POOR INTEGRITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
Our toilets were not working well, so My husband went outside to check the system and water was overflowing from the tank. My husband is an industrial maintenance mechanic and very well versed in mechanical repair. However, since we are new to having an aerobic septic system and he does not have the specific tool required to test the pump's functionality, he called to get a service technician. We contacted a local Weatherford place, they were too busy to come out yesterday but told us to call Garrett's Aerobic Septic Systems. The lady said that they usually have availability. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUR FIRST CLUE.
My husband called Garrett's based on the recommendation. Garrett's phone staff told him it would be $75 to have someone come out to our home for an assessment and they could send the technician out today. My husband does not prefer to give our credit card information over the phone so he asked if he could take care of payment when the technician came out. He was told yes.
The technician came out. He had to dig a small approximately 6 inch hole (see pic) to get to the junction box. My husband was standing beside him the whole time. The tech never said anything about there being an additional cost. Mind you, my husband is perfectly capable of digging and would have been happy to do so, or to tell this guy to stop, but he was not even given the option. The technician confirmed that our pump is shot and we need a new one.
He quoted this would be an EXTRA $700+ dollars. Then he instructed my husband to call the office. Well guess what the office was now demanding $150 payment, and told my husband he needed to give payment over the phone that the technician cannot take payments.
They explained that the $75 was just to get the technician to our home, the additional $75 was if they needed to do anything else other than come out. The office staff decided that because he was questioning the charges and asking for an alternative payment method (cash, check, etc.) that he was REFUSING TO PAY!
WITHIN THE HOUR they proceeded to send him this email (see pic). WHAT!!!?
If you know my husband at all, you are dying laughing at this point. He is super quiet, he cannot stand confrontation, very passive, and at this point was shutting down. So he calls me...
I was at my work, so he fills me in on what was going on. I immediately called the office. I first talked to Misty, who definitely did not want to hear anything I had to say and proceeded to put me on hold. I then talked to Jodi when I called back, who quite honestly should be given their employee of the month award. She was super friendly and easy to talk to. Very customer service skilled. She made the mistake of telling me that she was the one that sent my husband the email. Ultimately I spoke with Brenda, who is their "Office Manager." Brenda's very first statement to me was, "If you are going to talk ugly to me, then I just want to let you know that I am not going to talk to you." I told her it did not sound like she was interested in hearing what I have to say, but that her check would be in the mail today!
I spoke with the owner James Garrett. I told him about our experience. His response to me was that he was well aware of the situation, and everyone has a side to the story. I explained to him that Wayne would be dropping of their check today and that I would let my neighbors know about their business. He feels that they are backed by the better business bureau and that they have not had any complaints from anyone else.
My husband went to their office in AZLE to deliver the check to them in person so we have a receipt of payment. Brenda told him she could not accept payment and tore up the check. I wanted to send them an email saying they were refusing payment! She then proceeded to tell him that I would have known that had I not hung up on Mr. Garrett. What about the 3 people who hung up on me the day prior? (Including her!) UGH! If you cannot tell I was beyond upset by them. Save time and money, call someone else!!!
P.S. We talked to 3 other companies, the pump repair competitive pricing quotes $435, $500, and we were told they wave the service call charge when you are paying for the pump repair. So Garrett's would have charged us over$1000 for something that is worth half that! read more