It's Just Lunch

I am a fairly recent customer of IJL, but so far my experience was extremely positiveI find the team in DC office exceptionally responsive, caring and supportiveMy Matchmaker Jaida truly cares about me meeting my perfect match and I feel I am in good hands

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/09/01) */
To Whom It May Concern:
The card member, Mr***, joined It's Just Lunch on 2/11/under a membership that provides for twelve (12) months or fourteen (14) dates, whichever comes laterIn the state of California the card member had
three (3) business days from the date of the agreement to cancel his contractThe card member did not cancel his agreement within the statutory periodMr*** also signed the contract on February 11, at that time he entered his California State Drivers License Number which is XXXXXXXXX
Since joining IJL, Mr*** has met women, ***There was also a 5th date that was set up for Mr*** with a woman named *** which he cancelled and then placed his account on hold for a month
I understand that in Mr***'s complaint he states that their were some matches that fell just outside of his parameters in any one areaOur agreement states, "IJL introduces members based on the judgment of IJL's employees who may take into account the general criteria and guidelines specified by its members." This means that based upon the professional opinion of our matchmakers, we will select any and every possible option for our clients that we feel will be a fit in an effort to maximize their membershipWith every match that has been selected, Mr*** was contacted by our office and was given a full description of that matchWe only count the matches that result in a date set up, and Mr*** agreed based on the description to move forward with these set upsWe make it clear through our advertising and our initial conversation that all of the dates are blind introductions
We do offer, by invitation only, an Elite Membership option which starts at $6000, where a client would be able to review photos of candidates that are personally recruited for each specific clientAlong with this personal recruiting, we also provide additional date coaching
On average our clients go out once every 2.5-weeks, some go out more often, and some go out lessMr*** is dating within this pace and we are ready to move forward as soon as he resumes his account
In response to Mr***'s claim that there was no response to his August 5, email, this is falseOur response was,
"Hi ***,
I did try calling you at 2:today and your phone went straight to voice mailI would be more then happy to discuss you terms of your contract with youfell free to give me a call, I have about minutes before my next appointment
Warmly,
***
XXX-XXX-XXXX"
We then proceeded to reach out to Mr*** on 8/13, 8/and 8/to tell him about his next match KatAfter attempts with no response, Mr*** was placed on a courtesy hold so he did not waste any active timeWe informed Mr*** of this hold both through a phone message as well as a hard copy letter sent in the mail
We have made a strong effort to help Mr***, and have been delivering service as contractedMr*** also came into our San Francisco office for his in-person interview and has met with our team
Mr*** is not eligible for a refund per the terms of his agreement which state, "You, the Client, may cancel this agreement, without any penalty or obligation, at any time prior to midnight of the third business day following the date of this agreement, excluding Sundays and holidaysTo cancel this agreement, mail or deliver a signed and dated notice, or send a telegram which states that you, the Client, are canceling this agreement, or words to similar effectThis notice shall be sent to It's Just Lunch!, *** XXXXX." In addition to signing the agreement, Mr*** specifically signed and acknowledged our cancellation policyI have included a signed copy of his agreement for your reference
As previously mentioned, Mr***'s account has been placed on a courtesy holdWe are happy to continue his membership and move forward with his next match as soon as he is ready
Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions
Best Regards,
*** ***
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/09/17) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
The IJL states that they made it clear through their advertisement and initial conversation that all the dates are blind introductionsThis is not trueI was led to believe during the initial conversation prior to signing on, that IJL would go over the potential matches with me and they did not exclude sharing of face-photos as part of going over the profilesThey also led me to believe that they would provide me more than one choice at a time which later on turned out to be untrueIf I had known upfront that all the matches would be blind dates and that IJL would do the matching and provide just one choice of match, I would not have signed onAt the time of signing on I was offered choices and they misled me willfully into thinking that this was the way it would be every time they matched me which turned out to be untrueWhen I was subsequently told that there was one single match it left me feeling cornered and coerced into accepting that one single matchIJL added a lot of advertisement to every match by using high-sounding adjectives like 'Stunning', 'Amazing' etc., instead of stating what it was that IJL felt was the grounds for deciding that it was a good matchThey would read the physical description and personality of the person over the phone and add many high-sounding adjectives to push me to accept the matchOn one or two occasions when I felt that some of the filter criteria that I had set up in terms of a compatible ethinicity and age and marital status were blatantly mis-matched, I flatly refused to accept the matchThis had the side-effect of IJL putting me on a long wait period of more than a monthI would call within that time frame to inquire on updates and IJL would entertain the phone call for as short as seconds stating that there were no updates and that IJL was 'in the process of matching'I would get no insights into this process of matching which was quite vague and open-ended with no end in sightThis indefinite wait period added to my frustration as well since I felt that IJL had forgotten about me
Therefore, their claim to Revdex.com that their clients go out on dates once every to weeks and that I am dating within this pace is certainly not trueI have stated clearly that I went out dates with separate individuals matched through IJL over a month period which is definitely not in accordance with IJL's claim of providing dates every to weeksIn fact, *** who is the Director of IJL who handles my case, told me on the phone that she too felt that things were moving rather slowly for me compared to other clients and that this would be remedied
I understand that match-making is not easyBut I would have appreciated transparency and honesty in terms of the challenges faced by IJL in matching instead of the sales pitch which was misleading and manipulativeI was manipulated and coerced into paying upfront the annual service fee of $when I would have in fact, preferred a flexible monthly payment optionThis payment option was not even offered for considerationAfter making the upfront payment I feel helplessly locked into a service which is continuosly falling in qualityI do not have a dedicated customer service in IJL to seek redressal tooWhy should I stay on with a service when I am unhappy about the service?
IJL did not provide me the various levels of service and their associated price and instead determined the membership fee and level for me automaticallyLater on, when I raised a red-flag about not being to see the photos in order to determine whether I liked to meet the potential match or not, they proposed an additional service level which would allow IJL to share the photos and it would cost an additional $They have not answered my question raised through Revdex.com as to why they did not cover this point during the initial conversationThe various service levels are also not mentioned in the contractThese hidden costs go against consumer rights and IJL has violated my rights to full information before signing on, and misled me to commit to a year-long service by offering me partial information
On Aug I was waiting for scheduled call at 2pmSince I did not get the call (phone records can prove this), I wrote an email around 4pm to deregister my serviceAs a knee-*** reaction to this email IJL tried calling me but it was too little too late since I was convinced that they were not committed to helping me find a suitable match
I thank IJL for providing me the service for the months that I was with them (Feb to Aug when I opted out of the service, with the exception of April when the account was on hold)They may have tried to reach me on a few occasions after I expressed my desire to deregister but since my mind is made up I do not wish to be manipulated by empty assurances and hence have not responded to their calls
I humbly request Revdex.com to provide an arbitration and settle this case favorablyIn all fairness, I gave IJL a shot and IJL gave me a shot and while I do feel unhappy about the latest developments and the fall in the quality of service I also acknowledge their service and therefore I am open to settling for the middle ground of deducting months worth of the membership fee from and claiming the remainder ($1283) as final settlement amount due to meThis is a very fair settlement in my mind
If IJL is willing to provide this settlement amount and close my service that would reinstate the good faith and trust in the business in my mindThis will give me closure in this matterIf IJL does not honor this settlement request then I will be convinced that they act with malafide intentions and only hope to 'keep the meter running' without providing the contracted service and I will pursue every possible legal avenue available to me to recover my money and I shall also spread the word in every forum that IJL had meted out an unjust treatment to me which has created emotional trauma from which I will take many months to recoverI will also submit my case to the Federal Trade Commission and other bodies which have a supervisory and regulatory role seeking a positive interventionI sincerely hope and pray that IJL would meet me half-way and facilitate the requested settlement
I am very grateful to and appreciative of Revdex.com for providing this forum to voice my concerns and creating a place for me and IJL to resolve the situation
Closing with kind regards
***
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/10/05) */
To Whom It May Concern:
We are glad to hear that Mr*** agrees that we are providing him the service as contacted
We want to reiterate that on AVERAGE our clients go out once every 2.5-weeksThis is an average and not a guaranteeSome clients go out more often, and some go out lessThis pace it completely dependent on an individuals parameters and the availablity of their matchesWe always try to get our clients out as often as possible to maximize their membership
To address Mr***'s concern about not being offered a membership with our affiliate program Elite, those membership are typically offered to existing clients by invitation onlyIn these memberships, clients are able to review photographs prior to their date set upBecause of the amount of work involved in these memberships, our Elite team works only with a specific number of clients at a time and it is completely based on IJL's decision who will be eligiable for this type of membership
As previously mentioned, and as stated in our agreement, "IJL introduces members based on the judgment of IJL's employees who may take into account the general criteria and guidelines specified by its members." Mr***'s matches were selected by his director who made her selections based on her professional opinion of who she felt was best suited for him
Mr*** is not eligible for any type of refund, full or pro-rated, and his account will remain on hold until he is ready to resume (not to exceed days after which his account will expire on hold)
Mr*** has almost months remaining in his membership and we are eager to continue introducing him to even more incredible women
Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions
Best Regards,
*** ***
Operations Manager

So far, my experience has been greatThe staff is really nice, and they're easy to work withAnd best of all, I've met some really nice people through IJL

The team in Milwaukee is great especially Caprice They take the pressure of finding that date off your shoulders and makes the experience enjoyable

------ Forwarded message ----------
sans-serif;">From: *** ***Date: Mon, Oct 20, at 2:PMSubject: *** Update from consumerTo: "[email protected]"
Dear Revdex.com,
I wanted to give you an update on my complant # *** but could not figure out how to update the information on your siteThank you for contacting the business I was having difficulty withBecause of your intervention the buiness, It’s Just Lunch of Washington, DC, mailed me a letter that they are refunding the money to meI am including a screen shot of the complaint for reference
I cannot thank you enough for your assistanceI had tried to work this out with the business beforehand and was ignoredYour organizion is invaluable with assisting consumers and I’m very appreciativeWhat do I need to do to mark this incident as resolved in your system?
Regards,
*** ***
###-###-####
MichelleS***
Manager, Contracts Management
Marriott International|Information Technology|iT Technology Business Management
Fernwood Road, Bethesda, Maryland
P:###-###-####|***

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because: No one has contacted me yet as of 10-21-so I don't accept their response as accurate
Regards,
*** ***

It’s Just Lunch regrets to learn of any
dissatisfaction the consumer has experienced as this is not the norm
with It’s
Just Lunch. The Client joined on
September 22, to date in the Cincinnati, OH market and has months or
dates, whichever comes last Her
membership agreement notes “Client agrees and understands that Date
Introductions will be made in expanded markets requiring travel outside of
Client's local geographic area.” It’s
Just Lunch has provided the consumer to date with dates introductions,
which she has attended and provided feedbackWe work with busy professionals
and accept the information they provide to IJL and expect our clients represent
themselves honestly. We would never
misrepresent a match to another clientAll clients go through the same
interview process, as did the consumer.
It’s Just Lunch cannot guarantee chemistry or attraction and we may take
into account the general criteria and guidelines provided by the consumer,
their postdate feedback and our years of matching experience We have contacted the consumer to discuss he
concerns and will continue to reach out to her to come to a resolution as our
goal is to provide a positive dating experience and help our clients achieve
their dating goals

My experience has been positive with Its Just LunchThey have been professional with calling me and setting up datesIt's very easy to meet people as they do all the work in arranging the date

It’s Just Lunch regrets to learn of any dissatisfaction the
consumer has experienced with her membership as this is not the norm with It’s
Just LunchIt’s Just Lunch provides fun first dates in a low pressure atmosphere
and we take all of the work and stress out of dating
for our clientsWe do not
guarantee chemistry or attraction and cannot guarantee our clients will like
their dates once they arrive to the date, however, we take into account the
clients general criteria and guidelines, postdate feedback, the two million
first dates IJL has arranged along with our years of experience in the
matching process
The consumer purchased a month, date introduction membership
which has since expired and IJL provided date introductionsWe have attempted
to communicate with the consumer via phone to resolve her concerns which is the
most effective way to understand the concerns at hand and address accordingly,
however, the consumer is not willing to discuss with us via phone at which point
we can only consider resolvedWe urge the consumer to contact the manager that
has been attempting to work with her to resolve her concerns to arrange a time
to speakThank you

I am a really happy client of It's just Lunch I have had dates so far and each one has been a really nice experience The men I have been introduced to are of a very high caliberThey have done a really nice job matching me up to men that I have a lot in common withMy team of matchmakers listen to my input, they get back to me in a timely manner, and there is always a match waiting for me when I am ready for one I don't know how I would navigate the dating world without a service such as thisHighly recommend this service

November 6, 2015Revdex.com of WisconsinCase #***This letter is in regard to ***
***’s membershipOn October 13, 2015, he enrolled with It’s Just Lunch
His membership entitled him to months of active timeWe would like to start by giving you a little
background on our companyWhen a
client enrolls with our company it is with the intention to dateIn a perfect
world we would have these clients on a date every to weeksUnfortunately,
we do not live in a perfect worldThe majority of clients enroll with It’s
Just Lunch simply due to the fact that they are too busy to do what we doWe
find someone who fits into the blueprint of who they are looking to meet; they
fit into the majority of what they have asked us to findOnce we find this
person we then verify with each client that they are still single, available
and when they can fit a date into their busy scheduleAfter completing these
steps with BOTH clients we call the restaurant and make a reservationAfter
the date occurs, we call both clients to take their feedback on how the date
wentOur process is very hands on with each and every clientWe believe this
process works better when a team of people working on each client’s membershipWe have been successfully
introducing single people for the past 20+ yearsBefore someone signs their
agreement they have an extensive phone interview with a matchmakerDuring this
call our process is described in detailWe explain how we call each person to
inform them of our selection and ask for time and dates so we can schedule a
dateWe also discuss the role of the client advisor and their involvement in
the scheduling of dates, description of matches, and discussion of feedbackThe
matchmaker that the client enrolls with will continue making the matches for
the client throughout their membershipHowever, the matchmaker’s focus is on
meeting and enrolling new clients for our existing clients to meetThus, a
client advisor must take a driver’s seat to arrange the dates, call for
feedback and discuss any issues that may arise during the course of a client’s
membershipOur matchmakers and client advisors work very closely as a team to
provide excellent customer service to each and every client.On 10/27, Mr*** came into
our office to meet with his matchmaker, ***During this meeting they
reviewed his dating preferences and discussed his previous dating
experience. His first date was scheduled with *** for later that
eveningOn 10/27, Mr*** met with
his first date, ***.On 10/28, Mr*** provided
us with feedback about his dateHe was concerned that while he was retired and
she was not, they would not have time to date one anotherHe asked us to focus
on someone who participates in more outdoor activitiesOn 10/28, Mr*** called and
spoke with his Client Advisor, *** and his matchmaker, ***He was
concerned about joining the service and asked about receiving a partial refund
of his membership feeAs this is not something IJL offers he asked to speak
with a manager.On 10/29, I, the Office Manager,
reached out to him. During the call Mr*** asked a lot of
questions about the process and our client demographicAt this time Mr
*** told me he had filed a complaint with the Revdex.comIn the complaint he states “IJL is
geared toward young professionals” This statement is not trueWe have clients
from all different backgrounds and all agesThe one thing all of our clients
have in common is that they are single and want to meet new peopleHe also
references his profile contained statementsI acknowledged that we made
a mistake and stated his daughter lived in Florida and that was not correct
What should have been said is that he likes to travel to visit his daughter and
he likes to travel to FloridaI apologize for our oversightUnfortunately,
during our call Mr*** did not agree with his membership agreement that
states “IJL does not offer refunds”He mentioned he would like us to discuss
this matter with the Revdex.com.Mr*** is early in his
membershipWe do not have memberships where clients only meet one personWe
understand that not every date we have Mr*** go on will produce a
relationship, but we are hopeful that through his feedback we will be able to
fine tune his preferencesPer the terms of his agreement a refund is not an
optionFor this reason his request for a refund is being deniedWe are
hopeful Mr*** will allow us to coordinate more dates for him soon.Until we are able to resolve this
matter we are going to place his membership on a complimentary hold for up to
two monthsThank you for your time and
attentionPlease feel free to contact me with any questions.Sincerely,*** ***Office ManagerIt’s Just Lunch###-###-####

After months my overall experience with IJL has been very positive, especially with the recent addition of Chelsea to the staffThe first match maker with whom I worked was average, though the dates were very niceThe second match maker, Nicole, was extremely effective and most pleasant to work withI was highly pleasedBut then came Chelsea onto the scene, and she has been top notch from the get goAll match makers have matched me with compatible women, though the vast majority didn't meet my physical wishesChelsea has been spot on in that regard, while continuing to place me with compatible womenShe is most effective, cooperative, and pleasant to work with, and I am delighted to work with herI am always looking forward to meeting the top quality ladies with whom she pairs meI can't say any more on her behalfShe has been a tremendous addition to the IJL staff, and I hope she sticks around for a long time

March 21,
Revdex.com of Wisconsin
*** *** ***
ID: ***
Dear Ms***,
This letter is in regard to Ms.***’ membership with It’s Just Lunch (IJL)She purchased a membership with a company called *** DBA *** *** *** on 06/23/This membership entitled her to eight referrals for a cost of $2,000.00. On 07/01/*** went out business; the owners of *** made an agreement with IJL that IJL would provide the opportunity for the existing *** clients to continue to meet peopleOn 07/23/Ms***’ signed release form was received and processed in our MN office(Please see the attached release form.) The release form states:
“Since all fees under my membership agreement with *** were paid to another company and not to IJL, it is agreed I would have no claim against IJL or Heartland Introductions, Incincluding, but not limited to a claim for any type of refund or demand for additional services, or a claim of breach of contract
I specifically authorize IJL or its affiliated IJL locations to refer me to any other IJL client for the sole purpose of social referral, and hereby waive any and all claims, damages, losses, or causes of actions arising out of any such referral and indemnify and agree to hold them harmless from any and all claims, damages, losses or causes of action whatsoever resulting from any referral provided to me. I understand that IJL screens members, but does not conduct criminal background checks”
Part of the conversation with Ms*** was about moving forward meeting more single men using the IJL methodMy statement “Ms*** was not 100% sure she was interested in meeting more people through the IJL method.” is accurateIf there was a miscommunication regarding the next steps in this process I apologizeIJL is dedicated to the success of our clientsWe are hopeful the next date we coordinate will have successful results
We are very interested in moving forward on Ms***’ membershipGiven the circumstances regarding her last date we will give her credit for another dateWe will coordinate more introductions for her
Since we were not clear if Ms*** wanted to move forward we placed her membership on holdProvided this matter with the Revdex.com is closed in our favor we will start working on providing more dates for Ms***
If I can be of further assistance please contact me at ###-###-####
Sincerely,
*** ***
Office Manager
IJL Milwaukee and Minnesota

I met someone! Someone classy, conversational, fun, attractive and Italian to boot! Thanks to It's Just Lunch Julie was "professionally persistent" in persuading me to join and then Kelly and 'Crew' joined in to match me up with classy, successful, attractive women until the right one came along Thank you It's Just Lunch! All of the matches were exactly what I was looking for, but the 'home run' was the 5th and most recent Nice job I would recommend them highly, especially when your on line 'search' gets daunting and frustrating, as it likely will They are every bit worth the expense And a lot less stressful because they take care of the first time details of who, where and when Great job!

My experience with Its Just Lunch has been very satisfying I have had the pleasure of meeting several ladies of quality for drinks at establishments I would not normally have patronized The staff at IJL has been prompt, upbeat and accommodating Overall I have been happy with the service I have received

I think It's Just Lunch-Milwaukee is a great service It allows you the opportunity to meet likeminded people that you may not otherwise have the chance to meet This is particularly true for those that have busy work schedules and may not have the time to get out on the weekends as often The customer service at IJL is phenomenal Prior to every date they send you an email with the itinerary They also call the day before the date and follow up with you the day after the date to see how it went They take your feedback into account with the aim of matching you with the best possible person In my experience the matches have been quite positive

Chelsea has been my date coordinatorPut simply, she is fabulousI love working with herShe takes the time to truly understand and know meShe has found for me the kind of dates who are very compatible with meShe truly understands who I am looking forShe is professional, kind, knowledgeable, and knows her craftI am lucky! IJL is lucky to have her!

I have been very pleased with the service and performance of "It's Just Lunch" I have been working closely with my client advisor, Cassandra *** She does a great job of scheduling my dates, provides me with good information prior to each date and follow up calls afterwardsI have been introduced to many compatible women though this company

I have been working with Nicole S*** for two months and have been very pleased with the experience Nicole is very nice, warm, and empathetic, and very well suited to this sort of relationship

Chelsea T*** and Jaida are the best match makers! They are super professional and have an outstanding sense of what other professionals may enjoyI just had the best date ever in years and it was thanks to their diligent efforts and skillThank you guys!