I’ve debated posting this because I really do want this blog to be about my experience actually using the Think & Lose program. However, I think I need to put it all out there, especially since you may have already read this entry: Ordering Think and Lose Online. I do not know if any changes have been made to the site or the customer service since I ordered, but I think it’s important to tell me entire story.
After receiving a shipping notice, my immediate question was: WHEN will my products arrive? The email notice does not include any sort of tracking information although the packages do ship USPS with delivery confirmation.
First up, I called the 800# listed on the website. I pushed all of the appropriate buttons for a returning customer. Then I heard (paraphrasing): “Thank you for calling to inquire about your order. Please allow adequate time for your package to arrive.”
*CLICK*
Yes, it hung up on me.
At first I thought it was a mistake, so I called back. Same result.
Then I called back and opted to go straight to customer service. After 15 min on hold, I gave up, went to the web and submitted an email request for customer service on December 28. I merely asked if I could get a tracking number for my package and I included ALL of the order information I had: order number from the invoice and the CORE number from the shipping email.
From there I went to the TNL messageboards and browsed a few posts. Of course, I was interested in what they had to say and this made me even more impatient for my package.
However, still no response from customer service. I tried calling again at least twice with the same result. Either a hang-up or an endless wait with no answer.
I even joined the messageboards. I followed along for several days. When I posted that I was getting impatient with the wait, first it was suggested that I just needed to be patient. The holidays and weather problems were delaying shipments. Eventually, I was advised by “TNL COACH” to contact customer service.
That set me off since I had never received a response to my email and could not reach customer service by phone. I responded politely to TNL COACH with my experience with customer service.
Then I went back to the site and sent a less-polite request for customer service on 01/07/2008.
Eventually, I received some emails from TNL COACH (aka Tom, in case there is more than one). I will give credit where it is due: Tom was extremely helpful. He apologized profusely for the phone call issues and the lack of response from customer service. He eventually tracked down my package and made sure that I received a credit for the “Rush Handling” charge. He even responded politely when I was feeling, well, less than polite. I still disagree with some of what he had to say but I do commend him for handling the situation nicely.
On January 9, I finally received a response to my first online customer service request. 12 days after I submitted it. The same day that my package arrived. I also received a phone call from TNL Customer service informing me of the credit (that appeared on my account shortly thereafter.) The second request for assistance netted a response on 01/11.
March 1, 2008 at 8:11 pm
[...] off, I don’t think the program is a *scam*. Customer service issues and other possibly questionable policies aside, the program itself has worked for me. My [...]
March 31, 2008 at 7:09 pm
My deal with trying to get this program has been horrendous. First off the upselling is ridiculous. I understand the need for upselling but I’m upset with what they don’t tell you. For example I purchased the MP3 player… By doing that I supposedly gave them permission to charge everything to my credit card immediately even though I was asked during the order process if it was OK to charge everything immediately. I specifically said NO!! but somehow they still did!
Second I actually received two packages , one ordered via phone and one ordered via the web…
Deal was that I got disgusted with all of the phone up selling and hung up… But even though I never received a confirmation message or anything… during the call nor a confirmation message to my e-mail… The order went through. Then the order that I htought I had placed on the web also resulted in no confirmation message. I sent a note off to customer service and got a message back saying that they had gotten my note and would respond to it in the future. I then sent off a note telling them to NOT ship my order prior to talking to me that I needed confirmation of exactly what I had ordered… I got confirmation saying one order had been placed for me, it gave me an order number etc. The charge on that was $92.95 and that I would have 30 days before my credit card would be hit. You guessed it when the product arrived the total amount had been billed to my credit card.
The phone order for the exact same thing was $72…..
Anyway I called requesting that I be allowed to send one package back at their cost because I had only wanted one and I had checked with them to see what I had ordered…and was told one set… The answer was NO , you placed both orders… Then the consultant who actually was rude to me (which I admit did irritate me to no end) told me that she (Angela was her name) would authorize a return of the cheaper package because they had already charged my credit card for the other one… I of course said wrong!
When I requested that they pay return shipping I was told no. I asked to speak to a supervisor and I was put on hold… then Angela came back on and said that she was only allowed to keep me on hold for 2 minutes and she had allowed me to stay on for 3 minutes so she would have to put a request in to a supervisor to call me and that request would be returned in the next 24 to 48 hours.
I said that I didn’t mind holding for longer and to please connect me with a supervisor… Angela told me she could not do that because I had already exceeded their policy. I told her it was unacceptable and repeated my request.
I also told her that if I did not speak with a supervisor , I would be forced to file a complaint with the better business bureau. Which I will be doing…
Then finally a Miss Esquivar got on and told me that it was my problem and they would not refund the shipping for the extra package… I asked what my next step was for escalating and was given an address to write a complaint to…
That address is Think and Lose
P.O. Box 11428
Pueblo, Co 81001
The address for returning the package is in Reno Nevada so as soon as I saw a PO box and Pueblo, my suspicions rose. I then asked Mis Esquavar where their corporate headquarters was. She told me that she did not know and that she would not be able to answer any further questions of mine.
I repeated my question to her knowing now that she was basically not being honest with me. She proceeded to hang up on me. I was furious!!!
I hung up and dialed in again but this time took the option for purchasing a product and was connected with a different person. (She was actually quite polite, nice and even helpful) I do have her first name also… Anyway she told me that the headquarters was in California and apologized to me for the way my call to customer service had gone…
So here is my question to you. Is the program really worth this or am I better off to just send both packages back and forget that I ever ran into this company?
March 31, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Wow, that is awful!
a) For starters, I’d suggest posting this to their messageboard. It seems to me like that is the only way to get the attention of anyone who is not part of the order fulfillment/customer care company. I can’t guarantee you’ll get any satisfaction but it wouldn’t hurt.
b) Your message gets to the heart of my problem with this company. In your case, I’d recommend sending it all back. The product does work but at this point, you’re so MAD about everything (and who could blame you?) that it’s going to take a lot for you to overcome those feelings enough to let the program work.
If you are interested in self-hypnosis for weightloss and have an iPod or other mp3 player, go to Audible.com and do a search on Glenn Harrold for a similar progam I found recently. You can also find a clip of his program on YouTube to listen to for free.
April 7, 2008 at 10:27 pm
In regards to the think and lose program. I think everyone should know what horrible customer service they have. I order my product online through their website. I also ordered 2 extra packages since they were 1/2 off each. On the webiste it says that an mp3 player is included. So I clicked on yes to get it. The next morning when I checked my bank balance I had over withdrawn my account by almost 200 dollars. After I called the bank that it was the think and lose purchase I went and checked my purchase. I bought 3 packages and also somehow bought 3 platinum packages (which included the mp3 players) when I called the customer service rep to cancel it I was told I couldn’t because the order was being processed. When I asked to speak to a supervisor they told me I couldn’t because it was on route. They were oviously lying to me. service. I don’t belive for a fact that they couldn’t cancel it. So now my account is over withdrawn until I get paid on friday and I’ll be charged 5 dollars a day that it’s negative and plus the original 30 dollar fee I get charged for having a negative balance. I was planning on re-ordering the product once it was all straightned out. But i’m so disgusted with the customer service that I’m not even going to try the product. I’m returning it and i’m going to try the paul Mckenna program (he was featured on Ellen). I’m not sure how much his program costs but now I don’t even care I’d be willing to spend over 100 just for the princable
April 29, 2008 at 4:08 pm
I’ve heard good things about Paul McKenna and from what I’ve heard a lot of his program makes sense. You can find the videos from the television show on YouTube.
May 26, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Thanks for the return address. I could not find it on their web site.. Think and Lose. The product does not work for me.