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Customer Service - Would You Give Them Another Chance?


Calamity Kris

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We will be required by our home owners insurance provider to replace the roof on our house this year, or face cancellation.  {It's a Florida thing....}  In addition, we have a few windows that leak, and one that's cracked so we need to have windows replaced as well. 

 

While I was down with COVID, I contacted several window and roof contractors requesting appointments for estimates.  Most have arrived at their appointment time, been courteous, prompt with their estimates etc.  Very good to see.

 

This one window replacement company comes highly recommended by a couple of neighbors.  I filled out their on-line request for appointment and stated several times "contact in the evenings only", as I don't have my cell phone at work and don't want them calling my desk.  The office person sends me a reply email at 9:00 am and says "how does 2:00 today sound?"  {Did I not just tell you evenings only.....}  When I didn't respond, she sent another email with "how does 4:30 tomorrow sound?"  When I arrived home from work, I replied sure, 4:30 Thursday sounds good, as I should be home by then.  She replied, "OK you're scheduled"  {I made a point to put the day and the time in my reply to make sure there was no misunderstanding.}  I rushed home from work to make sure I was here on time and then waited until 5:45 for someone to arrive.  At that point, I sent a reply email to the company and explained that I waited and no one came so I would be in touch about scheduling another appointment. 

 

My question is, would you give these people another chance?  Am I being too harsh?  Maybe they are just having a bad day.....  My first impulse is no let them go.  There are plenty of contractors out there that did respond and were able to follow instructions.  {If they can't follow these simple instructions, how will they be on installing the windows....}

 

What does the Saloon think?

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Good businesses put the customer first.  I would pick the guy that is willing to come out at midnight to do the job.  Pick a company that has the owner's name in the title.  If he puts his name up front, he's probably trustworthy.

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Well... "contact evenings only" I think would apply to phone calls or visits - with email, no one knows when it will be opened - likely the wanted it to be there when you looked for it; likely in the evening.

 

Standing you up for an appointment is another matter entirely.  THAT would make me grumpy... perhaps worth a discount?  

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We recently had a washer and dryer delivery scheduled. The driver called and said their truck got stuck in the mud and had to be towed. They would be there the next day, which they were. It was inconvenient; but they were proactive and called as soon as they could (cell service is sketchy where we live).  I would buy from them again.

 

Your situation seems sketchy. Did they give you any reason they were no show. If not, I would probably go with someone else. I realize you said you would contact them. They still should have contacted you with a reason for the no show and an apology.

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10 minutes ago, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said:

We recently had a washer and dryer delivery scheduled. The driver called and said their truck got stuck in the mud and had to be towed. They would be there the next day, which they were. It was inconvenient; but they were proactive and called as soon as they could (cell service is sketchy where we live).  I would buy from them again.

 

Your situation seems sketchy. Did they give you any reason they were no show. If not, I would probably go with someone else. I realize you said you would contact them. They still should have contacted you with a reason for the no show and an apology.

 

No there was no contact from them at all.  We will see what tomorrow holds.  My telling them I would be in touch was my version of "Don't call us, we'll call you". 

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Unless they have a darn good excuse for not making the appointment, like a sickness or car breakdown etc. I wouldn't call them back at all. That's a reflection on what they think of customers!

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3 hours ago, Calamity Kris said:

We will be required by our home owners insurance provider to replace the roof on our house this year, or face cancellation.  {It's a Florida thing....}  In addition, we have a few windows that leak, and one that's cracked so we need to have windows replaced as well. 

 

While I was down with COVID, I contacted several window and roof contractors requesting appointments for estimates.  Most have arrived at their appointment time, been courteous, prompt with their estimates etc.  Very good to see.

 

This one window replacement company comes highly recommended by a couple of neighbors.  I filled out their on-line request for appointment and stated several times "contact in the evenings only", as I don't have my cell phone at work and don't want them calling my desk.  The office person sends me a reply email at 9:00 am and says "how does 2:00 today sound?"  {Did I not just tell you evenings only.....}  When I didn't respond, she sent another email with "how does 4:30 tomorrow sound?"  When I arrived home from work, I replied sure, 4:30 Thursday sounds good, as I should be home by then.  She replied, "OK you're scheduled"  {I made a point to put the day and the time in my reply to make sure there was no misunderstanding.}  I rushed home from work to make sure I was here on time and then waited until 5:45 for someone to arrive.  At that point, I sent a reply email to the company and explained that I waited and no one came so I would be in touch about scheduling another appointment. 

 

My question is, would you give these people another chance?  Am I being too harsh?  Maybe they are just having a bad day.....  My first impulse is no let them go.  There are plenty of contractors out there that did respond and were able to follow instructions.  {If they can't follow these simple instructions, how will they be on installing the windows....}

 

What does the Saloon think?

No.

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If they don't have the courtesy to contact you if they can't make the scheduled time, you have no assurance that they have any regard for their customers, and likely none for the quality of their work either.  I would suggest calling to cancel further contact. If they offer a sincere and logical explanation, then you can decide whether or not to give them another chance.  Personally I would move on to the next one.

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Have they given you a reason for not appearing?

For me it would depend on their reason, but if I put in my notes “evenings only” and twice they tried for afternoons I would be suspicious. 
Look them up for reviews on line. If they are as good as neighbors claim they should have reviews that reflect that. 

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I have a different take on this situation.

 

I'm guessing that this was for a FREE estimate on window replacement. If the company in question did not want to do "after hours" estimate, then they should have let the homeowner know that free estimates were only during business hours...ie 9am thru 5pm/M - F.

 

I did electrical estimating for both residential and commercial for about 20 years. I was paid by the hour with a bonus for jobs that came in under budget. On more than one occasion, I had people become indignant (some obnoxiously indignant)  that I wouldn't come out after hours to give them a FREE estimate. One guy who became, for lack of a better word, a real a$$hole that I wouldn't come out after 6pm to give him his FREE estimate. He told me "I don't get off work until 5:00". I said "What a coincidence, so do I" and hung up on him. Someone has to pay for the time that the estimator come out to give the FREE estimate and that someone is the company. The company, that I worked for, sure as hell wasn't going to pay time and a half for that. I wouldn't expect other companies to either. All of that is off the table if you are paying for the estimate.

 

As to the original question, move on. Go with a company that complied with your wishes. There are plenty of window replacement companies in Florida.

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52 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

I have a different take on this situation.

 

I'm guessing that this was for a FREE estimate on window replacement. If the company in question did not want to do "after hours" estimate, then they should have let the homeowner know that free estimates were only during business hours...ie 9am thru 5pm/M - F.

 

I did electrical estimating for both residential and commercial for about 20 years. I was paid by the hour with a bonus for jobs that came in under budget. On more than one occasion, I had people become indignant (some obnoxiously indignant)  that I wouldn't come out after hours to give them a FREE estimate. One guy who became, for lack of a better word, a real a$$hole that I wouldn't come out after 6pm to give him his FREE estimate. He told me "I don't get off work until 5:00". I said "What a coincidence, so do I" and hung up on him. Someone has to pay for the time that the estimator come out to give the FREE estimate and that someone is the company. The company, that I worked for, sure as hell wasn't going to pay time and a half for that. I wouldn't expect other companies to either. All of that is off the table if you are paying for the estimate.

 

As to the original question, move on. Go with a company that complied with your wishes. There are plenty of window replacement companies in Florida.

 

Well said.  That is a position I hadn't considered.  I agree with your point if they didn't do after hours estimates, they should have let us know. 

 

I received an email from the office this  morning apologizing for not showing.  Since Uno and I are off today, I told them we would be available to have someone come by.  Uno wants to give them another chance, since they were so highly recommended by the neighbors.  We'll see what happens.

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15 hours ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

Pick a company that has the owner's name in the title.  If he puts his name up front, he's probably trustworthy.


I found this to be the case, especially so with plumbers.
The hired hand really doesn't give a hoot about the quality of his work.. he gets paid no matter what.
When the business owner is the plumber, the work will be better.. (assuming he has been in business for quite awhile).

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Any company, no matter how large or small, can have scheduling glitches. Just my opinion. Your decision.

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For me it isn't that they had a glitch, in which case I'm understanding.  What I'm concerned with is they didn't think enough of Kris to notify her.  The fact is that the cost issue flows both ways whether the estimate is free or paid Kris's time is being wasted as well.  Rude behavior is rude behavior regardless.   

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You pose an interesting question. If they were recommended by a couple of neighbors whose opinions you respect, and will or have allowed you to see their work, that speaks well of the job they do. On the other hand, I would admit to being reluctant to extend my trust to a business that left me hanging without an explanation.

 

My advice would be to let them have their second shot, but make clear you were disappointed that you rushed home, and took time out of your schedule for them to attempt to earn your business, only to be stood up, and that they have a bit of an uphill battle now to earn your trust and business.

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8 hours ago, Calamity Kris said:

 

Well said.  That is a position I hadn't considered.  I agree with your point if they didn't do after hours estimates, they should have let us know. 

 

I received an email from the office this  morning apologizing for not showing.  Since Uno and I are off today, I told them we would be available to have someone come by.  Uno wants to give them another chance, since they were so highly recommended by the neighbors.  We'll see what happens.

They should have called when they knew that would not make it. The next morning is too late, I don’t care who recommended them they’d be in my never call list! Terrible customer service! Good luck and if you do hire them you’d better watch them like a hawk!

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2 hours ago, DocWard said:

You pose an interesting question. If they were recommended by a couple of neighbors whose opinions you respect, and will or have allowed you to see their work, that speaks well of the job they do. On the other hand, I would admit to being reluctant to extend my trust to a business that left me hanging without an explanation.

 

My advice would be to let them have their second shot, but make clear you were disappointed that you rushed home, and took time out of your schedule for them to attempt to earn your business, only to be stood up, and that they have a bit of an uphill battle now to earn your trust and business.

 

Agreed.  In my book, they have created an even bigger uphill battle for themselves.

 

He was supposed to arrive at 12:00 noon.  At 12:15, I walked into Uno's office and told him that I will call their office at 1:00pm and tell them to call him off.  He arrived at 12:30.  He did say the office had sent him the text for the previous day's appointment after he had gone home for the day so he didn't see it.  He did apologize for that.  {Something is fishy with that because she would have sent him the message on Wednesday evening for a Thursday appointment......}

 

He worked really hard at selling us on windows from a company I had never heard of before, Shwinco.  I do understand this could be a regional thing because we in Florida need different types of windows than other areas of the country, because of our heat, humidity and hurricanes.  We will do lots of research into the window company as well as the installation company.  We did receive the estimate from them already so we have lots of work to do.

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