Champion Ballroom Academy

Review: I signed up for partner classes after purchasing a Groupon. I enjoyed the instructor, [redacted], and agreed to a three class pack at $285. However, when I called to schedule my first fully paid (non-groupon rate) private lesson, I was informed that [redacted] was no longer with the business, and had moved away. I thought it strange that the studio did not call me to notify me my instructor was no longer working there, rather I had to find this out for myself when I called into the studio. The reason I agreed to the private lessons was because my partner and I felt very comfortable with [redacted] and enjoyed his teaching style. I spoke with the owner of the company, [redacted], to inquire about a refund. She informed me that she would be happy to set me up with a complimentary lesson with one of her other instructors, at no charge to me, to see if I would like to continue with someone other than [redacted] informed me that if I did not like the other instructor, she would be happy to provide me with a refund. She did mention that it was unusual to issue a refund, and that generally a dance studio cannot guarantee classes with a certain instructor. However, pending the fact that I was a first time dancer, she did verbally state that she would issue a refund if I was not happy with my new dance instructor.

I came to class on the scheduled date and found the new instructor to be fine. That class was complimentary and thus I still had a remaining balance of three unused and pre-paid lessons.

I scheduled another class with the new instructor and went to that class. I had two remaining classes on my balance.

Throughout the following weeks there were multiple issues with my account; other student's classes being deducted from my account, receiving confirmation phone calls for classes I didn't schedule, etc.

For a class I did schedule at 1pm, I showed up on time for my appointment. I was received by two instructors at the front desk. After waiting for about 20 minutes, I asked the instructors if they could call my dance instructor to inform him that I was here waiting and if he needed to reschedule the appointment (i.e. determine why he was running late). He informed reception that my class was scheduled at 2:30 and that he would not be there until 2:30.

I told the front desk staff that I believe there was a miscommunication and that I could not be there at 2:30. I never received a confirmation call about this appointment and I had it definitely written in my schedule as a 1pm appointment. I inquired with reception if there would be a problem rescheduling my class and inquired if I would be charged for the class if I rescheduled. They reassured me that I would not be charged (I never got their names but one was a man with a little dog I think named [redacted] and the other was the phenomenal female, eastern European instructor). They both told me clearly that no, I would not be charged for this class and that I still had a balance of two classes left.

Several days later I received a phone call from the studio and they told me that I would be charged for the class and that I only had a remaining balance of one class. This was the final straw. The receptionist [redacted] is awesome and she has always worked very well to review my inquiries. But the other main receptionist lacks customer service, is unorganized, and unprofessional. She does not trouble shoot, nor research matters, as evidenced by my case where she simply called me up to tell me I would be charged the class even after I informed her that the other instructors had explicitly told me otherwise.

I wrote to the studio to request a full refund of my remaining two classes. That was approximately two months ago. I never heard back from them. Not an email. Not a phone call.

I am exceptionally dissatisfied with the level of customer service at this establishment. Their lack of clearly stated rules and policies leads customers to receive conflicting statements from personnel with monetary outcomes which, it appears, the studio expects the client to absorb.Desired Settlement: I paid $285 for three private lessons. Only one of those lessons was used. At a rate of $95 per lesson, I would like a refund credited to my credit card on file in the amount of $190.00