Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/28) */
We received a phone call from the "Customer" at 8:54 AM on Thursday, December 10. We sent our service plumber to rod the sewer (See attached service ticket and letter from our service plumber describing the work he performed). As the service...
ticket and letter explain, he rodded the sewer toward the house and to the alley. When he left the house, the sewer was working. He had the customer sign the ticket and they paid with a check (See bottom of service ticket). This was the end of our service call.
On Friday afternoon after 5 pm, the customer's sewer backed up again. They called us back and we were closed until Monday morning. We do not have an answering service forwarding calls to us. The customers then called a plumbing contractor that is opened 24 hours to come fix the sewer. This company cameread the sewer and found the problem (See attached ticket from them). Please note the bottom comments on their ticket. [redacted] cannot warranty rodding when roots and broken pipe are in sewer. Sewer may clog up over time. Even when the other plumbing contractor performed the work on Friday, they were concerned about the sewer having issues again before they were able to come out to fix the sewer!
When we receive a call, regarding a sewer back up it is our protocol to rod the sewer. A majority of the time we rod the sewer and then the sewer starts flowing again. Once the sewer starts flowing again, we run the water to make sure the sewer is working. This is all it takes a majority of the time. This will not repair the sewer, or stop roots from coming back or eliminate them; but this is a temporary and much cheaper fix that many people would rather deal with in lieu of replacing their sewer.
When we get a call saying that, a sewer was backed up again, it was recently rodded, or repaired, it is our protocol to recommend videotaping the sewer. Videotaping the sewer is more expensive than rodding but is recommended since rodding did not work. Also, when you video you can determine exactly where the problem is and determine what has to be done.
We are neighbors with the plumbing contractor that went out the second time and have a lot of respect for them. However, if circumstances were reversed and they had rodded a sewer the previous day and we received a call regarding a sewer backup we would recommend videoing the sewer and if shown the previous bill we would probably reduce the bill to be under theirs also. There is even more of a reason when you know that there was going to be additional work necessary to fix the problem.
When the customer called Monday, it did not go well. We tried to explain to him that we followed our protocols and that oftentimes these protocols are not understood by those not in the plumbing field. He claimed that we were insulting his intelligence and called me a Bh. The only thing we could do to make him happy would be to refund the money for the work we did despite the sewer working when he had left. He even said that he had no problem with our service plumber or what work he did. He said that he did not have the money to pay for this kind of stuff now! He then went to our Facebook Page and wrote a review on it (See attached.)
We regret this situation occurred to the customer. We believe we followed our protocol on the work we performed. We have enclosed the service call, service ticket, face book remark and response from our service man that was there.
Sincerely;
Clara [redacted]
Secretary - Treasurer
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/12/28) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
No I do not accept their to be honest I did not call her a [redacted] over the phone. I told her to not be a [redacted]. That was after she insulted me by telling me they had 77 years experience how much experience did I have. The fact is I am still out the $202.50. I do not care what the other receipt states because I had to have them come out to fix what [redacted] missed. There were intact roots in the sewer. If he had gotten all the roots or got the blockage the toilet and tub would not have backed up the very next day. I can not go without plumbing for a whole weekend. I have an autistic son who does not comprehend that he will not be able to shower because the plumbing is not working. I had to use HIS money that he receives from SSI to fix this problem! I have a lot of stuff on my plate and when I call a company to have something fixed I expect it to be fixed right the first time! Eddie might have moved the roots but even the gentleman from the other plumbing company stated that he did not get the roots out because they wouldn't have grown back that quickly and reclogged the pipe like that. Sure the toilet flushed and the tub was going down when Eddie left but I could have accomplished the same result by using a hand auger. I feel cheated because I was charged for repairs that obviously didn't get done. I have since told everyone I know not to deal with [redacted] Plumbing. I will continue to tell everyone I know not to deal with them. I am still awaiting the phone call from [redacted] from this lady's son who said he would call me back. Never did. Shows you what kind of business you are dealing with. I spoke to him and told him that I did not call her a b[redacted] but told her not to be one by insulting me. I also did post the review on their facebook page. I am not claiming I didn't. When people are looking up plumbers on social media I want them to know exactly what they are dealing with and who. I am expecting a refund. Anything less is and will be unsatisfactory. I have no ill will toward Eddie who came and did the work. I can tell you I didn't see the roots on the end of the cutter. I didn't get to see any of that. Yes I heard him clanking the thing against the toilet which the other company did not do. They went in and got the ball of roots out all without hitting anything other than the piping of the sewer line. I have no idea how he was hitting the toilet or even the tub for that matter. I am not sure which item he was hitting. All I can say is I paid for the roots to be removed and they weren't. I had excessive backup in my toilet, sink, and tub the very next day which obviously means the job was never done. Mrs. [redacted] on the other hand needs to learn to talk to people. And the receipts and everything that were submitted are fine. I don't disagree. But telling me that they are going to use the other company's receipt as a way of getting out of refunding me my money is just ludicrous. Very bad business. I work with people and have been in the service industry my entire adult life and would never speak to any customer the way she spoke to me. Some people have people skills and tact. Others don't. Again I am still awaiting my refund. I told her partial refund is fine before she insulted me. Now I expect the full $202.50 refund.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/12/30) */
Contact Name and Title: Mathew [redacted], Vice - President
Once again, we apologize for the customer's sewer problems and stand behind our service plumber's work. I called the customer several hours after my mom spoke with him and he had settled down. I listened to his dissatisfaction with my mom and how he said she had treated him. I apologized to him, told him we apologize for the miscommunication between himself and my mom and that we cannot go back. and change that. He also told me several times he had no problems with our plumber and the work he performed.
After speaking with the customer I had found out that he had gone to social media and had put a negative review on our Facebook page and had also turned us into the Revdex.com of Northern Indiana. At this time I thought it would be better to deal with him through a third party.
In conclusion, we regret this situation occurred to the customer. We were going to offer a partial refund of $50.00 to the customer before he had gone to social media. If the customer has been in the customer service business his entire life, and knows how to deal with people, he could have gone an entirely different route then the one he has chosen. His review on social media and "have since told everyone I Know not to deal with [redacted] Plumbing" has and will cost us much more money than this service cost was. It is our stance that we will not "cave-in" to people who decide to go straight to social media and bad mouth us to get their way. We believe our service plumber followed our protocol on the work he performed.
OFFER:
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/12/28) */
h. The only thing we could do to make him happy would be to refund the money for the work we did despite the sewer working when he had left. He even said that he had no problem with our service plumber or what work he did. He said that he did not have the money to pay for this kind of stuff now! He then went to our Facebook Page and wrote a review on it (See attached.)
We received a phone call from the "Customer" at 8:54 AM on Thursday, December 10. We sent our service plumber to rod the sewer (See attached service ticket and letter from our service plumber describing the work he performed). As the service...
ticket and letter explain, he rodded the sewer toward the house and to the alley. When he left the house, the sewer was working. He had the customer sign the ticket and they paid with a check (See bottom of service ticket). This was the end of our service call.
On Friday afternoon after 5 pm, the customer's sewer backed up again. They called us back and we were closed until Monday morning. We do not have an answering service forwarding calls to us. The customers then called a plumbing contractor that is opened 24 hours to come fix the sewer. This company cameread the sewer and found the problem (See attached ticket from them). Please note the bottom comments on their ticket. [redacted] cannot warranty rodding when roots and broken pipe are in sewer. Sewer may clog up over time. Even when the other plumbing contractor performed the work on Friday, they were concerned about the sewer having issues again before they were able to come out to fix the sewer!
When we receive a call, regarding a sewer back up it is our protocol to rod the sewer. A majority of the time we rod the sewer and then the sewer starts flowing again. Once the sewer starts flowing again, we run the water to make sure the sewer is working. This is all it takes a majority of the time. This will not repair the sewer, or stop roots from coming back or eliminate them; but this is a temporary and much cheaper fix that many people would rather deal with in lieu of replacing their sewer.
When we get a call saying that, a sewer was backed up again, it was recently rodded, or repaired, it is our protocol to recommend videotaping the sewer. Videotaping the sewer is more expensive than rodding but is recommended since rodding did not work. Also, when you video you can determine exactly where the problem is and determine what has to be done.
We are neighbors with the plumbing contractor that went out the second time and have a lot of respect for them. However, if circumstances were reversed and they had rodded a sewer the previous day and we received a call regarding a sewer backup we would recommend videoing the sewer and if shown the previous bill we would probably reduce the bill to be under theirs also. There is even more of a reason when you know that there was going to be additional work necessary to fix the problem.
When the customer called Monday, it did not go well. We tried to explain to him that we followed our protocols and that oftentimes these protocols are not understood by those not in the plumbing field. He claimed that we were insulting his intelligence and called me a B
We regret this situation occurred to the customer. We believe we followed our protocol on the work we performed. We have enclosed the service call, service ticket, face book remark and response from our service man that was there.
Sincerely;
Clara [redacted]
Secretary - Treasurer
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2015/12/28) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
No I do not accept their to be honest I did not call her a [redacted] over the phone. I told her to not be a [redacted]. That was after she insulted me by telling me they had 77 years experience how much experience did I have. The fact is I am still out the $202.50. I do not care what the other receipt states because I had to have them come out to fix what [redacted] missed. There were intact roots in the sewer. If he had gotten all the roots or got the blockage the toilet and tub would not have backed up the very next day. I can not go without plumbing for a whole weekend. I have an autistic son who does not comprehend that he will not be able to shower because the plumbing is not working. I had to use HIS money that he receives from SSI to fix this problem! I have a lot of stuff on my plate and when I call a company to have something fixed I expect it to be fixed right the first time! Eddie might have moved the roots but even the gentleman from the other plumbing company stated that he did not get the roots out because they wouldn't have grown back that quickly and reclogged the pipe like that. Sure the toilet flushed and the tub was going down when Eddie left but I could have accomplished the same result by using a hand auger. I feel cheated because I was charged for repairs that obviously didn't get done. I have since told everyone I know not to deal with [redacted] Plumbing. I will continue to tell everyone I know not to deal with them. I am still awaiting the phone call from [redacted] from this lady's son who said he would call me back. Never did. Shows you what kind of business you are dealing with. I spoke to him and told him that I did not call her a b[redacted] but told her not to be one by insulting me. I also did post the review on their facebook page. I am not claiming I didn't. When people are looking up plumbers on social media I want them to know exactly what they are dealing with and who. I am expecting a refund. Anything less is and will be unsatisfactory. I have no ill will toward Eddie who came and did the work. I can tell you I didn't see the roots on the end of the cutter. I didn't get to see any of that. Yes I heard him clanking the thing against the toilet which the other company did not do. They went in and got the ball of roots out all without hitting anything other than the piping of the sewer line. I have no idea how he was hitting the toilet or even the tub for that matter. I am not sure which item he was hitting. All I can say is I paid for the roots to be removed and they weren't. I had excessive backup in my toilet, sink, and tub the very next day which obviously means the job was never done. Mrs. [redacted] on the other hand needs to learn to talk to people. And the receipts and everything that were submitted are fine. I don't disagree. But telling me that they are going to use the other company's receipt as a way of getting out of refunding me my money is just ludicrous. Very bad business. I work with people and have been in the service industry my entire adult life and would never speak to any customer the way she spoke to me. Some people have people skills and tact. Others don't. Again I am still awaiting my refund. I told her partial refund is fine before she insulted me. Now I expect the full $202.50 refund.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2015/12/30) */
Contact Name and Title: Mathew [redacted], Vice - President
Once again, we apologize for the customer's sewer problems and stand behind our service plumber's work. I called the customer several hours after my mom spoke with him and he had settled down. I listened to his dissatisfaction with my mom and how he said she had treated him. I apologized to him, told him we apologize for the miscommunication between himself and my mom and that we cannot go back. and change that. He also told me several times he had no problems with our plumber and the work he performed.
After speaking with the customer I had found out that he had gone to social media and had put a negative review on our Facebook page and had also turned us into the Revdex.com of Northern Indiana. At this time I thought it would be better to deal with him through a third party.
In conclusion, we regret this situation occurred to the customer. We were going to offer a partial refund of $50.00 to the customer before he had gone to social media. If the customer has been in the customer service business his entire life, and knows how to deal with people, he could have gone an entirely different route then the one he has chosen. His review on social media and "have since told everyone I Know not to deal with [redacted] Plumbing" has and will cost us much more money than this service cost was. It is our stance that we will not "cave-in" to people who decide to go straight to social media and bad mouth us to get their way. We believe our service plumber followed our protocol on the work he performed.
OFFER: