West Corporation

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2017/01/05) */ On December 15, 2016, Illiana Heating received a call from the customer with a complaint of No-heatOur technician [redacted] arrived at the customer's home at 3:52PM to diagnose the issueAs seen in the attached invoice #XXXXXX, the technician diagnosed that the furnace was operating at the time he was there but was in need of some repairs including replacement of a condensate pump and a draft inducer that had a broken fan wheelThe technician also observed that the heat exchanger appeared scorched as a result of what he felt was ductwork that was not sufficient for the system and the home it was servingThe technician left at 5:25PM with check # [redacted] for [redacted] that the customer had agreed to pay with the office staff when she called to make the appointment earlier in the dayDue to the later hour of the day when the technician was at the home we were not able to confirm warranty status of the equipment as we had not installed it and the supplier was closedIt was the technicians recommendation that given the condition of the equipment and the potential cost for repairs, equipment replacement should be consideredBased on my understanding of the situation, the furnace was running when the technician left Based on both the customer complaint received through the Revdex.com and a review left on our company Facebook page, the customer understood [redacted] to have quoted a condensate pump for [redacted] What I believe happened based on my experience is that [redacted] told the customer a replacement inducer could cost around [redacted] but considering our supplier was closed and we are not a carrier dealer we could not give a firm priceThere is no written record of a price for any repairs being quotedOur price for replacing a broken condensate pump is much less than [redacted] Later that same evening the customer called our hour answering service and ultimately spoke with our technician, ***The complaint was of no heat again [redacted] made it clear to the customer that if he came out there would be a charge of [redacted] our standard overtime/after hours service call charge [redacted] arrived at the customer's home at 9:41PM and departed at 10:07PMThe furnace was running when [redacted] arrived [redacted] determined that the customers thermostat was in a mode that was not calling for heat as the customer intendedThe thermostat was determined to be working correctly at the time as was the furnace in the condition that [redacted] had left it earlier in the day [redacted] left with check # [redacted] for [redacted] for the service charge as the customer had agreed to on the phone earlierThe recommendation on the signed invoice that was left with the customer is "Call if problem returns" At that point in time, our first technician had recommended some repairs or replacement of the unit and our second technician had instructed the customer to call if there were continued issues as he was not able to determine any that were preventing her system from heating while there When the paperwork from technicians comes back to the office it is reviewed for accuracy and to make sure nothing was missedWhen the invoices for the customer were received a few days later it was noted that the customer had not had any repairs done and a replacement recommendation was madeFollowing our standard procedure our sales manager, ***, called the customer on 12/21/to follow up and see if the customer would like to see options for replacement of the systemThe customer was very upset on the phone with [redacted] and essentially said that she was very unhappy with our company, the technicians had lied to her and she wanted her money backShe had the system repaired by another company under warranty for [redacted] and she was going to tell everyone what a terrible company we wereThat prompted the management team to review the situation and determine appropriate action if anyAt that time it was determined that the first service call by [redacted] would be refunded to the customer as an act of good faith because the situation could have been better communicated to the customer and considering we were there later that evening and collected another [redacted] We elected to retain the second check for [redacted] because [redacted] had been very clear with the customer that him coming out would incur that charge and at that time the system was operating properly according to the ticket signed by the customerThe check was sent back with the letter attached Regarding the rest of the complaint I don't believe our technician lied or that there was any tampering done to make the furnace not operateIn fact, as I understand it from the signed invoices attached the furnace was operating all the times our technicians were thereAs I stated before, one of the customer's checks was mailed back to her before this complaint or the Facebook review were received for the reasons stated aboveUnfortunately, poor communication in both directions has brought this situation to where we are and I feel badly about that; however, I do not think Illiana Heating acted nefariously or with ill intent at any point in this process Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 7, 2017/01/07) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I humbly disagree with their statementI found my late husband's household recordsThru furnace was inspected last fallEverything was in perfect order including the setting for the gas flow valveMy husband was an R & D chemist for years and worked as a builder to put himself through collegeThe next person to do anything to the furnace was from IllianaI also had two other professional heating and cooling people inspect the furnace after Illiana leftThe gas flow value was turned way too far downThe furnace was not working after each of their service callsIt blew cold airI had to borrow several space heaters to warm the house until someone else could fix the furnace Final Business Response / [redacted] (4000, 9, 2017/01/16) */ I am uncertain what statement the customer disagrees withI feel that we have moved from our initial position to a middle groundWe refunded half of what the customer paid and explained why in the previous responseI apologize for any communication deficiency on our part that lead to this situationI understand that the customer's husband worked on the furnace and she recently lost himI am deeply saddened by that news and wish the customer peace without him I can only infer by what the customer says and what my technician wrote on the signed invoices that he must have adjusted the gas pressure down some in order to attempt reduce the firing temperature of the furnace because of the situation he observed with regard to the condition of the heat exchanger, the temperatures he was reading and the sizing of the ductworkI don't have any records of anything more specific than thatWhile there is an "ideal" gas pressure setting we typically shoot for, in cases where that pressure would result in too high a temperature in the furnace that could lead to overheating or premature wear on the heat exchanger and other furnace components The documentation I have shows that the furnace was running when my technician, ***, arrived at the home and when he left on 12/15/The customer signed the ticket so I can only assume she agreed with his statementsI am confused why the customer states "The furnace was not working after each of their service calls"That doesn't agree with my signed paperworkI also don't understand why the customer didn't call us back out the next day if the furnace was not working - we stand behind our work and would not have charged anything to come back outWhy did the customer had two additional hvac professionals inspect the system - did the first of the two not correct the problem? What did the second person check if the first person fixed it? I suppose now it doesn't really matterI do not want to argue with the customerI respect the customer and I also trust my techniciansI have signed paperwork that shows the furnace was running on 12/15/when my technician left at that was all we knew until calling the customer on 12/21/as previously relayedI wish the customer had called us one more time to get this situation straightened out during regular business hours when the supplier is open and we would have been able to address all the issues that lead us to hereAt this point I am uncertain what more the customer would like Illiana Heating to do

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2017/01/05) */
On December 15, 2016, Illiana Heating received a call from the customer with a complaint of No-heat. Our technician ** arrived at the customer's home at 3:52PM to diagnose the issue. As seen in the attached invoice #XXXXXX, the technician...

diagnosed that the furnace was operating at the time he was there but was in need of some repairs including replacement of a condensate pump and a draft inducer that had a broken fan wheel. The technician also observed that the heat exchanger appeared scorched as a result of what he felt was ductwork that was not sufficient for the system and the home it was serving. The technician left at 5:25PM with check # [redacted] for [redacted] that the customer had agreed to pay with the office staff when she called to make the appointment earlier in the day. Due to the later hour of the day when the technician was at the home we were not able to confirm warranty status of the equipment as we had not installed it and the supplier was closed. It was the technicians recommendation that given the condition of the equipment and the potential cost for repairs, equipment replacement should be considered. Based on my understanding of the situation, the furnace was running when the technician left.
Based on both the customer complaint received through the Revdex.com and a review left on our company Facebook page, the customer understood ** to have quoted a condensate pump for [redacted] What I believe happened based on my experience is that ** told the customer a replacement inducer could cost around [redacted] but considering our supplier was closed and we are not a carrier dealer we could not give a firm price. There is no written record of a price for any repairs being quoted. Our price for replacing a broken condensate pump is much less than [redacted]
Later that same evening the customer called our 24 hour answering service and ultimately spoke with our technician, [redacted]. The complaint was of no heat again. [redacted] made it clear to the customer that if he came out there would be a charge of [redacted] our standard overtime/after hours service call charge. [redacted] arrived at the customer's home at 9:41PM and departed at 10:07PM. The furnace was running when [redacted] arrived. [redacted] determined that the customers thermostat was in a mode that was not calling for heat as the customer intended. The thermostat was determined to be working correctly at the time as was the furnace in the condition that ** had left it earlier in the day. [redacted] left with check # [redacted] for [redacted] for the service charge as the customer had agreed to on the phone earlier. The recommendation on the signed invoice that was left with the customer is "Call if problem returns".
At that point in time, our first technician had recommended some repairs or replacement of the unit and our second technician had instructed the customer to call if there were continued issues as he was not able to determine any that were preventing her system from heating while there.
When the paperwork from technicians comes back to the office it is reviewed for accuracy and to make sure nothing was missed. When the invoices for the customer were received a few days later it was noted that the customer had not had any repairs done and a replacement recommendation was made. Following our standard procedure our sales manager, [redacted], called the customer on 12/21/16 to follow up and see if the customer would like to see options for replacement of the system. The customer was very upset on the phone with [redacted] and essentially said that she was very unhappy with our company, the technicians had lied to her and she wanted her money back. She had the system repaired by another company under warranty for [redacted] and she was going to tell everyone what a terrible company we were. That prompted the management team to review the situation and determine appropriate action if any. At that time it was determined that the first service call by ** would be refunded to the customer as an act of good faith because the situation could have been better communicated to the customer and considering we were there later that evening and collected another [redacted] We elected to retain the second check for [redacted] because [redacted] had been very clear with the customer that him coming out would incur that charge and at that time the system was operating properly according to the ticket signed by the customer. The check was sent back with the letter attached.
Regarding the rest of the complaint I don't believe our technician lied or that there was any tampering done to make the furnace not operate. In fact, as I understand it from the signed invoices attached the furnace was operating all the times our technicians were there. As I stated before, one of the customer's checks was mailed back to her before this complaint or the Facebook review were received for the reasons stated above. Unfortunately, poor communication in both directions has brought this situation to where we are and I feel badly about that; however, I do not think Illiana Heating acted nefariously or with ill intent at any point in this process.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2017/01/07) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
I humbly disagree with their statement. I found my late husband's household records. Thru furnace was inspected last fall. Everything was in perfect order including the setting for the gas flow valve. My husband was an R & D chemist for 40 years and worked as a builder to put himself through college. The next person to do anything to the furnace was from Illiana. I also had two other professional heating and cooling people inspect the furnace after Illiana left. The gas flow value was turned way too far down. The furnace was not working after each of their service calls. It blew cold air. I had to borrow several space heaters to warm the house until someone else could fix the furnace.
Final Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2017/01/16) */
I am uncertain what statement the customer disagrees with. I feel that we have moved from our initial position to a middle ground. We refunded half of what the customer paid and explained why in the previous response. I apologize for any communication deficiency on our part that lead to this situation. I understand that the customer's husband worked on the furnace and she recently lost him. I am deeply saddened by that news and wish the customer peace without him.
I can only infer by what the customer says and what my technician wrote on the signed invoices that he must have adjusted the gas pressure down some in order to attempt reduce the firing temperature of the furnace because of the situation he observed with regard to the condition of the heat exchanger, the temperatures he was reading and the sizing of the ductwork. I don't have any records of anything more specific than that. While there is an "ideal" gas pressure setting we typically shoot for, in cases where that pressure would result in too high a temperature in the furnace that could lead to overheating or premature wear on the heat exchanger and other furnace components.
The documentation I have shows that the furnace was running when my technician, [redacted], arrived at the home and when he left on 12/15/16. The customer signed the ticket so I can only assume she agreed with his statements. I am confused why the customer states "The furnace was not working after each of their service calls". That doesn't agree with my signed paperwork. I also don't understand why the customer didn't call us back out the next day if the furnace was not working - we stand behind our work and would not have charged anything to come back out. Why did the customer had two additional hvac professionals inspect the system - did the first of the two not correct the problem? What did the second person check if the first person fixed it? I suppose now it doesn't really matter. I do not want to argue with the customer. I respect the customer and I also trust my technicians. I have signed paperwork that shows the furnace was running on 12/15/16 when my technician left at that was all we knew until calling the customer on 12/21/2016 as previously relayed. I wish the customer had called us one more time to get this situation straightened out during regular business hours when the supplier is open and we would have been able to address all the issues that lead us to here. At this point I am uncertain what more the customer would like Illiana Heating to do.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2015/07/28) */
Contact Name and Title: Kevin [redacted], Gen. Manager
Contact Phone: XXXXXXXXXX
Contact Email: [redacted]@illianaheating.net
Consumer called the office on 7/20/15 (after the complaint with the Revdex.com was submitted) and received same day service where...

the unit was repaired at no cost to the consumer. The consumer has new equipment installed by us so it is covered by our installation warranty. We had been out to the customers home earlier in the season to address a cooling concern and had called multiple times afterwards without response in order to recheck the performance of the equipment. At this time to our knowledge everything is operating correctly.
OFFER:
Complaint has already been addressed by a no-cost same-day repair of the equipment