Very Disappointed with Communication and Customer Service…read more
I am very disappointed with my experience with Atlas Marble and Granite in Springfield, NJ, particularly with the communication and customer service from the owner, Elizabeth.
From the beginning, communication was extremely difficult. I was told that I would receive a three-hour delivery window 24 hours before the scheduled delivery date, which was necessary so I could properly coordinate the required plumbing work. This was important because I needed to coordinate with my plumber, who had to come before templating and again before delivery to disconnect the plumbing/sink. Despite this, I had to call four times simply to find out the delivery window, and emails and phone calls frequently went unanswered.
The lack of communication continued throughout the process. At one point, when I asked about the countertop delivery, I was told that they had attempted to call me several times. However, they had been calling the wrong phone number, even though the owner, Elizabeth, had my correct number and they also had my email address. I did not feel this was an acceptable explanation for the lack of communication.
The biggest issue, however, was the countertop installation. When the templator arrived, I was told that the countertop would be fabricated in two pieces, which would result in a seam directly through the middle of the sink area. This was surprising because I had previously had a one-piece marble countertop in the same second-floor kitchen, which had been successfully delivered and installed without a problem.
After discussing this issue with my husband I immediately called the following day, I contacted Elizabeth to ask why the countertop could not be fabricated and delivered as one piece. After some discussion, she conferenced in the templator. He stated that he had told me it would be two pieces. I explained that my question was not whether I had been told--it was why they could not install it as one piece when the previous countertop had been delivered that way.
His response was that it could be done in one piece, but it was easier for the installers if it were done in two pieces.
That was extremely disappointing. As a customer, I expected the focus to be on the best solution for my kitchen, not simply what was easiest for the installation crew. Elizabeth ultimately confirmed that it could be done as one piece, but I was told I would have to pay an additional $250, plus another $149 because my home was supposedly more than 50 miles from their location and/or IKEA.
I ultimately paid the additional charges to have the countertop fabricated and delivered as one piece.
Ironically, when the installation crew arrived, they had no difficulty whatsoever carrying the one-piece Caesarstone countertop up to my second-floor kitchen and installing it. The installation crew itself did an excellent job, and I tipped them generously for their hard work.
My disappointment is not with the installers. It is with the overall customer service, communication, and the way my concerns were handled by the office. I should not have had to make repeated phone calls to obtain basic delivery information, nor should I have had to repeatedly push for a solution that was ultimately possible.
I also wish I had read the other reviews before agreeing to use Atlas Marble and Granite, as an IKEA third-party vendor. Based on my experience, I was left with the impression that IKEA customers do not receive the same level of responsiveness and courtesy that direct customers may receive.
Overall, I am very disappointed with the way this project was handled. The countertop itself looks beautiful, and the installation crew did a very good job, but the lack of communication, unnecessary complications, and additional expense made the experience much more frustrating than it needed to be. Marguerite M