My AC went out and I needed a technician. I asked friends for a recommendation while I called around and booked a technician named Alfredo 2 days out. So when I got a call from Adolfo of ATM saying he was available immediately, I assumed I wrote down the wrong name and was happy to get serviced early. However it was a misunderstanding, Adolfo failed to say he'd been referred by my friend. We discovered the miscommunication when he charged me 20% more than I'd been quoted. He honored the lower price but declined payment saying "Just settle up when we are done".
The following day he called me to say the job would be $800. ($400 parts+$400 labor). Knowing nothing about the AC business, and desperate, I agreed to the price.
After days waiting for my part, I began asking for updates. I was told "the part was on order". By day 7, I called the AC manufacturer direct and found out that the needed part was available for $92 and could be shipped overnight for $15 more. I placed the order and notified Adolfo that I had the part ordered. Annoyed, he told me he had already ordered the part. I told him, unless he gets it before mine that was due in the morning, we would use my part. With that he agreed to use my part for $600.
I don't know about AC. But I do know finance, which I my business, and I saw I was being scammed. He then agreed to $400. But I explained that if his service call was $150, and I had to buy the part, and wait over a week and the install would be less then 30 minutes, $400 seemed excessive. I offered to pay him $300. $150 for the diagnosis and $150 to hang the part.
Adolfo began to insult me and my integrity. That ended with me saying that I would just pay him the $150 for his time, and install the simple part that I purchased myself.
Growing up with patents that owned a business for 32 years, and being in the service industry, I would never imagine trying to swindle a customer for more than a fair wage. But Adolfo took an extremely offensive tone, refused my payment for his services and demanded I "never contact him again".
Unfortunately I can't speak to the quality of his work. But I can speak to his character. Unless there is no one else to use, and even then I recommend avoiding ATM air conditioning. read more