Part 2: - please read part 1 first (next post). that is the correct flow of this lengthy, but informative review...
So today I went in to pick up my suit and sure enough four of the eight sleeve buttons are broken. I pointed this out to Tau and asked if he recalled our conversation, and he replied yes. Tau is not empowered to make any decisions, but I told him in good conscience that I could not pay for this work; they had simply failed to execute given that I had asked specifically about the buttons and was assured that the work could be done. So he got Allen on the phone. This is where things got strange and Allen totally turned on me (this is where my experience is like that of others).
Context - This is a guy who gives lollipops to my kids, helps my wife out to the car with our cleaning, where we have spent thousands of dollars...we have been extremely good and dedicated customers. I haven't been to or used another dry cleaner in Marin in five years!
We had two brief conversations. Allen started by saying that they don't guarantee the buttons. I told him that was fine, I didn't want to hold him accountable for anything, I just wanted my suit, but didn't feel right paying him for the "poor service" (this is a commoditized service business...there are lots of options out there). He simply got this one wrong, they messed it up, they couldn't deliver, etc. I was sure that he would agree. Note - this was fifteen bucks we were talking about and it was the principle of the issue, not the money...this was clear. Where the conversation then went is borderline bizarre and I have to question, given what I mentioned above, if Allen is okay (mentally). He said that if I didn't pay and left the store with the suit, he would call the police and press charges. Pretty aggressive, I thought. I said that I had no interest in trouble (wasn't even sure how/why he went this route, introducing the police seemingly out of nowhere), but that I reiterated that in good conscience I couldn't compensate him for the work/service (he had failed to live up to his business's prior assurance regarding the work), to which he made the police threat again. I then let him know how long we have (had) been customers and asked if this is the way he wanted to treat this type of customer, to which he replied that he would be happy to sew on the buttons if I brought them to him (I have to go to San Francisco, get the matching buttons for the suit...and he is offering to sew them on). I told him that Zenga, like they had done twice before, is happy to do this so his "offer" isn't really of much help, notably given the inconvenience his workmanship has caused me. I then said that my only recourse is to pay him, take my business elsewhere, and write a review online explaining this. To which he replied, verbatim, "I don't give a shit." I asked him if that was how he really wanted to speak to customers. He replied again with his offer to sew on the buttons. I told him no thank you and I would pay. We were done speaking. I paid Tau - with a credit card to document payment. I was in a semi-state of disbelief that I had just been threatened and spoken to this way.
Tau, who had listened to the entire conversation, was torn because I believe he both realized his boss had acted inappropriately ("but he pays me and I need this job") and that he had given me an assurance that they had simply failed to live up to. I think he felt badly.
Listen folks, my wife and kids have gone in here for years. We have done significant business with Allen in the past. I have questioned the quality of his level of service at his price level before (i.e., the prior suit cleanings, another time when there were lots of spots on my shirts that weren't there prior to be laundered, starching my shirts when I always ask for no starch (this is in the computer), etc.) but my wife assured me that Allen was/is a good guy and the place is worth our business. And I understand that dry cleaners aren't perfect...I am an understanding and extremely reasonable individual...
BUT I am floored by what happened today.
There are too many decent people running good businesses in Ross Valley/San Rafael to do business with this shop and this individual, Allen. I could only imagine if he had acted this way in front of my wife or children. That he would treat a customer this way over a principle is unacceptable and deplorable. He should be embarrassed. Beware, don't be fooled by his pleasantries, and take your business elsewhere. read more