The owner Rick needs to improve his customer service in a big way.
In mid-July I dropped off a 10"x7" print to be framed for my dad. The price tag was a hefty $120 or so, but I didn't argue because I like patronizing small businesses and needed it done within a few days. However, the print was in a hard cardboard shipping tube along with another print that I did not want Rick to frame. When I dropped off the first print, I accidentally left the shipping tube with the second print on his counter.
I realized my mistake as I was walking out to my car. I ran back to the front door, but Rick was closing up shop and had already locked it. I found him at the back door as he was walking out to his car. I told him I'd forgotten my tube, and he said "Well would you like to get it when you come back to pick up the frame on Friday?" I said well...sure, it's not like I need the tube between now and then, and he was obviously in a hurry to get somewhere and I didn't want to inconvenience him.
Later that week, he called to say the frame was ready. I asked, "And you've still got my tube there, right?" He said "Yep!" So I drove from Hartland to Howell to pick up my frame...and in that short time he had *lost the tube with my other print*. I said well, I'm driving back to Chicago on Sunday, so if you find it between now and then give me a call, otherwise can you mail it to me in Chicago? He said "Yep!"
About a MONTH LATER...I get a *postcard* in the mail from Rick. It said "I put the tube in a safe place and then forgot where I had put it, but I've found it again!" I assumed that the postcard was a precursor to receiving the actual tube in the mail...but then after a couple more weeks went by it became apparent that that wasn't going to happen.
So I called Rick and asked if he would please mail my tube to me. He said "Yep!"
About a MONTH LATER...still no tube.
It is now nearing mid-October, and I just happen to be in Michigan visiting my parents again. I called Rick up and asked if he still had my tube. He said "Yep!" Obviously, Rick never had any intention of ever actually providing even the bare-minimum customer service one would expect in this situation. That I accidentally left the tube on his counter - okay, that one's on me. But to *not* offer to go retrieve it immediately afterward...to *not* have it on hand when I picked up the framed print...to *not* mail it to me for literal months afterward...this is just a pattern of poor customer service which won't do his business any favors.
When I was there today there was another man sitting at the counter...I said "I don't know how much money you're planning on spending here, but I'd reconsider." It may have just been Rick's assistant and not an actual customer, but my statement is my advice to anyone considering using Howell Art & Frame: reconsider. read more