supposed to be assisting me but instead of listening to what my actual issue was, just kept copy and pasting tutorials for me to fix the problem myself. I repeated to her two separate times that I had already found the tutorials and followed them and their system was giving me an error. Upon the third time of her sending me the tutorial and explaining my issue, I requested a supervisor. She continued to try to assist me with tutorials citing that she let a supervisor know. 20 minutes later I requested a supervisor again and ***** told me it would take her some time to get one but that they'd be along. After being in the chat for almost an hour waiting for the supervisor I requested that ***** just end the chat (clients cannot from their end) so that I could have access to the quality survey. I have still not been given access to this survey or to a supervisor and this is quite literally the most unprofessional response I've gotten to any situation. They've left me sitting with no problem resolution let alone communication for almost two hours now.

  Business response

  03/04/2023

  At Brightwheel, we aim to provide consistently excellent support for our customers.  This is why we are proud to have earned an average 96% Customer Satisfaction Survey score over the last year.  Having said this, we understand that this customer was very frustrated with her particular experience.  A supervisor did follow up with her the same day to confirm that her request had been resolved and to take her constructive feedback.  We welcome feedback and are always looking for opportunities to improve our service.

  Customer response

  03/07/2023

   
  Complaint: 19493868
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  A supervisor reached out hours after the complaint and after a supervisor was requested and they waited to do so until after we were closed (they have our hours of operation in their system) and I had even voiced to the agent that by the time they reached out it would be too late.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  03/07/2023

  Our supervisor reached out to *************** as soon as the supervisor was available; at 2:36 pm PST on 2/24/23, approximately two hours after Mrs. ****** request.  Our intention was to reach *************** during same-day business hours and before the end of her work day.  We have since had subsequent conversations over email and also offered a live phone chat with senior support leadership to discuss her concerns.  Were sorry that she is very frustrated and welcome a dialogue and her constructive feedback.

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  A transaction for payment was submitted in error due to a misleading prompt on the Brightwheel website.Prompt: "Click here to review your payment" Clicking this prompt actually submitted the payment and did not allow you to review the payment first.I requested a refund for this transaction and for the transaction to be applied to a different credit card. I was granted this request, however Brightwheel still held on to the transaction fees and did not refund them. I was double charged transaction fees. Attached is the email confirmation stating the transaction was to be reversed. This is clearly illegal.

  Business response

  01/13/2023

  Our support team assisted ******************** with his request for a refund from his childs center for a payment that he had previously authorized, which was granted.  While the payment was refunded, the processing fees were not; per our terms of service, the processing fee associated with successful payments are non refundable as these fees go to the cost of processing the transaction through brightwheels third party payments processor.  Respectfully, it is incorrect to suggest that there is no opportunity to review a payment before it is submitted: after entering a payment amount and clicking Review from within brightwheels Make a Payment feature, customers are directed to a final payment review screen that displays their selected payment type and the last 4 digits of the card/ account number, the payment sub-total, any associated processing fees, and the total amount to be charged.  At that point, in order to proceed with payment, the customer must select Pay $XX.** which includes the total amount of the payment - including the associated fees that are clearly displayed.  They also have the option, at any point in this process, to avoid proceeding further by selecting Back to exit.  Having said this, we are making a one-time exception to our Terms of Service to honor ******************** special request.  We have contacted him directly to refund the associated processing fees with his original payment.

• Initial Complaint

  07/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Brightwheel contacted me in May/June 2022 about using their software. Brightwheel stated there was not a contract and I could cancel anytime. We had a video conference, then there was to be an orientation a week later. While waiting on the orientation, Brightwheel took money out of my account, *****. This was not told to me or asked. When it was time to set up the orientation, I spoke to a person on the phone and said I wanted to cancel. The person said ok and I told them why. A few weeks later, Brightwheel called and said I had to fill out a form to cancel. I filled the form out online. Another couple of weeks Brightwheel called again and said they did not receive it and they will send it again and then I have to spend 15 minutes on the phone with another person to cancel after I fill out the form. Another ***** came out of my account. I filled the form out, made the appointment to talk to someone and the person from Brightwheel cancelled our call scheduled call. I feel I have spent enough time with this matter and would just like my money back and it to be cancelled without any further instances.

  Business response

  10/03/2022

  We looked into ******************* brightwheel account, A to Z Kids, L.L.C., and were able to confirm that a representative spoke to ******************* in July, during which ****************** confirmed that she wanted to continue with her subscription.  A to Z Kids was also provided a free months subscription for her concern about her initial subscription being charged.  
  
  After receiving today's request a representative canceled her account and all future charges.  We have taken this action despite our Terms of Service which require a 30 day notice to cancel a subscription with brightwheel. Our mission is to improve early education so we always strive to go above and beyond when our customers reach out for help. Customers also have the option to reach out to us through our live chat feature to resolve issues like this one; during working hours they typically receive a response from our team in <30 seconds.
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Even with our repeated attempts to have Brightwheel discontinue their calling our preschools and district office, they still endlessly call us. It has gotten to the point of at least three times daily and voicemails left on every extension available. We have spoken on several occasions with individuals who say they are in management and will discontinue calls, but nothing has changed. We appreciate any assistance or suggestions you can provide to ensure this company will no longer call any of our individual Jeffco Public Preschools and the Jeffco **********************

  Business response

  10/03/2022

  Early education leaders often welcome the opportunity to learn about how Brightwheels all-in-one platform is built to save them and their staff time.  However, we understand and respect Mr. ********* request.  We have removed his and his colleagues contact information from our contact list.  Our actions are intended is to ensure that he and his colleagues in the JeffCo Public Preschools and ****** ********************* do not receive any further calls from our team.
  

  Customer response

  10/03/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

*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. ↩