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:09/13/2023

  Type:Customer Service 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.

  During membership at the salon, I had many medical issues. Some of these issues included having 2 hip replacements, having ****, having a **** line, & almost fatal ******. I had extremely bad periods of limping. Because of my medical issues, I wanted to cancel my membership, but I was refused because I was not able to come into the salon. I tried to describe the medical issues over the phone & I was told that the only way to cancel my membership was to come into the store and I was met with no empathy. I had gone into the salon, and I limped in the best that I could. I took one of the girls into the back and show them my scar, which was 2 feet long so they couldn't understand that it was not me resisting coming into the salon. It was just that I was extremely injured and was having a very hard time going anywhere. For some odd reason, making this request very much angered the manager of the store. She would be very short with me on the phone. I just think that she did not like me coming into the store because I was not a typical customer that was tiny and thin and tan. Because of my injuries, I had gained weight to about 250 pounds at the time. She would look at me like she had no idea why I wanted to tan as I was very overweight and limping and it wasnt her typical customer. I told her that even though I have such severe injuries, I did still want to come tanning whenever I could because of my vitamin D deficiency and loving the beds there, I just had to cancel the membership because it would not be as many times as to make up for the cost of the month. I wrote a review stating exactly this and I was called and told I was banned from the store and that I was banned from going into any franchise going forward because of my honest review. I tried to explain that reviews are so others can understand what took place in their experience so to perhaps prevent the next person from having the same troubles, here specifically handicapped troubles with the store.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2023

  On July 27, 2023, **** ****** signed a membership agreement (Exhibit 1) with Baja Beach Tanning Clubs of Berks County. *** *******s signature proves that she willingly and knowingly acknowledged that any changes made to her membership such as "freezing" or cancelling must be made in person OR by writing a certified letter and mailing it to our corporate office. In addition, this stipulation is verbally communicated by our highly trained staff. Upon receiving the guests signature, a copy of the membership agreement is printed and given for their personal records. 
  Unlike most membership structured businesses, Baja Beach offers two options (Exhibit 1, page 2) to our guests when making financial changes to their membership agreements. This allows our guests flexibility to any "life circumstance" that may inhibit their ability to physically come in to one of our four locations across Berks County. We also address and offer additional accommodations (within reason and proximity) to our if individual concerns are brought to our attention by our guests if the above options are limited. 
  Below are the contradictions that Baja Beach would like to make the BBB aware of based on our documentation by multiple staff throughout this situation. We are confident based of the contradictions to her formal complaint, that Baja Beach went above and beyond to accommodate her concerns and requests. 
  1. *** ****** claims that Baja Beach refused to cancel her membership due to medical 
  issues. We have never refused a guest to cancel their membership. Baja Beach's agreement states that any changes made to their account must be completed IN PERSON AND IN WRITING at your nearest Berks County Baja Beach Tanning Club, or mailed via CERTIFIED MAIL to Baja Beach Tanning Club, PO Box ****, Wyomissing, PA, *****. 
  2. Initially, *** ****** never intended on cancelling her account. On March 2, 2023, 
  she spoke to our Sinking Spring location manager (Exhibit 2) claiming that she called two months ago and spoke to one our employees over the phone. *** ****** claims that our employee froze her account over the phone because she was in a car accident. As convenient as this would have been for *** ******, it is against Baja Beach corporate policy for any employee to make changes to a members account without a signature. This policy is upheld to the fullest regard by our employees because it guarantees immediate termination if violated. Although, *** ****** acknowledged with her signature on the membership agreement that she had a full understanding of our freeze/cancellation policy, our Sinking Spring Salon Manager provided exceptional customer service by reiterating the policy again. Due to *** ******'s extreme circumstances, the Sinking Spring Salon Manager offered an alternative solution to have *** ******'s husband come in and sign the freeze form, however it was brought to our attention that he was involved in the accident as well and was only permitted to drive to his doctors appointments. At this point, it was communicated to her that she could send any friend or family member in to our salons to sign the freeze form on her behalf or send a certified letter. This accommodation is above and beyond what Baja Beach typically does and it solidifies that the company values our guests and are willing to work towards a solution. 
  3. *** ****** states in her complaint (Exhibit 3) that she came in to the salon and was 
  showing her scars from the accident to a staff member. This is false. We have no record of this and most importantly our staff would not engage is such an inappropriate situation with a guest. Baja Beach would also like to point out (since its in supporting documentation) that *** ****** was insistent on sending us medical documentation that we did not request. Medical documentation would not have changed the situation. The unsolicited medical documentation provided to Baja Beach by *** ****** was immediately and appropriately destroyed. 
  4. Since her request to freeze her account on March 2nd 2023 due to extensive 
  injuries that prevented *** ****** from driving, she came in to tan six days later on March 6th, 2023 and utilized our UV services. She could have frozen her membership then, however, she made no mention of it to our staff. When she came in to our salon, there was a "past due" on her account (Exhibit 2) along with a decline fee. She paid her balance and as a curtesy, Baja Beach absorbed her decline fee and paid it on her behalf. 
  5. On March 7th, 2023, the VP of Customer Relations left a voicemail on her cell phone (Exhibit 2) to discuss her freezing concerns and *** ****** never returned the call. 
  6. *** ****** called the salon requesting to cancel her account over the phone on June 28th (Exhibit 2). Our salon manager took the time to explain to her that in order to cancel her account she needs to sign paperwork in person or send a certified letter to our corporate account. The salon manager informed the VP of Customer Relations of the situation because *** ****** had since written negative reviews (Exhibit 4) accusing Baja Beach of not accommodating handicapped needs of guests and wanted this handled by corporate. She accuses the company of not accommodating her physical and financial needs which is false. In her reviews, she expresses that our staff and service is horrific and encourages others to "save their money". 
  7. After reviewing the extensive situation and negative reviews brought forth by *** ******, Baja Beach's President, ******* ************ sent an email (Exhibit 5) informing her membership was cancelled with a balance on July 3rd, 2023 after refusing to follow our corporate policy. *** ************ stated that although we did our best, it's impossible to please everyone and that we wish her all the best in finding a wellness and tanning salon that is right for her. *** ****** was asked to to cease communication with the salons. 
  8. *** ****** hints in her complaint that Baja Beach treats their guests based off "typical" appearance which is described as "tiny and thin". This is false as we offer the utmost customer service to all of our guest regardless of physical appearance, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and or physical needs. 
  It's baffling that *** ****** would seek a desired settlement of seeking our services when she made it clear that Baja Beach was unable to satisfy her handicap needs in addition to discrimination of her her physical appearance. 
  In conclusion, Baja Beach will not be allowing *** ****** to patron our business nor will we refund her dues. Our services continue to be available regardless of the guests inability to follow EFT agreement guidelines or their irresponsibility of personal finances. We provide "membership-friendly" agreements for our services and it's the responsibility of our guests to follow the company's guidelines. *** ****** has made it very clear through her public reviews, phone calls, emails, and formal BBB complaint that Baja Beach and it's staff fall significantly short of her standards. Baja Beach has been in business nearly 30 years, and while we realize that sometimes we cannot please everyone, we strive to make every client look and feel their best.