Kiser Furniture Company, Inc.

Review: On Oct. 1st, 2013 we visited Kiser Furniture Warehouse with interest in buying a twin size mattress set from a advertised sale. When we arrived we saw a newspaper ad which indicated we had missed the sale by two days, so we started to leave. A Mr. Willis Kiser told us to go ahead and look around and see what was still on the floor from the sale. We did not find what we wanted and were again leaving when Willis Kiser told us he had called in a bedding salesperson and we should stay and talk to this person. We did. It was a Mr. [redacted] Kiser from the main store. [redacted] Kiser talked with us and said he could get the bedding we wanted at the sale price and asked us if we wanted anything else. We said that if the sale prices would apply then we would also be interested in a queen size set. We were told the sale price would apply and he would be happy to order what we wanted. Because the sale bedding was of a brand they were not going to continue carrying in their store, [redacted] said he may have to get a comparable bedding set but that it would be at sale price and we could come look at it first to be sure we liked it. We told [redacted] that we appreciated his at least trying to get what we wanted and he told us that "trying" was not good enough, he wanted us satisfied. This was a Tuesday and he told us that ordering was Monday to Monday, put our name and phone number in his cell phone, telling us he would talk to us Monday. We did not hear from [redacted] Kiser the following Monday and did not hear from him for two weeks. We decided to call to see if he was able to get the order or not. From the moment [redacted] Kiser got on the phone he was not the kind salesperson he had been previously. As I was explaining who I was and where we had met, [redacted] immediately interrupted me, telling me he remembered who I was and mentioned the two bed sets we were interested in. He explained he had not been able to get the order yet, that he had been very busy, and then said in a very condescending tone, "Remember, I told you I'D CALL YOU when I got the order". I stated that we heard him say he would talk to us the Monday after the order was placed and it was fine if the order was not there yet, we just wanted to know if the order was going to happen or not so we knew whether we had to keep looking for the bedding. He said it was fine with him if we got the bedding somewhere else, even if he ended up getting our order. I was taken aback at his rudeness and said again that we just wanted to check on whether the order was going to happen or not. At this time, [redacted] Kiser tersely said, "You know what, let's just say I CAN'T get your order. Appreciate your business" and hung up the phone in a less than five minute conversation. I called the store back, asking the person who answered the phone if I could speak to management or an owner. She explained there were 5 owners and asked who I wished to speak to. I asked her which owner would be the most concerned about customer satisfaction and business reputation. She said that would be Mr. Clyde Kiser and that she would try to find him and would call me back. She called back to say Clyde Kiser was at a medical appt. but would call me later in the day. She called later in the day to say Clyde Kiser had been detained but would indeed call me later. Mr. Clyde Kiser did call me back later in the afternoon saying, "I've been told to call you, so I'm calling you". I explained the unexpected difficulty I had had that morning on the phone with [redacted] Kiser. Clyde Kiser told me [redacted] had our information in his phone but had been unable to get the order. I explained that the issue was with Mark's outright rudeness and the fact that we no longer HAD an order. Clyde said that no one had ever told him that [redacted] had been rude before. I asked why a customer calling to inquire about an order would be upsetting to a salesperson and he said he didn't know, but that he'd never seen that behavior from [redacted] before. Clyde said that "if anything was said that you could take as offensive, well we're sorry" and that was the end of that phone call. He did not try at all to save the order and clearly did not believe that the rude behavior from [redacted] had even occurred. From Clyde Kiser's comments to me, it is clear [redacted] Kiser told Clyde that we had been either impatient or impertinent, neither which was true. We have written a review of our business experience that was mailed to Mr. Clyde Kiser and to the Kiser Warehouse where we originally placed our order. We have heard nothing from anyone from Kiser Furniture. This company displayed a stunning lack of professionalism.Desired Settlement: Mr. [redacted] Kiser owes my family a letter of apology accepting responsibility for his actions - rudeness to a customer and sudden order cancellation - then we will never have to have dealings with them again.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com, I met Mrs. [redacted] at our Clearance Center in Abingdon, VA. She was interested in a $148 twin Set of bedding that we ran in a previous sale. I informed her that we no longer had stock on the product and item was discontinued by manufacturer. I volunteered to do the following: 1)Call the manufacturer on the following Monday and try to order the bedding - If I was able to get bedding I would call you once it arrives If you do not hear from me - I was not able to get bedding... and in that case.... 2)I would be selecting a replacement line-up from same manufacturer - and I will call you once new line arrives. I took her name and number and clearly stated I would contact her once I actually get the bedding ($148 twin set) in stock. IMPORTANT - Customer never made a purchase - I did not write a sales ticket as I was not sure if I could get the mattress set for Mrs. [redacted]. No tickets were written - no money exchanged. We never sold her any merchandise, we never took any money and we never cancelled her order. I received a call from Mrs. [redacted] a couple weeks later. She wanted to know why I had not called her back - I let her know the discontinued product was no longer available and that I did not have the new product on the showroom floor. She was upset and insisted that I was supposed to call her back on Monday. I read off her name and phone number - to reassure her that I did indeed have her contact information and that I had not forgotten about our conversation. She wanted to know when new line would arrive - should they wait or look elsewhere? I told her I would understand if she could not wait and had to make her purchase elsewhere. This infuriated Mrs. [redacted]. The conversation became heated and she got personal - at this point I ended the conversation. I informed her "I would not be able to get the product" and "I appreciated her business". She started screaming and I ended conversation. Mrs. [redacted] called back later that day and spoke with Clyde Kiser (owner) - this did not satisfy customer. In the meantime she has written negative comments on the "Topix - Abingdon" website warning people to stay away from our business. This is nothing more than consumer terrorism. Very important fact - We never sold any merchandise, we never collected any money and we never cancelled her order. I am sorry that Mrs. [redacted] feels like she was slighted - that was never my intention. I have been in sales for over 20 years - I understand how important it is to treat customers with respect. Mrs. [redacted] needs to understand that respect is a two way street. As you can see from her desired settlement she just wants to cause me grief and she is holding Kiser Furniture's reputation hostage unless she gets her revenge. I would hope Mrs. [redacted] could look at her actions and understand the possible consequences. What if I lost my job due to her accusations? I have kids and a wife to support - is that what you want? Do you want to put Kiser Furniture out of business? Sincerely, [redacted] Kiser

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. I have read Mr. [redacted] Kiser's response on behalf of Kiser Furniture. He has not offered the apology due us, and even more disturbingly, has chosen to tell partial truths in this matter instead of correcting his mistake. This speaks to character, Mr. Kiser. It is interesting that he not only uses language to intimate that their warehouse location is a “clearance center”, but that he also repeatedly mentions only part of our order and a partial price - the twin bedding set at $149, instead of the twin set, twin bed frame, and queen set that we actually tried to order - which would have totaled $435 + tax. From May 2013 until Sept. 2013 we spent $700 on several items with the intention of spending an additional $435 on the bedding sets. A salesman of experience such as Mr. Kiser claims to have should be well aware that each purchase builds a relationship and can be positive for both buyer and seller over time. Why the disdain for and misrepresentation of the bedding order? Because it originated from their warehouse? Is there a monetary amount that he deems worthy and others not worthy? If Mr. Kiser feels the warehouse and its customers are beneath him then I would recommend he let Willis and others know he prefers to not work with customers or sales from that location. It is interesting, too, that he highlights that he “volunteered” to check on the bedding sets for us when he was actually called in by Willis Kiser to help take our order. Does he feel he was doing us a favor instead of conducting business? For [redacted] to now choose to not call our order an order is simply playing word games. At the time that we first discussed the bedding orders at Kiser's warehouse location, [redacted] clearly stated he would contact us the following Monday in regards to our order. He never told us he would call ONLY if he could get the bedding, but that he would contact us the following Monday with whatever information he could get. As I have stated previously, even if there was confusion over when he would call, why would it make him angry for a customer to call and check on an order? When I contacted Mr. Kiser after not hearing from him, he immediately interrupted me and was brusque in our short conversation, then rudely said, "Let's just say I can't get your order" as he hung up the phone. He is being dishonest to describe any of my responses to him as "screaming" or “heated”, and to describe my behavior as “infuriated” and getting “personal”. None of that occurred by me. He could have chosen to calmly explain he had not yet gotten the order and have been willing to have a calm conversation about the order status and we would have been pleased just to have information. Again, I had told him at the warehouse that we appreciated his being willing to try find something for us and he is the one that said trying was not good enough, that he wanted us to be satisfied. At no time were we pushy or demanding, but expressed appreciation to both [redacted] and Willis Kiser for their efforts. Mr. Kiser, telling customers you will find and order bedding and then suddenly and angrily telling them you won’t find and order the bedding, is in fact canceling an order. I wrote a review of my experience after unsatisfying communications with both [redacted] and Clyde Kiser. The truth was told and if there truly was concern on [redacted] Kiser's part about his job and reputation his behavior did not show it. He should have dealt with me in a professional and courteous manner at the time we were on the phone, or when Clyde Kiser spoke with him about my call, or at any other time since then. He made poor business choices the day we spoke on the phone and continues to make poor choices by being dishonest and refusing to accept responsibility for his actions. Entities such as the Revdex.com and online review sites are designed precisely for circumstances such as this - where there is unsatisfactory dealings between a business or employee and a customer - so the customer has some recourse. There was absolutely no reason for Mr. Kiser to be anything less than calm and professional. Mr. Kiser calling an honest customer review “consumer terrorism” is laughable. Where was his concern when we were on the phone? His job and his family company’s reputation are his to earn and maintain each and every day. To expect a customer to accept the rude and juvenile behavior quietly and compliantly shows a detachment from the realities of business and indicates an inappropriate entitlement mentality. Mr. Kiser would do well to study and learn from the warehouse staff who had been nothing short of impressive in their willingness and abilities to create and facilitate sales. You should never scold and dismiss a customer. At this time, I know of approximately six sales transactions that will now not occur due to Mr. Kiser’s behavior. All of this falls on [redacted] Kiser’s shoulders and in an independent (non-family) business setting, it would indeed be cause to worry for one’s job. Until an acceptable apology is offered I will continue to alert others to the poor customer service offered so that potential customers can make their own choice as to whether to risk doing business at Kisers. Regards,[redacted]