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averygoodun42I hate complaining. Yes, you can laugh at the irony of that statement. What I mean, though, is I hate complaining about honest hard work, to the worker's face (or in this case, the company's face). It is stressful and just plain sucky. I also hate what a complete push over I am. Blah!
Okay, maybe not a complete push over, but enough of one that I often get suckered into just going along. BLAH! Not this time, though.
We had a new furnace installed earlier this year because we thought it would be a good idea to replace our reliable, yet inefficient, furnace with something that would use a little less gas (and this was before we knew of huge fuel cost increases!). We did the comparison shopping, and after a month or two we got responses back from two of the five companies, with the third having told us to call them when all the other quotes were in. Figuring that a month was more than enough time to give everyone else, I called up the third company and scheduled a time for them to come over with their quote.
The day they were due, they called up half an hour before the scheduled appointment calling in a rain check. I was okay with that because it was January in New ENgland and a really bitterly cold week. Furnaces go out. We had a working furnace, someone else didn't, they obviously needed the appointment more than we did. Kind of frustrating for DH, as he had stayed home from work for the morning, but understandable.
So another appointment was set up for a week later. The evening before the appointment I had a health scare. Big Health Scare. I didn't call to cancel the appointment because I figured that although I was scared something was wrong, I wasn't on death's door or anything, so it would be rude to call up the day of the appointment and say, "Hey, sorry to cancel on such short notice, but I'm not feeling very well, so could we reschedule, *yet again*." Yes, I am an idiot, but I would prefer to be considered a polite idiot than an unreasonable bitch.
I should have known better.
So, I was waiting to hear back from the doctors to see if I had to go back in for more CAT scans or ultrasounds when the guy showed up. DH and I listened to his spiel, and although it seemed fine I told DH, "I don't like making big decisions when I'm not feeling well." He didn't quite get the message. (Partially my fault, as he had assumed I had seen the quote already) So he (DH) pressed and I said fine, although I went upstairs and told infant Babe that it was a bad idea.
The reason we signed with that company was because we thought we were getting a high efficiency furnace with a reliable company. The other quotes we had gotten were lower, but those were for 80% instead of 90% efficiency ratings. So Geoff and I congratulated ourselves on a good buy, and the sales guy left.
So, the furnace was installed a little later (two weeks, a month, I can't remember) and it was a bear for the installation guys to put in. After two very long days, they managed to get everything hooked up and ready to go, and presented me with the paperwork. That was when two things came into the light. First, the furnace we had paid a bunch more for was an 80% rating. Not 90%, not 92%, but 80%. Second, the contract we needed to sign at the end of the job had a cancellation policy, but the date of cancellation was for two or three weeks prior to the installation. That smacked of scuz.
So anyway, I got DH to call the company up because they had a price guarantee (as well as a 100% money back guarantee). They would match any other company's quote for an equal system. Another appointment was set up, the same sales dude came and I showed him the quote of the other company we compared theirs against. (By this time a fourth quote had come in which was more than a thousand dollars cheaper for a 90% furnace *and* A/C, but I decided, like the honest schmuck I am, that since it hadn't arrived before the other contract was signed, I shouldn't use it as a comparison) Somehow the sales guy convinced us (convinced is too strong a word...) that the guarantees/warranties and something not listed but implied in the other quote, all added up to the difference in price.
When he left, my husband looked at me and said, "Did we cave too easily?" I answered in the affirmative, then looked over the other quote carefully and found the proof that we had.
Embarrassed and defeated, I didn't call them up for a second round of "who has the better price."
Right, that was just buying the damn thing. There was also the trivial detail that our programmable thermostat had been replaced with a non-programmable. *That* pissed DH off.
So, the thermostat was replaced, warm weather came, and when we tried using the fan (and air cleaner, one of the main reasons we got a new furnace) with the heat off, guess what happened. It didn't work. The fan would not come on. The air cleaner is kind of pointless without the fan to circulate the air, so we called them out. Turns out a fuse had blown.
So, everything was fine for a little bit, although I was at this point pretty pissed off that we had to deal with this crap at all. Then, a little bit later, when the allergies were getting bad, I turned on the fan and... that's right, the heat came on. Not good on a hot, muggy summer's day.
At that point I said "Fuck it. We're getting a new furnace. I don't care how prompt they are, if they can't give us a working system for that friggin huge amount of money (almost enough to remodel our small kitchen), then I've had it."
Several months go by and I finally get around to getting an updated quote from the fourth company, intent on taking advantage of the 100% satisfaction or your money back guarantee. After we got back from CO I got an updated quote from them (they are slow on the paperwork side... makes me worried) which was substantially better than any of the other quotes, called them up, said okay, and then called our current company.
Then, this week, the weather started turning chilly. I'm content to wear sweaters and such, but Babe, although more warm blooded than I am, needs a warmer living space. I turned on the heat, and guess what happened? Just guess!
That's right, the fan ran, but no heat!
SO DH called for service, and then the final blow to the current company was dealt. He mentioned that we were not satisfied and were seriously considering taking our business elsewhere. The person he was talking to said she'd get their manager to call. A week later, no call from the manager. We got someone to come by and the heat now comes on, but no call from the manager.
So today I called them to tell them we want their furnace out and our money back. The current company wants to do everything they can to make us a satisfied customer. I just want to have them take our furnace away and deal with a different company from here on out. I've had several months. I'm not making this decision based on hormones, as I'm afraid the original decision was made (post-partum is as bad for hormone whiplash as pregnancy is, btw). I'm making this decision based on the fact that after several months, and three service calls, I am royally pissed.
SO I talked with the receptionist who patched me through to the owner, and we had a reasonable conversation where he (while saying he didn't want to talk me into anything) talked me into giving them another chance. He was going to look over everything and talk to everyone and whatnot. I said fine, like a total wuss.
And I'm smiling right now, because the owner called me back just now, and I told him I wanted to talk with my husband before making any more decisions and he should call my husband on Monday (DH is busy right now with an emergency situation at work). I kind of feel like a royal bitch for making all this fuss, but at the same time, I'm done. I'll get DH to be the hard-ass, demand our money back schedule them to come in and be done with it. It means we'll be without heat for a night or two, but November isn't usually that bad. We'll survive.
I'm placing a lot of faith in the integrity of the fourth company, but as I said, I'm done. And at least I checked the fourth company's references. (I can learn from mistakes, I can. Honest!)
***
Snape's Journal
Jan. 9, 1997
I hate my life.
/entry
Okay, maybe not a complete push over, but enough of one that I often get suckered into just going along. BLAH! Not this time, though.
We had a new furnace installed earlier this year because we thought it would be a good idea to replace our reliable, yet inefficient, furnace with something that would use a little less gas (and this was before we knew of huge fuel cost increases!). We did the comparison shopping, and after a month or two we got responses back from two of the five companies, with the third having told us to call them when all the other quotes were in. Figuring that a month was more than enough time to give everyone else, I called up the third company and scheduled a time for them to come over with their quote.
The day they were due, they called up half an hour before the scheduled appointment calling in a rain check. I was okay with that because it was January in New ENgland and a really bitterly cold week. Furnaces go out. We had a working furnace, someone else didn't, they obviously needed the appointment more than we did. Kind of frustrating for DH, as he had stayed home from work for the morning, but understandable.
So another appointment was set up for a week later. The evening before the appointment I had a health scare. Big Health Scare. I didn't call to cancel the appointment because I figured that although I was scared something was wrong, I wasn't on death's door or anything, so it would be rude to call up the day of the appointment and say, "Hey, sorry to cancel on such short notice, but I'm not feeling very well, so could we reschedule, *yet again*." Yes, I am an idiot, but I would prefer to be considered a polite idiot than an unreasonable bitch.
I should have known better.
So, I was waiting to hear back from the doctors to see if I had to go back in for more CAT scans or ultrasounds when the guy showed up. DH and I listened to his spiel, and although it seemed fine I told DH, "I don't like making big decisions when I'm not feeling well." He didn't quite get the message. (Partially my fault, as he had assumed I had seen the quote already) So he (DH) pressed and I said fine, although I went upstairs and told infant Babe that it was a bad idea.
The reason we signed with that company was because we thought we were getting a high efficiency furnace with a reliable company. The other quotes we had gotten were lower, but those were for 80% instead of 90% efficiency ratings. So Geoff and I congratulated ourselves on a good buy, and the sales guy left.
So, the furnace was installed a little later (two weeks, a month, I can't remember) and it was a bear for the installation guys to put in. After two very long days, they managed to get everything hooked up and ready to go, and presented me with the paperwork. That was when two things came into the light. First, the furnace we had paid a bunch more for was an 80% rating. Not 90%, not 92%, but 80%. Second, the contract we needed to sign at the end of the job had a cancellation policy, but the date of cancellation was for two or three weeks prior to the installation. That smacked of scuz.
So anyway, I got DH to call the company up because they had a price guarantee (as well as a 100% money back guarantee). They would match any other company's quote for an equal system. Another appointment was set up, the same sales dude came and I showed him the quote of the other company we compared theirs against. (By this time a fourth quote had come in which was more than a thousand dollars cheaper for a 90% furnace *and* A/C, but I decided, like the honest schmuck I am, that since it hadn't arrived before the other contract was signed, I shouldn't use it as a comparison) Somehow the sales guy convinced us (convinced is too strong a word...) that the guarantees/warranties and something not listed but implied in the other quote, all added up to the difference in price.
When he left, my husband looked at me and said, "Did we cave too easily?" I answered in the affirmative, then looked over the other quote carefully and found the proof that we had.
Embarrassed and defeated, I didn't call them up for a second round of "who has the better price."
Right, that was just buying the damn thing. There was also the trivial detail that our programmable thermostat had been replaced with a non-programmable. *That* pissed DH off.
So, the thermostat was replaced, warm weather came, and when we tried using the fan (and air cleaner, one of the main reasons we got a new furnace) with the heat off, guess what happened. It didn't work. The fan would not come on. The air cleaner is kind of pointless without the fan to circulate the air, so we called them out. Turns out a fuse had blown.
So, everything was fine for a little bit, although I was at this point pretty pissed off that we had to deal with this crap at all. Then, a little bit later, when the allergies were getting bad, I turned on the fan and... that's right, the heat came on. Not good on a hot, muggy summer's day.
At that point I said "Fuck it. We're getting a new furnace. I don't care how prompt they are, if they can't give us a working system for that friggin huge amount of money (almost enough to remodel our small kitchen), then I've had it."
Several months go by and I finally get around to getting an updated quote from the fourth company, intent on taking advantage of the 100% satisfaction or your money back guarantee. After we got back from CO I got an updated quote from them (they are slow on the paperwork side... makes me worried) which was substantially better than any of the other quotes, called them up, said okay, and then called our current company.
Then, this week, the weather started turning chilly. I'm content to wear sweaters and such, but Babe, although more warm blooded than I am, needs a warmer living space. I turned on the heat, and guess what happened? Just guess!
That's right, the fan ran, but no heat!
SO DH called for service, and then the final blow to the current company was dealt. He mentioned that we were not satisfied and were seriously considering taking our business elsewhere. The person he was talking to said she'd get their manager to call. A week later, no call from the manager. We got someone to come by and the heat now comes on, but no call from the manager.
So today I called them to tell them we want their furnace out and our money back. The current company wants to do everything they can to make us a satisfied customer. I just want to have them take our furnace away and deal with a different company from here on out. I've had several months. I'm not making this decision based on hormones, as I'm afraid the original decision was made (post-partum is as bad for hormone whiplash as pregnancy is, btw). I'm making this decision based on the fact that after several months, and three service calls, I am royally pissed.
SO I talked with the receptionist who patched me through to the owner, and we had a reasonable conversation where he (while saying he didn't want to talk me into anything) talked me into giving them another chance. He was going to look over everything and talk to everyone and whatnot. I said fine, like a total wuss.
And I'm smiling right now, because the owner called me back just now, and I told him I wanted to talk with my husband before making any more decisions and he should call my husband on Monday (DH is busy right now with an emergency situation at work). I kind of feel like a royal bitch for making all this fuss, but at the same time, I'm done. I'll get DH to be the hard-ass, demand our money back schedule them to come in and be done with it. It means we'll be without heat for a night or two, but November isn't usually that bad. We'll survive.
I'm placing a lot of faith in the integrity of the fourth company, but as I said, I'm done. And at least I checked the fourth company's references. (I can learn from mistakes, I can. Honest!)
***
Snape's Journal
Jan. 9, 1997
I hate my life.
/entry
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no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 07:44 am (UTC)To protect yourselves:
Document EVERYTHING that has happened in a journal or something (not just LJ, {grin}). Save receipts of any service calls, write down as much of conversations that you can remember verbally or at least the gist, etc., etc.
I don't know how you paid for your furnace, but if you financed, you can sometimes get the financing company to act as mediator to sort things out if the dealership and/or the furnace continue to behave in a non-user-friendly manner. Reason number 1 for keeping a journal of events: a dispute rep (the rep who does the mediating for the financing company) will want to see the full story of what all has happened.
Which strongly depends on the financing company -- you basically have 60 days from your first billing, this is required by the feds. However, since it's beyond the 60 days, you may need to be the proverbial squeaky wheel with the financing company.
(I've worked in this sort of financing environment for several years -- have listened to what the dispute reps will handle, and in most cases, with our reps, they're willing to go to bat for you if you can show that you're not just complaining about, say, the color of the furnace and how it clashes with your decor -- yes people have sent disputes about that, to which we reply "Does it work?" Yes? If it works, its color is not necessarily a valid reason to dispute. The furnace is doing what it's 'spose to.)
Also, another route to take is to contact the company that actually made the furnace. If they are a responsible company, they don't want questionable dealers selling their goods. They also don't want their furnaces being misrepresented. (Reason Number 2 for documentation, as much as you can provide.)
Likewise, our finance co., for example, doesn't want questionable dealers financing with us! So we're always keeping an eye on the dealers to keep them honest. And for the most part, they are honest, it's just the occasional rotten apple that floats to the top of the barrel that you're shooting fish in, or whatever that metaphor is.
Depending on who you finance with or which furnace you bought, I can get a hold of decent contact phone numbers for you if it becomes necessary to climb up that ol' corporate ladder of the furnace-building company to rattle the cages of higher ups. If need be, let me know "off-LJ." Hope this helps a little.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 07:49 am (UTC)Heh, so much for conserving words. Heck, like I've said before, I don't gots no prob with writing the non-fiction! I could go on for DAYS!