National Small Business Alliance ripoff, stole over $350, won't return my money, won't return my calls Cathedral City California
I suppose I was a sucker signing up for a credit card to bolster my small business. We needed IT. It seemed like a good deal. Once we got the NSBA package, we realized what a crappy program this really was and immediately cancelled.
According to a letter I received from the NSBA (dated 1/26/06), "This letter confirms that your membership with NSBA was cancelled per your request on 1/25/06. . . If you have cancelled withing 30 days of joining you will be refunded the entire enrollment fee and not be charged annual membership dues. . . Your refund will be processed within 30 business days of receipt of your returned membership kit."
Well, the date is now 5/23/06. It's been almost four months, and no refund. I've called customer service. They referred me to a woman (supposed supervisor) named Romy Schlaffer. I left her about 10 polite voicemails for her to return my call. Nothing.
Romy seems to be part of the scam and is expertly trained to ignore voicemail, so don't bother wasting your time calling her. She doesn't even show up to work until about 10:00 Pacific.
That's too bad too. The National Small Business Alliance portrays itself one way, then screws the small business owner when it comes down to money. We thought we had found a good organization to help us with our growth, when in reality all we found was a shell organization that makes profits by hoping customers don't expect refunds when they cancel. Nice business model.
Oh, I forgot to mention. We are a PR firm. The NSBA just screwed over a PR firm. Not only are they rude, but not too smart either.
We have attempted to get Dennis Mario involved, but he won't return our calls either. So, uur expert media pitchers are standing by to make a few calls into the national business press in regards to an investigation of the NSBA -- a media blitz is coming.
We are giving the NSBA 24 hours to respond and send our refund (FED Ex, with tracking numbers) before going public with BusinessWeek, USA Today, the Wall St. Journal, and the New York Times.
The date is 05/23/06. The time is 12:47 Eastern. The clock is ticking Dennis!
Reid
Broomfield, Colorado
U.S.A.
9 Updates & Rebuttals
Reid
Broomfield,Colorado,
U.S.A.
Rebuttal Response
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, May 31, 2006
Dennis Mario took care of my issues, and my money was returned within a few days of my complaint.
Through this process, we identified some areas of need for the NSBA--better response time, more attentive supervisors, etc. No organization is perfect.
They make a good point, in that they have over 90,000 members, but only about 500 customer complaints. The nature of these complaints have the power to make the NSBA look terrible, but as long as these complaints are resolved in a timely manner, there are really no fingers to point. They are doing their due dilligence as a company, but seem strapped in terms of working talent, and that has a bad effect on the customer. Timely responses build credibility, whereas no response leads to forums like these.
The NSBA has at least told me they intend to fix any problems related to communications. That's the first step.
Reid
Broomfield,Colorado,
U.S.A.
Rebuttal Response
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, May 31, 2006
Dennis Mario took care of my issues, and my money was returned within a few days of my complaint.
Through this process, we identified some areas of need for the NSBA--better response time, more attentive supervisors, etc. No organization is perfect.
They make a good point, in that they have over 90,000 members, but only about 500 customer complaints. The nature of these complaints have the power to make the NSBA look terrible, but as long as these complaints are resolved in a timely manner, there are really no fingers to point. They are doing their due dilligence as a company, but seem strapped in terms of working talent, and that has a bad effect on the customer. Timely responses build credibility, whereas no response leads to forums like these.
The NSBA has at least told me they intend to fix any problems related to communications. That's the first step.
Reid
Broomfield,Colorado,
U.S.A.
Rebuttal Response
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, May 31, 2006
Dennis Mario took care of my issues, and my money was returned within a few days of my complaint.
Through this process, we identified some areas of need for the NSBA--better response time, more attentive supervisors, etc. No organization is perfect.
They make a good point, in that they have over 90,000 members, but only about 500 customer complaints. The nature of these complaints have the power to make the NSBA look terrible, but as long as these complaints are resolved in a timely manner, there are really no fingers to point. They are doing their due dilligence as a company, but seem strapped in terms of working talent, and that has a bad effect on the customer. Timely responses build credibility, whereas no response leads to forums like these.
The NSBA has at least told me they intend to fix any problems related to communications. That's the first step.
Reid
Broomfield,Colorado,
U.S.A.
Rebuttal Response
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, May 31, 2006
Dennis Mario took care of my issues, and my money was returned within a few days of my complaint.
Through this process, we identified some areas of need for the NSBA--better response time, more attentive supervisors, etc. No organization is perfect.
They make a good point, in that they have over 90,000 members, but only about 500 customer complaints. The nature of these complaints have the power to make the NSBA look terrible, but as long as these complaints are resolved in a timely manner, there are really no fingers to point. They are doing their due dilligence as a company, but seem strapped in terms of working talent, and that has a bad effect on the customer. Timely responses build credibility, whereas no response leads to forums like these.
The NSBA has at least told me they intend to fix any problems related to communications. That's the first step.
Patrick
Gilbert,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Not a pretty picture for NSBA.
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, May 31, 2006
Dennis,
Please allow me to respond to your rebuttal (as a disinterested 3rd party, of course). You asked Reid to update his report because you have "taken care of him". Then, you go on to complain that people who are eventually "taken care of" never come back and update their reports.
Well, I must say, that if it takes four months of non-returned phone calls, then a threat of going public on a complaint website to gain a refund from your so-called customer oriented organization, then I would have to say that people are not being "taken care of". More like you are refunding them to shut them up.
Anyone reading these reports can see NSBA has a very BAD track record.
Patrick
Gilbert,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Not a pretty picture for NSBA.
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, May 31, 2006
Dennis,
Please allow me to respond to your rebuttal (as a disinterested 3rd party, of course). You asked Reid to update his report because you have "taken care of him". Then, you go on to complain that people who are eventually "taken care of" never come back and update their reports.
Well, I must say, that if it takes four months of non-returned phone calls, then a threat of going public on a complaint website to gain a refund from your so-called customer oriented organization, then I would have to say that people are not being "taken care of". More like you are refunding them to shut them up.
Anyone reading these reports can see NSBA has a very BAD track record.
Patrick
Gilbert,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Not a pretty picture for NSBA.
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, May 31, 2006
Dennis,
Please allow me to respond to your rebuttal (as a disinterested 3rd party, of course). You asked Reid to update his report because you have "taken care of him". Then, you go on to complain that people who are eventually "taken care of" never come back and update their reports.
Well, I must say, that if it takes four months of non-returned phone calls, then a threat of going public on a complaint website to gain a refund from your so-called customer oriented organization, then I would have to say that people are not being "taken care of". More like you are refunding them to shut them up.
Anyone reading these reports can see NSBA has a very BAD track record.
Patrick
Gilbert,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Not a pretty picture for NSBA.
#10Consumer Comment
Wed, May 31, 2006
Dennis,
Please allow me to respond to your rebuttal (as a disinterested 3rd party, of course). You asked Reid to update his report because you have "taken care of him". Then, you go on to complain that people who are eventually "taken care of" never come back and update their reports.
Well, I must say, that if it takes four months of non-returned phone calls, then a threat of going public on a complaint website to gain a refund from your so-called customer oriented organization, then I would have to say that people are not being "taken care of". More like you are refunding them to shut them up.
Anyone reading these reports can see NSBA has a very BAD track record.
Dennis
Washington,District of Columbia,
U.S.A.
REID, PLEASE UPDATE YOUR REPORT
#10REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, May 31, 2006
Reid,
Please let the readers know that you had been contacted and the situation has been resolved. Please let them know that you received a full refund Check #46050 - issued 5/24/06 $339.35. To quote you Diane has already contacted me and successfully talked me off the ledge. You are lucky to have her on staff. Please let the readers know that we have instituted an escalation staff to help out with such issues.
Reid, I hope you can help me understand one thing; people are very quick to complain and get caught up in the fervor of this site but NO ONE ever reports back that they have been taken care of. I have personally answered each and every complaint and EVERYONE has been resolved yet NOT ONE person has had the courtesy or fortitude to say so. This is really sad, don't you think?
Also, how many CEO's/Presidents of companies answer these complaints personally or include their personal telephone and cell numbers? Doesn't that count for anything?
Dennis Mario
NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC
Direct: (760) 322-5572 X 100
Cell: (760) 902-8415
eFax: (760) 406-6035
dmario@natlsba.com