Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  06/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  On 3/09/2023 I signed up for The Lounge Med Spa & Wellness 3 Month Weight Loss Challenge running from 3/15 - 6/15. There were three packages to choose from, and I chose Package 2 for $999 per month, and $2,997 total. They required payment in full before I could begin, and I opened a Cherry account in their office, and $2,997 was paid out to them the same day (3/09).Per the ******** advertisement that I responded to, and confirmed by The Lounge staff member I interacted with on 3/09, Package 2 included (for the 3 month duration): Accountability Coaching 6 IVs 12 Skinny Shots 36 Red Light Therapy Sessions 12 ************* Lipo Sessions What I have received to date: NO accountability coachingat all 4 IVs 2 Skinny Shots 29 Red Light Therapy Sessions 9 ************* Lipo Sessions I received a text from their automated appointment reminder ****** for 5/29, and by chance met with the business owner, ********************** (by chance because it was a holiday, and the office was closed), but she let me in anyway, and listened to my complaints. I asked for a partial refund for the treatments I paid for, but did not receive but she said the refunds were difficult and she would have to make payments. Then she said that she wanted to make it right and offered 3 additional months; essentially a reset. I believed she was sincere, and accepted. However, I have been brushed off since then. I attempted to contact their office several times, and they finally responded 6/13. I made clear that I wanted to settle the remaining account, rather than try to get more treatments from them and they have ignored me. I feel that a refund of $999 (one month) is an accurate and fair representation of the treatments they failed to provide.

  Business response

  08/07/2023

  Dear *****,
  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your recent experience with our services. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have encountered during the process.
  
  We wanted to extend our gratitude for reaching out to us several times via phone. However, it seems that we encountered difficulties in leaving messages as your voicemail was consistently full. We understand how frustrating that must have been, and we genuinely regret any miscommunication that occurred as a result.
  
  In an effort to rectify the situation and make amends for the inconvenience caused, we attempted to deliver the package once again. Furthermore, we wanted to offer you a complimentary microneedling with radio frequency session as a gesture of goodwill.
  
  Initially, we were unable to process a refund, but our primary focus was on ensuring your satisfaction. When it became apparent that our efforts were not meeting your expectations, we promptly reached out and encouraged you to schedule an appointment with the doctor. Our intention was to address your concerns directly and discuss the possibility of a refund when it became feasible.
  
  To facilitate a direct line of communication, we even provided you with the doctor's personal phone number. We genuinely hope that you have already connected with her to discuss and resolve the issue.
  
  At The Lounge we strive to offer exceptional service to all our valued customers, and we deeply regret any lapses that occurred in your case.
  
  Our doctor and our team remains dedicated to ensuring your complete satisfaction, as we care deeply about our customers. And we are still committed to resolving any outstanding matters to the best of our ability.
  
  Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you require any further assistance or have any additional concerns. Please call the doctor on her cell phone or use the lounge contact: phone number ************ or the email *************************************** to schedule an appointment with the doctor. We value your patronage and hope to have the opportunity to regain your trust in our sincerity to do the right thing.
  
  Thank you for your understanding and patience.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  The Lounge MedSpa

  Business response

  08/07/2023

  Dear *****,
  
  Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your recent experience with our services. We apologize for any inconvenience you may have encountered during the process.
  
  We wanted to extend our gratitude for reaching out to us several times via phone. However, it seems that we encountered difficulties in leaving messages as your voicemail was consistently full. We understand how frustrating that must have been, and we genuinely regret any miscommunication that occurred as a result.
  
  In an effort to rectify the situation and make amends for the inconvenience caused, we attempted to deliver the package once again. Furthermore, we wanted to offer you a complimentary microneedling with radio frequency session as a gesture of goodwill.
  
  Initially, we were unable to process a refund, but our primary focus was on ensuring your satisfaction. When it became apparent that our efforts were not meeting your expectations, we promptly reached out and encouraged you to schedule an appointment with the doctor. Our intention was to address your concerns directly and discuss the possibility of a refund when it became feasible.
  
  To facilitate a direct line of communication, we even provided you with the doctor's personal phone number. We genuinely hope that you have already connected with her to discuss and resolve the issue.
  
  At The Lounge we strive to offer exceptional service to all our valued customers, and we deeply regret any lapses that occurred in your case.
  
  Our doctor and our team remains dedicated to ensuring your complete satisfaction, as we care deeply about our customers. And we are still committed to resolving any outstanding matters to the best of our ability.
  
  Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you require any further assistance or have any additional concerns. Please call the doctor on her cell phone or use the lounge contact: phone number ************ or the email *************************************** to schedule an appointment with the doctor. We value your patronage and hope to have the opportunity to regain your trust in our sincerity to do the right thing.
  
  Thank you for your understanding and patience.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  The Lounge MedSpa

  Customer response

  10/25/2023

  CLAIM: 
  In an effort to rectify the situation and make amends for the inconvenience caused, we attempted to deliver the package once again. Furthermore, we wanted to offer you a complimentary microneedling with radio frequency session as a gesture of goodwill.
  ANSWER:
  The Lounge never attempted to deliver this package. This offer was made to me, in person, from ********************** herself on 05/29/2023. I accepted the offer on good faith. Office Manager ****** scheduled me for a (one) red light therapy treatment for 05/31/2023, and said she would work out a schedule for the offered treatment plan by then. ****** was not in the office at the time of my appointment that day, and the young lady at the front desk saw no upcoming appointments in her schedule, and said she would leave a note for ****** to get back to me. No one ever did. After a week of waiting, I contacted them by email ***************************************** by leaving a message on their website in  Contact Us (Contact The Lounge NI) and on ******** Messenger. Then I waited another week when no one responded to those, and I resent the email, copy and pasted the entire text of the email to their website Contact Us and ******** Messenger. They finally responded by Messenger on 06/13/2023, completely ignoring my stated preference of forgoing their offer and request for a refund, and that future communication be by email or text. They reiterated the offer, and said I would have to physically come to the office (again) and speak directly with ********************** and ****** (again) to set up the much fabled offer, that I had stated I didnt want, and honestly no longer had any faith that they would honor. 
  
  CLAIM: 
  Initially, we were unable to process a refund, but our primary focus was on ensuring your satisfaction. When it became apparent that our efforts were not meeting your expectations, we promptly reached out and encouraged you to schedule an appointment with the doctor. Our intention was to address your concerns directly and discuss the possibility of a refund when it became feasible.
  ANSWER:
  ********************** stated on 05/29/2023 that a refund would be difficult, and would have to be made in payments, but said she wanted to make it right and offered a reset of the program I had purchased, with the ** Microneedling as well. She told me that she had had a number of problems with a business partner, and the partners daughter, and I wasnt the only client she was making amends with, because of them. I thought she was *******, and I believed her. 
  1) My expectation following that meeting was that they would work out a proper schedule and put it in writing because Dr. ********** told me that would happen, and ****** agreed to do it. I was taken aback, and frankly, felt foolish for being so trusting when they blew me off. They made no effort to meet my expectation.
  2) They did not reach out to me, not even once. They responded after repeated attempts on my part to communicate with them (see above), and not promptly either.
  3) They encouraged me to come in at your convenience and talk to ********************** and ****** (via Messenger 06/13/2023) not to make an appointment, which makes a little more sense now that they clearly put into writing:
  4) their intention to discuss the possibility of a refund when it became feasible. This statement confirms that The Lounge never had any intention of making it right with me, or rendering any more services. No, it seems they were in financial straights, and only intended to string me along as long as necessary. They could have told me through Messenger, on 06/13/2023 that they would reverse the charges ($2,999) on my Cherry account when it became feasible for them. They could still reverse those charges now.
  
  CLAIM:
  We wanted to extend our gratitude for reaching out to us several times via phone. However, it seems that we encountered difficulties in leaving messages as your voicemail was consistently full. We understand how frustrating that must have been, and we genuinely regret any miscommunication that occurred as a result.
  ANSWER: 
  1) I reached out six times (as described above) before they responded on Messenger on June 13th. Previously, I reached out two times in May by text message, before speaking to **********************. The first time on 05/08/2023 asking if I was scheduled, as I had not received a notification. I got a response two days later on the 10th. The second time on 05/25/2023 was also due to not being scheduled, and I wrote: Hey guys, have you dropped me as a client? If so, we need to talk about the service I pre-paid for. Thanks. I received no response that time, but a few days later I did get a notification for an appointment on May 29th, which was when I met, and expressed my complaints to ***********************
  2) It is a complete falsehood that they tried to leave messages on my voicemail. After communicating via Messenger on the 13th, there were no calls from the Lounge to my phone. They blew me off again. I decided to try to deal with them directly one more time before formally filing this complaint with BBB on 06/23/2023, again through FB Messenger. They claimed that ****** DID leave a message on my voicemail, to set up an appointment and so had assumed you were busy or just couldnt make it. They also said it was just too difficult to set up a refund via written communication. I flat out told them there was no voice message. On the 28th they claimed to have left yet another voice message on my phone the previous day. I called them out on this dishonesty again, writing: No. No one has called. My voicemail has been full for a few weeks, so no messages have been possible. My call log shows that no one from The Lounge has called. My call log does not show any calls, accepted or missed, from any unidentifiable numbers. And it doesnt. I dont know how to transfer my call log to BBB to prove this, but if it is required, I will figure out how to do it. Their response was: Is your number ************? Thats the number we have and its allowed voicemails to be left Again, if necessary, I will find a way to share my phone data to verify these statements completely false. I had already filed the complaint with BBB and hoped they would respond more professionally to that.
  3) Contact with this business was extremely frustrating from the start, from getting only some of the services I paid for, graduating to not even being scheduled to get at least some of the services I paid for, and finally to getting a literal run-around. I believe deliberately, so that I would give up without being refunded. I dont believe this was a case of miscommunication.
  
  CLAIM: 
  To facilitate a direct line of communication, we even provided you with the doctor's personal phone number. We genuinely hope that you have already connected with her to discuss and resolve the issue.
  ANSWER:
  Yes, this was their last comment on FB Messenger. I did not respond because I was frustrated, had already filed this complaint, and already knew that ********************** would not honor any verbal commitment she might make because I had already directly communicated with the doctor on May 29th.
  
  CLAIM: 
  Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you require any further assistance or have any additional concerns. Please call the doctor on her cell phone or use the lounge contact: phone number ************ or the email to schedule an appointment with the doctor. We value your patronage and hope to have the opportunity to regain your trust in our sincerity to do the right thing.
  ANSWER:
  Complete nonsense, for all the reasons above, but also, the only form of communication they had responded to was Fakebook Messenger, and after the last communication (where the doctors number was given on 06/28/2023) THEY BLOCKED ME ON FACEBOOK. 
  
  My final response is that it is in no way a Good Faith ******** Practice to require payment in full before you render services, fail to provide said pre-paid services, and then turn around and demand that a client subjected to this failure wait until it is feasible for you to make it right based solely on the discredited word of a Bad Faith ********. To rephrase: It is entirely feasible for this business to collect $3,000 from one client in a day, but (according to them) it is completely infeasible to refund the same amount over several months. I have no idea what kind of financial trouble that business is in that makes doing the right thing so difficult, but I feel certain that ********************** is not *********** demand direct contact with a person before cutting a check, direct depositing funds to a bank account, or reversing the charges on the Cherry account, even if it is in monthly payments rather than a single payment. She could have made this right on 05/29/2023; she has had almost five months to make this right, and has chosen not to.
  
  Thank you,
  *********************
  

  
  

*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. ↩