Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Seigler's Karate Center's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Seigler's Karate Center

  4471 Columbia Rd Ste A3 Martinez, GA 30907-4547

• 

  Seigler's Karate Center

  4471 Columbia Rd STE A3 Augusta, GA 30907-4547

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:02/06/2024

  Type:Product 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.

  My *** has been in their Karate Program, however, I am going through a tough time due to an emergency. I requested to cancel the program $*** per month for a while because I can't pay that amount right now. They answered that the contract states that I have to give a 60 days notice. When I signed for the program I specifically asked if I could cancel any time and the person said yes. Of course I have to proof on that. Emergencies don't give 60 days notice. I was just asking for an understanding but they don't have any professional customer service. They said that I have to pay for 2 more months for they to cancel my contract. I do not know how I will be able to pay it. They just deduct the money from my account and of course my account now is overdrafed

  Business Response

  Date: 02/06/2024

  Dear Better Business Bureau,
  I am writing to respond to the recent complaint filed by ***. **** regarding the cancellation of her ***** Karate Program at Seigler’s Karate Center. We take all customer concerns seriously and appreciate the opportunity to address this matter.
  First and foremost, we empathize with ***. ****'s difficult situation and sincerely regret any inconvenience she may be experiencing. We understand that emergencies can arise unexpectedly, and we are committed to resolving this issue as fairly as possible within the framework of our program policies.
  Attached to this response, we have included a copy of the program agreement that ***. **** signed when enrolling her *** in our Karate Program. This agreement clearly outlines our cancellation policy, which requires a 60-day notice of cancellation. This policy is in place to ensure that we can maintain the quality of our programs and manage our enrollment effectively.
  ***. **** first reached out to us on January 24th, and we promptly scheduled a support call to address her concerns. Unfortunately, she was unable to answer the call due to work commitments. We were finally able to connect with her via phone today. It's important to note that ***. ****'s frustration stems from our inability to make an exception to our policy, which is in place to maintain consistency and fairness for all our customers. We value our customers and strive to handle all matters professionally and with understanding.
  Regarding ***. ****'s claim that she was told she could cancel the program for any reason at any time, we want to clarify that such a statement does not align with our policies or our staff training. Our team members are trained to provide accurate information about our program and policies, including the 60-day notice requirement.
  Furthermore, we would like to address ***. ****'s request for a refund of tuition payments within the cancellation period. Our policy is not to refund tuition payments during this period. This policy has been implemented to protect our business from potential chargebacks from consumers. 
  We understand that ***. **** is facing financial challenges, and we are willing to work with her to find a resolution that is fair for both parties. We can discuss alternative payment arrangements or options that may help alleviate the burden of paying for the remaining month. 
  In conclusion, we take this matter seriously and are committed to resolving it in a fair and professional manner while adhering to our established policies. We hope to find a solution that will accommodate ***. ****'s needs while also respecting the terms of our agreement.
  If you require any further information or assistance in resolving this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at 706-855-5685 ext. ***. We appreciate your attention to this complaint and trust that we can work together to reach a satisfactory resolution.
  Sincerely,
  Lisa C*****
  Chief Operating Officer
  Seigler’s Karate Center
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/07/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I do not accept it because I can not pay for that program for 2 more months, they have not even been interested in knowing what my situation is. People do have hard times and I asked if I can cancel it anytime and the answer was YES. I have witness because I was with my cousin, but of course, is their word against mine. I asked for my membership to be canceled please. 

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

  Business Response

  Date: 02/13/2024

  Thank you for the copy of ***. ****'s response regarding the cancellation of her ***** Karate Program at Seigler’s Karate Center. We understand her frustration and empathize with her current situation. Yes, the program can be canceled at any time during the terms of the program agreement WITH a 60 Day Notice of Cancellation. This is clearly stated in the terms of the agreement.
  We do genuinely want to find a solution that accommodates her needs and are more than willing to set up a conference call to discuss her situation further to explore potential options while also upholding our cancellation policy. Again, it's important to note that our policies are in place to ensure fairness and consistency for all our customers. However, we are committed to working with her to find a resolution within these parameters.
  She can let us know a convenient time and we will make arrangements for the conference call.
  If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me directly at 706-855-5685 ext. ***.
  Sincerely,
  Lisa C*****
  Chief Operating Officer
  Seigler’s Karate Center

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/13/2023

  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.

  AVOID this place!! SCAM, all they want is $1,000 from you. My husband is in the Army. They were at a festival at **** ********** and they signed us up for a “free” intro class. Our daughter was interested based on the interaction with them at the festival on base so we went to the free class. It was in a very small room with 10 kids at the most and had our child thinking it will be so fun and engaging. They pressure you into purchasing on the spot. They are like a timeshare or a dealership that wants all your money. They say this is a discount only for today, yeah right. They claim your child is not just a number to them and they’ll get one on one training. Well, we fell for it. Paid $1,000! Go to the classes, they’re in a big gym with multiple classes going on. The class has around 20-30 kids and 1 instructor. He is not good at teaching children, he shows the move and says to copy and says we’re gonna do a “combo” without explaining anything. My daughter is 6 and you expect her to know these moves or names of the moves. The entire class is RUSHED. They do a move and move on to the next, they do not take the time to make sure every kid is understanding or getting the moves. After 1 class, I wanted a refund because my daughter did not want to do it anymore. She was miserable. They scheduled a call & it was pointless. I explained how we’re a 1 income military family and that was a lot of money. They use phrases like “I’m sorry YOU feel that way” NO REFUNDS WHATSOEVER. They do not care about you or your kid. The program is 5 months long, going 2 times a week so we clearly did not use 99% of the program but yet they refuse any refund. Almost $1,000 gone. Now I don’t ever want to allow my child to do any sport and that’s so sad! They are just taking peoples money left and right. There are so many bad reviews online with the exact same situation as me.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/20/2023

  Please see the images for our detailed response to the customer's complaint as well as the signed program agreement. 
  Kindest Regards.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/28/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: this business is a con. They do not accurately describe the nature of the classes. They mislead the size and interaction between student and teacher. Therefore, resulting in a rushed and unorganized learning experience for the children. As well as, continuous marketing and trying to get more money from students and parents. The owner has a ******** page dedicated to becoming a 6 figure business by lying and manipulating or “selling” to a consumer. It is a game to her and she takes pride in lying and manipulating her way into taking money and offering little service or in this case lack of karate lessons that hold any value what so ever. I have spoken to other karate teachers at different establishments around and they cannot believe how this was handled and how her business is still in business. It is a shame that people have to find out the hard way. I am very thankful my reviews online have reached MANY people and families who could have fell victim to this con artist. I truly hope her business fails and people are made aware of this scam of a business.

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

  Business Response

  Date: 11/29/2023

  Dear BBB and Ms. *********** ********,
  
  We appreciate your continued engagement in this matter and the opportunity to respond to Ms. ********’ concerns. We understand that she is dissatisfied with her experience at Seigler’s Karate Center, and we take her feedback seriously.

  However, we would like to address the issues raised in her latest response.

  First and foremost, we want to emphasize that we are committed to providing a quality martial arts education for our students and have been doing so for 41 years in our community. Because of our long standing record of integrity, we have had multiple families enroll 3 generations into our programs over the years.

  Our teaching methodology is based on principles that are designed to engage and support children, teens, and adults in their martial arts journey.

  Regarding the class size, we strive to maintain a student to teacher ratio that supports personalized attention and effective learning. We maintain no more than a 15 to 1 student ratio in our regular classes. (Oftentimes it’s less than that depending upon the class.) We employ multiple qualified instructors when necessary to maintain this ratio.

  While Ms. ******** mentioned a class size of 20-30 kids, I would like to clarify that according to her attendance record, she did attend 1 regular class and our specialty ********* party class.  On specialty nights in which it is a party environment with martial arts instruction, it will vary how many instructor are on the mat. However, on that particular night, we had our Head Instructor who has over 16 years of experience leading the class and event.

  Furthermore, Ms. ******** mentioned our promotional practices. We want to make it clear that we adhere to ethical and transparent marketing and enrollment processes. We do not engage in any deceptive practices or manipulate our students and parents. Our commitment is to provide value and high-quality martial arts instruction to our community.

  Additionally, regarding my ******** page in which she states I “promote becoming a 6 figure business by lying and manipulating or “selling” to a consumer”, I firmly deny lying or manipulating anyone or promote practices such as lying and manipulating to sell to consumers which is both unethical and illegal.

  The martial arts school, Seigler’s Karate Center, is only 1 of several businesses I own. Because of our dedication, and commendable business practices that have served us and the Augusta community for over 41 years, I also engage in consultations with other business owners around the world and engage with those business owners on my personal ******** profile, not the business in question which is Seigler’s Karate Center.

  As for the claim that we encourage additional spending, we do offer optional programs and equipment that can enhance the martial arts experience for our students. However, participation in these programs is entirely voluntary, and we do not pressure anyone into making additional purchases.

  Regarding the ******** page mentioned by Ms. ********, we would like to clarify that our social media presence is focused on sharing our passion for martial arts, celebrating the achievements of our students, and providing valuable insights to the martial arts community and marketing to potential new students. We do not endorse or engage in any manipulative tactics to deceive consumers.

  We understand that not every customer will have the same experience, and we genuinely regret that Ms. ******** and her daughter did not have a positive experience at our center. Additionally, after we were first made aware of her dissatisfaction, we have reached out several times offering to work with Ms. ******** daughter to help her adjust and become a thriving student at our school.

  At the time of enrollment after our introductory lesson and evaluation process, she took advantage of a special offer to pre-pay for classes for her daughter that included a discount because of pre-payment. Due to the pre-payment of the 4 month program, we notified her verbally, and she signed in writing that she understood, the program is non-refundable.

  Again, after notifying us that her experience was less than positive on the first 2 classes, we reached out immediately to help her child adjust to the classes and work with her child as we are dedicated to our students and helping them develop focus, confidence, discipline and respect. We were denied the opportunity for us to help her child in any form.

  In conclusion, we remain committed to the integrity of our business and the well-being of our students. We believe in the value of martial arts education and its positive impact on individuals and communities. We encourage open communication and welcome the opportunity to address any specific concerns Ms. ******** may have regarding her daughter’s experience at our center.

  We appreciate your attention to this matter and remain open to addressing any specific concerns Ms. ******** may have regarding her daughter’s experience at our center, although we understand that reaching a resolution may prove challenging in this situation.Sincerely,

  Jennifer Seigler W*****
  CEO of Seigler’s Karate Center