I am simply adding my own report to the two I have already read here (as well as other consumer sites) regarding "It's About Time" Master Matchmaking service run by a mother and son team, JoAnn and Steven Ward.
My experience is just as the other two women have described. These individuals treat you very nicely, have you sign their contract, take your money and then turn to their "Jekyll" side.
Right from the start they were very defensive and argumentative with me, getting angry when I wasn't interested in meeting the "perfect" person they picked for me.in fact, the first person they wanted me to meet had been given all of my information (and pictures), but they only provided me with a brief description over the phone (and no pictures). When I asked why he received my picture, but I did not get his, they told me they don't really operate that way (sending pictures) all the time.
Mind you, when I met with JoAnn for an initial meeting, I was told the process was this: we call you and tell you about someone, we send you their profile information and pictures, and then you can decide if you are interested. JoAnn even had a book of pictures with her when we met for an initial meeting.
I was not interested in meeting the individual and it turned immediately into JoAnn (primarily) but also Steven, lecturing me, practically "scolding" as if I were a child! It was very insulting and degrading. I was the PAYING client for goodness sakes ($3,000 by the way).
At this point I asked for the partial refund the CONTRACT stated I was entitled to if I terminated it within the allotted timeframe (without having one "match" - match being defined as someone I actually met in person). They ignored it and refused it.
Let me also point out that I initially contacted JoAnn within the "3 day window" for refund after signing contract telling her I wasn't sure I did the right thing, that signing up right away (over the initial meeting) was probably hasty and I wanted to think about it more. JoAnn quickly manipulated that and did everything to avoid talking about giving me my money back.
I was so disgusted with their unprofessional and down-right mean-spirited behavior that I just set it aside. A week or so later, they contacted me again after one of their "prospective" male clients had seen my profile and was excited to sign up, if he could meet me. Of course they called me with the "we got off on the wrong foot, we really do want to help you" approach [more smoke and mirrors... They didn't care about helping me, they needed me to reel in some more $ for them with this new client].
Wanting to be fair-minded myself (and make sure I had not prematurely misjudged them), I agreed to it (after all they still had my $ and were not giving it back). That turned into the next insulting and degrading treatment by JoAnn and Steven, followed by another at which point I told them to leave me alone and immediately remove me as a client.
Given the consistent mistreatment and unprofessional behavior, I felt the least they could do was give me my money back and I requested it. They ignored me completely. I then submitted a BBB claim (for which they initially ignored for months until their rating (from too many unresolved claims began suffering further).
They sent a very nasty, insulting response, further degrading me personally to BBB. I also engaged a consumer group who contacted them several times on my behalf, with the same response (ignore it initially) and then sent another scathing, nasty and insulting response. They were dead set on keeping my money (despite the fact they did not live up to their contract nor offered the services and the process they purported to offer through their site and their initial meeting with me).
This is the only experience I have ever had where I had to go to such lengths (regarding a complaint or dissatisfaction with service), but with these individuals, it became less about a refund of money, and more about principle. They run a business and offer services to paying consumers. Consumers who pay for services should receive those services (and should not be subjected to such terrible mistreatment). If services are not rendered (and/or there are circumstances such as mistreatment), business owners need to respond and act appropriately.
JoAnn and Steven are not willing to be accountable for their own actions and behaviors, nor are they even open to compromise or negotiation. They also show no remorse for the way they treat people, it is all about money for them. BUYER BEWARE!
This is my experience with this business. I have no doubt they would tell you (as they have about other clients), that I was just difficult to work with. That is a generic and cop out answer they use as it makes them feel justified to continue insulting and degrading someone, and keep their money.
Do not make the mistake I did here, search these individuals and the business as well as other research and conduct your own due diligence in determining whether or not you feel they are trustworthy. I stand by my statements.
If I knew an attorney who would approach them for me and get my $3k back (maybe more), I'd give it all to a charity. It isn't about the refund anymore, it is about getting people like this out of business or at least paying a price and being accountable for their actions. Maybe they will learn a lesson and it will prevent them from doing it to others in the future.
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