Completely unprofessional!! I had contacted Don to maintain service on a pool at a property I recently purchased. He started maintenance on May 7. Later that week he called and told me that I needed additional equipment to maintain the pool more efficiently, specifically, a vacmate.
On May 14th my tenant contacted me and told me the pool had turned and they had purchased chemicals to combat the algae. I had been informed from my new tenants that at some point in their career they had owned a pool company, so they understood what they were doing regarding chemicals.
I called Don to find out how much chemicals he had used and when he was last at the home for maintenance. He did not answer the question and he became very belligerent and insisted that the pool had turned because I needed additional equipment. I told him that the pool was just resurfaced and that the pump was brand new and I had no money in my budget for additional equipment. The new pump and equipment should be more than adequate to maintain the pool. I asked him for the chemical reports he promised from the beginning. He then said he would go first thing in the morning to service the pool. We ended the call at that.
Within minutes I start getting text - 14 in total. Professional until it wasn't!!
I'm starting with the e-mail I received the next day from Dan. I have also shared our text string to give context to the e-mail.
E-mail: "I'll chip in the chemicals. I love the victim act, being scared. It's what narcissist's do. Not paid within 3 days will send to collections. By the way, shouldn't be scare of me, you should be scared of what that pool is going to cost you. Not personal, just business. I can't fix ignorance."
This was the text exchange before the e-mail/invoice:
3:29pm Dan: "I apologize for my tone, was taken aback. We do not get calls like that. In my notes 1st visit, 2.5 lbs. Tri chlorine. Again we could do 10 lbs. Once basket plug gone in 24 hrs they had own tabs in floater. Stabilizer so high, it's like having none."
3:32pm Dan:"Second visit. Pump basket full. 2lbs chlorine. No tabs."
3:37pm Dan "That's $28 in chlorine in two weeks. Because of excess debris. You do not have enough leaf capacity. Therefore not effective filtering. Because of debris plugged system.
3:30pm Dan: "I do not believe your tenant had a pool company."
3:41pm Dan: "I usually go easy on chemicals charges first visit until we set pool up to where we know we can maintain."
3:47pm Dan: "We are not responsible for landscaping issues. What concerns me is your statement of "Not in the budget". If you can't afford the vacmate, you definitely can't afford the chemicals for the summer as pool sits currently. We were only trying to get pool in Standard (sic) as it's not."
3:49pm Dan: "I can tell you. All reputable companies, are not going to spend an extra thirty minutes a week, for free."
3:51pm Dan: "I'll take care of issues in the morning around 7am."
3:59pm Dan" My evaluation was sound on recommendation, and why pool is green. Again apologize for tone, was just taken back. We do not miss accounts, and it will not be our accountability if it does turn. It will be equipment's or excess debris and neglect by Tennant (sic) or home owner. I'll enter you into software and you will get your report every week like every other client of ours "
4:54pm Me: "Thank you for taking care of it, have a good night."
May 21, following morning:
8:00am Dan: "Chems are fine, lots of plaster dust. The basket you brought over is fine for large leaves. I'm terminating service. The way you want me to operate the pool, is not efficient enough for us to maintain.
8:04am Dan: "The impeller was plugged with debrie(sic). I was wrong about stabilizer. The problem is not enough debire(sic) capacity. There's to (sic) much business to take on a high maintenance pool and client that calls and insinuates were (sic) not honest. I found it unprofessional. I mentioned to you were built for professionals.
8:13am Dan: I also found cleaner hanging up on the auto fill devise. Not cleaning pool. Bottom of pool covered in debrie(sic)..no charge for today. Will charge for two visits. If you had service here before, this should not be new to you. I believed we could set pool up to be successful. But with your no budget we are not going to make the difference with my back and time. Good luck. This isn't my first rodeo, and the future looked ugly with the account.
8:16am Me: This text string is scaring and I will not engage. Please do not contact me again."
8:22am Dan: I'm billing, if not paid, collecting no more contact"
I have been in property investment/management for 12 years and have many properties throughout the valley. I have maintained respectful, professional relationships with all of my contractors/maintenance people throughout my career. This was beyond unprofessional and I was made to feel very uncomfortable and confused with the increase in aggression. read more
