The tricky business of meeting that right person


Dear MTN,

I hear such bad things about matchmaking and dating services that I am fearful of coming in to see you. I am an intelligent, good looking fella with a great job and great family. I am 38 and would love to get married and have kids one day.


I can't stand the Internet anymore with women showing pictures of them from a million years ago, and all the girls I meet in bars are bar flies.


I looked up matchmaking services and found, besides yourself, every one of them have tons of complaints. I must admit I did see a few on your service and was at first shocked until I read them and saw they were about a year and a half ago when you hurt your ankle and had to have one of your employees do the interviews for you. I was very proud of how you handled the situation. I admired how you gracefully explained the situation and saw that you fired that person and all of the complaints were all resolved.


That must have been very hard on you since I know you have been doing this for so long and never had one complaint, then you needed the help of one of your employees and she let you down. Please understand that I own my own business and know that it is impossible to please everyone. I also realize that you are in a very delicate, emotional industry and that must make it even more difficult. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I saw what you wrote and understand how hard that situation must have been for you. I see can how your reputation means everything to you. I loved the fact that some of your clients got angry with the few complaints and even stuck up for you. That says a lot about your character.


Why am I bringing this up to you, especially when I already told you that I am nervous about coming in for an appointment? I just wanted you to know that I've seen you before on television and even once when you gave a presentation in person. I can tell you are a very good, solid person. Just like when I get a bad review (because no matter how hard you try, you can never please everyone,) I am sure that it hurt you as it did to me as well. But I can tell you first hand, not to let those few negative reviews from when you went through a difficult time and had to hire someone help you with the interviews, get you down. What you said, and how you said it, people can see that you are a good person, and a smart person will read through the lines and know that you are the best matchmaker in New York. Not just because all the others have tons of bad reviews and you only a small few, but because of how you handled the situation.


Having said that, Maureen Tara, even though I am nervous about coming in, I am actually less nervous coming in now that I did see those reviews...as crazy as it sounds, it proves you are human and no one is perfect! It is not about having to please everyone, as every business person will tell you it's impossible, but it is how a company handled the situation. I give you an A+ for being so professional.


I look very much forward to meeting with you in person!


 Thanks, - Greg

Dear Greg,

Wow, I needed that. Yes you are right, it was very hurtful for me to see the few complaints from clients that had signed up with the person that had to take over for me during the time I "tore all the ligaments in my ankle and couldn't walk." Once I saw the first one, I put her on probation. Once I saw the second, I had to let her go.

I am thankful that all the clients did take back the negative reviews and let me personally help them and make them successful once I returned. I only took off a few months and I was very let down by what had happened. Luckily my clients are wonderful. One of them is actually on hold (which means she is engaged to someone in my program.) The unfortunate thing with those bad websites is that they thrive on negativity and even though they were all resolved in my case, the website won't ever take them down. That is really terrible in my opinion.

I do the best I can and give 100% to all my clients and I look forward to meeting with you as well and making you one of my success stories.

Thank you so much for your kind words. I have spent many sleepless nights over the fact that the website you are talking about takes advantage of companies, but your email really cheered me up. Thank you again for not letting it affect your decision to come meet me.

Hopefully all single people are like you and won't let a few (all resolved) negative comments stop them from being happy or taking the chance of being happy in my program. I stand behind my over 1000 success stories. It's people like you that I choose to have in my program! See you soon! You made my night!

 - MTN

Maureen Tara Nelson is proud to be called The Irish American Matchmaker. "We specialize in attractive, quality singles who are ready for a committed relationship." "We do ALL the work!" "Being Irish is also a plus."

PLEASE CONTINUE TO EMAIL IN YOUR QUESTIONS TO MTN AT mtnmatchmaking@aol.com.