SF Spanish

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/08/26) */
We at SF Spanish apologize for our client's inconvenience
SF Spanish stands by the quality of its Group and Private ClassesAn initial Assessment Class is required before starting classes to ensure students are placed in classes at the
proper Spanish language proficiency levelClasses are casual and conversation-based rather than formal and test-based to promote fast acquisition of conversational Spanish in addition to learning Spanish grammar, writing, and readingOur classes also grow with students as they learn, a Beginner class eventually becoming an Intermediate class
Purchases with SF Spanish are final, as stated on all of our receiptsIn addition, our Class and Cancellation Policies document states for Group Classes that: "We require a 48-hour notice if you wish to cancel participation without penalty." For Private Classes it states: "We require a 24-hour notice if you wish to cancel participation without penalty." Classes canceled early have the credit for that class returned to their account; classes canceled late do not have the credit returned to their accountAlso, if someone is absent from a class without notification, the credit for the class is not returned to their accountThis policies document is attachedThe client signed a copy of this policies document on 4/3/
It is the students' responsibility to let us know if they would like to cancel the class before the 48-hour/24-hour windowWe request students let us know by e-mail or phone if they wish to cancel a class before the class startsWe also let them know they have the option to cancel the class themselves on our registration system (https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/admhome?studioid=XXXXX)This is the same system in which they purchase and schedule classes
We have a minimum number of two students (and a maximum of six) in each Group ClassIf a student cancels hours or more before a class containing only two students, we cancel the class and notify the remaining student by e-mailThis happens a bit more often during the summer when student attendance is lowerThe credit for the class is returned to the remaining student's accountIf a student cancels less than hours before that class begins, the class usually continues as scheduledWe talk about this with new students in person, over the phone, or on e-mail, it is outlined in an e-mail to the student upon cancellation of the class, and it is mentioned in the FAQ page on the SF Spanish website (***.com)
Moreover, if on rare occasion an instructor cancels a Group or Private Class, the credit for that class is returned to the students' accountsInstructors are permitted to cancel a class for an illness or an emergency if no substitute can be foundIf a substitute is found, the class continues as scheduled
Upon cancellation of a class (whether for one class or for a set of classes), we usually notify students of another available class comparable to the canceled classWe notify the student when and if a comparable class is availableThis was not policy, however, until 07/22/2015, when we added it to the FAQ on our website
Homework and classwork are not given for canceled classes, and the next scheduled class picks up where the last attended class left offWe do not give coursework for canceled classes because the credit for a canceled class is returned to the students' accountsNo payment is taken for a canceled class
The three canceled classes mentioned by the client were canceled as follows:
Beginner 1B (Wednesdays, 7:45pm) on 7/1/was canceled on 6/25/at 12:21pm
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 7/29/was canceled on 7/27/2015at 10:47am
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/5/was canceled on 8/3/at 6:03pm
All three classes were canceled because other students canceled classAutomatic e-mails were sent by our registration system to the client upon cancellation of all three classes to notify about the cancellationOur administrative assistant also e-mailed the client on the three dates of cancellation to offer alternative classesThe class offered on 6/25/was accepted by the client
The three other classes within the six week time period mentioned by the client are Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 7/8/2015, 7/15/2015, and 7/22/The regular instructor *** *** (who is also SF Spanish's director) did teach the Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) class on 7/8/and 7/15/2015, and the client attended both sessionsA substitute instructor (*** ***) taught the Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) class on 7/22/2015, because the regular instructor was illThe client attended this session, and notice of the substitute was given just before the class began
The client requests a refund for the following:
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/5/- $
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/12/- $
Private Class with instructor Carmen on 8/13/at 2pm - $
The initial request for a refund was made by the client via e-mail to our administrative assistant on 8/10/Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/5/was already canceled early and credited back to the client's account on 8/3/2015, before the request for a refund was madeBeginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/12/was scheduled on 7/7/The client requested this class again on 8/3/and 8/6/via e-mail, and the scheduled class was confirmed by the administrative assistant on those datesOn 8/11/2015, *** *** e-mailed the client about the refund request, explaining our refund policy and the class situations and asking if the client would still like to attend class the next dayNo request was made to cancel this class, though, and the client did not attendThe credit has not been returned to the client's accountThe Private Class on 8/13/was canceled and the credit returned to the client's account on 8/12/at 11:16am
The refund request occurred after an exchange of e-mails and phone calls between the client and the administrative assistant from 8/3-8/10/On 8/3/2015, after the cancellation of the 8/5/Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) class, the client requested three new classes be scheduled, including Beginner 1B (Thursdays, 6:30pm) on 8/6/2015, Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/12/2015, and a Beginner 1C on 8/13/The administrative assistant agreed to schedule Beginner 1B (Thursdays, 6:30pm) on 8/6/2015, confirmed that Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/12/was scheduled, and notified that no Beginner 1C class was scheduled to run on 8/13/The administrative assistant booked Beginner 1B (Thursdays, 6:30pm) on 8/6/2015, e-mailed the client about it to confirm, and also e-mailed a new class scheduleThe administrative assistant also suggested a Beginner 1C (Mondays, 6pm with Carmen in the Mission office) class on 8/10/to replace the requested Beginner 1C on 8/13/The client did not attend the class on 8/6/and did not respond to the 8/10/class suggestionThe credit for the class on 8/6/was not returned to the client's account
On 8/6/2015, however, the client requested to book Beginner 1C (Mondays, 6pm with *** in the Fillmore office) on 8/10/2015, Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) class on 8/12/2015, and a Private Class, which was suggested by the administrative assistant on 8/4/The administrative assistant confirmed the Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) class on 8/12/and suggested Beginner 1C (Mondays, 6pm with Carmen in the Mission office) class on 8/10/2015, which is a less advanced class than the class with *** at the same time in the Fillmore officeAfter a phone conversation on 8/7/with the client, the Private Class with Carmen at 2pm was purchased by the administrative assistantA receipt was automatically e-mailed to the clientThe administrative assistant let the client know over the phone that more credit would need to be purchased in order to book further Group Classes, including the class on 8/10/The administrative assistant also called the client about this on Saturday 8/8/
On Sunday, 8/9/2015, the client e-mailed about the class on 8/10/The SF Spanish office is closed at this timeOn 8/10/2015, the administrative assistant replied to the client, explaining that further credit was needed to book an additional classThe client was notified in same e-mail that it was possible to book the class for that day and to cancel the class on 8/12/if desiredAfter a phone call with the director on the same day, the administrative assistant offered another class option for the clientThe option was too early for the client's schedule, howeverThe client then e-mailed requesting a refund
SF Spanish continues to hold credit for one 60-minute Private Class in the client's accountThe client may use this if desired, and the class expires in a little less than a year, on 8/5/
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/09/01) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Requesting refund as company cannot confirm ability to offer scheduled classesIn FAQs and cancellation policy, company was to offer rescheduling classes and available optionsCompany failed to do this and has acknowledged such in email from ***
Due to their inability to adhere to their own stated cancellation policies, I am requesting a refund in the following amounts:
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/5/- $*Please note that administrative assistant did not call in advance to reschedule on number listed in profileShe called on a Saturday to a work lineUnprofessional as company knew I would not be available at that number and that I'm always accessible via email
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/12/- $
Company was unable to guarantee class would be available
Private Class with instructor Carmen on 8/13/at 2pm - $
Cancellation request in advance of hour noticeRequesting that this be refunded due to inability to adhere to company's own cancellation policy
Final Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2015/10/06) */
10/5/SF Spanish - Second response to Revdex.com complaint
Unfortunately, SF Spanish cannot provide a refund for this clientAll purchases with SF Spanish are final, as stated on the receipts of all transactions with usIn addition, our Class and Cancellation Policies document states for Group Classes that: "We require a 48-hour notice if you wish to cancel participation without penalty." For Private Classes it states: "We require a 24-hour notice if you wish to cancel participation without penalty." Classes canceled early have the credit for that class returned to the student's account; classes canceled late do not have the credit returned to his or her accountAlso, if someone is absent from a class without notification, the credit for the class is not returned to the student's accountThis policies document is attachedThe client signed a copy of this policies document on 4/3/
The three canceled classes mentioned by the client in the original complaint were canceled as follows:
Beginner 1B (Wednesdays, 7:45pm) on 7/1/was canceled on 6/25/at 12:21pm
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 7/29/was canceled on 7/27/2015at 10:47am
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/5/was canceled on 8/3/at 6:03pm
All three classes were canceled because other students canceled classAutomatic e-mails were sent by our registration system to the client upon cancellation of all three classes to notify about the cancellation
Our administrative assistant also e-mailed the client on the three dates of cancellation above to offer alternative classesThe classes offered on 6/25/and on 8/3/were accepted by the clientThe client declined the alternative class offered on 7/27/and booked a future Beginner 1C class on Wednesdays insteadOn 8/3/2015, two other classes were requested by the client in addition to the alternative class suggested (Beginner 1B on Thursday, 8/6/2015)The Beginner 1C class on 8/12/requested was already scheduled, and the Beginner 1B class on 8/13/requested did not exist in the systemThe administrative assistant let the client know this after booking the alternative classIn the email exchanges on 8/3/2015, the administrative also offered a Private Class, which the client showed interest in
The administrative assistant also called the phone number previously used by the client to contact SF Spanish (the client's work line) to discuss alternative class options on 8/8/after the client was absent from a scheduled class on 8/6/without noticeThis phone call was not in regards to the Beginner 1C class on 8/5/2015, as mentioned in the client's rebuttal, and the administrative assistant noted that the client did not want calls on this line after e-mail communication with the client on 8/9/and 8/10/
As mentioned in the first response from SF Spanish, we have a minimum number of two students (and a maximum of six) in each Group ClassIf a student cancels hours or more before a Group Class containing only two students, we cancel the class and notify the remaining student by e-mailThis happens a bit more often during the summer when student attendance is lower, as was the case with these classesThe credit for the class is returned to the remaining student's accountIn all three cases, the money was returned to the client's accountIf a student cancels less than hours before that class begins, the class usually continues as scheduledWe talk about this with new students in person, over the phone, or on e-mail, it is outlined in an e-mail to the student upon cancellation of the class, and it is mentioned in the FAQ page on the SF Spanish website (***.com)
In the rebuttal, the client requests refunds for the following classes:
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/5/
Beginner 1C (Wednesdays, 6pm) on 8/12/
Private Class with Carmen on 8/13/
The Beginner 1C on 8/5/was requested in the first complaint, and the two other classes are refund requests originally made by the client via e-mail on 8/12/See the information above about the Beginner 1C class on 8/5/
The client was absent from Beginner 1C on 8/12/2015, and no attempt was made by the client to cancel or reschedule the classThe client has been marked as absentAs mentioned in SF Spanish's previous response, it is the students' responsibility to let us know if they would like to cancel a Group Class before the 48-hour windowWe request students to let us know by e-mail or phone if they wish to cancel a class before the class startsWe also let them know they have the option to cancel the class themselves on our registration system (https://***=XXXXX)This is the same system in which they purchase and schedule classesAlthough the client requested a refund on 8/10/2015, this class was not canceled by the clientIn addition, the client had requested this specific class on three separate occasions before this dateThe administrative assistant reassured that this class was booked for the client on two of these occasions, and the director of SF Spanish also asked via e-mail whether the student would still like to attend the 8/12/in her response to the client's request for a refund
The Private Class with Carmen on 8/13/was canceled on 8/12/The administrative assistant canceled this class in response to the client's e-mailed request to do so on 8/12/The request was made in time for the 24-hour cancellation window for Private ClassesThe credit for the class was returned to the client's accountSF Spanish continues to hold credit for this 60-minute Private Class in the client's accountThe client may use this if desired, and the class expires in a little less than a year, on 8/5/