Pop's Automotive Center

Review: On Christmas Eve I was involved in a vehicle accident to which the officer's called Pop's Automotive Center, [redacted] responded to the scene where he was to tow two vehicles from the site. While in the presence of the officers [redacted] was quite cordial. He provided his card with contact information. Upon arriving home I contacted my insurance company. In the course of preparing my car for transportation from Pop's Auto to the Body shop the insurance company called [redacted] so that I could provide consent. I gave him all of the information he stated was needed in order to process the pickup. When my portion was completed the insurance agent asked if he would remain on the line so that she could get some additional information. While I was still on conference she began to ask him for the types and amounts of charges that the insurance company would need to pay him. He began mumbling off charges that were difficult to understand, when the agent asked him to repeat himself her began yelling through the phone at the agent. When she asked him to explain what a particular term meant he spoke to her in a most demeaning and rude tone asking her how she could possibly not understand. The agent also asked him what the final total would be and he asked her if she was capable of adding. Upon disconnecting the line with [redacted] the agent apologized for his demeanor and attitude. My car was supposed to be released by [redacted]’s shop first thing Thursday morning. I received a call from my insurance company around 9:30am informing me it had not yet arrived and they would look into the matter. Around 3:30 I received a call from my agent informing me that Pop’s was refusing to release my car that I had never provided consent for it to be released. At the termination of this call I immediately called the shop. [redacted] answered the phone and I identified myself. I explained to him that I had just gotten off the phone with my insurance agent and that they were telling me that he was refusing to release my car. He told me that I had not given consent. I pushed the matter telling him that I spoke with him Christmas eve. At that point he confessed that he remembered and that he had left the paperwork in his other vehicle. I asked him what he needed to get this resolved. I once again provided the appropriate information. At this point [redacted] began telling me what an inconvenience all of this had been to him and how this had disturbed his holiday plans. I was immediately offended by this sentiment and attitude and asked him if he thought me getting in a accident that was not my own fault on Christmas eve was convenient to me. He put me on hold and when he came back began to berate me about how my insurance company was bothering him. I informed him at this point that this issue had nothing to do with my overall objective of calling and I simply needed to know if he had everything needed to release my car. At this point in the conversation he began shouting at me on the phone. I told him that he was being a jerk and that he was also a jerk to the agent when she was obtaining information from him to take care of all of this in the first place. At this point he felt the need to point out how nice he was at the scene of the accident as if that one deed would rectify his transgressions through the rest of my interactions with him. As he continued to yell I informed him as far as I was concerned this conversation was over. I hung up the phone. [redacted] then proceeded to call me back at my place of employment and tell me he wasn’t done. I informed him that no longer wished to speak with him and that he was not to contact me again. My car was not available for pickup until the following afternoon.Desired Settlement: I am appalled and quite offended by the quality of service and respect that I received from the owner of Pop’s Automotive. I work in retail myself and would be without employment if I were ever to act in such a manner. I am certainly unsure how he is without more complains and how he remains an A+ rating. With communication skills and service he was providing it is a wonder he has any business. I wish to see that the public be made aware of the amount of respect that [redacted] provides his paying customers.

Business

Response:

Response to Revdex.com Customer complaint received 12/31/13 case

#[redacted]

Re: [redacted],

Towing Customer.

In response to

[redacted] complaint, we would first like to say we are sorry for the

misunderstanding that caused [redacted]s frustration. It is Pop’s Automotive’s

goal to make all our customers happy. We realize that this is not always

possible but we do try our best. When a customer complains we also do everything in our power to resolve the situation.

As evidenced by our A+ rating with Revdex.com.

Pop’s

Automotive understands the tenseness of these accident situations, having lost

family members and seeing fatalities at these accident scenes gives [redacted]

firsthand experience of the seriousness of the situation. Having a policemen at

the scene gives no bearing to his disposition. In addition, policy dictates

that our driver or drivers maintain a calm and understanding demeanor at all

times throughout the pickup process. We have been towing for nearly a decade

and understand the way the process works, however the insistence of this

particular insurance company was unusual.

On 12/24/13, Christmas Eve, Pop’s Automotive was called by [redacted] department to pick up two

vehicles involved in a traffic accident. While at the scene and before the vehicles were on the truck [redacted]

insurance company called [redacted]. [redacted] received the call at the scene because the shop was closed, (for the

Christmas Holiday), and the phones are transferred to his cell phone for the purpose of getting towing calls from the police dept. [redacted] must understand

that when a wrecker is called to the scene of an accident there is little time to load the vehicles and clean up the streets so there is also a great sense of

urgency on the part of the wrecker driver to get things done in a timely manner. Interruptions such as the insurance company calling asking about prices can be a distraction and can cause injury to the driver or others if he were to lose focus.

When he got back to the shop the same insurance company called inquiring about the other

vehicle that was involved in the accident, since the same company insured both

vehicles,

The insurance

company called again asking for our hours of operation and then a fourth time

after hours while [redacted] was already home.

This time was the time that [redacted] was also on line with the agent.

Since [redacted] was not at work and did not have the paperwork in front of

him, he may have been a little slow in recalling all the charges. When the agent asked for a total [redacted]

was not in front of a calculator and asked if the agent could not add the

charges herself, she also was questioning the charges in accusatory tone. At this point [redacted] agrees he was a bit

frustrated and may have come across as annoyed. At this time [redacted] gave

permission for her car to be released.

Christmas day

approximately 6pm, a different insurance agent called asking about the info on

both vehicles and apologized for the other agent questioning the fees and her

behavior, they exchanged holiday greetings and hung up.

On 12/26/13,

first thing in the morning the insurance company sent a truck to pick up the

other vehicle involved. About 9am the

insurance company called again and asked for procedure to release [redacted]

vehicle, they were given the information and that was all that transpired at

that time. At no time for the rest of that day did a tow truck come to pick up

[redacted] vehicle.

At 3pm that

same day the insurance company called again to ask for the charges and if the

vehicle was released by the customer.

[redacted] answered the call and gave fee amounts and advised that we

only needed customer release approval since it was not listed on the towing

ticket. At 3:14pm insurance co called again and asked [redacted] if the vehicle

had been released, he said it was since [redacted] had given approval on

Christmas Eve but he had not yet put the release code on the ticket.

This was the

reason we believe for the insurance co calling [redacted] again to get her

release approval.

At 3:20pm [redacted]

[redacted] called and spoke to [redacted] stating that the insurance co told her we

would not release the vehicle without her approval. [redacted] remembered that

she had given approval on Christmas Eve but since he did not have the

information she had given him while at home he asked for it again so he could

put the release code on the ticket. The

reason [redacted] called her back was to inform her that we had never refused

to release her vehicle nor had anyone come to pick it up.

At that point

it seems [redacted] did not want to speak to [redacted] anymore.

[redacted] does admit that the whole situation did set him on edge and that he may have said some inappropriate things. He knows he did not handle things like he should have and is very sorry that he was not more understanding of [redacted]’s position. It was a very stressful time for all involved and we hope [redacted] will accept his sincerest apology.

We are glad and grateful that she is ok and was not harmed and wish her the very best in her future.

Thank You

Pop’s Automotive Center

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the 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. The statement made against my complaint

neither accepted responsibility nor made motion to make amends for the

deplorable treatment that I received by [redacted] during my exchange. To address the fact that they are using their

A+ standing to discredit my claim is offensive to me. People have a tendency to walk away and many

do not know how easy it is to file a claim when they receive less than

acceptable treatment by businesses. I have not asked for any compensation for

my less than acceptable experience with this company and the fact that not even

a insincere apology was issued is disgusting.