Overpriced and horrendous customer service.
I live locally and was looking for a new dry cleaners. The shopping center at El Monte is a convenient location for me, and I spotted the cleaners one day and thought to try them. My first and LAST time using this place - I would not even give them one star for the rating.
First off, their prices are high.
And second, from my only experience their customer service is horrible. Never had an experience such as this one at a dry cleaners:
I had brought in 2 pieces to dry clean: a blazer and a long sweater dress (i.e. knitted dress). I specifically asked how much it would cost to clean both pieces before services provided. They quoted me a price, even though I considered it high, but I thought I would give them a chance. When I went to go pick up my clothing, the total came out to more than I had mentally calculated, but the employee swiped my car before I could say something. Once the transaction was completed and I took a look at the receipt for how much each piece was priced, and I noticed they had charged me more than I was initially quoted. I was charged three dollars more for the sweater dress.
The employee had already quickly walked away, without even a "Have a good day," so I called her back asking for the initial printout. I confirmed they had indeed charged me three dollars more. When this was brought up, she simply told me because the sweater dress was considered a "dress" and not a "sweater," it would cost more. I tried to explain to her that it was her job to provide me with a proper estimate on what type of garment they would differentiate between a sweater and a dress, and that's when an older gentleman employee became involved.
The woman who was initially assisting me walked away as if the matter had been settled, which left the matter to the gentleman. He kept trying to explain to me that the item in question was indeed a dress, not a sweater, stating things such as, "You consider this a sweater?" Well, yes, I do consider it a sweater dress - I know what I am talking about, I work in the fashion industry.
While I understand the point the gentleman was trying to make, but I tried to explain it was their job to determine what the item is as per their costs for the services they render, not mine. The employee to whom I handed the items to when they were brought in should have made that differentiation. The older gentleman insinuated the blame to me that the difference in price was due to me claiming this was a sweater.
Regardless of whether the item was a dress or a sweater, the main point I tried to get across was that they quoted me a price but proceeded to charge me three dollars more without notice, walking away from the transaction quickly, and expecting me to have to pay the difference because services had been rendered. If the item had been considered a dress to them and not a sweater, I should have been notified of that when I dropped the item off - when I specifically asked for the price. That type of customer service in my mind is underhanded, sly, devious, and scandalous.
The discussion was going no where, the older gentleman argued with me, did not understand or sympathize with my concerns. After a few minutes of the discussion no where and no one recognize my concerns (the gentleman just stood there with a blank stare on his face as if he did not understand what I was saying), he said he would give me 2 dollars back. Two dollars did not cover my costs, and he never ended up actually making a move or actually refunded me the money he promised.
All of these traits I consider bad customer service as well - when provided with horrible customer service and I speak up about it, I expect the employee or owner to be sympathetic, to listen, to work with me to solve the problem, to offer something for the troubles, etc. None of this was provided to me.
Also, they had placed the "dress" on a hanger. Since the dress is a knit, the hanger stretched out the area around the shoulders (there's a "bulge" from the indentation of the hanger). "Professional" dry cleaners should know not to hang a knit garment but to fold. The dress was also not cleaned properly - all stains, marks are gone, fabric appears clean, but upon closer inspection (smelling the garment) it still smells as if it had been worn yesterday (i.e. perfume, a little bit of b.o.).
This experience was a disappointment not only in the sense of the money and troubles this business caused, but I am a big supporter of local businesses. I love to help family own/run or small businesses, but because of the bad customer service and underhanded manner in which they try to get as much money from customers as possible, I will never visit this place again and have deterred friends/family members from doing so as well. read more
