January 1 - Customer Dissatisfaction

In 2006, I tackled many home improvement projects. Some like yard work and room painting, I would consider normal maintenance up-keep.

Smaller projects, I documented on this blog or on my home page: Bike Rack and Re-charger Consolidation

Other projects required outside assistance. I rebuilt a bridge and constructed a tree house. Neither would have been possible without my older brother.

The last project of 2006 was a Lower Level Bar. It is something I wanted for over six years.

As a Professional Project Manager with PMP credentials, I designed a project plan. The plan had necessary dependencies, timelines, and milestones. The plan took into consideration the three tenets of a project: time, cost, and quality. I hired a HH Home Improvements to turn my plans into reality.

All was well until the bar counter top provider, Cabinets and Countertops by Design decided to not provide the contracted pieces on the desired date and as designed.

The project plan had integrated enough slack time to incorporate possible delays. What it didn’t account for was dishonest salespeople (is that an oxymoron?) and unexpected poor quality.

I called the company the day before the desired completion date and was told they would be ready as scheduled. In actuality, it was two days after the promised date before the tops were available. One problem, Cabinets and Countertops by Design’s definition of finished is that they have completed their work. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEIR PRODUCTS ARE CORRECT AND HAVE BEEN MADE TO SPECIFICATIONS. There were defects in all three ordered counter tops.

Cabinets and Countertops by Design was non-responsive to my requests to repair their errors.

Implementing my contingency plan, I had HH Home Improvement correct the defects.

When I went back to Cabinets and Countertops by Design to outline the issues, they would not return my calls. When I resorted to email, I was met by an unbelievable response. Below are some extracts from their response:

“Mr. Lewis

It is obvious by the answers that you are giving me that you are not a reasonable person.

We made corrections to the tops at no expense to you or your installer.

We can debate whether the corrections were as a result of fabricator error or as a result of the pathetic drawing.

I should have charged you to modify the tops.

The end that you said wasn’t properly finished matched you drawing! Review your scribble!

It’s the nature of the industry that sometimes mistakes are made. I don’t like it, but it’s the nature of the beast.

Mr. Chris Holtz, Customer Service"

And these comments were from their “Customer Service” Representative!!! They did not attempt to negotiate a resolution.

I will give $50 to anyone who can provide details as to when I have been unreasonable, pathetic, or scribed in scribble. First grade teachers and ex-girlfriends are not eligible.

In order to rectify the situation, the Better Business Bureau has been contacted and my credit card company is with holding payment. However, I received the most satisfaction when I placed the below sign on my finished bar, prior to our recent Holiday Parties.
Over 200 people have been informed. As someone once said, “Good News travels fast, Bad News like lightning.”

Interestingly, it not only stirred conversations at our parties, but others had experienced poor quality and service from Cabinets and Countertops by Design, as well. My message will continue to be delivered at upcoming BCS Championship Football and Super Bowl Parties.

In summary:

HH Home Improvement – GOOD
Cabinets and Countertops by Design - BAD

Moral of the Story: Don’t resort to personal attacks as a means to distract from your company’s shortcomings. As a retired Professional that has too much time on his hands and a large network of contacts and friends, I feel it is my obligation to prevent others from bad experiences with unscrupulous vendors.

It is not an issue of “The Customer is Always Right.” It is an issue of treating the customer with RESPECT. There is a great sign that I used to have placed in our Customer Care Centers and Help Desks: Below are BEFORE and AFTER pictures of the Lower Level Bar.

New Bar - FRONT

New Bar - SIDE

The TV in the bar is my 17th TV in the house and second that is HDTV.