August 31, 2016Revdex.com Attention: David Dennis K Street NW, 10" Floor Washington, DC 20005-3404Dear *** ***:I am writing in response to the complaint that was made against our company, Merrifield Garden Center We are very sorry for any misunderstandings that may have
occurred in this situation, and hope that we are able to resolve this matter in a way that is Satisfactory to the customer.The customer complaint raises three basic issues, which are summarized as follows: The customer said he was told the design fee would be $75, but that he was charged $150; The customer said that he was told that he had to come to the nursery, which is minutes from his home, to review the plan with the designer; and When he called to complain, he said he was accidentally disconnected, and then tried to call back three times but was hung up on each time.As for the desired outcome/settlement of this matter, the customer indicated that he wanted the following: Get their money back; Get us to change our practice and tell clients that there may be additional fees if the job is too big, and tell customers in advance that they have to come to the nursery to see the design they paid for, and If this is not our policy, he wants an apology from us in addition to the refund.At Merrifield Garden Center, we offer landscape design and installation services and have a team of designers that come out to customer's homes and consult with them about their landscapeOur procedures for how we handle requests for these services have been the same for many yearsWhen customers call or come into our stores to request a landscape design consultant to come to their home, we take their information and explain how the process Works and what the fees are for this serviceCustomers can also visit our Website and schedule an appointment.We charge a $fee to come out to the customer's house to discuss the landscaping project, make professional recommendations and provide an estimate for the Work to be completedMany customers want or need to have a landscape design plan drawn for their project, whereas others do notDesign fees are extra and are based on the amount of time it will take to complete the drawing, which is usually a function of the size and scope of the projectThese fees are quoted to the customer before any designs are drawnListed below is how the fees are described on the request form that we use in our stores and on our website:"Please note: A minimum fee of $typically applies to all appointments for consultation, which is refundable with a purchase of $or moreThe purpose of this consultation is to discuss your landscape goals and provide you with conceptual ideas and professional recommendations for one main area of your landscape (such as the front foundation of your home)This consultation includes a cost proposal for performance of any work discussedA drawing of the design can be provided for an additional feeThe designer who contacts you will be happy to provide any additional informationThank you for considering Merrifield Garden Center.”In this situation, our designer quoted the customer a price of S($for the site visit and verbal consultation, and an additional $for the design plan for their backyard)The customer agreed to the fee and so the designer drew the plan and suggested meeting the clients at the nursery to go over the landscape planWe often suggest meeting at the nursery because most customers want to see the plants and materials that are being recommended for the jobThat way, they can make sure they like all of the plants and materials that are being recommendedAnd if they don't prefer certain items, we can show them other suitable options.If customers do not want to come into the garden center for whatever reason, we are happy to make other arrangementsAnd if customers cant meet at the garden center at a time that works with the designer's schedule, then we have other staff members who can meet the customer and show them the plants at a time that is convenient for themWe are open seven days a week and always have staff members who can assist them.After all of this took place, I first learned that the customer was not happy about this fee through a post on ***In was in that same *** post that also learned about his other complaints, including being hung up on and having to meet with the designer at the nursery, which is minutes away from his houseWe responded to the *** complaint and apologized for the unsatisfactory experience he had, explained our design fees and offered to speak to him directly about this matterThe customer was given my name and two phone numbers to reach me, but I did not hear back from him.In the meantime, I had contacted the designer who met with the customer and learned that a meeting was already set up to go over the plan with the clientsAfter that meeting, the designer told me that the customer and his wife were both very nice and she said she thought we were going to be doing the work for themSo I thought everything was okay, But then I saw the Revdex.com complaint, and I called the customer to discuss this matterIt was in that phone call that I learned that the customer was still upset with our companyHe explained that when he called the garden center to request a landscape consultation at his home, the person who answered the phone told him it would be $75, and that that fee included the designWhen I heard that he had been given that information by a member of our staff, I immediately told him that we would be happy to refund him the $(and actually offered to refund him $100, because I was sorry for all the frustrations that he said he went through when trying to call).He also told me about all of his frustrations when he tried to call into the garden center to complain about his experienceI apologized for the accidental disconnection that took place, but assured him that we would not hang up on a customer intentionally and then not answer their phone calls when they tried to call back in (with the possible exception of a customer using foul language, which he assured me was not the case).I explained that customers are the lifeblood of our business and that we want to do everything we possibly can to try and make them happyI said we were proud to have an excellent reputation for providing great customer Service, and I’m very sorry that we let him downI told him I hoped he would accept our apology and would give us another chance to serve him in a way that is consistent with our reputation.We then started talking about the landscaping project that was proposed by the designer, and he had some complaints about the cost estimate for the job and how it was slightly above their desired budgetI mentioned that there were different ways to get the price down, such as by selecting different materials or smaller size plantsHe then said that his wife is interested in moving forward with the project with us, and that is her decision, but that he was still not happy with our company and wanted to continue with his complaint to the Revdex.comSo I told him that I would follow up with your office and respond in writing.I hope that the customer will accept our apology for any misunderstandings about our design fees, and any errors we made in handling his phone callsTo settle this complaint, I am happy to offer the customer a $credit to Merrifield Garden CenterThis is equivalent to the entire consultation and design fee he paid, including the $that he was prepared to pay from the beginningI hope that we can still do work for the customer and install a landscape for them that they can enjoy for many years to come.RKevin W
July 5, 2017Revdex.comAttention: David Dennis1411 K Street NW, 10th FloorWashington, DC20005-3404Dear [redacted]:I am writing in response to the complaint that was made against our company, Merrifield Garden Center (complaint ID [redacted]), regarding the 70 [redacted] plants that were...
purchased, and then died within two days. Here is our position on this matter.At Merrifield Garden Center, we sell plants and gardening supplies to both retail and wholesale customers. While most of our business is done through our retail division, we have a number of wholesale customers who shop with us to purchase plants and supplies for their commercial projects. This includes landscape companies, property management companies, golf courses, municipalities and others. These customers receive a discount on their purchases made through our wholesale division. The customer making this complaint has a landscaping company.To shop in our wholesale division, customers are required to register with our wholesale office, and are given a form which outlines the terms and conditions of shopping in that division. In these terms and conditions, it states that plants purchased through our wholesale division are not guaranteed. All contractor customers who shop with us are well aware of this, and understand that we cannot offer them both discounted pricing on plants and a guarantee on those plants. At the bottom of the receipt given to wholesale customers after each sale, it states the following:"We cannot guarantee nursery stock, as we have no control over soil, weather, planting or maintenance conditions after plants leave our nursery. We will not replace plants that fail to live or thrive. Please check ticket carefully. All plants and materials are assumed to have been taken at time of purchase, unless noted by a sales person. The customer is responsible for providing all tarping material and covering their loads."Since this purchase was made through our wholesale division, a member of our staff (Kris) told him there was nothing we could do. When the customer called back to further lodge his complaint, another member of our staff offered to sell the customer new plants at half price as a good faith effort to help by meeting in the middle. So although we had every right not to offer any compensation whatsoever, we offered the customer a 50% discount on new plants as a way to help him and share part of the burden with him. That offer was not satisfactory to the customer.There is no question that annual plants are very tender and they need to be watered more regularly than most other plants (wholesale customers in particular understand this since they work with plants each day). I know the customer said he watered them right after he planted them, and then noticed they were dying, but perhaps they weren’t watered in a timely manner and that’s why they died. We water our annuals each day here at the nursery, and we didn’t have any problems with our annuals, including the [redacted] flowers that were still here at our facility.We are very sorry that this happened to the customer, and that is why we offered to meet him half way in hopes of resolving this matter in a way that was satisfactory to him. But he made it clear that this was not good enough, and is therefore seeking to have this matter addressed through your office. We look forward to hearing from you on what you feel is fair and reasonable in this matter.Sincerely,
August 31, 2016Revdex.com Attention: David Dennis K Street NW, 10" Floor Washington, DC 20005-3404Dear *** ***:I am writing in response to the complaint that was made against our company, Merrifield Garden Center We are very sorry for any misunderstandings that may have
occurred in this situation, and hope that we are able to resolve this matter in a way that is Satisfactory to the customer.The customer complaint raises three basic issues, which are summarized as follows: The customer said he was told the design fee would be $75, but that he was charged $150; The customer said that he was told that he had to come to the nursery, which is minutes from his home, to review the plan with the designer; and When he called to complain, he said he was accidentally disconnected, and then tried to call back three times but was hung up on each time.As for the desired outcome/settlement of this matter, the customer indicated that he wanted the following: Get their money back; Get us to change our practice and tell clients that there may be additional fees if the job is too big, and tell customers in advance that they have to come to the nursery to see the design they paid for, and If this is not our policy, he wants an apology from us in addition to the refund.At Merrifield Garden Center, we offer landscape design and installation services and have a team of designers that come out to customer's homes and consult with them about their landscapeOur procedures for how we handle requests for these services have been the same for many yearsWhen customers call or come into our stores to request a landscape design consultant to come to their home, we take their information and explain how the process Works and what the fees are for this serviceCustomers can also visit our Website and schedule an appointment.We charge a $fee to come out to the customer's house to discuss the landscaping project, make professional recommendations and provide an estimate for the Work to be completedMany customers want or need to have a landscape design plan drawn for their project, whereas others do notDesign fees are extra and are based on the amount of time it will take to complete the drawing, which is usually a function of the size and scope of the projectThese fees are quoted to the customer before any designs are drawnListed below is how the fees are described on the request form that we use in our stores and on our website:"Please note: A minimum fee of $typically applies to all appointments for consultation, which is refundable with a purchase of $or moreThe purpose of this consultation is to discuss your landscape goals and provide you with conceptual ideas and professional recommendations for one main area of your landscape (such as the front foundation of your home)This consultation includes a cost proposal for performance of any work discussedA drawing of the design can be provided for an additional feeThe designer who contacts you will be happy to provide any additional informationThank you for considering Merrifield Garden Center.”In this situation, our designer quoted the customer a price of S($for the site visit and verbal consultation, and an additional $for the design plan for their backyard)The customer agreed to the fee and so the designer drew the plan and suggested meeting the clients at the nursery to go over the landscape planWe often suggest meeting at the nursery because most customers want to see the plants and materials that are being recommended for the jobThat way, they can make sure they like all of the plants and materials that are being recommendedAnd if they don't prefer certain items, we can show them other suitable options.If customers do not want to come into the garden center for whatever reason, we are happy to make other arrangementsAnd if customers cant meet at the garden center at a time that works with the designer's schedule, then we have other staff members who can meet the customer and show them the plants at a time that is convenient for themWe are open seven days a week and always have staff members who can assist them.After all of this took place, I first learned that the customer was not happy about this fee through a post on ***In was in that same *** post that also learned about his other complaints, including being hung up on and having to meet with the designer at the nursery, which is minutes away from his houseWe responded to the *** complaint and apologized for the unsatisfactory experience he had, explained our design fees and offered to speak to him directly about this matterThe customer was given my name and two phone numbers to reach me, but I did not hear back from him.In the meantime, I had contacted the designer who met with the customer and learned that a meeting was already set up to go over the plan with the clientsAfter that meeting, the designer told me that the customer and his wife were both very nice and she said she thought we were going to be doing the work for themSo I thought everything was okay, But then I saw the Revdex.com complaint, and I called the customer to discuss this matterIt was in that phone call that I learned that the customer was still upset with our companyHe explained that when he called the garden center to request a landscape consultation at his home, the person who answered the phone told him it would be $75, and that that fee included the designWhen I heard that he had been given that information by a member of our staff, I immediately told him that we would be happy to refund him the $(and actually offered to refund him $100, because I was sorry for all the frustrations that he said he went through when trying to call).He also told me about all of his frustrations when he tried to call into the garden center to complain about his experienceI apologized for the accidental disconnection that took place, but assured him that we would not hang up on a customer intentionally and then not answer their phone calls when they tried to call back in (with the possible exception of a customer using foul language, which he assured me was not the case).I explained that customers are the lifeblood of our business and that we want to do everything we possibly can to try and make them happyI said we were proud to have an excellent reputation for providing great customer Service, and I’m very sorry that we let him downI told him I hoped he would accept our apology and would give us another chance to serve him in a way that is consistent with our reputation.We then started talking about the landscaping project that was proposed by the designer, and he had some complaints about the cost estimate for the job and how it was slightly above their desired budgetI mentioned that there were different ways to get the price down, such as by selecting different materials or smaller size plantsHe then said that his wife is interested in moving forward with the project with us, and that is her decision, but that he was still not happy with our company and wanted to continue with his complaint to the Revdex.comSo I told him that I would follow up with your office and respond in writing.I hope that the customer will accept our apology for any misunderstandings about our design fees, and any errors we made in handling his phone callsTo settle this complaint, I am happy to offer the customer a $credit to Merrifield Garden CenterThis is equivalent to the entire consultation and design fee he paid, including the $that he was prepared to pay from the beginningI hope that we can still do work for the customer and install a landscape for them that they can enjoy for many years to come.RKevin W
July 5, 2017Revdex.comAttention: David Dennis1411 K Street NW, 10th FloorWashington, DC20005-3404Dear [redacted]:I am writing in response to the complaint that was made against our company, Merrifield Garden Center (complaint ID [redacted]), regarding the 70 [redacted] plants that were...
purchased, and then died within two days. Here is our position on this matter.At Merrifield Garden Center, we sell plants and gardening supplies to both retail and wholesale customers. While most of our business is done through our retail division, we have a number of wholesale customers who shop with us to purchase plants and supplies for their commercial projects. This includes landscape companies, property management companies, golf courses, municipalities and others. These customers receive a discount on their purchases made through our wholesale division. The customer making this complaint has a landscaping company.To shop in our wholesale division, customers are required to register with our wholesale office, and are given a form which outlines the terms and conditions of shopping in that division. In these terms and conditions, it states that plants purchased through our wholesale division are not guaranteed. All contractor customers who shop with us are well aware of this, and understand that we cannot offer them both discounted pricing on plants and a guarantee on those plants. At the bottom of the receipt given to wholesale customers after each sale, it states the following:"We cannot guarantee nursery stock, as we have no control over soil, weather, planting or maintenance conditions after plants leave our nursery. We will not replace plants that fail to live or thrive. Please check ticket carefully. All plants and materials are assumed to have been taken at time of purchase, unless noted by a sales person. The customer is responsible for providing all tarping material and covering their loads."Since this purchase was made through our wholesale division, a member of our staff (Kris) told him there was nothing we could do. When the customer called back to further lodge his complaint, another member of our staff offered to sell the customer new plants at half price as a good faith effort to help by meeting in the middle. So although we had every right not to offer any compensation whatsoever, we offered the customer a 50% discount on new plants as a way to help him and share part of the burden with him. That offer was not satisfactory to the customer.There is no question that annual plants are very tender and they need to be watered more regularly than most other plants (wholesale customers in particular understand this since they work with plants each day). I know the customer said he watered them right after he planted them, and then noticed they were dying, but perhaps they weren’t watered in a timely manner and that’s why they died. We water our annuals each day here at the nursery, and we didn’t have any problems with our annuals, including the [redacted] flowers that were still here at our facility.We are very sorry that this happened to the customer, and that is why we offered to meet him half way in hopes of resolving this matter in a way that was satisfactory to him. But he made it clear that this was not good enough, and is therefore seeking to have this matter addressed through your office. We look forward to hearing from you on what you feel is fair and reasonable in this matter.Sincerely,