We purchased a water heater through a silent auction at a fundraiser. Part of the agreement of the gift certificate was that installation was an additional cost.
I called and scheduled my appointment for 10:00 AM and asked for a quote for installation. I was told it would be $350.00, a little high I thought but since that was the agreement so be it. I also verified they would remove and haul away our old water heater.
On the scheduled day we spent time draining the water heater and removing doors etc to make the removal easier. At 10 AM no one arrived. I understand that things happen so I waited for a phone call or something. At 10:30 AM I called and the woman said "Oh, I'm sorry I forgot to call you". The morning appointment turned out to be for 2 water heaters rather than one so he is going to be 1 1/2 hours late, but he called me at 10 so I guess it will be another hour. At 11:30 AM, no one yet, at 11:45 I call again.
The woman says" oh, I'm sorry I'll give him a call and call you right back." She calls me back and says it will be another hour. I explain that this is all very inconvenient and that I have another appointment and will need to make sure my husband can be home. She offers to reschedule for another day but I told her I've already drained the water heater and started to remove the connections and I don't want to not be able to take a shower the next day. I tell her to please call me as soon as he is one his way. I wait ANOTHER hour. It is now 12:30, 2 1/2 hours after my appointment was supposed to start. I call again, never once has anyone from the company initiated contact with me. When she answers,
I say: "this is me again" and
she says "I told you it would be another hour"
I say " it HAS been an hour"
she says "oh.... I'll call him again and see how much longer".
At this point I have completely disconnect my water heater and hauled it outside to my back porch.
I say "I need to talk about price, I am unwilling to pay $350 for an installation when I've already done 1/2 the work AND you are now almost 3 hours late".
She says "we charge $350 install a water heater" and
I say, "you have to be kidding me, I've already disconnected and removed the water heater",
she says, "no one asked you to do that".
I say, "I am not willing to pay $350 for this job" and
she says, "I don't know what you expect me to say, it costs $350 and who would you get to install it anyway".
I say "I can install It myself!"
she says, "no you can't you'll blow up your house" and
I say "that would be my problem".
She says "the gift certificate specifically states that we must install the water heater".
I say "fine keep your water heater" and I hang up on her.
As my husband and I were discussing him going to get another water heater that we can install when I get home she called back.
She said "he will be there in 2 hours to drop of the water heater.
I say "fine" and hang up.
By this time I am so angry and upset I think my head is going to explode. My husband and I decided if when the plumber arrived he was still willing to work with us we would pay him $150 to install it. Remember I had already completely removed the old one. I left for my appointment and my husband called after the water heater arrived.
No apology, No explanation, No offer to give us a discount to install. He simply said, "I have a water heater for you, it's a good one".
I can't even begin to imagine if this is how they treat someone who purchased something in support of a charity they obviously support and who they actually MET and SPOKE with at the event, I'd hate to think how they would treat someone who just called to schedule and appointment. read more