DO NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING FROM BENNETT MEDICAL! If there was less than one star I would choose that. This is the worst company I've dealt with in a long time.
My mother is 93 years old and 87 pounds. She is mostly wheelchair bound and the wheelchair cushion that was included in the purchase of the chair was starting to become to thin and uncomfortable. Pressure sores are common with some elderly people so I had my mother's physician place an order for a wheel chair cushion with Bennett because we bought the wheelchair through them. I missed their phone call and tried calling back multiple times. After being on hold for 30-45 minutes each time I finally left a message. Of course, they called back when I was out, but did speak with a customer service contact who recommended the gel/foam version. She said it would be the most comfortable cushion for my mother. Because the wheelchair was purchased through them Medicare normally pays for wheelchair accessories. For some odd reason, this cushion was not covered under the same-similar agreement with Medicare??? No one at Bennett could explain how this cushion is not covered under the same/similar contract with Medicare and even blamed Medicare for the error and suggested that I contact them for a resolution. Contacting Medicare would be like trying to get a hold of Bennett Medical Customer Service, multiple calls and exorbitantly long waits. After a long conversation I decided it was best to just to order it and pay for it in cash. When the delivery person arrived with the cushion, I point-blank asked him if it didn't work out, could I return it? He said "yes, as long as I didn't take it out of the plastic covering". A couple of days later I took it to assisted living to put it on her wheelchair and the minute I took it out of the box I knew it wouldn't work, it was as hard as a rock and could potentially cause a pressure sore. A few days later I drove to the Bennett distribution facility on N. Sawyer Avenue to return it and was told they don't take walk-in returns, I would have to go home and call to have them pick it up. I asked if they had a direct line where I could get through without the long wait and they said they too have to wait 30-45 minutes to get through to their their Nevada office. What a poor business model! Again, I was dreading the 30-45 minute wait and was under a deadline for work so I decided to wait to call on January 2nd thinking with the holidays out of the way I might have luck in getting through. When I did reach customer service they said they don't accept purchased items back and because it was greater than 30-days they would definitely not take it back. First off, it hasn't been 30-days and they still won't take it back because it was a purchased item. I then spoke to a supervisor and explained the situation to him and he was firm that purchased items are not returnable under Bennett policies. He also said that the delivery guy should not have told me that they do accept returns. So much for honoring what a representative of their company promises.
Again, what poor business model, probably the only way they truly make money. This cushion was recommended by their own Custom Service Representative and I still can't return it???? WOW! Living in the Boise area there are only few medical supply companies that sell items for elderly people who are on Medicare, but after this interaction there is definitely one less. After reading the reviews on YELP (all negative, not one single positive review) I feel justified in being very upset. I did everything possible to ensure that it could be returned and tried to return it myself. If I had been informed of their return policy I would have opened the box before the delivery person left my home and refused it.
According to the reviews, Bennett has earned their one star review (which is very generous) and truly should be rated in a negative star system. Again I reiterate DO NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING THROUGH BENNETT MEDICAL choose another medical supply company, even if it is out of state! read more
