ProVision Painting of Jacksonville -- A Company That Won't Stand Behind Its Word…read more
My wife and I contacted ProVision Painting of Jacksonville for a free estimate to have our kitchen cabinets repainted. Daniel came to our home, was polite, thorough, and provided us with a quote. After comparing several estimates, we made the decision to hire ProVision, even though they were more expensive than some of their competitors. We chose them because we believed we were dealing with a professional company that stood behind its word.
Apparently, we were wrong.
After calling to inform ProVision that we had chosen them for the job, we were blindsided by the news that Daniel had made a mistake on our estimate. We were told he had confused the number of drawers with the number of cabinet doors, resulting in a whopping $1,200 increase over the price we were originally quoted.
Let that sink in. We did our homework, compared prices, made a decision, and were ready to move forward based on the price ProVision gave us. Then, after we committed to hiring them, the price suddenly changed because of THEIR mistake.
We were subsequently contacted by Andy, the sales manager, who apologized for the error and offered to reduce the revised price. How generous. After all was said and done, however, the price was still $500 higher than the original quote. An apology doesn't make the extra $500 any less real, and it certainly doesn't make this situation acceptable.
Here is what really infuriates me: Why should the customer be expected to pay for the company's mistake? If we had made a mistake and misunderstood the price, would ProVision have simply shrugged their shoulders and agreed to charge us less? I highly doubt it. But when their own employee makes an error, suddenly the customer is expected to absorb the financial consequences.
My wife and I are on a fixed income. That extra $500 is not pocket change to us. It's money we have to budget carefully. What might be an insignificant amount to someone else can be a substantial financial burden to another family. ProVision was made aware of the situation, yet the bottom line was apparently more important than doing right by the customers they were trying to win over.
And here's the part that is absolutely astounding: ProVision was willing to jeopardize a $4,000 job over $500. Think about that. Rather than honor the price they quoted and take responsibility for their own mistake, they chose to put the burden on the customer and risk losing the entire job. What kind of business decision is that? What kind of customer service is that?
Mistakes happen. Nobody expects perfection. But when a business makes a mistake, its integrity is measured by how it handles that mistake. A reputable company would recognize that the quote was its responsibility, honor the original price, and move forward with a satisfied customer. Instead, ProVision has turned what should have been a straightforward business transaction into a frustrating and disappointing experience.
Daniel was courteous and professional during the estimate, and I have no personal complaint about how he treated us. But the company's handling of this situation, particularly the decision to pass the cost of its own error on to us, is unacceptable.
ProVision had an opportunity to earn our business and build a relationship with a customer who was ready to spend $4,000 with them. Instead, they chose to fight over $500. That decision says far more about their business practices than any advertisement or sales pitch ever could.
My wife and I were prepared to pay a premium because we believed we were hiring a company we could trust. Instead, we learned that the price we were given apparently wasn't a price we could rely on.
I hope that extra $500 was worth it to ProVision. They may have saved themselves from honoring their original quote, but they lost our business and any goodwill we might have had toward them.
My advice to anyone considering ProVision Painting of Jacksonville: Get everything in writing, and don't assume that the price they quote you is the price they'll actually honor. Based on our experience, when their mistake costs them money, don't be surprised if they try to make it your problem.
We expected professionalism, accountability, and integrity. What we got was an apology accompanied by a higher bill.
Absolutely unacceptable. We will be taking our business elsewhere.
