ComplaintsforBNI

• Initial Complaint

  02/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I joined a local chapter of BNI to help me promote my small business. Each year members pay dues, my group was so helpful that when my first year of membership was up, I opted to pay for two years membership ($1898.00). Between Christmas and New Years (2023), without notice or any opportunity to give input, BNI shut our group down because of an issue that was occurring between two members. As there is not another group that my business schedule would allow me to join with the "certificate of credit" they have offered, I have requested that my 14 months of unused membership fees ($1107) be refunded, they have refused that request. The renewal application does say that "fees are non-refundable", however it is reasonable to believe that would apply only to a situation in which I wanted to leave the group before my membership term was up. We were never told that BNI could close the group AND withhold our unused membership fees. Again, we were given no opportunity to participate in the decision to cancel our group.

• Initial Complaint

  02/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I joined BNI in September 2023 with a newly forming chapter that never became an actual chapter requiring a minimum of 12 members. Our group had 5 paid members and we were told if the group does not form a chapter of 12 we would receive a refund. BNI policy: "Subject to applicable membership policies, if payment has already been made and your order is cancelled or limited, BNI will refund any payment you made for the service that will not be delivered due to cancellation or limitation of an order in the same tender as the original purchase." BNI did not deliver a service and I have requested a refund only to be ignored after several emails and messages. The regional director told me I have a "credit" available, but no refund, even after providing her with the BNI policy outlining the refund when no service (Fully formed Chapter) was available.All I want is my money back I paid to be in a group that never became a Chapter.

• Initial Complaint

  10/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I joined BNI in September 2023. After numerous issues with other members within my first week I decided to walk away from the group. After emails and talking with there upper management team (*********************) I was told there would be no refund for my two meetings that I attended. This charter was very unprofessional to say the least. I am looking for a full refund from BNI.

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I am a realtor and was asked if I want to be part BNI. I would be helping to relaunch a defunct chapter. I was told I could ask people I wanted to join and was assured BNI had people on hand for these "coveted" positions if I couldn't fill them. I felt rushed to join as they said in a few days there would be an increase to the membership fees.I was told that $898 held my spot, but since chapter was not launched yet, my yearly dues (fee I paid) would not be due again until the chapter launched. After 4 months, the chapter was still not launched. For $898, and no chapter, no support, and no "people on hand" to fill spots as promised, I decided to leave BNI and asked for my money back. July 10 I contacted ******************************* (** Managing Director). When I heard back, after many delays, she said there are no refunds of memberships, only credit to join another chapter. I expressed that I had no desire to be a part of BNI at all in the future based on my experiences with them. She said she asked "her boss", *****************************, Director of Field Operations for the East Coast and he said the money could not be refunded. I also reached out to him twice via email and have not heard anything other than an automated eMail response. To date my $898 has not been refunded.It is a membership fee for something that didn't exist, and I was not a member of at any time. All I received from BNI was access to weekly zoom "chapter launch meetings" that were the same thing every week, basically telling you how to recruit people. That is not the same as being a member of a networking group. I want my $898 refunded.

• Initial Complaint

  06/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I became and official member of BNI in December after paying my dues, I paid $948.00 by May I came to the conclusion this wasn't the group for networking I thought it would be or what they sold me on. I came into the group as the Event Planner of the group and have not gotten a successful referral but I have paid more money out than I have ever gotten or made from the group. I did everything I was told to do to be a success and the only business I got was from outside of the company. I asked for the remaining month of my membership back to offset some of the cost I lost and they offered me a credit that is good for 2 years after I said multiple times that I will never rejoin this group. The remaining funds I am seeking is $553 for the remaining seven months. They push getting our membership numbers up but the support from your mentor group you get assigned is not there and the referrals are not there and when you say you want to leave they treat you like a number. My mentor wanting to see me on her business when we had one 2 ones and then tried to nickel and dime me on a vendor planning services she asked me to help with. I just want my money back as I have found a different group that has actually been a support to me even before I join, my refund will go towards those expenses and missed business expenses while I was in BNI.

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