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:12/18/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  On August 23, 2022 I met with a representative of Skyways Media named ***************************. He sought out my florist business for an ad in one of their advertising guides with a local funeral home. He offered me a 1/2-page advertisement for the price of $2,000. I signed the contract and paid a deposit under the agreement that the guides would be done within a specific timeline (which was close to their ****-week timeframe), in order for me to see maximum profitability. ****** assured me it would be no issue and the guides would be completed. BLATANT LIE . The guides did not go into circulation until June 2023. The amount of time wasted emailing them back and forth wondering why I have not seen them meet their end of the agreement. Never got a straight answer. I contacted their office in ********* demanding a refund. I stopped paying on the ad, because why should i pay for something i have not received, and the contract was breached. They had the audacity to send the remaining balance to collections. To this day, December 18, 2023 I have not seen a single $ of revenue from their "advertisement". I am now fully committed in pursuing legal representation on the matter, as well as contacting my bank to dispute the charges of services never received. I wish i had read these reviews before signing up for this scam. To make matters worse, I contacted the funeral home myself (after being lied to yet again that they were setting up the meeting), to start the process of this supposed partnership, only to be given copies of the guide, and told I would receive orders. Another lie. I have been conned and deceived by not only the advertising company, but the funeral home as well. I can say reading these reviews have given me a sense of support in my decision to take legal action. How unfortunate this happened to so many businesses. Skyways media, you should be ashamed! I am demanding a settlement/ refund, and a correction to my credit report.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/03/2024

  Skyways produced and delivered this publication within our normal quoted timeframe, the Funeral Home host whom we published on behalf of began working with this client well before delivery of the finished product, we have copied below the reply made to the client by the host funeral home.

  ********,
  
  Hello and Merry Christmas to you and your family.
  
  Let me try to reply to all your points, and a few of my own:
  
  A reminder that Skyways contracted with you. We promised we would share the guide with client families. We have to families on a preneed and at need basis.
  We have prearranged 18 customers since the first of November with selections from your guide. These are not instant sales. Sales strategies have been designed with all our Partners in mind.  We started preselling your flowers. As I shared with you in person, we have connections with florists that we have been in business with for years. We have to blend you in.  Your company committed to getting in our industry, but we have no history with you, so we started with the preneed clients first. It has been well received.
  We have used your images you provided (see attached) in our preneed sales.
  We have waited to use on an at need basis till January 1 at our choice. Again, your ad is seen by more than 25 touches per week since we received the guides, so we are providing your information to client customers.
  
  Im sad to see that you feel bamboozled when we have shared your information with our clients. I feel instant sales is necessary to make you happy, but I cant track all clients that come to you that we recommendhard to measure on my side.
  
  I do believe Skyways provided a nice guide to help families with references, and represented you very well.  We are still appreciative of your ad.
  
  With your tone coming across loud and clear, I will be happy to no longer offer your flowers with the pics you provided to me to our clients on an at need basis as we had hoped.  I will remove them from preneed sales as well.  We will still however provide the guides to our customers and recommend all who advertise in our guides to our client families,as you contracted.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****
  
  **********************, CFSP
  President
  St.Pierre ****************************** Services

  
  Important Note- This client has not paid their outstanding invoice and the debt has been sent to our collections agents
  
  Skyways has performed not only everything that it contracted to carry out but has gone over and above to assist this client,as has the funeral home, there are many factors that contribute to a decision to take up the services of any business and we are not able to influence all of them, we and the funeral home, are, however satisfied that we have performed to our best and presented this business in the best light possible, if potential customers do not take up their offering it is not the fault of Skyways nor the funeral home.
  
  As a gesture of goodwill we have offered to cancel the outstanding balance and Skyways President did in fact personally speak with the client to try to broker a solution.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/03/2024

   
  Complaint: 21022093
  
  I am rejecting this response because: It is clear to me that the funeral home and Skyways Media are complicit in an attempt to sabotage the sales of my business from the guide. Although the ad was completed (late- which by definition, breaches the "contract"), I have yet to receive a single order. I contacted the funeral home numerous times requesting further discussion and clarification. No response. It is sad that I have to go to the BBB website and dispute the bank charges to get a reaction or supposed resolution. I'm asking for my money back or business from the ad, which the funeral home has made conditional. This was not the agreement. Unfortunately, I will take this matter to the courts if I have to.

   

  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/05/2024

  We have to come to an agreement at this time. The issue has been resolved contingent on Skyways Media's actions going forward. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/16/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore 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.

  We signed an agreement on August 1, 2022 at a ***** office ************************************************************************** was for a 1/4 page in a book that was supposed to be distributed through several ***** offices across *************** (**** copies??).The entire pitch was that we were partnering with the ***** offices and that we would be able to network with the agents/brokers in each of those offices.We were told that if we purchased a 1/4 page in the book that our ad would be in the front pages of the book and that our purchase would lock ** up as the only solar company advertising in that publication.We believed the lies because we were in a ***** office and felt that the values held by the ***** corporation would be held by their "publication partner".The lies continued as we waited for many months to receive a copy of the publication.We went to the ***** office were we signed the agreement and found they had closed.Mon, Feb 27, 2023 at 12:38?PM *********************** ****************************************** told us that she was going to arrange a meeting with the broker in the Tamps office...nothing...We called Skyways many times.We told them that the local office was closed and that the manager who runs that location had moved to a new location and that he never received any copies of the publication and that they only focus on the rental market and not home resales.The lies continue from there as we haven't even been sent a copy of the publication.Today their Manager, ***, had the audacity to email me and say that he is going to arrange a meeting with the closed location in *********.That's what motivated me to write this complaint.I will obviously never do business with this organization again and I would never to business with *****.This is a warning to anyone that is contacted by them to stay away.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/30/2023

  In response, I can confirm that we have produced & delivered guides to seven offices for **************************** & RE/MAX Realtec. They were delivered on 5th April 2023. 
  
  Any specification relating to advertisement position or exclusivity should be detailed on a client's contract, there is no such instruction. It is important to ourselves as a Publisher and the Host Brokerage to cover the various areas of property sales & rentals. We do not offer exclusivity to any one business in a category as this is a guide that offers choices of services across many business categories. 
  
  Skyways cannot be held to fault regarding the mix up relating to the relocation of the ********* office.The brokerage had not in fact let us know they would be relocating, which has led to confusion for Skyways staff. We have now spoken directly with Broker ********************* of RE/MAX Realtec, his new office location is based at *********************************************************************, where he conducts all of the same business practices he performed from his ********* location. Further to our introduction, ********************* has now spoken directly with this client and offered to meet with him personally. He has confirmed that they have received and are distributing the guides, that agents are using them constantly and that client feedback is very positive. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/31/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/15/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  Skyways **** ****** came to our business in December 2022, offering our flower shop an amazing opportunity to work with 2 of the biggest funeral homes in our area. They promised an ad on their digital pamphlet that they provide ******'s funeral's customers. They promised a meet and greet with the funeral attendants. We purchased a half of page for almost 2k, had a 600$ deposit and each month our card was charged 300$. First month went by and we obtained our ad very quickly, but every time I questioned the ************ they never had an answer for me. It was always a run around. Each month they continue to charge they're 300$, but barely never responded. I've contacted them to send me a copy of my contract and they sent me a screenshot of my signature. Finally, after 5 months of no straight answers, I decided to contact the funeral directly to present ourselves and they proceeded to say that they do not give their customer's any advertising and they didn't work with this company. I added skyways to the call, and confronted them with more questions. They mentioned they have a contract with someone that no longer works at that funeral home and that it must have been some sort of mistake. I then proceeded to catch them in all their lies, called the banks and made fraudulent claims against them. People be warned, do not allow them to steal your hard earned money. ***** was quick to reverse all the money back into our account, but our initial deposit was paid with truist and we are still waiting for our $600 back. This was very frustrating because they seen like such a legit company all to find out they are big scammers.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/26/2023

  We are looking into the details of this complaint and need some additional time to ascertain exactly what has happended with the funeral home in question here. We have not contested any of the chargebacks received via this client's card provider, so all monies paid should have been returned to them by now. I must stress of course that we are by no means admitting that we are a "scam". Skyways takes any such complaints very seriously as our reputation within the publishing sector is extremely well respected and has taken many years to establish. I will respond with further information & resolution at the earliest opportunity. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/09/2023

  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.

  I entered into an advertising contract and provided all of the information needed and kept being told the book was being produced and would be sent to me but it never came and I did not get my paid advertising as agreed. I also reached out several times and was told that the person I was working with was on maternity leave and would get back to me and then months later was told the books would be sent etc. I paid $4500 for advertising I did not receive.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/12/2023

  In response to this complaint, I can confirm that the guides produced for RE/MAX Platinum Melrose were printed and delivered over a year ago on 8th March 2022. I enclose a link to the digital version of the guide *************************************** - the petitioners advert appears on page 33.
  We have tried to reach out this this client directly via telephone & email but have not been able to reach her. An additional hard copy will be expedited for delivery to the address detailed in the BBB complaint upon receipt we trust that this review will be removed. 

  Tracking Information: USPS

  Tracking Number: 9505 **** **** **** **** 54

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/09/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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.

  We were contacted by a representative by the name of ***************************** back in Spring of 2022. She sold us on a guide that a ***** office near us was planning on creating. We had mentioned to her that we had been burned in the past with advertisements in magazines she assured us this would not be the same. She stated we would have direct contact and opportunity to work with agents within the ************* Also stating that there would be functions for us to attend and that the guide would be handed out to every client looking to purchase a home once it was distributed. We signed the contact and made the 4 payments required totaling 8k. Was told it would take 12 to 16 weeks for the publication to come out. After this the nightmare began. Horrible communication , delay after delay, our marketing department basically did everything as their designer really was not very creative. They duplicated what we had made for another publication. Nothing special. Not to mention it took them so long that we moved companies during the process and they couldnt change our page so we were stuck with our old companies info. Which we understand was unexpected but if the publication would have come out in time and we would have had a chance to meet with the realtors in the branch , we could have already established those relationships so we could smoothly transition. Now we are stuck with having to explain to everyone why the ad shows another company then who we work with. We feel we were mislead from the very start and pressured to make a quick decision. The ***** brokerage stated that they never promised or agreed to anything. This also concerns me as they are the ones who hired Skyways. So where did the rep receive all this information she gave to us about happy hours, agent classes, anniversary events? Skyways needs to take responsibility for what their sales representatives promise and how it is communicated. We are now out money and nothing to show for it.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/18/2023

  Skyways has fulfilled its contractual obligations to this client and even though the client moved to an alternative umbrella organisation we did carry out amendments to the digital version of the guide which we were not obligated to do.
  
  At the time of publication and subsequently, the brokerage communicated with the client and passed them, we are informed, three new business leads. At the time of replying to this complaint the broker informed us that she had passed yet another new lead to the client and that they were due to meet with each other on 10th January. The broker has postponed hosting a number of events but is working most diligently to distribute the guides to all clients and generate business leads.
  
  Skyways has designed and printed the guides and they are being used by the brokerage agents. At no time during the design process did this client express any misgivings, concerns or complaints about our design service, other than the fact that they changed branding and Skyways could not make any artwork changes as the guide was already in the printing process.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/19/2023

   
  Complaint: 18710168
  
  I am rejecting this response because: this has nothing to do with leads being sent to us from the real estate agency. Granted we didnt receive three but thats besides the point. What we were told by the representative from skyways was misleading and it seems that this is not only a problem for us but others as well. I have an email from ************************* that was sent to skyways stating that she didnt agree with what the skyways representative told her vendors at time of contract.  This is a clear indication that we are not the only ones that were intentionally mislead to win the sale. It seems to me that Skyways as a company is responsible for this misinformation as their sales reps are hired and trained by the large organization. The sales reps need to be honest and clear on what is being provided with the signing of the advertising contract. I do have a few others that can contest for me that this information was provided by the skyways rep. Im happy to get written signed letters as well as documentation from ******** stating she didnt agree to what skyways was promising. We got catfished. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 02/02/2023

  Our Company President has made contact with this client directly. We are offering a partial refund and inseration into an additional guide as a good will gesture. We hope that this will bring the matter to a close, and this complaint will be removed. 

  Many thanks 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/27/2022

  Type:Delivery 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.

  On November 17th 2021 I purchased a full page advertisement in a home buyers guide being produced by Skyways Media **** for several local real estate offices. I paid $3,175 in total for the ad spread out over 4 payments of $750 on 11/17/21, $****** on 1/15/22, $****** on 2/15/22, and ****** on 3/15/22. I was told by the sales rep that the publication would be printed and distributed in ***** weeks between 2/9/22 and 3/9/22. I received an email on 11/18/21 that reiterated the ***** week timeframe and the next step is to work with the Skyways Media design team to create the ad. On 12/7/21 the design team confirmed they had received my artwork for the ad and a proof would be sent in 14 days. On 1/4/22 I received the proof and asked for several changes to be made. On 1/24/22 I approved the proof. The ad they created for me was specific to the year 2022. On 1/27/22 I received an email stating the sales process was complete and the ***** week timeframe would start from 1/27/22 with the publication expected to be delivered between 4/21/22 and 5/19/22. On 6/22/22 I emailed Skyways Media to request a refund as the Publication had not been printed or delivered. They refused to offer a refund. Instead, they offered to include my ad in a publication for a different real estate office in a different city for free. I declined their offer and proceeded to dispute the charges with my credit card company. On 8/10/22 I received a letter from my credit card company stating the response to my disputed charges from Skyways Media was that the "goods were as described and received in good condition". I sent a rebuttal letter to my credit card company on 8/31/22 informing them that the response from Skyways Media regarding the disputed charges was a blatant lie and the publication had still not been printed or delivered. It is now September 2022 and I would like a refund in full as the ad Skyways Media created and the goods they described were not received and in good condition.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2022

  In response to our client's complaint, our obligations are fulfilled. The guides have been printed and were delivered to RE/************************* in September. I have included proof of delivery along with pictures of the front cover and the pages including this client's advertisement. I have also arranged for an additional hard copy to be mailed directly to him today, via a tracked service. I will send this tracking information to him directly as soon as I have it. 

  A link to the digital version of the guide can also be found here: https://online.fliphtml5.com/tvzp/qslw/ 

  Whilst we try our best to work to a ***** week timeline for print & delivery, we do stress that this is dependent on successful proof & sign off from all advertisers and the brokerage themselves. In this case, we were producing nine different guides for RE/MAX Executive offices across **************, which did unfortunately mean that proofing & sign off took longer than we would have hoped. As a gesture of goodwill, my colleague in our Design Team offered to include this client's advert within an additioan guide at no extra cost. 

  I would like to remind this client that his contract period of 12 months did not start until the guides were delivered, so in that respect, no advertising time has been 'lost'.