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:08/09/2022

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore 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 was offered 4 months of outplacement support thru RiseSmart as part of transition package. I was offered an option to opt into the program and immediately pause my service. I accepted the offer an remained in touch with the assigned RiseSmart coach regularly during the period via emails. During these email check-ins, we extended the pauses. This February, i received communication from the assigned coach informing me that she was transitioning out from the company, that my program was still on pause, and the start of the un-pause could be discussed with the new assigned coach. When I spoke with the new coach in June, rather than un-pause the program, I was told that the pause would not be honored and that I would only be offered initially 1.5 and then ultimately 2.5 months of service. I don't find this unilateral revision of the terms of my separation and pause agreements with my employer and RiseSmart an acceptable outcome. I want the company to honor the 4 month commitment that is due. This is clearly communicated and was my understanding based on the attached documents.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/09/2022

  Randstad RiseSmart vehemently objects to the claim and denies any wrong doing in this situation. In fact, we find this claim outrageous under the circumstances. As background, Ms. ****** was provided a Randstad RiseSmart outplacement package by her employer, our customer, back in October 2020. We have a contract with her former employer, who purchased this program on her behalf. For clarity, Ms. ****** has not paid for the service.
  
  The outplacement package purchased by her former employer included 4 months of outplacement support. The term of support starts from the point she first engages with us (Oct. 2020) and continues for 4 months (February 2021). Though we're not obligated to do so, we do try to accommodate our participants with special requests. After using the service for one month, Ms. ****** requested to pause her service period multiple times through March 2022. We repeatedly accommodated her request.
  
  Randstad Risesmart does not offer program extensions, though we can elect to do so upon request and approval by the employer (who purchased the program). To assist her further, her account was resumed at the end of March 2022 (more than one full year after it was supposed to end), with an end date of mid-May 2022. In May 2022, Randstad Risesmart approved an ADDITIONAL program extension through mid-August 2022. In all, Ms. ****** had 5 1/2 months of active service time (of a 4-month pkg), 13 coaching calls, a resume meeting with a writer (service upgrade), and handpicked job leads. The employer's HR team (our customer) was aware of Ms ******** requests and, as the paying customer, agrees that ********************** went above and beyond to support her in fully utilizing her program.
  
  We find this claim to be without merit, and request that it be formally removed from our record. Customer satisfaction is of the highest importance to us, which is key reason we lead our industry in customer satisfaction scores. So, please know we take these claims very seriously.
  
  I'm available to discuss directly if helpful.
  
  *** *********
  CEO
  Randstad RiseSmart
  Phone: ************
  Email: ***.*********@randstadrisesmart.com

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/17/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  The assertions in this note from ******** are incorrect. The dates they have quoted do not match the facts. I left my employer at the end of Nov '20. As noted in the email I shared in my complaint, I had 60 days to elect outplacement. I'd request that the ******** team read the material I have shared from their representatives and address the facts raised therein and in my complaint. Here are a couple of the errors in their note:
  1. I did not use the service for one month prior to pause. Please review the communications I have already shared. The first email is dated Jan 2021 and asks 'if I am ready to opt into outplacement.' That same email mentions placing the program on pause upon opting in, which is what I elected to do when it was voluntarily offered by ********'s representative, without my request.
  2. The terms with my employer were for 4 months of outplacement service. The second email I shared in my original complaint to BBB notes that "the program is on pause" and pending connecting with the new coach to "determining when is the best time to move forward." ******** claims that my program was "resumed at the end of March." I did not speak to my coach until early June '22. This is emblematic of earlier communications. I am told one thing (per email) and other actions are taken unilaterally by Randstad without alignment or communication to me.
  
  Randstad is ignoring the communications I have shared from their agents and is not willing to take responsibility for these communications. If they don't like what was communicated, Randstad has an operation and training issue to address. The company should not expect a consumer to bear the burden of their internal operational issues.
  
  Randstad has delivered 2.5 months of service rather than the 4 months agreed upon and the experience has been an unpleasant one because while trying to focus on search, I have had to take on the responsibility of reaching out to my former employer and BBB to get the company to meet their obligations.
  
  My complaint is entirely with merit. I do not agree to its removal.