Four Seasons Furnace Cleaning & Services

Response to Complaint ID [redacted] Four Seasons Furnace Cleaning & Services on-call serviceman received an emergency call from the customer on our emergency line at approximately 10:pm, Nov 8, 2017, Over the next 30­minutes, there were a few phone calls between the on-call serviceman and the customerThese conversations included picture messages and information that helped the on-call serviceman determine that most likely, the motor was the issue and to provide a general estimate for repairsThe on-call serviceman provided the customer with an estimate of $300-$dollars for the motor based on the last [redacted] furnace he had fixed_ He did communicate to the customer several times that this is just a rough estimate and the actual price would be determined by the wholesaler, as part prices continually fluctuateBecause the customer had provided model number information, the on-call serviceman confirmed that he did not have the motor on his truck or in our shop and would need to pick it up from the wholesalerThe on-call serviceman then offered the customer the option to come out in the morning instead of that evening when the wholesalers are open to avoid an emergency opfee from the wholesaler and after-hours service ratesThe customer verbally agreed to the regular-hour service rates and the actual price of the part once picked up from the wholesalerThe on-call serviceman arrived at the customers home at approximately 7:am on Nov 9, to confirm diagnosis to then go and pick up the correct motor from our wholesalerBecause there were many emergencies that day, the on-call serviceman started up the customer's gas fireplace that was previously not operating to provide temporary heat in case he could not return with the motor until the afternoonFortunately, the on-call serviceman was able to return immediately from the wholesaler with the motor to complete the repairThe trip to retrieve the motor and return to the customers home was one hourUpon return the on-call serviceman communicated the price of the motor to the customer of $+ GST and the regular service ratesThe customer questioned the serviceman on the price of the motor as it was different from the quote the night beforeThe on-call serviceman explained that his estimate was not guaranteed, and this is the price for this motor from the wholesaler that he just picked upThe customer then asked the on-call serviceman if he could "shop around" for a better price on the motorOur serviceman explained that [redacted] furnace motors can only be purchased from [redacted] / [redacted] wholesaler who only sell directly to contractorsTherefore, the motor can only be installed by a professional/licensed contractor who has access to purchase the [redacted] motorHe explained to the customer that the price we are charging for the motor would be very similar to other HVAC service companies who apply standard markupThe customer agreed to the charges and provided signature on the invoice approving all chargesDespite the 30-minutes of over the phone service the night before, a total of hours to retrieve and install the part, and that our regular service hours do not start until 9:am, our serviceman only charged the customer for a regular service hours call out, one hour of regular service labour, and the motorOn Nov 9, 2017, following the service repair, the customer called the office reporting his concerns that he feels he was overcharged for the motor based on an online listing from [redacted] ** in Edmonton displaying the same motor numberDuring this phone call, our office requested the customer send an email link to this listing, so we could properly address his concernsThe customer called back a second time before sending the email link stating that he spoke to the wholesaler and continued with additional complaints based on information from a wholesaler not associated with our companyDuring the second phone call, another office employee repeated to the customer that there are many substandard parts available for purchase online and the only way to address his concerns would be to send the link, so we can see what he is seeingOnce the link was received via email from the customer, our office phoned the [redacted] / [redacted] wholesaler to inquire about the price of the motor in question [redacted] / [redacted] confirmed that the motor offered to the public from [redacted] is not the same [redacted] manufacturer motor but a generic or substandard "knock off" instead of the warrantable partOur markup was also confirmed from the wholesaler to be standard and acceptable for the industryOur office then made a phone call to [redacted] to verify the information from [redacted] / [redacted] , and if so how they are able to circumvent [redacted] the manufacturer to sell these parts to the publicIn speaking with [redacted] it was determined that the motor they advertised as the same part number as the motor we installed is in fact not the same motorThey would not disclose where they sourced the part from, but it most certainly was not from [redacted] the manufacturer or any approved [redacted] wholesalerOur company then mailed the customer back letting him know that management would be following up directly via the telephone the next day to address his concernsThe customer sent two additional emails before the management phone call with additional concernsOn Friday, Nov 10, one of the managers called the customer directly to explain why he was charged $for the motor instead of the $he found advertised onlineDuring the conversation the manager tried to explain to the customer that while the part is advertised with the same part number, it is not the same part, not the same price, and not warrantable with [redacted] , the manufacturer of his furnaceThe manager also explained that the part we installed is warrantable for year from installation including days labour warranty and is the exact motor for his furnace, not a knock off or substandard part and therefore the prices are not comparableThe customer then asked for the wholesale receipt to verify the price and markup for his service callThe manager then explained that we cannot provide wholesale receipts for parts purchases and he was provided a customer invoice detailing the breakdown of all parts and labour for the service repairThe phone call did not end with a resolution as the customer continually requested a refund on the motor of $which we cannot provide as the motor in question is not the sameOn Monday, Nov 13, The manager also responded to the two emails the customer sent prior to this conversation answering each one of his concerns, reiterating the miscommunication and trying to provide understandable explanation that was not achieved in the phone conversationFour Seasons appreciates the opportunity to once again clarify the part price concern and reach a neutral and reasonable resolutionThe on-call serviceman never guaranteed his quote of $300-$to the customer and stressed many times that it was a ball park and the final part price would be determined once the wholesaler opened the next morningThere was no misrepresentation when the on-call serviceman stated that prices fluctuate as most furnaces and parts installed in Canada are sourced from the U.S.A, including the customers [redacted] furnaceThe on-call serviceman did not misinform the customer when he communicated that these parts can only be purchased by a professional/licensed contractorIt is true that a customer can go and buy a substandard or "knock off' part online or from public wholesalersThese parts are not produced by the actual manufacturer of the furnace model and are not generally purchased by contractors as they are not warrantableManufacturer replacement parts for furnaces are only available where the original equipment is sold, with wholesalers who only sell to contractors as all furnace manufacturers are very clear on the mechanical liability for the equipment and repairsThe motor installed by Four Seasons was purchased directly from [redacted] / [redacted] and they only sell to professional/licensed mechanical contractors and can be verified directly with [redacted] / [redacted] When the customer asked the on-call serviceman for the receipt of purchase, the on-call serviceman assumed the customer was referring to his customer invoiceOur company has never provided wholesale part receipts to any customers, so the assumption made by our serviceman resulted in a miscommunication with the customerWholesale agreements between mechanical companies and wholesalers are confidentialProviding a wholesale receipt is not a reasonable request and would be in violation of our wholesaler agreementConsider purchasing a TV at [redacted] ***If you asked [redacted] to provide a wholesale receipt of their purchase of the TV to resell to you in addition to your customer retail receipt, it would not be providedIt was explained to the customer in the phone conversation on Nov 10, and email response on Nov that the link he provided to [redacted] does not represent the same [redacted] motor and cannot be used as a comparison to the part we providedOur company cannot comment or explain the information the customer was given by [redacted] who is not associated with our company in any wayOur company cannot refund $plus GST that the customer is requesting for the perceived overcharge on the part as the motor priced at $is not the same motor we installedThe customer's furnace continues to operate without issue following our emergency service response to provide heat again to the home during the cold winter conditionsWe cannot take back the motor installed as it not able to re-used, or re-sold in any way and cannot be returned to the wholesaler for part creditFour Seasons Furnace Cleaning & Services is committed to providing customer satisfaction for all of our services which we have been providing for the past yearsTherefore the only resolution we can offer to the customer is to take a complete loss on our service rates and refund the customer for the labour and call out charged, $including GST to resolve this concernThe customer will still have a furnace that is repaired and in good working condition for the winter season and as a further measure of good faith, we will honour the one year part warranty on the motorWe will no longer honour the day labour warranty once the refund is complete as no labour has been charged for the service repairOur company is providing this offer of resolution not because the motor installed was overpriced, or because there was any misrepresentation with our service, but to address the customers overall frustration with the situationAfter several attempts over the phone and via email to try and help the customer understand the situation and the reality of the price for his motor without resolution, our company feels this is the only resolution that will address the customer's concernWe are dedicated to providing service that customers are satisfied with, even at the cost of taking a loss on a service callWe cannot take responsibility for the business practices of other companies and wholesalers that we are not associated withBut we can do our very best as a company to address the customers concerns and continue to provide emergency response HVAC service to the many customers who will require it this winterSincerely, Four Seasons Furnace Cleaning & Services Management

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me
Sincerely,
Nafis ***

Response to Complaint ID[redacted] Four Seasons Furnace Cleaning & Services on-call serviceman received an emergency call from the customer on our emergency line at approximately 10:30 pm, Nov 8, 2017, Over the next 30­45 minutes, there were a few phone calls between the on-call serviceman and...

the customer. These conversations included picture messages and information that helped the on-call serviceman determine that most likely, the motor was the issue and to provide a general estimate for repairs. The on-call serviceman provided the customer with an estimate of $300-$400 dollars for the motor based on the last [redacted] furnace he had fixed_ He did communicate to the customer several times that this is just a rough estimate and the actual price would be determined by the wholesaler, as part prices continually fluctuate. Because the customer had provided model number information, the on-call serviceman confirmed that he did not have the motor on his truck or in our shop and would need to pick it up from the wholesaler. The on-call serviceman then offered the customer the option to come out in the morning instead of that evening when the wholesalers are open to avoid an emergency open-up fee from the wholesaler and after-hours service rates. The customer verbally agreed to the regular-hour service rates and the actual price of the part once picked up from the wholesaler. The on-call serviceman arrived at the customers home at approximately 7:00 am on Nov 9, 2017 to confirm diagnosis to then go and pick up the correct motor from our wholesaler. Because there were many emergencies that day, the on-call serviceman started up the customer's gas fireplace that was previously not operating to provide temporary heat in case he could not return with the motor until the afternoon. Fortunately, the on-call serviceman was able to return immediately from the wholesaler with the motor to complete the repair. The trip to retrieve the motor and return to the customers home was one hour. Upon return the on-call serviceman communicated the price of the motor to the customer of $684.00 + GST and the regular service rates. The customer questioned the serviceman on the price of the motor as it was different from the quote the night before. The on-call serviceman explained that his estimate was not guaranteed, and this is the price for this motor from the wholesaler that he just picked up. The customer then asked the on-call serviceman if he could "shop around" for a better price on the motor. Our serviceman explained that [redacted] furnace motors can only be purchased from [redacted] wholesaler who only sell directly to contractors. Therefore, the motor can only be installed by a professional/licensed contractor who has access to purchase the [redacted] motor. He explained to the customer that the price we are charging for the motor would be very similar to other HVAC service companies who apply standard markup. The customer agreed to the charges and provided signature on the invoice approving all charges. Despite the 30-45 minutes of over the phone service the night before, a total of 1.5 hours to retrieve and install the part, and that our regular service hours do not start until 9:00 am, our serviceman only charged the customer for a regular service hours call out, one hour of regular service labour, and the motor. On Nov 9, 2017, following the service repair, the customer called the office reporting his concerns that he feels he was overcharged for the motor based on an online listing from [redacted] ** in Edmonton displaying the same motor number. During this phone call, our office requested the customer send an email link to this listing, so we could properly address his concerns. The customer called back a second time before sending the email link stating that he spoke to the wholesaler and continued with additional complaints based on information from a wholesaler not associated with our company. During the second phone call, another office employee repeated to the customer that there are many substandard parts available for purchase online and the only way to address his concerns would be to send the link, so we can see what he is seeing. Once the link was received via email from the customer, our office phoned the [redacted] wholesaler to inquire about the price of the motor in question. [redacted] confirmed that the motor offered to the public from [redacted] is not the same [redacted] manufacturer motor but a generic or substandard "knock off" instead of the warrantable part. Our markup was also confirmed from the wholesaler to be standard and acceptable for the industry. Our office then made a phone call to [redacted] to verify the information from [redacted] , and if so how they are able to circumvent [redacted] the manufacturer to sell these parts to the public. In speaking with [redacted] it was determined that the motor they advertised as the same part number as the motor we installed is in fact not the same motor. They would not disclose where they sourced the part from, but it most certainly was not from [redacted] the manufacturer or any approved [redacted] wholesaler. Our company then mailed the customer back letting him know that management would be following up directly via the telephone the next day to address his concerns. The customer sent two additional emails before the management phone call with additional concerns. On Friday, Nov 10, one of the managers called the customer directly to explain why he was charged $684.00 for the motor instead of the $317.40 he found advertised online. During the conversation the manager tried to explain to the customer that while the part is advertised with the same part number, it is not the same part, not the same price, and not warrantable with [redacted], the manufacturer of his furnace. The manager also explained that the part we installed is warrantable for 1 year from installation including 30 days labour warranty and is the exact motor for his furnace, not a knock off or substandard part and therefore the prices are not comparable. The customer then asked for the wholesale receipt to verify the price and markup for his service call. The manager then explained that we cannot provide wholesale receipts for parts purchases and he was provided a customer invoice detailing the breakdown of all parts and labour for the service repair. The phone call did not end with a resolution as the customer continually requested a refund on the motor of $366.60 which we cannot provide as the motor in question is not the same. On Monday, Nov 13, The manager also responded to the two emails the customer sent prior to this conversation answering each one of his concerns, reiterating the miscommunication and trying to provide understandable explanation that was not achieved in the phone conversation. Four Seasons appreciates the opportunity to once again clarify the part price concern and reach a neutral and reasonable resolution. The on-call serviceman never guaranteed his quote of $300-$400 to the customer and stressed many times that it was a ball park and the final part price would be determined once the wholesaler opened the next morning. There was no misrepresentation when the on-call serviceman stated that prices fluctuate as most furnaces and parts installed in Canada are sourced from the U.S.A, including the customers [redacted] furnace. The on-call serviceman did not misinform the customer when he communicated that these parts can only be purchased by a professional/licensed contractor. It is true that a customer can go and buy a substandard or "knock off' part online or from public wholesalers. These parts are not produced by the actual manufacturer of the furnace model and are not generally purchased by contractors as they are not warrantable. Manufacturer replacement parts for furnaces are only available where the original equipment is sold, with wholesalers who only sell to contractors as all furnace manufacturers are very clear on the mechanical liability for the equipment and repairs. The motor installed by Four Seasons was purchased directly from [redacted] and they only sell to professional/licensed mechanical contractors and can be verified directly with [redacted]. When the customer asked the on-call serviceman for the receipt of purchase, the on-call serviceman assumed the customer was referring to his customer invoice. Our company has never provided wholesale part receipts to any customers, so the assumption made by our serviceman resulted in a miscommunication with the customer. Wholesale agreements between mechanical companies and wholesalers are confidential. Providing a wholesale receipt is not a reasonable request and would be in violation of our wholesaler agreement. Consider purchasing a TV at [redacted]. If you asked [redacted] to provide a wholesale receipt of their purchase of the TV to resell to you in addition to your customer retail receipt, it would not be provided. It was explained to the customer in the phone conversation on Nov 10, and email response on Nov 13 that the link he provided to [redacted] does not represent the same [redacted] motor and cannot be used as a comparison to the part we provided. Our company cannot comment or explain the information the customer was given by [redacted] who is not associated with our company in any way. Our company cannot refund $366.60 plus GST that the customer is requesting for the perceived overcharge on the part as the motor priced at $317.40 is not the same motor we installed. The customer's furnace continues to operate without issue following our emergency service response to provide heat again to the home during the cold winter conditions. We cannot take back the motor installed as it not able to re-used, or re-sold in any way and cannot be returned to the wholesaler for part credit. Four Seasons Furnace Cleaning & Services is committed to providing customer satisfaction for all of our services which we have been providing for the past 30 years. Therefore the only resolution we can offer to the customer is to take a complete loss on our service rates and refund the customer for the labour and call out charged, $271.95 including GST to resolve this concern. The customer will still have a furnace that is repaired and in good working condition for the winter season and as a further measure of good faith, we will honour the one year part warranty on the motor. We will no longer honour the 30 day labour warranty once the refund is complete as no labour has been charged for the service repair. Our company is providing this offer of resolution not because the motor installed was overpriced, or because there was any misrepresentation with our service, but to address the customers overall frustration with the situation. After several attempts over the phone and via email to try and help the customer understand the situation and the reality of the price for his motor without resolution, our company feels this is the only resolution that will address the customer's concern. We are dedicated to providing service that customers are satisfied with, even at the cost of taking a loss on a service call. We cannot take responsibility for the business practices of other companies and wholesalers that we are not associated with. But we can do our very best as a company to address the customers concerns and continue to provide emergency response HVAC service to the many customers who will require it this winter. Sincerely, Four Seasons Furnace Cleaning & Services Management