Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/24/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Signed up for the program for an average weight los of ***** lb of fat loss per day. Dr. ***** knew the secret per radio adds. Made an appt for a free consult Nov, 2023. Was told ****** would be my direct contact & help me the entire time - 63 day program. I was given metabolism reset drops, binder (with directions for drops), and a log in for a tracking app. I told ****** I was worried about it not working or stalling out. She said we wont let that happen. I wouldnt be alone. We will work with you and if we notice you slipping or not losing - even one day, we will immediately be in touch to rectify it and get you back. No reason to stall out or not lose. I was hesitant about the cost, but thought its time to invest in myself. I met with ****** at 1:00, set up payments (left cash for down payment and then $166.24 due monthly after that) left at 2:00. When I got home notice an update online. ****** had quit at 4, no notice and immediate. Message to bear with them as they try to get someone hired ASAP. No one was ever rehired or assigned to me. The only thing I got was the items I listed. I stuck to the plan, but noticed quickly I wasnt losing - even gaining. I reached out to them to express my concerns/frustrations and was told probably constipated. I was not. No one would call me, answer calls or ask me what was going on. Just give generic online response. I requested appt to discuss food sensitivity results, never given. Then issues with system, I couldnt log in & became so frustrated. Then no longer had access to tracking system. Holidays, winter closures, They moved, were closed for a while. Now its the end of my 63 days. I was tired of giving them to benefit of the doubt and truly felt they could care less. They told me I self -ended the program and they reached out to me to get me back on track. Not the case at all. No record of calls. Feel completely ripped off for falling for this. $2,400 for what I got is ridiculous. See online guarantee

  Business Response

  Date: 09/30/2024

  This person enrolled in our 9-week program almost 1 year ago (November 2023) and is now seeking a refund (September 2024) for her program for the various reasons she's indicated. While we did have an abrupt shift in employment, this in no way derailed any of our participants from getting their weekly coaching or any other aspects of the program level they chose to enroll into. In fact, they were encouraged to reach out to the main provider directly in the meantime. No one needed to be assigned - the availability to message the provider directly was already there in the messaging platform.

  When she recently reached out to request a refund, claiming we neglected to perform our duties due to the sudden resignation of an employee, we researched her history from almost a year ago and found that we did, in fact, have regular communications with her for about half of her program duration, well past the abrupt leaving of her initial coach, and then she stopped responding to our messages and attempts to reach her. We attempted to coach her at least once per week through her entire 9 weeks, as was in the program details she signed and acknowledged upon her enrollment. If there was any confusion or complaint about how much or little communication/coaching she personally was receiving, one might have expected that to come during the course of the program where it could be addressed, not several months later.

  A printout of her account history and our communication efforts we could validate through the HIPAA-compliant platform was emailed directly to her in response to her initial complaint, but she still insists on making her complaint here.

  For the sake of her privacy, her signed acknowledgement of her program from November 2023 and the detailed account of the communication and tracking that was done (or not done as she became non-responsive) as described will not be shared, however it is retained on file. 

  Per the terms of her acknowledgement, further dispute resolution is via arbitration procedures. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/07/2024

   
  
  Complaint: 22328257
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: 

  They are not offering a solution. I was happy that they contacted me to set up an appointment to meet with Dr. Welch Tuesday (10/8). Then on Friday I get the attached text message!?!? I’m not trying to get a FULL refund, be difficult, or unreasonable. I just do not feel that the drops, binder and online program (which had technical problems) - with no personal contact is worth $2,400. Why would I continue to plug numbers into my phone when no one ever follows up with me about anything. The only time I could get them to call/talk to me (and not email) was when I said I would contact BBB and then they set up an appointment. Once they received notice from BBB, they text me to cancel appointment. Blaming me for the time seems to be their response. Not the fact that they did not have adequate staff, system management, or proper process in place to handle questions/issues, failed to follow up to see what they can do, what’s been going on, what assistance they can offer or how to fix it from here!?!? Very saddened by this business and the way they have handled this entire situation. 
  

  I should have stopped payments on this MONTHS ago. I am not making the final 3 payments. Once a final decision is reached, if any further amount/money is due back to me, they can issue a check or credit my account on file with Viridi. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  Ashley Martz

  Business Response

  Date: 10/15/2024

  The meeting was scheduled before we received notice and responded to the BBB complaint. She was not enrolled in our guarantee program and therefore is not entitled to consideration for a refund, even though we were willing to discuss this further in person. The facts of the matter remain:

  The complainant started her 9-week program in November of 2023. Her end date would have been January 25th, 2024. 

  She contacted the office in September 2024 (9 months after her program time ended), to complain about the way her program was done and request some form of refund. We showed her evidence of our communications during her 9 weeks, as we describe in her client information, as well as reminded her that she did not enroll in the guaranteed program level, yet she threatened and then pursued a BBB complaint.

  I have attached her acknowledgement form, which states that all support be utilized in her 9-week program or is otherwise forfeited (paragraph 3), she can reach us as much as needed during the program (page 2, paragraph 2), there is a guarantee level of the program but she is declining that option (page 2, paragraph 3), therefore there are NO refunds (page 2, paragraph 4) and that any controversy or claim is to handled via arbitration in Polk County (final paragraph). To ensure people read this document, they are asked to initial after each paragraph and then sign/date at the end.

  I take communication issues very seriously. With the absence of the staff member she references, I personally had to oversee the messages from our clients and did so via both the "Health Coach" account (for continuity) and my provider account, if messaged directly. I am human. I thought I may have somehow missed this person when we got her very late complaint (again 9 months after the end of her program), but when I reviewed her account, that was not the case.

  We had back-forth communication weekly or more for the first half of her program. Her first message was on a Friday and, in case we forget to mention in a consultation, our office hours are listed in the start of the client information, and we are closed on Fridays. We got back to her on Monday. She acknowledged receiving her test results and I do see also said in that message her desire to meet with me that I may have missed then and didn't respond to until later. This last message received from her was December 19th, a few days before Christmas, and we did close for a few days before and after Christmas for the holiday, with clients being notified through this same message portal. She references this, so she must have seen the message.

  She was messaged on 12/27 and this message also advised her to call the office to schedule the time to meet with me for her test results. Checking phone, SMS, and the messaging portal, there was no communication from her via the phone number or email we have on file for her during her program. 

  She was to track daily through the app, yet the last day of tracking was 12/26/23. 

  She was still messaged weekly via this same portal. On the December 27th, as stated above, again on January 2nd, on January 8th asking for stats, on January 10th (mass message that we were closing due to the crazy weather. She also references this in her complaint, so she must have received it). Then on the 16th and then finally on the 22nd of January, with a message that her program would be ending that week, that we hope she did well with the program (but we had no way to know with no communication since 12/19 or tracking from her since 12/26) and that her account would be closing at the end of her program.

  We did move in MARCH...over a month after her 9-week program ended, so that would not bear any issue to her complaint. A message was sent to all current and past clients via a different platform than the coaching messages to inform them of this move. Since she also references our relocation, she must have gotten this message. 

  As these are the facts, there is nothing else to discuss here and that is why her meeting was cancelled. Should she wish to continue to dispute, as stated in my initial response, per the terms of her signed agreement, that would be via arbitration. 

  Regards, 
  Dr. Welch