Crop Production Services, Inc.

Here is my response to the complaint of Ms. [redacted] on 11/10/2015 of the services provided by Crop production Services and the sales rep David C[redacted] for work that was done on her farm in September of 2015. First I would like to address the not contacting her for doing the application....

Once a customer gives us the order and the sales rep knows what is to be done, then we get the job on the books and do it as it fits into our schedule. If the pesticide we are using does not require a pre-notification then we do not make one and do the job. However if our customer request to be called when we are doing the work then that should have been done. So I do not know what the actual conversation was with Ms. [redacted] and my sales rep, but if she requested to be called and she was not, then I truly apologize. Second the application being done in a sprinkle. Looking at our application records done by our applicators I see that the soil moisture was dry and the humidity was high. Looking at the weather system on our GPS program for that area of where we did the application the total rain fall was less than .01 inches in a 24 hour period. So I would say that under these circumstances if the product was on the plant for 5 to 6 hours it would have had time to translocate into the plant cell walls. Plus we also used a surfactant which helps in movement of the chemical and drying on the leaf surface. Third the invoice, mailing and added fees. What happened and this was also a communication issue I believe!   Ms. [redacted] is listed as a COD account in our system and more than likely never filled out a credit application for the company. Actually what should have happened was the sales rep got a check the day services were done. This is why there was never a statement and why fees were added on so rapidly. These fees were ALL deducted off from the final due amount! Fourth the difference in acres from one year to the next. This sometimes happens and I do know that the spray unit used in 2015 season was one of our complete GPS sprayer and the acreage is usually more accurate. The unit used in 2014 did not have any GPS functions. We did make the adjustment of the 6 acres in question for Ms. [redacted] for the final total.Actually the FSA office has this field at 37.6 acres. And finally the final payoff. I do not want to get into a He said She said deal here, but talking with Mr. C[redacted] he stated to me that yes he did want to get paid and he asked to be paid and that Ms. [redacted] said She did not have Her check book but She asked him to follow her to the office where the check book was at and She would pay him there. If this is not how things actually happened and I do not know since I was not there, I would understand Her uneasiness in the situation Summary: I recognize that Ms. [redacted] is very upset and I truly understand why and how she could be. I have been in this industry for 33 years now and have never had a customer turn my place of business into the Revdex.com organization. This is the first time ever. I would like to apologize on behalf of CPS Tyrone for not providing the correct communacation and the appropriate time frame to handle this complaint . If things were discussed upfront this more than likely would not have went to this level. CPS Tyrone  does 40,000 acres of custom application for area farms in Central Pa. with very few to no complaints each year.Further questions or needs please contact me at ###-###-####Dave C[redacted]

Mr. C[redacted] is correct, I never spoke to him and he never answered my questions or complaints. I was unaware he even existed since I was never referred to him by anyone. He states that "if" the chemicals stayed on the plant for 5-6 hours, they were effective. Interesting that he states it that way because that is the problem. It continued to sprinkle and turned into a heavier rain a couple hours later. I had someone working at the farm who can attest to this. My concern is that the chemicals did not stay on for 5-6 hours. The weeds looked no different a month later than the ones up the road. As far as the acreage, I have an aerial and information that the acreage is much less than the 37.6 acres Mr. C[redacted] attests. And, he does not explain how I was billed for 41 acres when he now says that there are 37.6 acres. Saying that one GPS is more accurate leads me to question just what are farmers getting billed for.Mr. c[redacted] also states that I requested to be followed back to town for payment. No, I did state that I did not have my checkbook with me. I was asked where it was, and when I replied at the shop, in town, I was told I would be followed to town to get the check. Yes, I was very uncomfortable and this is hardly standard business practice.Obviously I paid the bill but still feel it was unfair and I believe others need to know of these events.
Regards,
[redacted]

Mr. C[redacted] is correct, I never spoke to him and he never answered my questions or complaints. I was unaware he even existed since I was never referred to him by anyone. He states that "if" the chemicals stayed on the plant for 5-6 hours, they were effective. Interesting that he states it that way because that is the problem. It continued to sprinkle and turned into a heavier rain a couple hours later. I had someone working at the farm who can attest to this. My concern is that the chemicals did not stay on for 5-6 hours. The weeds looked no different a month later than the ones up the road. As far as the acreage, I have an aerial and information that the acreage is much less than the 37.6 acres Mr. C[redacted] attests. And, he does not explain how I was billed for 41 acres when he now says that there are 37.6 acres. Saying that one GPS is more accurate leads me to question just what are farmers getting billed for.
Mr. c[redacted] also states that I requested to be followed back to town for payment. No, I did state that I did not have my checkbook with me. I was asked where it was, and when I replied at the shop, in town, I was told I would be followed to town to get the check. Yes, I was very uncomfortable and this is hardly standard business practice.
Obviously I paid the bill but still feel it was unfair and I believe others need to know of these events.
Regards,
[redacted]

Here is my response to the complaint of Ms. [redacted] on 11/10/2015 of the services provided by Crop production Services and the sales rep David C[redacted] for work that was done on her farm in September of...

2015.
 
First I would like to address the not contacting her for doing the application. Once a customer gives us the order and the sales rep knows what is to be done, then we get the job on the books and do it as it fits into our schedule. If the pesticide we are using does not require a pre-notification then we do not make one and do the job. However if our customer request to be called when we are doing the work then that should have been done. So I do not know what the actual conversation was with Ms. [redacted] and my sales rep, but if she requested to be called and she was not, then I truly apologize.
 
Second the application being done in a sprinkle. Looking at our application records done by our applicators I see that the soil moisture was dry and the humidity was high. Looking at the weather system on our GPS program for that area of where we did the application the total rain fall was less than .01 inches in a 24 hour period. So I would say that under these circumstances if the product was on the plant for 5 to 6 hours it would have had time to translocate into the plant cell walls. Plus we also used a surfactant which helps in movement of the chemical and drying on the leaf surface.
 
Third the invoice, mailing and added fees. What happened and this was also a communication issue I believe!   Ms. [redacted] is listed as a COD account in our system and more than likely never filled out a credit application for the company. Actually what should have happened was the sales rep got a check the day services were done. This is why there was never a statement and why fees were added on so rapidly. These fees were ALL deducted off from the final due amount!
 
Fourth the difference in acres from one year to the next. This sometimes happens and I do know that the spray unit used in 2015 season was one of our complete GPS sprayer and the acreage is usually more accurate. The unit used in 2014 did not have any GPS functions. We did make the adjustment of the 6 acres in question for Ms. [redacted] for the final total.Actually the FSA office has this field at 37.6 acres.
 
And finally the final payoff. I do not want to get into a He said She said deal here, but talking with Mr. C[redacted] he stated to me that yes he did want to get paid and he asked to be paid and that Ms. [redacted] said She did not have Her check book but She asked him to follow her to the office where the check book was at and She would pay him there. If this is not how things actually happened and I do not know since I was not there, I would understand Her uneasiness in the situation
 
Summary: I recognize that Ms. [redacted] is very upset and I truly understand why and how she could be. I have been in this industry for 33 years now and have never had a customer turn my place of business into the Revdex.com organization. This is the first time ever. I would like to apologize on behalf of CPS Tyrone for not providing the correct communacation and the appropriate time frame to handle this complaint . If things were discussed upfront this more than likely would not have went to this level. CPS Tyrone  does 40,000 acres of custom application for area farms in Central Pa. with very few to no complaints each year.
Further questions or needs please contact me at ###-###-####
Dave C[redacted]

Review: I was contacted to have fields sprayed again for weeds. I agreed it was needed. Company showed up and started spraying 9/21 without contacting me. Only knew from person working at farm while I was gone. It was sprinkling when weed killer was being applied. I called rep about it and was told it would be okay as long as chemical dried on plant. It never stopped raining and I was told it didn't ever dry. I then received a statement at the beginning of October (2 weeks later) stating what I owed and a finance charge. Never received an invoice. Called in and they apologized and sent me invoice. It stated they sprayed 41 acres. I don't have 41 acres. Last year they charged me for 35 even though invoice originally said 30. I questioned that and how did I know spraying was effective. Was told Mr. C[redacted] would check. Almost a month later I hadn't heard so called in again. Mr. C[redacted] called me on 11/3 to say that Dogbane (major weed to be killed) was dead. Yes, it looked dead and so did it up the road, etc. We had had a hard frost by then. I told them how is it any different. Met Mr. C[redacted] at farm today 11/10 at 10 am. We looked at my field than up at neighbors. Again, I could see no difference, he said there was and told me he was getting paid today. I told him I didn't have a check with me and he asked where I had them and told me he would follow me to town to get paid. I did not agree to pay for the extra 6 acres. I felt I had to pay for rest--he was acting nervous and uncomfortable and demanding I pay. He followed me to town to get check. After waiting a month to get rep. to come out to look at fields, I was expected to pay immediately. I was very uncomfortable with the way I was treated and did not feel quite safe. I did not like being followed to get check. I have excellent credit and paid with no problem last year, even with additional charges for questionable acres. I tried contacting the main office for this firm and they would not even listen, instead told me I had to deal with local office.Desired Settlement: I never received an explanation of the additional acres except for being told the computer does it. I would like an explanation and an apology for the way I was charged, treated, and followed. It made me very uncomfortable. I should not have to pay for a job that was done under improper weather conditions, don't know if it was effective, and then overcharged for amount. Consumers need to know that the charges and amounts from this firm may not be accurate.

Business

Response:

Here is my response to the complaint of Ms. [redacted] on 11/10/2015 of the services provided by Crop production Services and the sales rep David C[redacted] for work that was done on her farm in September of 2015.