Turn and Face the Changes

There was a time when writers would say, " the pen is mightier than the sword." What would it be for bloggers? The keyboard is mightier than the AK47?

The other day a report from the Better Business Bureau of Dallas and Northeast Texas reported that Changes International Inc. is on their scam list for weight loss products. This has been itching at me since I saw it. At first, emotion set in and I rolled my eyes thinking, "Oh no, here we go ago again. Another knock against hypnosis."

Changes International is a company who promises results after one session, but does offer a guarantee, in that its participants can come back at any time and attend the session again for free. Also, if by the first break in the seminar, the client decides it is not for them, they can get their money back (past the break, it is a no go). After looking at their web site, the company looks okay. Refunds and guarantees. Most hypnotist do not do either of these. However, it is not so vogue to promise results with one session anymore because sometimes it takes a few session to address and work on everything involved with the change.

So, with that said, I looked them up on the Better Business Bureau web site. They had 18 complaints (in eight different states) in 36months. Ten have been resolved.

What were the complaints?

• Alleged failure to honor contract - work done with out authorization or invalid contract. It has been resolved. (1 complaint)
• Bad customer service. No response. (1 complaint)
• Failure to honor terms of guarantee. (3 complaints that Changes International had addressed, but clients did not notify BBB of their acceptance of it. 3 complaints with no response.)
• Failure to honor refunds. (3 complaints resolved. 4 complaints were address by Changes International, but clients did not notify BBB of their acceptance of it. 1 complaint has no response.)
• One non-defined complaint was resolved and one complaint has no response.

I imagine the Changes International Inc.'s biggest problem, according to the Daily News, was the claim that they are "the only organization of our kind endorsed by the Better Business Bureau." Apparently, the Better Business Bureau does not agree with this statement. Yikes (for Changes International)!

Well, (sigh) at least most of the complaints were about business practices and not so much the hypnosis. But, in the larger picture, I guess when working in the field of hypnosis, it pays to be reliable, do honest business practices and live up to your guarantee and refunds. Its all part of the hypnosis experience.

Sources:
The Daily Times
The Better business Bureau