My friends and I have been researching water filtration systems together. We heard about Filtercon and I was elected to call and get questions answered for the group. The first time I called I spoke with Catherine who seemed informative and courteous at the time. However, my husband and one of my friends were a little sceptical about Filtercon. My husband because the website didn't contain pertinent information that other water filtration websites did. For example a list of which contaminants are removed and to what degree. My friend because the website seemed outdated and the layout was poor. Her doctor is actually listed as "recommending" the water filter, however, she said the picture had to be like 20 years old. Therefore, she couldn't trust that because it seemed outdated to her. Not to mention she didn't think it removed any fluoride, but she wasn't looking in the correct place. Which has to do with the poor layout of the website. She ended up going through Costco for a whole house water filter, where they have great customer service and stand behind their products.
That all being said, those are all valid concerns and should and would cause someone who's actually doing research on the different water filtration systems to steer clear of this company. Because they could be red flags on how business is conducted and their level of professionalism. However, I thought maybe this could still be a good company. I wanted all the red flags to be INcorrect. According to Catherine they've been in business 20 years. So we looked up reviews and could only find three on Yelp, none on the Better Business Bureau website, neither positive or negative. I found none on Google reviews, and three on Angie's List, one negative, two positive.
When I called and spoke to Catherine again today regarding some questions I had as well as the above issues that were preventing us from moving forward I was met with terrible customer service. I was interrupted and cut off several times and told that I shouldn't be focusing on the website or the reviews, that they were aware of the problems and are still doing pretty well despite them, but instead I should be focusing on the product. The product in which there is no real literature for. She did say they were working on the website.
It was disappointing to say the least. As one Angie's List review says, the customer service representative on the phone was rude. It's unfortunate that people like this represent a company and speak volumes on how a company chooses to do business. Catherine was super nice when she was giving her sales pitch, but that changed when she was met with constructive criticism and our apprehensiveness about their system. All I wanted was to get something more than her verbally telling me it's the best system on the market. I'm super nice in my approach, not rude or offensive at all. So it's unfortunate she felt the need to cut me off when I was explaining the issues.
Even after all that I was willing to have someone (other than her) come out and test our water (like other companies do) and recommend the best system for us and give us information and paper literature on their systems. My three friends that WERE still interested wanted to be present to get facts because they were unable to get it from Filtercon's website. If their system was as good as Catherine claimed and it could be supported by facts I thought maybe my husbands mind could be changed about Filtercon and my friends would have definitely benefited as well. But she was reluctant and very impatient. Saying that I could purchase a water kit at Home Depot myself, I thought testing water was standard procedure when installing a water system. But I guess that's just with other companies? When I asked if I could possibly deal with someone other than her, because I realize some people just don't mesh well together and I didn't want to give up on the company just yet. She said there was no one else I could deal with, I think she threw in her title, which I could care less about and can't even remember what it was. Oh and she said she was in the medical field for however many years, who cares and what does that have to do with my questions and concerns.
I'll be telling my doctor my experience, who is on their list of doctors who supposedly "recommend" this product. If it's true that he does in fact recommend this product, he may want to retract that based upon poor customer service alone.
Now I'll be telling EVERYONE I know not to purchase from Filtercon. If this was a good experience, I would have been telling EVERYONE I know to purchase through this company. The company is doing pretty well despite their shortcomings anyway, according to Catherine though.
As you can see from the above, I really went above and beyond to try and prove my husband and friend wrong and give the company the benefit of the doubt. But what can I say at this point, my husband and friend were both right. read more