Cultural Care - Host Family 4+

0 out of 5 Stars

If you thought the Microsoft / CrowdStrike IT outage was bad, wait until you see the new CC app. All of the basic functionality that you would expect (and which existed on the former website) -- the ability to filter data, basic keyword searching, being able to sort -- is totally absent, and CC has no response as to when (if ever?) this basic functionality will be introduced.

As frustrating as it was to have to re-enter all our family profile data which was summarily deleted due to app character limits, I did that in the hope we would still be able to match. But after chatting with an extension AP, the app “automatically disconnected” us because the AP changed a preference that meant we were “no longer compatible.” Despite opening support ticket and reaching out to our matching specialist, CC couldn’t do anything to fix it, even though the AP did not want to disconnect from our family. Just one headache after another, and absolutely zero customer service support from CC.

As a long-time host family who was in the middle of searching, this stupid app has been totally disruptive to my search process, and CC has been totally unresponsive to issues. I would give this 0 out of 5 stars if possible. We will be switching agencies as a result.

Horrific experience

Launching a new app and website on the same day, neither of which is functional was a diabolical move. This is directly interfering with my ability to match with an identified au pair and may cost me the match after countless hours interviewing a dozen au pairs. No guidance issued on navigating the new app or the fact that “connections” is now “chats” as if that was intuitive - HORRIFIC disaster of a rollout and whoever built this app should find a new career path - and I work in the software development industry!

Another thing - the new REQUIREMENT to upload pictures of the inside of your home is a complete invasion of privacy and cheapens the entire process of matching. To publicly display photos of my home on my profile as if au pairs are shopping for a home to live in based on looks - absolutely unacceptable. This itself is enough to have me looking for a new agency. Pictures of the au pairs room? Fine. But inside of my private home? Absolutely not. This is about cultural exchange and relationship building, it’s not Zillow. Remove this requirement or you will be losing a lot of families who value their privacy and the integrity of the search process.

DO BETTER Cultural Care. For the tens of thousands you take from your repeat families like mine, I couldn’t be more disappointed.

Terrible execution. Big miss for CC despite all the hype.

Cultural Care is using their host families and Au Pairs as guinea pigs. Somebody needs to be fired for this app roll-out. Did anyone test this app or did you just force it out and pray for the best? Our family is extremely disappointed and very frustrated. Cultural Care basically replaced a fully functional website with a beta app that wasn't completely thought through. It would be one thing if the app was optional, but they entirely replaced their entire system so that everything is dependant on the app. Even their website is now the app on a computer monitor. They didn't even bother designing or integrating the app into a web interface, it's basically a vertical phone screen on a horizontal monitor. What a joke.

I can live with bugs because those can be fixed. A lot of what they have done here cannot be quickly fixed, it has to be rethought and redesigned. I wish they didn't take host families and Au Pairs along for this awful ride. I feel so bad for rematch Au Pairs, I can't believe what you're doing to them (CC knows what I'm talking about). I have a call with Au Pair Care tomorrow.

Developer Response ,

We appreciate your feedback. As with any new launch, we’re working through initial issues, and your feedback is instrumental in making improvements. We’re rolling out updates frequently, so please enable automatic updates to get the latest fixes. We value your business and hope you will choose to continue hosting with us, if you wish to discuss this further please email us at support@culturalcare.com.