Clover Contracting Inc.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]
 Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: I was led to believe the cost would be "a couple hundred dollars". I was not told anything different. If the price was so "established" then the Service Manager should have recited it. He had the opportunity and the knowledge. This response is full of philosophy, no substance. I was an established customer not someone off the street that gets the "church bulletin" discount. Keep your $24. You've lost a customer by your failure of a duly authorized representative to make full disclosure. If that is not deception what is it?
Regards,
[redacted]

Dear [redacted],Thank you for the opportunity to address this customer's concerns.
The previous service manager, Mr. T[redacted], left the company in March. I cannot confirm or deny what he may have told the customer, however, our price for a replacement Garbage Disposal with installation...

is $408. This has been our price for over a year. We do not break out our costs between labor and material for a garbage disposal installation. We set our price at a flat fee. Our fees are determined after we have carefully reviewed comparable pricing in the area. We purposely set our prices to be in-line and comparable to other firms and not above the going rate. We hire a professional firm to analyze and review rates and we conduct spot checks among other service providers. It is important to us to offer excellent service at a fair price.We cannot match or beat the price paid for a garbage disposal at [redacted]. Our service includes expert installation, removal of the existing unit, and a warranty on parts and service. Please feel free to contact [redacted] or [redacted] to compare pricing.We cannot refund the customer for work we completed at his home for our regular, fair and reasonable, price.Clover has not been in business for 33 years by deceiving anyone. We will give the customer a 5% discount, that we offer to parishioners in the church bulletins where we do most of our advertising.Sincerely,Daniel *. M[redacted], President Clover Contracting Inc.

Review: On or about the 17th of March 2014, I contacted Clover Services about the need for repair of a garbage disposer in a rental property I own at [redacted] CT, [redacted], VA [redacted]. I spoke to Mr. Russ T[redacted], Service Manager. He said they could come on the 18th of March in the afternoon. I accepted that time. He asked me if I needed the technician to call me with a price. I said no as long as it did not exceed "a couple hundred dollars." He did not indicate anything in excess of that. However, on 21 March he provided me an e-mail invoice charging $408 to my credit card. I objected to this charge and was told by Patricia T[redacted], Service Administrator on 31 March that "Our price for a replacement Garbage Disposal with installation is $408." This is an indication that Mr. T[redacted], as Service Manager, either was ignorant of the standard charge or deceived me by not informing me of that when we discussed the charge being "a couple hundred dollars." The standard dictionary definition of a couple says "two". I expected to pay in the neighborhood of two hundred dollars and was induced to believe that by Mr. T[redacted]'s silence. I filed a dispute with my credit card company but Clover refuted it by providing copies of invoices for $408. I believe Clover acted deceptively, some might say fraudulently, in allowing me to believe the charge would be as I stated to Mr. T[redacted]. Incidentally the replacement machine retails at [redacted] for less than $100. Clover refused to break out labor and part costs in response to my request.Desired Settlement: I believe Clover owes me $200 refund which is the amount I filed for in my dispute with the credit card company.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted],Thank you for the opportunity to address this customer's concerns.The previous service manager, Mr. T[redacted], left the company in March. I cannot confirm or deny what he may have told the customer, however, our price for a replacement Garbage Disposal with installation is $408. This has been our price for over a year. We do not break out our costs between labor and material for a garbage disposal installation. We set our price at a flat fee. Our fees are determined after we have carefully reviewed comparable pricing in the area. We purposely set our prices to be in-line and comparable to other firms and not above the going rate. We hire a professional firm to analyze and review rates and we conduct spot checks among other service providers. It is important to us to offer excellent service at a fair price.We cannot match or beat the price paid for a garbage disposal at [redacted]. Our service includes expert installation, removal of the existing unit, and a warranty on parts and service. Please feel free to contact [redacted] or [redacted] to compare pricing.We cannot refund the customer for work we completed at his home for our regular, fair and reasonable, price.Clover has not been in business for 33 years by deceiving anyone. We will give the customer a 5% discount, that we offer to parishioners in the church bulletins where we do most of our advertising.Sincerely,Daniel *. M[redacted], President Clover Contracting Inc.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Review: [redacted]

I am rejecting this response because:

I was led to believe the cost would be "a couple hundred dollars". I was not told anything different. If the price was so "established" then the Service Manager should have recited it. He had the opportunity and the knowledge. This response is full of philosophy, no substance. I was an established customer not someone off the street that gets the "church bulletin" discount. Keep your $24. You've lost a customer by your failure of a duly authorized representative to make full disclosure. If that is not deception what is it?

Regards,