Complaints

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• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/28/2023

  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.

  9/7/23 I had a DNA cheek swab test done to try to & see if my maternal brother & I shared the same paternal father. He in Florida & I in ohio went to *** **** for testing. The samples done in my ohio *** were left in the open air for about 0 minutes while *** tech gathered other stuff for the kit. My brother tested in Florida on 9/12. Then samples were sent from Florida to Illinois. Test Me DNA told me & advertise 3-10 business days for results. I called once to see if they received my brother’s tests then once on day 6 on Friday to see how it was moving along. I’m 67 and was anxious to finally get an answer. Text Me DNA told me on day 6 (Friday) it could take longer our tests were still pending due to short on staff at test site 1 on maternity leave, one out on a medical emergency leaving 1 to do the testing. They don’t work weekends. But they opened on the following Monday at 8:30 & at 8:32 AM my phone rang with “we have your results & it’s not a match”. Zero empathy.”you can find your results in your email” the numbers on the results were like trying to learn a foreign language. No explanation by the company other than “you’re not a match”. I have lupus and the *** **** tech said wow your mouth is super dry. I shouldn’t stopped then knowing I couldn’t pass a work drug test by swabbing due to lack of saliva I had to get a blood draw. This company is a joke. They never offered to go over the page of numbers I was simply told we didn’t share the same father. Please help me

  Business Response

  Date: 09/28/2023

  Hello,
  I have also discussed things with ******* this morning. 
  As she mentioned, she had her collection at a ******* in Ohio,
  while her brother was collected at a ******* in Florida. Once the samples have
  been collected, they are promptly dispatched to the ******* headquarters
  located in Burlington, North Carolina. ******* is responsible for conducting
  all the necessary testing on the samples, and Test Me DNA, in turn, receives
  the test results from *******.
  On our website, we have specified a timeframe of 3-10 business
  days for obtaining sibling test results. However, a few months ago we modified
  this timeframe due to an extended absence of one of *******’s main PhD experts
  who handles special relationship tests. Previously, our timeframe for sibling
  tests was 3-8 business days. This adjustment was made proactively, in case
  there were any delays. We would much rather under promise and over deliver.
  On Wednesday morning, I had a conversation with ******* during
  which we covered various topics. One of the key discussions revolved around her
  test progress and her personal experiences that led her to suspect a particular
  man as her father. ******* expressed her anxiety about the situation, and we
  fully empathized with her concerns. During our conversation, I informed her
  that one of *******'s PhD experts would be unavailable the following week.
  While ******* didn't anticipate significant delays, I believed in transparency
  with our clients. As previously mentioned, we had already adjusted our
  timeframe to account for one of the four PhDs being out of the office. With
  another one scheduled to be absent the following week, I wanted to ensure that
  our clients were not caught off guard if the test results weren't finalized by
  the expected date.
  At that point, I was unaware that the other PhD had already
  returned from her extended leave. When ******* and I spoke on Wednesday, we
  were already on the fourth business day, which meant that the results could be
  completed at any time.
  On Friday, ******* contacted us again and spoke with a different
  agent who informed her that the case was still pending and undergoing testing.
  Until the results enter the finalization stage, *******'s system only displays
  "pending" status, and we do not have visibility into the specific
  stage of the testing process. Therefore, it is possible that the case file is
  with a PhD, but until the PhD marks it as in the finalization stage, we
  continue to see it as pending.
  To my surprise, on Monday,
  the PhD who had been on leave unexpectedly returned to work on Saturday. It was
  both unexpected that this particular PhD was back and that she was working
  during the weekend. Typically, PhDs do not work on weekends. *******'s results
  were finalized on Saturday, as evidenced by the notarized and dated report we
  sent her via email on Monday.
  On Monday, our attempt to
  reach her occurred at 8:39 am. Our initial call was directed to her voicemail,
  and during that moment, we left the following message: "Good Morning, this
  is ___ from Test Me DNA. We are calling to let you know that your results are ready.
  We have also sent a copy to the email address we have on file. If you have any
  questions about the results, please call us at 1-************." It's
  important to note that we are unable to leave results on a voicemail.
  She returned our call at 8:48
  am. During the call, she informed me that she had missed our initial call
  because she was at work. She mentioned that she was in a hurry due to being at
  work. I asked her for her security pin and pulled up the test results. I then
  promptly provided her with the final results. Within just 3 seconds of
  receiving this information, she responded with a quick "okay, thank
  you," and promptly ended the call.
  Later in the day, at 1:06pm, she
  called and was very confrontational stating that we were short of help and how
  could her results be complete. Our customer service agent explained that there
  were people working over the weekend. Then she said “Well I don’t know what
  these numbers mean. What is the percentage or what is the chance that he and I
  are brother and sister?” Our agent let her know when she is looking at numbers,
  this is the DNA analysis. It shows your comparisons where you match and do not
  match on your DNA. Then he guided her to the bottom of the report to the
  conclusion. He read the conclusion with her and then explained it. She then
  asked if her brother being an alcoholic that drinks from the time he gets up
  until he passes out would affect his DNA sample or if her Lupus would affect
  her sample. Our agent explained that those things would not affect the DNA
  samples. She asked if a blood test would render a different result. Our agent
  explained that your DNA is the same throughout your body regardless of if it
  came from skin cells or a blood sample. She finished up the call stating that
  is all she needed. He replied with thank you so much ma’am.  His entire conversation with her was much
  more informative than she is stating. This conversation lasted 7 minutes. Each
  question she asked was answered and discussed.
  Not one single conversation
  that she had with any of our agents, did we state you are not a match and you
  will get an email. It's possible that she might be confusing this with the
  voicemail we left. However, it's important to clarify that the purpose of the
  voicemail is to notify clients that their results are ready, that we have sent
  them an email containing the results, and that they should feel free to call us
  if they have any questions.
  Our clients have varying
  levels of curiosity when it comes to understanding the details, and we are more
  than willing to accommodate their preferences. While some clients simply seek
  the end result, others are interested in delving deeper into the meaning of the
  results, and we are happy to discuss any questions that they have.
  Regarding the office hours
  she mentioned, it's worth noting that our office actually opens at 8 am.
  However, it's important to mention that *******, the entity responsible for
  conducting the tests, opens earlier, and they operate in the Eastern time zone.
  Having a dry mouth is not a
  disadvantage when it comes to a DNA collection. The objective of the collection
  process is to gather skin cells that naturally shed. Additionally, it is
  recommended that the samples air dry for approximately one minute before
  placing them in their respective packaging. It's important to note that exceeding
  this drying time does not impact the test, as the laboratory is not analyzing
  the saliva for the test.
  Regarding her calls to our
  company, it's worth noting that she actually made more calls than she is
  currently indicating. Specifically, she contacted us twice on the 14th,
  followed by another call on the 15th, one on the 20th, and another on the 22nd.
  Many of these calls were extensive in duration. We have a strong commitment to
  assisting our clients, and we wholeheartedly welcome and value these
  interactions, as they align with our mission to provide the support and
  guidance our clients seek.
  In numerous conversations
  leading up to receiving her results, she expressed gratitude for the additional
  time we dedicated to her. On Friday, she specifically mentioned to the agent
  that she had found the assistance she received from the lady she spoke to on
  Wednesday to be very helpful.
  I believe our initial contact with her occurred on June 19th,
  during which she asked questions and initiated the process by creating a file.
  During this call, we gathered essential information regarding the individuals
  undergoing testing and the nature of their relationship. This initial
  conversation lasted for 31 minutes. Subsequently, she reached out on August
  30th to make appointments. We understand that situations like these can be
  time-consuming for some individuals, who often require ample time to ask
  questions and consult with their family members.
  From the first call logged under her phone number through this
  past Monday, she contacted us a total of 13 times. These calls varied in
  duration, ranging from 2-minute brief discussions to more extended 46-minute
  conversations. Our conversations with her spanned nearly 3 hours. It's
  important to note that she wouldn't have chosen to engage with our agency if
  she hadn't received excellent customer service. Up until her last call on
  Monday, she consistently displayed kindness, engaging in friendly conversations
  and even sharing laughter with our agents.
  I understand that the outcome
  of her test results may not have aligned with her hopes. However, it's crucial
  to clarify that we have no control over the actual test results. Our role
  primarily involves contracting with ******* to offer more affordable testing
  services to our clients.