Extremely disappointing experience with NZ Migration – poor communication, lack of continuity and an unacceptable settlement process

Extremely disappointing experience with NZ Migration – poor communication, lack of continuity and an unacceptable settlement process My partner and I engaged NZ Migration to assist us with our New Zealand migration and recruitment process. We paid approximately NZD 6,300 for the services. Unfortunately, our experience over the course of the process was extremely disappointing. This review is not about simply being unhappy because our migration plans did not work out. Our concerns relate primarily to the service we received, communication, continuity, management of our matter, and the way our concerns and refund request were ultimately handled. Repeated changes of consultants and lack of continuity During the process, we were passed between several different consultants. We dealt with people including Pieter, Hannes, Vanessa, Ricardo, Brandon, Alan and later Danny/Steven. The biggest issue was the lack of continuity. On several occasions, we had to follow up ourselves to establish what was happening with our matter. We also experienced situations where consultants were no longer involved and we only became aware of this after contacting the company ourselves. Having to repeatedly explain our circumstances and history to different people was frustrating and gave us the impression that there was no consistent ownership of our case. We raised these concerns with NZ Migration. At one point, Alan acknowledged the communication and continuity concerns and advised us that Brandon would be taking over our matter. Unfortunately, Brandon subsequently left as well, and again we were left having to establish what was happening. We also struggled to obtain meaningful direct feedback from Steven despite numerous attempts to communicate. Communication and delays One of our biggest frustrations throughout the process was communication. There were periods where we had to repeatedly follow up for responses and updates. Communication was not consistent, and there were delays in getting answers to questions that were important to us. For a service that involved a significant financial commitment and a major life decision, we expected much better communication, continuity and proactive management. Instead, we often felt that we had to drive the process ourselves by repeatedly asking what was happening. Our understanding when we initially signed up Another important part of our experience concerns what we understood when we initially entered into the service. At the beginning of the process, we recall being told by the representative handling our initial engagement that if NZ Migration could not secure a migration outcome, there would effectively be a “no service, no charge” / refund understanding. We understand that the written agreement contains provisions stating that a job or visa outcome cannot be guaranteed. We are not claiming that NZ Migration guaranteed us a visa. Our concern is that the expectations created during the sales process did not match our understanding of what would happen if the process ultimately did not deliver the expected result. The refund process After approximately two years of dealing with the process and becoming increasingly dissatisfied, we decided that we could not continue. We requested that NZ Migration review the work performed and consider an appropriate refund. The company assessed the work and offered us NZD 300 as a goodwill refund. Considering that we had paid approximately NZD 6,300, we did not consider NZD 300 to be a reasonable reflection of our overall experience. Nevertheless, rather than simply rejecting the offer, we attempted to find a reasonable compromise. We proposed NZD 1,000 as a settlement. Management ultimately rejected this and maintained the NZD 300 goodwill offer. The settlement agreement was the final issue We were prepared to accept the NZD 300 in principle, despite believing it was considerably less than what would have been reasonable. However, the settlement agreement provided to us contained wording that we could not honestly agree to. The agreement stated that we had received “satisfactory service” throughout the process and that we had “no cause for complaint.” � cancellation agreement PRETORIUS.pdf It also required us to undertake not to proceed with complaints against NZ Migration's immigration advisers and not to make or publish adverse, derogatory or negative comments about NZ Migration. The agreement further stated that the refund could be withdrawn if those undertakings were not honoured. � cancellation agreement PRETORIUS.pdf We explained that we could not sign a document stating that we were satisfied with the service when we had spent considerable time raising concerns about exactly the opposite. Our request was quite simple: Amend the wording so that we could accept the NZD 300 goodwill payment without falsely stating that we were satisfied with the service or had no cause for complaint. We were not asking for an unreasonable change. However, after the matter was referred to management, we were told that the wording could not be amended because it was their standard settlement document. The position ultimately became that the NZD 300 goodwill refund would only proceed if we accepted the agreement as written. Why I am writing this review I am posting this review because prospective customers deserve to know about our experience before committing a significant amount of money to this company. To be clear, I am not saying that every NZ Migration client will have the same experience as us. I am saying that our experience was extremely disappointing. We expected: Consistent communication Proper continuity of our case Proactive updates Clear accountability Professional handling of our concerns A fair and transparent approach when we decided to discontinue the service Instead, we experienced repeated changes in consultants, communication difficulties, delays, having to repeatedly follow up ourselves, and ultimately a refund/settlement process that required us to make statements about our satisfaction that we did not believe were accurate. The company's own settlement document records that its assessment resulted in a NZD 300 goodwill refund. � cancellation agreement PRETORIUS.pdf After paying approximately NZD 6,300, we found that outcome extremely disappointing. My advice to anyone considering using NZ Migration Before signing anything, I strongly recommend that you: Read every clause of the agreement carefully. Make sure any promises or representations made during the sales process are clearly recorded in writing. Ask exactly what happens financially if you decide to stop the process. Ask what refund provisions apply and under what conditions. Ask how your case will be managed if your assigned consultant leaves the company. Keep copies of all correspondence and commitments. Do not assume that verbal explanations will necessarily form part of the written agreement. For us, this was a significant financial commitment and a major life decision. We expected a much higher level of service and communication than we ultimately received. Our overall experience with NZ Migration was disappointing, frustrating and, in my view, not what we reasonably expected for the amount we paid. I hope this review helps other prospective clients make a more informed decision. Martin Pretorius