ComplaintsforKumon

• Initial Complaint

  07/24/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I want to complaint against the owner ***************************. I questioned her behavior towards me after handing in my daughters homework at the institution. i paid for Kumon for a month $ 407. 68. This was my daughters 1 st day of second week of class. Our discussion did not allow me to stay there as well she kicked me out of the office with my daughter. I did and finished the work **** supposed to do with my daughter called home study. I did notdate and time on all of the homework. I tried to explain myself to her. Instead she kept telling me that I wasnt doing what I am supposed to. Ididnt join kumon for her to teach me how to teach my kid.Thats not in Kumons policy. As soon as she was looking at my daughters work, she began shaking her head, rolling her eyes, looking at me,as if, she was gonna tear all my kids work, and acting like I the parent was handing inmy homework to her. I was completely lost with her reaction.Her demeanor was terrible. She was disrespectful and humiliated me in front of my 6 year old and her staff. she told me she owns the place and there was no one above her. She kicked me out and did not refund my money. According to the policy it says once you start assignments you will not be refunded but she kicked me out and also refuse to let me go to another kumon center. I appreciate for a full refund. right away yelled at me that I was doing things wrong.I see others there and they seemed nice anddid not present themselves like you. I did not appreciate the way you talked to meas if Iam your child. I was disrespected and humiliatedin front of my daughter and your staff. Im sorry but i will not take that lightly. Im also a professional nurse.My nieces and nephews have gone to the same center and you were not the boss there, and theysaid it was notlike how you did it, soI know its not Kumon, its you

  Business response

  07/31/2024

  Dear BBB and ****************,
  We received your written complaint to the BBB on Tuesday,July 30th. We also received your verbal complaint to our call center on July 23, 2024. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with the Instructor, independent business owner and franchisee, *************************** of the Kumon Math and *****************************.
  Our records indicate you enrolled your daughter at the ****************** on July 16, 2024 in both math and reading and shortly thereafter, you had a negative interaction with the centers Instructor regarding the Kumon homework assignments. Following your phone call to our call center, we discussed this situation with **************** and she sent you the following response:
  Dear ****,
  
  It is unfortunate that our conversation today did not go well, and you wish to discontinue the service. As discussed at the parent orientation and again at the Center on ********'s first day, Kumon is a home study program and *********, being an early learner, would need your help to complete the assignments once a day. Center sessions are to support home study, not replace it. I was going to suggest that we reduce the workload so that there are no homework assignments on certain days to make it easier for you, but you yelled at me, called me rude, said I was harassing you, and wouldn't allow me to finish explaining what the options are.
  
  That being said, billing has been terminated effective immediately. You are welcome to pick up the remaining assignments for August since they are owed to you. As a courtesy, I will waive the early cancellation fee of $80 per subject ($160 total).
  
  I hope you find an education program that meets your needs.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  ***************************
  
  We hope you had the opportunity to pick up Augusts worksheets to further your daughters learning. **************** has declined to refund your tuition as you did attend center and utilize worksheets. We certainly apologize for any misunderstanding and for any negative actions during your conversation with ****************.
  Since your enrollment, the ****************** has been sold and a new owner will assume operational control effective August 1, 2024.
  Regards,
  
  ***********************
  General Manager, US ****************
  

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My husband and I wanted to enroll our daughter in June since there was a promotion to waive the registration fee $50. When we call corporate customer service, the representative mentioned that the soonest appointment was in July and since the promotion is only till end of June, they would HONOR the promotion and add into our notes to waive the registration fee. Once we had the parent orientation in July, the local branch noted that the registration fee CANNOT be waived since it's past the promotion and Corporate did not provide a code to waive the fee. Additionally the registration fee had increased to $80. We then called corporate Kumon and corporate Kumon said that it is up to the branch to waive the fee and they cannot take responsibility whether the local branch denies the waive fee. Had corporate Kumon explicitly inform us that there is a possibility that the local branch will not honor the waive promotion then we would have register in June prior to our parent orientation. As a result, we either can pay for the registration fee now (which is $30 more than in June) or wait till September when another promotion will be in effect. Due to misinformation from Corporate Kumon call center, our daughter now needs to wait till September if we wanted get the registration fee waived. I have submitted a grievance directly with Corporate Kumon with no response or effort to resolve this matter. To resolve this matter I would like to be able to register my daughter to Kumon before September with the full registration fee waived by Corporate Kumon.

  Business response

  08/14/2023

  One of our representatives from ** ************* contacted the ****** Ranch Franchisee in July, and each center is independently owned and operated.

  The franchisee understands the issue that has risen from this miscommunication and timing.  With that being said she is not going to waive the registration fee because the promotion is over, and that would come out of her own pocket. The customer tried to book a Parent Orientation on June 28th and the promo ended on June 30th.  She is sorry she did not have any earlier Parent Orientation slots but either way they would have technically missed the promotion period. She also attended the Kumon Conference in ************* along with July 4th holiday she had to limited Parent Orientations during that time.

  She is reaching out to parent and letting them know if they start on Sept 15th, she will be able to waive the registration fee and have them start.

  thank you,

   

  Customer response

  08/16/2023

  
  Complaint: 20414450
  
  I am rejecting this response because: the resolution was asked of corporate call center since they provided wrong information and promised the registration would be waived.  The issue is with the corporate call center and not with the local office.  September 15 is the upcoming free registration period for all franchised offices therefore no accommodation is being made for this complaint on the Corporate and ************ side.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  *************

  Business response

  08/22/2023

  To Whom It May ******************** you so much for bringing this to our attention. 

  Each center is independently owned and operated, and Free Registration promo ended in June. 

  Next promo will happen in September 16 thru end of October to have the registration fee waived. 
  Families can enroll at Kumon at anytime but they will be required to pay the registration fee outside of the promo period.

  In all centers in US, the suggested registration fee was increased to $80 on July 1st of this year.

  Thank you,

  ***************

  Customer response

  08/25/2023

  
  Complaint: 20414450
  
  I am rejecting this response because: does not address the issue nor take accountability for misleading information communicated.  
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  *************

  Business response

  09/21/2023

  Call center would only reiterate that the promo was occurring during our promotion dates.

  Since each center is independently owned and operated, we would not provide guidance that families would be allowed exceptions to the promotion dates. 

  thanks,

   

  Customer response

  09/22/2023

  
  Complaint: 20414450
  
  I am rejecting this response because: **************** was not allowed to offer exceptions however in my encounter it was stated.  I do not think this issue will be resolved as both corporate customer service and local branch are unwilling to take accountability for my complaint.  
  
  Regards,
  *************

• Initial Complaint

  03/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Kumon is a math and reading center with franchises all over the country. My two kids, now almost 14 and 12, have been doing Kumon since 2014. We have paid more than $20,000 in tuition over the years at three different centers in the Westport area. Kumon allows kids to accrue "Kumon points," which they can trade in for gifts. My older daughter stopped doing Kumon in seventh grade and immediately traded in her Kumon points. My younger daughter (*******) stopped doing Kumon about a year later, and wanted to save her points for a special occasion. (She stopped doing Kumon in September 2022 when she entered middle school.) We checked the points month after month, and saw they were still in the account. On March 12, *******'s 12th birthday, we checked her points because she wanted to trade them in. They were all gone. When I reached out to Kumon Plus, they told me "sorry, they expire one month after the child stops Kumon" and they sent me a policy link. I wrote back and told them I was disappointed and honestly disgusted, that we had paid all this money over the years and they were taking away an incentive from a child, and that they were not enforcing their own policy because the points had been available for the past six months. I asked them to consider an exception under these circumstances. I got no response. I sent a follow up email two days later. I got no response. I sent another follow up, to no avail. This is unprofessional and discourteous. Kumon owes me the courtesy of a response and they owe me an explanation as to why they have decided now to enforce this policy that they have not enforced over the past seven months. I am truly and honestly disgusted that they would take away an incentive from a child on her birthday with such a curt, snide, unhelpful explanation. I would like the value of $300 ****** gift card ******* was going to purchase with her points, along with an apology.

  Business response

  04/20/2023

  April 19, 2023 Complaint ID: ******** Dear BBB and Ms. *****, I would like to apologize for the delay in responding to your concerns related to our student loyalty program. It appears the first notification of this complaint was received in our warehouse in a timely manner, although it was not forwarded to the appropriate parties for response. There are two issues you have identified regarding our loyalty program: that the points expire following discontinuation from the program – a point you mention you were unaware of, and that your daughter’s points were visible as late as February 2023 when you mention you discontinued the program in September 2022. I certainly appreciate your frustration given your family was loyal to Kumon, studying since 2014, and planned ahead on how best to spend the points rewarding your daughter’s perseverance. We have included the loyalty program’s restriction to current enrollment and the loss of points following an absence on our Notice to Parents signed upon enrollment and on our Kumon+ website stating, “Students earn points … for as long as they’re enrolled.” Thank you for your feedback. We are in the process of reviewing this program – its effectiveness and our communication surrounding it – so we will pass along your concerns to ensure our language regarding the restrictions are clear. What seemed to add more confusion is that we typically zero our points after the student discontinues the program, after more than 1 month of a reported absence. Because you mentioned discontinuing in September, your daughter’s points, usually, would have been zeroed out in November. However, your Instructor reported your daughter current through December 2022, keeping your points active longer. This was her option to do based on her understanding of the study situation with your family. Ms. B….reached out to you recently, after I received your concerns, and I am happy that you and Ms. B….were able to discuss the situation. I understand that she will be sending you a gift card for your daughter. I hope that resolution is amenable. Thank you for your patience and I certainly appreciate your commitment to Kumon study for your children. Sincerely, Dawn B….General Manager, US Northeast Region of Kumon North America, Inc.

  
  

  Customer response

  04/20/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** *****

*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. ↩