Stern Shoe Repair Company Inc.

Good Afternoon,You are correct, I have mistaken you for another customer Please call my office ###-###-####I will get this resolved.Joe S***

Good Morning,Thank you for contacting us We make every effort to coach our Cobbler's in the art of customer service and I will definitely use this experience as a coaching opportunity I spoke with Derek, the shop owner about the sandals Apparently, the customer brought her
sandals in for new insoles Unfortunately, not all repairs can be done while you wait due tot he limitations of the staff and materials on site The sandals needed customer insoles made, not ones taken off the shelf and put into the sandals The cost of this service is $ The cleaning and shining mentioned in her complaint would have cost an additional $had she elected to have the service performed or if the service was offered If this was not explained at the time the sandals were dropped off, I express my sincere apologies. I will work with the staff to ensure customers are explained all their options and costs up front so that the customers expectations are met or exceeded.At this time, if the customer would like to ship the shoes to our Landover office, at the address below, I will clean and shine the sandals for free I will ship them back to her at no charge Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience of having to make multiple trips to the shop.Respectfully,Joe S*Cobbler's Bench Shoe Repair*** *** ***Suite *Landover, MD ***

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:
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Regards,
*** ***

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Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Specifically, I'd like to thank Mr. Stern for attempting to make the situation right.  His apology and attempt to fix my damaged shoes were much appreciated. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Good Morning [redacted],
My name is Joe S[redacted] and I am the Licensor of the Shop at Union Station.  I am deeply embarrassed for the way you were treated and the condition your shoes were returned.  This is not how I expect the shop top be run or how we treat customers....

 Please accept my full apology.  I will be speaking with the shop owner today and treating this as a coaching oppertunity.  Can you please let me know a description of the person you spoke with so that I can properly address the issue at the store?
I would like to ask a favor if I may.  Our main shop is located in Landover, MD just off Rt. 50 near the beltway.  Would there be any way for you to send the shoes to me here at my office so that I may take a look at the shoes and see what I can do to repair the damage?  I will reimburse you for the shipping and send them back at no charge.  If I can not restore the shoe, I will refund the $75 you paid.  My address is:
Stern Shoe Repair Co.
Attn:  Joe S[redacted]  [redacted] MD [redacted]
I thank you for taking the time to let me know of this issue.  We can not improve unless we hear from our customers and are given the opportunity to show that we can make things right and that we care about our customer.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to call my office.  I am here weekday mornings until 11 am.
HAve a nice weekend and thank you again.
Respectfully,
Joe S[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because: Check Message tab.
Regards,
[redacted]

Good Morning,
Thank you for contacting us.  We make every effort to coach our Cobbler's in the art of customer service and I will definitely use this experience as a coaching opportunity.  
I spoke with Derek, the shop owner about the sandals....

 Apparently, the customer brought her sandals in for new insoles.  Unfortunately, not all repairs can be done while you wait due tot he limitations of the staff and materials on site.  The sandals needed customer insoles made, not ones taken off the shelf and put into the sandals.  The cost of this service is $35.  The cleaning and shining mentioned in her complaint would have cost an additional $15 had she elected to have the service performed or if the service was offered.  If this was not explained at the time the sandals were dropped off, I express my sincere apologies. 
 
I will work with the staff to ensure customers are explained all their options and costs up front so that the customers expectations are met or exceeded.
At this time, if the customer would like to ship the shoes to our Landover office, at the address below, I will clean and shine the sandals for free.  I will ship them back to her at no charge.  
Once again, I apologize for the inconvenience of having to make multiple trips to the shop.
Respectfully,
Joe S[redacted]
Cobbler's Bench Shoe Repair
[redacted]
Suite *
Landover, MD [redacted]

Good Afternoon,
You are correct, I have mistaken you for another customer.  Please call my office.  ###-###-####
I will get this resolved.
Joe S[redacted]

Good Morning,
I spoke with [redacted] last week when I received the complaint.  We talked about her boots being ready on Saturday.    I offered [redacted] a free repair of her boots at our Landover location as restitution and she accepted.  I am waiting to...

have her drop them off this week.
Joe S[redacted]

Good Morning,I spoke with [redacted] last week when I received the complaint.  We talked about her boots being ready on Saturday.    I offered [redacted] a free repair of her boots at our Landover location as restitution and she accepted.  I am waiting to have her drop them off...

this week.Joe S[redacted]

Review: On 10/29 I dropped my shoes off for protective soles. I have only wore these shoes twice.

On 11/1 I picked up my shoes. The soles were polished all brown (the soles are two tone), the right sole was severely scratched, and the overall quality was subpar (in my opinion). I was told the sole of my shoe was always brown and once I returned with a picture of the shoe I took at the DSW where I bought them, the polish as buffed off while I waited. I was not satisfied. Once home, I noticed brown polish around the shoe and that the stitching that surrounded the shoe was now black in addition to the marks on the sole. All I asked for was protective soles.

On 11/4 I called Stern's and was told by [redacted] to leave the shoes at the [redacted] location and they would be picked up that week. I was told that I would receive a call back. I left the shoes that night after speaking with the mgr there.

On 11/6 I called and spoke to [redacted] and was told that she mistakenly heard me say [redacted] and my shoes would not be picked up until next Monday and I would receive a call back.

On 11/13 I called and spoke with [redacted] and was told that she would check with the owner who did his "daily rounds" on Monday and call me back.

On 11/14 I called and was told [redacted] was not there. Also, my shoes will not be picked up until NEXT Monday and the owner is unavailable.

[redacted] never calls me back. My shoes have still not been picked up. My shoes are damaged, they have deep scratches on the right sole, brown polish (why were they even polished), the stitching is black (maybe from when the polish was buffed off), and the overall quality of the job was unsatisfactory. I would simply like a refund for my shoes. I have the original receipt for my shoes, the receipt for the protective soles, and ticket to pick them up.Desired Settlement: I would like to be reimbursed for the shoes that were dmaged by the business.

Business

Response:

Dear [redacted]

Review: I took a pair of oxfords into the Union Station Cobbler Bench location to be re-soled and shined on Tuesday July 29. I picked the shoes up on Thursday July 31. I immediately noticed a large, deep scratch in the leather on top of the shoe. The scratch is so glaring that it caught my eye immediately. I raised this with the clerk who denied damaging the shoe and claimed that I was lying and the shoe had previously been damaged. This is not true. The shoe was in excellent condition when I dropped them off on Tuesday other than the need for a new sole. Upon further review, I noticed several other scratches to the leather that did not exist before. The shoe shine was also horribly done. I suspect that a part of this was to hide the damage done. I suspect that the deep scratch came from putting the shoe in some type of vice during re-soling. Regardless of how it happened, I didn't pay $75 to have a $300 pair of shoes seriously damaged.

I also didn't appreciate being referred to as a liar by the clerk. He immediately went on the defensive.Desired Settlement: Based on my experience today with the clerk, I have no hopes of actually getting a refund on the work done. That said, an apology would at least be nice considering my treatment.

Business

Response:

Good Morning [redacted],

Review: In March 2013, I left a pair of brown leather boots with the Cobblers Bench to have the heels repaired. The heels were loose and were beginning to become unattached from the base.I was informed the heels could be repaired but the shank needed to be replaced. I was charged a $174.90 . And it took Cobblers bench 6 months (October 2013) to return the boots.I wore the boots for the first time after getting them back from Cobblers Bench on November 17th, 2013. One heel snapped off causing me to nearly fall in the street. I was forced to walk barefoot to a local store to purchase a new pair of boots. On November 25th 2013 I returned the boots to Cobblers Bench who promised to redo the repairs on the broken heel. Ive called and visited the shop on different occasions to ask about the repairs , but Im typically told that someone will call me back because the owner is in [redacted] VA and only he knows the status and location of the boots. The owner has not called me back. On January 6, 2014, I visited the shop to collect the boots assuming the repairs would be done. Instead the representative rudely stated he knew nothing about the boots and that I would need to speak with the owner. I asked to speak with the owner and the rep said the owner was still in [redacted]. I left the shop without my boots.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded the repair costs of the boot of $174.90 I have not been able to use the boots for most of the fall and winter season. I also lack faith in the establishment's workmanship.

Business

Response:

Good Morning,

Review: On September 18th, I brought a carry on bag and a wristlet into this store for a basic repair. The wristlet needed a new snap and the carry needed the handles reinforced and the Velcro re-sewn. I was told it would be ready Wednesday the 24th. Since I was traveling that day, I told them I would come Monday -- giving them three extra business days to do the work. I prepaid $37.10 ($35 plus tax) and left. I get in Monday and only 1/2 of the work was done on the bag, nothing on the wristlet. I was asked to come back Friday (which is today 10/4/13). As soon as I arrived, the workman tells me he forgot to do the second repair and could I come back again next Monday. I asked him why they couldn't do a courtesy call to let customers know when there would be a delay and I wanted to know why they were a full week and a half late doing the work. He responded in a loud voice, " I just forgot and I just TOLD you I forgot." I asked for my bags back and to be refunded for the work he did not do. He then tried to argue that he was charging me for it anyway and wanted to say what I had PREPAID them wasn't enough for the work. The bag had loose stitching on a strap that needed to be repaired and the Velcro re-sewn. The bag is black. They resewed the Velcro with white thread and not completely and not even in a straight line! The wristlet needed a new snap on the handle.

When I pointed out the crazy sewing job, he proceeded to tell me that he does good work and doesn't rip anyone off, snatches the bag from my hand and rubs black shoe polish on it and shoves it back at me, slightly making me off balance. I asked him for the owner's name and number, he scribbled it on a receipt and told me to leave and have a nice day. I could hear him yelling to his coworker that I was a [redacted] could go to [redacted].

The bottom line on this extremely poor and late work with no explanation and not even the slightest attempt at good faith customer service combined with one of the most aggressive and belligerent experiences I could imagine having outside of bar brawl. Disgusting behavior and terrible service.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund of my money and a proper repair of the bags done by a professional at another location at minimum. I prefer a refund and for them to pay for another business to do the work correctly and in a reasonable time. I would like an apology from the staff.

Business

Response:

Good Afternoon [redacted],

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me.

As per our conversation, I look forward to you bringing you 2 items here to our shop in [redacted] where we will refund the $37.10 and have your 2 items repairs properly. My address is listed below.

Have a safe trip and I will see you after the 19th of November.

Happy Holidays,

[redacted] SternCobbler's Bench Shoe Repair3321 75th Ave.Suite BLandover, MD 20785###-###-####[redacted]