Varsity Tutors LLC

Please see attached documents

Please see the attachments

Please see the attached document for Varsity's response to the complaint

Conclusion Please consider this the “Preliminary Response” to the complaint by MsThornton Based upon the above, Varsity Tutors hereby requests that the complaint be removed by the Revdex.comVarsity Tutors is proud to be an affiliate of the Revdex.com and values the relationshipIf you intend or desire to post this response, instead of removing the complaint, Varsity Tutors is willing to modify it in a mutually agreeable manner and would prefer to provide a more comprehensive response, including submitting relevant exhibits Also, Varsity Tutors has additional documentation in support of its position that it did not include and can make the additional documentation available to you, if necessary or helpful As you can determine from this submission, Varsity Tutors implements and relies on many processes in conducting its business, including the use of software documenting its interactions and follow up with students/clients If you have any questions or comments or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contact meBest, [redacted]

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by Varsity Tutors in reference to ID [redacted] and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me Sincerely, [redacted]

Please see the attachment for Varsity's response

Business response attached

Complaint: [redacted] I am rejecting this response because:First of all I have not heard from Varsity Tutors since I last contacted them on May 26, The statement that they have contacted me several times and their attempts have gone unanswered are falseAlso, I tried to explain to Varsity Tutors that the tutoring services they provide work for other kids but did not seem to work for my son and that took time on my part to realize why his grades were not improving Unfortunately I thought it was my son's fault and not the tutors but what I later realized is that he needed a teacher that had taught in his district and understood their curriculum Once I found a retired teacher and she started to tutor him his grades in Chemistry went up significantly I tried to let Varsity tutors know that I thought they were helpful in trying to find a proper tutor for my son but unfortunately it just wasn't the right fit for us I did know the refund policy but thought that once I explained to them the problem and why it didn't work out they would understand that and make an exception since sometimes these things take time to figure out and it was essentially the service they provided failed my son I would think that when you have that many sessions outstanding that they would be a little more flexible and understanding I also explained to them that the other reason it took me so long to respond was my daughter had been very sick and was in the hospital and having testing done I told them I could provide documentation to this and they just kept reiterating their return policy like a robot I feel Varsity Tutors is very unsympathetic and all they care about is the money and not whether or not their services helped the studentWhen they told me I could use them for my other child I explained that she does very well in school and is not in need of any tutoring I also, don't have any friends that I could gift these to and after the way they have dealt with this whole matter I would not want any of my friends to use them Sincerely, [redacted]

Revdex.com: I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] , and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me Sincerely, [redacted]

Please see the attached letter for Varsity's response

Varsity Tutors Background By way of background, Varsity Tutors is a live learning platform that among other things, connects students with personalized instructors to accelerate academic achievementThis includes connecting students with tutoring and test-preparation needs with vetted tutors and test instructor providers that provide the tutoring and test preparation services directly to the customer, either in person or online, at times and locations agreed upon between themThe services are provided by the tutor to the studentThe tutors are independent contractors with their own materials, styles, and methods as indicated on every page of Varsity Tutors’ website, www.varsitytutors.comAs detailed, on the website under “Tutor Selection Process,” those prospective tutors interested in contracting with Varsity Tutors in order to obtain customers from Varsity Tutor’s platform go through screening including, providing applicable test scores and transcripts, submitting a mock individualized learning plan, being interviewed, performing a mock tutoring session and an authorized background check to be conducted (and that ultimately is conducted) before becoming an independent contracted tutor that appears on Varsity Tutors’ online platformVarsity Tutors highlights its policies on the website and attempts to set realistic expectations with the potential students (and families) that are seeking to be matched with a contracted tutor through the Varsity Tutors’ online platformVarsity Tutors is transparent about its services and uses its Terms of Use to reinforce the process In fact, the potential client/student must execute the Terms of Use and acknowledge of Varsity Tutor’s policies BEFORE they ever work with a tutor (attached hereto) Varsity Tutors website is also critical in setting these expectations and explaining the process and how it worksPlease note that the website directs content to the location of the viewer (e.gsomeone looking from StLouis will receive StLouis content and someone in Pennsylvania will receive Pennsylvania content; however, that should not matter for this inquiry)With respect to SAT tutors, which are relevant to this situation, Varsity Tutors requires them to have taken the SAT and scored in a top percentile The qualifications to be a tutor associated with Varsity Tutors’ platform are rigorous and one of the primary factor’s in the company’s success [redacted] Background Mrand Mrs [redacted] emailed Varsity Tutors in July 2015, looking to be connected with a tutor for their year old son to assist him with SAT test preparationMrs [redacted] indicated that she “does not want a strict tutorShe wants someone who can relate well to him so he will open up.” Mrs [redacted] selected contractor tutor [redacted] from Varsity Tutors’ platform to provide : online tutoring for her son and purchased hours of tutoring, which could be used with other contracted tutors on the platform as well The student did online tutoring on the Varsity Tutors’ platform with [redacted] beginning on September 1, There were a total of paid sessions, each of which lasted two (2) hours Varsity Tutors provided two (2) free hours as a result of technical problems experienced with the online platformAfter each session, the customer was given the opportunity to provide feedback Mror Mrs [redacted] provided feedback and gave [redacted] the maximum five (5) star rating after each session Similarly, [redacted] posted comments on the platform for review by Mrand Mrs [redacted] , detailing what had occurred during each tutoring session Not until after all hours had been utilized by the [redacted] ’s, including the free hours and the student taking the SAT again, did the [redacted] s complain about the effectiveness of the tutoring by [redacted] The initial complaint was lodged December 2, 2015, although the last tutoring session was November 3, and the student had been tutored since September 1, Again this was after the tutor had received top ratings by the [redacted] s It was also well after the expiration of Varsity Tutor’s Refund Policy, as more fully explained below, because the [redacted] ’s had no unused hours remaining to be refunded and the day period had lapsed The initial and subsequent complaints were submitted well after the time to pursue Varsity Tutor’s guarantee, as more fully explained below, because the guarantee relates to Varsity Tutors providing a different tutor from the platform at no costs to the customer if the customer was unhappy or did not want to work with that tutor after the initial session Varsity Tutors does not guarantee results but does give the customer the choice and to select a new tutor at no cost if the initial fit is not a good fit (certainly not after hours of tutoring) Varsity Tutors’ Refund PolicyMrs [redacted] ’s complaint was posted on March 22, under the category “Service Issues.” Mrs [redacted] claims that the refund policy is not easily found or discussed Varsity Tutors refund policy is clear and straightforward and was not timely pursued by Mrs [redacted] Although not part of any refund policy, Varsity Tutors did provide her two (2) additional hours for free based upon certain technical difficulties experienced during some of the sessions that disrupted the student and tutor causing them to use the phone and computer instead of just a computerVarsity Tutors recognized the complaint and resolved the issue by crediting her account for the lost timeRegarding refunds, Varsity Tutors provides the following to all of its customers:Refunds: If for any reason you are not satisfied with our service after the initial session, please call us and we'll assign you a different tutor and not charge you for that second to hour sessionFollowing the second session but before any subsequent session, if you remain dissatisfied, we will issue you a full refund of all unused hoursUnused, pre-paid tutoring hours are refundable up to days from the date of purchaseFree hours have no cash value and cannot be refundedMrs [redacted] signed the Terms of Use acknowledging this refund policy (and the guarantee) on August 20, Varsity Tutors refund policy is unique in the industry and is prominently featured on its website at http://www.varsitytutors.com/ [redacted] .Varsity Tutors Money-Back GuaranteeMrs [redacted] claims in her complaint that she signed up with a tutor the beginning of August and purchased hours of tutoring and the first tutoring session was September 1, After receiving hours of tutoring session (which the last session was provided on November 3, 2015), Varsity Tutors was not made aware of any dissatisfaction by the [redacted] ’s until a call from Mr [redacted] was received on December 2, Mr [redacted] expressed that he was very upset because his son went down points on his testing scores Mr [redacted] asked what Varsity Tutors guarantee was because he wanted to take advantage of it Varsity Tutors explained that test scores (or grades) are not guaranteed, but there is a day refund policy for unused hours and the tutor guarantee (both as explained above) Mr [redacted] disagreed with the explanation and reiterated that the website did guarantee improved test scoresVarsity Tutors apologized for the misunderstandingMr [redacted] went on and said that he was going to research Varsity Tutors’ site and get back with Varsity Tutors laterIt was not until March 21, that Varsity Tutors received an email inquiry from Mrs [redacted] requesting a refund for the tutoring of her son Varsity Tutors Money-Back and Tutor Guarantee states:At Varsity Tutors, we’re committed to connecting you to top tutors capable of delivering an outstanding experience That’s why we provide a comprehensive satisfaction guarantee Unused tutoring hours are refundable up to days from the date of purchase If for any reason you are not satisfied with your selected tutor after the initial session, please call us and we will help you identify a tutor who might be a better fit This second to hour session is delivered at no charge If you remain dissatisfied following the second session, but before any subsequent session, we will issue you a full refund of all unused hours (http://www.varsitytutors.com/ [redacted] )At no time did Varsity Tutors receive a call or complaint from the [redacted] ’s during the time when the tutoring session were occurringHad the [redacted] ’s requested a new tutor after the first session, it would have been provided at no cost Had the [redacted] ’s requested a refund of the unused hours within days after purchase, Varsity Tutors would have refunded the unused hours There is no dispute that the [redacted] s did not satisfy the term of the refund policy or guaranteeIn addition, Varsity Tutors’ website and Terms of Use do not express any type of guarantees for better test scores or grades and none has been identified by the [redacted] s Varsity Tutors’ Response Varsity Tutors addressed Mrs [redacted] ’s concern by contacting her on March 21, During the conversation, Varsity Tutors explained that she purchased hours in July It was further explained that Varsity Tutors’ Refund Policy is days and it is for any unused tutoring hours Mrs [redacted] ’s position was that her son did not improve on the SAT testVarsity Tutors did not provide any type of communication that he was not doing well, and Varsity Tutors stated on its website that Varsity Tutors has a score guarantee Varsity Tutors explained that her son used all hours (plus the two (2) additional free hours) and Varsity Tutors received no feedback from her at any time that she was not happy with the tutoring by [redacted] Further, it was also explained to Mrs [redacted] that Varsity Tutors does not offer a score guarantee but does offer a tutor guarantee for the initial session and at no time was Varsity Tutors made aware or given the impression that she was not happy with the tutor, [redacted] Varsity Tutors also inquired if she received any feedback from her son regarding the tutoring sessions and she said “it is not her job to give us feedback, it is our job to give her feedback and he is anyway.” Varsity Tutors continued to reiterate its position and the disposition timing issues acknowledged in the communication from Mr [redacted] in the beginning of December 2015, who stated he would contact Varsity Tutors at a later time Mrs [redacted] expressed “well, he is dead now.” Varsity Tutors apologized for any misunderstanding but again, reiterated its positionMrs [redacted] continued to express her dissatisfaction with Varsity Tutor’s position and ended the conversation with threatening to tell everyone how horrible Varsity Tutors is and that she was going to contact the Revdex.com At this point in the conversation, Varsity Tutors was unable to effectively communicate with Mrs [redacted] , who only wanted a full refund and did not want to address the issues again raised by Varsity Tutors

The issue has been resolved

December 13, 2016Revdex.comNBroadway, Suite 2060StLouis, MO 63102Re: Consumer Complaint # [redacted] Dear Sir/Madam:Varsity Tutors LLC (“Varsity”) received the complaint filed by [redacted] (“Ms***- [redacted] ") on October 18, (ID [redacted] )While Varsity will address the specifics of the complaintbelow, we were unable to resolve this complaint to our and Ms [redacted] ’s mutual satisfaction.Varsity’s position is that the complaint filed by Ms [redacted] is incomplete and inaccurate.Ms [redacted] did not qualify for a refund of the remaining, unused hours in her account at the timeof the request ($265.19) and did not provide proper notification to seek such refund in a timely mannerpursuant to Varsity’s Refund Policy as outlined in the Terms of Use.Varsity’s BackgroundBy way of background, Varsity is a live learning platform that, among other things, connectscustomers/students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievementThis includesconnecting customers/students with tutoring and test-preparation needs with vetted tutors and testinstructors that provide the tutoring and test preparation services directly to the customer/student, either inperson or online, at times and locations agreed upon between themThe services are provided by the tutorto the customer/studentThe tutors are independent contractors with their own materials, styles, andmethods as indicated on every page of Varsity Tutors’ website, [redacted] .Varsity highlights its policies on the website and attempts to set realistic expectations with the potentialcustomers/students that are seeking to be matched with a contracted tutor through Varsity’s online platform.Varsity is transparent about its services and uses its Terms of Use to reinforce the processIn fact, thepotential customer/student must execute the Terms of Use and acknowledge Varsity’s policies before theyever work with a tutor (see attached)Varsity’s website is also critical in setting these expectations andexplaining the process and how it works.Please note that the website directs content to the location of the viewer (e.gsomeone looking from KansasCity will receive Kansas City content and someone in StLouis will receive StLouis content; however,that should not matter for this inquiry).Ms [redacted] ’s BackgroundOn August 26, 2015, Ms [redacted] purchased a package of hours of tutoring for a total of$1,From our understanding and consistent with the written complaint filed by Ms [redacted] ,Ms [redacted] was looking to be connected with a tutor through Varsity’s platform for her daughterfor assistance with ACT Test Preparation, with a specific scheduling requestMs [redacted] requestedan online tutor for Sunday afternoons only.Due to Ms [redacted] ’s specific scheduling requests, she experienced difficulty finding a matchthrough Varsity’s platform for Sunday afternoonsOn September 29, 2015, a Varsity Sales Representativereached out to Ms [redacted] and suggested that she consider expanding her requested scheduling inorder to be matched with more tutorsThe Sales Representative also suggested that they split up the searchand seek tutors with different ACT Test subject knowledge rather than just one (1) tutor for all areas ofACT Test PreparationDoing so would help widen the field of suitable tutors to accommodate Ms [redacted] ’s specific scheduling needsMs [redacted] agreed to this course of action, and as a resultwas matched with two (2) separate tutors on September 30, 2015; one (1) tutor for ACT – Englishpreparation, and one (1) tutor for ACT – Reading/Math preparation.From October 31, 2015, through December 2, 2015, Ms [redacted] ’s daughter participated in seven(7) sessions with the two (2) separate tutors she had been matched with through the platformMs***- [redacted] provided positive feedback on several of the sessions and rated both tutors five (5) out of five (5)starsOn December 22, 2015, Ms [redacted] advised Varsity that they were going to take a breakfrom tutoring for the holidays and would likely resume at the end of January On March 7, 2016, Ms[redacted] contacted Varsity to advise that her daughter was scheduled to take the ACT in April, afterwhich time they would reassess their tutoring needs.On April 20, 2016, Ms [redacted] contacted Varsity to resume tutoring sessions with a tutor usingthe remaining nine (9) hours on her account, and also expressed a desire to seek the services of a new tutorrather than continue with those whom she had previously engagedAs a result, Ms [redacted] wasmatched with a new tutor to provide ACT – Math preparation, and sessions took place on June 18, 2016,and June 29, Until August 22, 2016, when she contacted Varsity and requested a refund on thegrounds that the tutor had “consistently cancelled” scheduled sessions, Varsity was unaware that Ms***- [redacted] was unhappy with the services she had received because she had not provided any feedbackregarding the tutor (positive or negative) Ms [redacted] was advised that she was outside of the refundwindow (it had been approximately months since she purchase and eight (8) sessions) and was noteligible for a refund as outlined in Varsity’s Terms of Use.On August 23, 2016, Ms [redacted] communicated with Varsity, again reiterating her frustrationsover the cancellation of sessions by the most recent tutor and requested a refund of the remaining hourson her account.Ms [redacted] ’s complaint was posted on October 18, 2016, under the category “Contract Disputes.”Ms [redacted] initially executed Varsity’s Terms of Use on August 26, A new Terms of Usewas subsequently signed by Ms [redacted] on April 28, (see attached)There are very fewdifferences between the initial Terms of Use and current Terms of Use and neither change the nature ofwhat transpiredVarsity references the following policies in its response:Tutors are Independent ContractorsWhile Varsity understands Ms [redacted] ’s frustration over the cancellation of sessions by the tutor,Varsity cannot regulate the actions of tutors as they are not employees of Varsity but rather independentcontractorsVarsity’s policy is clear and straightforwardVarsity provides the following in the Terms ofUse:Tutors are Independent Contractors: The tutors on Varsity Tutors’ platform are independentcontractors, not employees, with their own tutoring styles and methodsTutors’ credentials havebeen reviewed by Varsity TutorsYou are free to select whichever tutor you choose from theplatform, provided the tutor agrees to the engagement and your selected preferences for the date,time, and location of the tutoring sessionsYou can choose to select different tutors at any timefrom the platformThe materials to be used will be determined directly between you and the tutor.Varsity does not employ tutorsRather, tutors are independent contractors with their own styles andmethodsWhile sympathetic to the frustrations of the cancellations made by the tutor, Varsity cannot issuea refund or recognize Ms [redacted] ’s “special circumstances” based on factors over which it has nocontrolMs [redacted] is free to end her relationship with the tutor whom she is experiencingscheduling difficulties and seek to engage with a new tutorMs [redacted] chose not to do so.Varsity’s Refund PolicyMs [redacted] ’s desired settlement request is for a refund of the remaining, unused hours on heraccount (hours in the amount of $265.19)Varsity’s Refund Policy is clear and straightforward andMs [redacted] ’s request was not compliant with the policyVarsity provides the following in theTerms of Use:Refunds: Unused, pre-paid tutoring hours are refundable up to days from the date ofpurchase, provided there has been at least one session with a tutor obtained through Varsity Tutors’platform following the most recent purchaseFree hours have no cash value and cannot be refunded.Tutoring hours are valid for use up to one year from the date of purchase.Ms [redacted] ’s request for a refund was made on August 22, 2016, which was days past the 60-day refund windowAlthough Varsity was not required to do so, Varsity offered to assist Ms***- [redacted] and remains ready and willing to work with Ms [redacted] to select a tutor through theplatform and use any hours remaining in her account.ConclusionPlease consider this Varsity’s response to the complaint filed by Ms [redacted] Based on the above,Varsity hereby requests that the complaint be removed by the Revdex.com as Ms [redacted] was clearly notentitled to the requested refundVarsity is proud to be an affiliate of the Revdex.com and values the relationship.If you have any questions or comments or would like to further discuss, please do not hesitate to contactme.Regards, [redacted] | Corporate ParalegalVarsity Tutors LLC | [redacted] ***Saint Louis, Missouri 63105o: [redacted] | f: [redacted]

We have resolved the dispute

Please see the attached documents for Varsity's response

Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2016/02/18) */
The case was resolved successfully to my satisfaction with the company fully refunding meThank you

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to meIn the end, Varsity Tutors was able to find an in
person tutorIt took them two months but they did apologize and they did credit my accountThe tutor is great but it was a long process When initially discussing Varsity Tutor's services I made it clear that due to some learning challenges we would need an in person tutorVarsity Tutors assured me that there would be no problem It was difficult for them to deliver Fortunately, they finally found a good matchThe regional director that called (***) was fantastic She actually listened and seemed to understand the situation
Sincerely,
*** ***

In light of the attached response, Varsity Tutors LLC ("Varsity") requests that the information provided in the attached response be treated with confidentiality, given the fact that Ms*** disclosed personal information relating to her children's current learning and physical disabilities and
should not be made available on the website Varsity respects the privacy of all customers, however, based on the specific complaint, Varsity felt that the refund was in line given the difficulties which directly related (and was the basis for the refund request) to the challenges her children both have (from a learning and physical standpoint)Additionally, Ms*** exhausted her attempts and was unable to find a suitable, qualified tutor that specialized with these types of disabilities through Varsity's online platform Varsity believes that Ms*** would appreciate that the privacy (as it relates to her children) not be publically available or disclosed (although Varsity was left with no other option but to divulge this information based upon the complaint and the request for a refund (which was outside of Varsity's refund policy)

Please see the attached letter for Varsity's response to the complaint

I need to withdraw the complaintI made a mistake.I take full responsibility, the mistake was mine.Please tell me how I can erase the complaint.Thanks in advance for your assistance