"McMike" (mcmike)
05/14/2015 at 11:00 • Filed to: cotomer sevis, tutu153
3
31|
"McMike" (mcmike)
05/14/2015 at 11:00 • Filed to: cotomer sevis, tutu153 | 3
| 31 |
The time has come. The house, deck, and under-deck patio all need some cleaning.
Called the company I used a few years ago, and they scheduled us for Friday (six days ago). I moved all the furniture Thursday night, put the speakers inside, and took Friday off so I could be here when they started/finished.
I had planned to seal the deck over the weekend and (hopefully) move as much stuff back as possible. The weekend would have been a great time to seal. We had nothing going on, and the weather was going to be great.
Halfway through the day, I hadn’t seen or heard from them yet. I was wondering if they were running late, if I was a later appointment, or if they told me the wrong day... So I reached out to them to ask.
McMike’s deck - ready to go
McMike’s back yard sale
Friday @ 10:00AM - I sent them a note to see if they could give me a window of time they would be here. They replied with this shortly afterwards:
You are definitely on the schedule for today . There were a few more before you so I am not sure of what time it would be. We will be in contact with you.
(bold emphasis is mine)
(sigh) I should have asked for a time window before Friday, so I could have maybe worked a half-day, or maybe cut the grass that morning. I kept waiting.
And waiting.
Eat lunch
Wait.
Eat dinner.
Sun sets.
Friday @ 11:30pm - I sent them this note:
It’s getting pretty late, so I think it’s probably best that we reschedule for another day. Can someone please call me tomorrow morning to discuss?
Saturday -
Didn’t hear anything at all. I had to move the furniture again to cut the grass. My neighbor asked me if we’re having a yard sale..
Sunday -
Didn’t hear anything at all. Another neighbor saw the back yard, and asked if we were having a lawn party.
Monday @ 5:00pm
- I had still not heard anything, so I sent another note - this time with a little weight.
I understand that delays can happen, but after a no-show on Friday with no explanation, and no call today, I’m wondering if I was on any schedule at all.
I can’t leave my patio furniture in the back yard for much longer, so If I don’t hear from you tomorrow morning, I’ll assume that I’ll need to find someone else to do it.
Please let me know if you would still like my business.
This is about $750 worth of power washing, I figured they might want it. However, at this point, they’re going to need to be a little flexible and find an appointment that works for me.
Tuesday @ 8:00am - They finally replied with this after the threat of canceling:
I am sorry for the inconvenience. We have not forgotten about you. We are having some issues with technicians that are currently being taken care of. Yes, it is setting us back a little bit but I would not want you to cancel because we are trying to keep everybody satisfied. If it is okay, I am making sure any set back these past few days will be for sure taken care of this week. You will be completed!
My reply to that oddly-worded email:
Believe me, I understand that crews can fall behind, employees not show up, machines can break, etc… Stuff happens.
I should have been contacted Friday about the delay. Please look at your schedule, and let me know what afternoon times you have available this week. If you would rather me call, I can do that too.
This reply from them 30 minutes later makes me think there is only one technician, or the office manager is incompetent. I’m losing confidence.
I am waiting for the technician to get here today so I can actually talk to him about what can be done today.
Tuesday @ 5:00pm
- Didn’t hear anything else all day, so I started calling other companies for estimates. I had a feeling they might send someone without an appointment, so I also turned the outside water off.
They had one more chance to save this customer. I was hoping they would call, schedule something that fit my schedule, and would maybe apologize for the lack of communication.
I sent them this note:
If your technician ever shows up, please let them know that I will need to have this appointment rescheduled before any work can be done.
Wednesday 1:00pm - I check my voicemail and hear that the technician was at the house, but he could not get started since the external water was off for some reason. They left me a message at the house, tried to call my phone, and left instructions with me to call them or the technician about this.
Instead of calling them, I followed up with one of the estimates I got the day before. All confidence is gone. They don’t call, they don’t follow directions, and seem to be in the middle of a some staffing problem or some other unorganized messy internal issue.
While I was tempted to string them along for a few more days, (and maybe reply in re-worded versions of the emails they sent me) I just sent them a short note a few minutes ago to cancel with a short explanation why.
I’m expecting a call from them here shortly, to tell me someone is at the house.
What has happened to customer service? Do people usually put up with this sort of shit now a days?
pip bip - choose Corrour
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 07:58 |
|
why not hire a pressure washer and d.i.y?
505Turbeaux
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 07:59 |
|
If I could fit my pressure washer in the 505 I would be tempted. Office is getting built out this week so I don’t have anything to do but take a few calls. Maryland?
jkm7680
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 08:00 |
|
Daaaaaamn, nice grill.
|
McMike
> pip bip - choose Corrour
05/12/2015 at 08:01 |
|
I alternate.
This year, I’ll let them do it, complain about how expensive it is and vow to never pay for this shit again.
Then in two years, I’ll do it, complain about how much of a pain in the ass is it and vow to never do this shit myself again.
Repeat.
|
McMike
> 505Turbeaux
05/12/2015 at 08:03 |
|
I usually do it myself, but this time the house needs it. I can’t reach the top of the house, so every other time, I hire it out.
|
505Turbeaux
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 08:09 |
|
do they bring a cherry picker or a boom truck then?
|
McMike
> 505Turbeaux
05/12/2015 at 08:17 |
|
No idea how they clean siding and gutters 20-30 feet up there. Maybe a big ladder? Maybe they have long spray arms? Magic soap?
OPPOsaurus WRX
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 08:20 |
|
holy f’in s***. for $50 rent one yourself. Its actually kinda fun, you feel like your in a sci-fi move with a crazy weapon. i did it before and its not hard.
Edit: i read the other posts. you should just use this as motivation to skip the post spray payment hate and not pay them and do it.
4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 08:24 |
|
Have you ever used a patio cleaner instead? It works on concrete, stone, decking, fencing etc and is organic so won’t harm soil and plants. As long as the surface isn’t caked with mud it only requires a sweep down then spray from a backpack or handheld sprayer. It kills all moss, algae and lichen and it only takes about 30 mins to treat a large area. I don’t know what products you’ve got stateside but Algon and Jeyes Patio are the main products over here.
|
OPPOsaurus WRX
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 08:24 |
|
the gutters you should be able to wipe down with a sponge. I used bleach and water mixture but they actually do have ‘magic soap’ which is a special mold and mildew removal mixture
|
McMike
> OPPOsaurus WRX
05/12/2015 at 08:28 |
|
That sounds like fun.
That’s why I pay for it every four years.
|
OPPOsaurus WRX
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 08:38 |
|
I did it as I was painting my house. I did about one side a month, so one gutter a month. It only took maybe half an hour to clean the gutter (it took forever to scrape prime and paint) It just sucked cuz youd get soaked with bleach water cuz your reaching over your head the whole time. I’d do it quick and run in and take a shower. In the end it did save me a boatload of money. its was only a few hundred to paint (and clean) the house vs probably something like $5k for someone else to do it.
|
McMike
> OPPOsaurus WRX
05/12/2015 at 08:46 |
|
If I had to shuck out this kind of money every year, you bet your ass I’d do it myself.
It’s very rare for me to hire out work, which is probably why this is so frustrating.
ttyymmnn
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 08:53 |
|
$750? Shit, lemme swing by Home Depot and rent a power washer. I’ll be right over.
|
OPPOsaurus WRX
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 08:59 |
|
that would probably be enough for me to call another company
Luc - The Acadian Oppo
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 09:41 |
|
$750??? Why not buy a new honda 3000psi pressure washer for ~$550.00, do it yourself and pocket the extra $200 AND you get to keep the pressure washer. Seems like a no brainer to me.
V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me!
> McMike
05/12/2015 at 10:54 |
|
Titty sprinkles. They use titty sprinkles.....
|
McMike
> V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me!
05/12/2015 at 11:26 |
|
That would be amazing to see them put on the glass out of second story window.
wunderwagen wants a longer roof
> OPPOsaurus WRX
05/12/2015 at 15:25 |
|
Very nice house, nice cars. I love the tail lights on that generation Impreza/WRX. No garage on the original structure?
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> McMike
05/14/2015 at 11:12 |
|
Customer service is basically dead.
I went through a similar thing recently of going back and forth with a company trying to get a part. At first they were super helpful and responsive, but then basically stopped talking to me. I did eventually get what I needed, but ugh, what a pain in the ass.
It makes me want to buy a lathe and mill, and just do everything myself, including make my own parts for everything. The only stores I’d have to go to are the grocery store and the metal store to buy stock.
thedevilinside
> McMike
05/14/2015 at 11:13 |
|
We are here when you need us!!!
|
McMike
> thedevilinside
05/14/2015 at 11:22 |
|
We are here when you need us!!!
And apparently when you don’t!
|
ttyymmnn
> McMike
05/14/2015 at 11:24 |
|
LOL.
|
McMike
> Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/14/2015 at 11:27 |
|
I was really tempted to leave the water on, then throw that
“do not start work”
email in their face when they tried to collect.
But I was done dealing with them.
|
Snuze: Needs another Swede
> McMike
05/14/2015 at 11:31 |
|
I don’t blame you. I think you made the right call.
desertdog5051
> McMike
05/14/2015 at 11:38 |
|
Nice spacious deck. I recall it backs up to a nice wooded area, too. Living in a desert, I don’t know much about power washing things except to get rid of dust. Do you have an algae/moss problem?
|
McMike
> desertdog5051
05/14/2015 at 11:57 |
|
It’s 36x12. The previous owners were screwing around. It also used to have a hot tub on it, but I removed it 7-8 years ago when we redid the decking.
The back yard doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, so that concrete pad underneath gets pretty stained with humid green grossness. You can also see under the table, some of it is showing.
It’s not a bad place to hang out with your wife
Or a few friends.
NWacadia2
> thedevilinside
05/14/2015 at 12:41 |
|
Wow, that’s just horrible. It seems that some companies figure that they can just dangle you like bait and feed you to the fishes whenever “They” see fit! Hopefully you get someone a little more reputable to do it!
Birddog
> McMike
05/14/2015 at 12:55 |
|
“Please” That’s cute.
Please be prepared for us even though you have no idea we’re coming.
|
McMike
> Birddog
05/14/2015 at 13:06 |
|
You should have heard the message he left on my answering machine. You would have thought he was dying of thirst with all the pleases he used.
RallyWrench
> McMike
05/14/2015 at 14:15 |
|
Couldn’t help but think of this: