Home Improvement Hell: Old Ladies Create Customer Service Nightmare

Hello all!

Little Slave in the Big Woods here again with a funny, angry, weird sort of situation here today. 

Our company does home remodeling and we've been around for quite a while so we can kind of predict what service calls come in when.  For example:  it's winter, people call about ice build up.  99% of the time, it is because YOUR WINDOWS ARE LOCKED OPEN!  Meaning, the window locks are pushing each other apart because they are not aligned correctly.  It's okay most of the time; I have a spiel all ready to go and with our great technology, we actually have a PowerPoint presentation and a video describing in detail how this happens and how to correctly lock your windows.  It's on our website but I can also send it in email for those who are not to tech savvy. 

Which leads me to today's phone call:  daughter (in her 70's) calls for mom (in her 90's).  There is ice building up around the middle of her windows.  Now normally, I ask about the locks, walk through the unlock/relock process and send the video (or the link to the video).  Not with the elderly - we try to service them immediately no matter what the problem.

The mom wasn't the problem, the daughter was.  Here is how it all went down: 

Boss goes to house, no one home, looks at the window and can easily see the metal slide is not covered so therefore the windows are pushing against each other forcing them apart.  He calls from his cell and leaves a message stating unlock, relock and all will be well.  Done right?  Sooo wrong.  Daughter calls back and wants to let me know that she doesn't believe that is the problem and that we screwed her over a number of years ago on her bay window. 

Hold it, what?  We did windows for you?  Yes, 1993 to be exact.  Back then, there wasn't the greatest in computer advancements, but we have paper copy galore so I could do some research later. 

Then she proceeds to tell me that her window never got fixed and she wanted someone to come look at her mom's right this second.  I try again to state the boss saw the window locked open do you mind giving it a try?  Before I could even get out the last part she tells me that the windows will not lock and it is a mechanical problem - someone needs to get over there right this second (again?  really?). 

A little more ranting and yelling at me...I let her finish, because I'm nice, and state very quickly say, I will let the boss know and he'll get right back to you, thank you bye!

 Now I'm going to chop this conversation down a little bit.  Boss calls, daughter is yelling again, the boss states he has seen it, locks are open, service charge will be $79 if he has to come out to lock the windows, daughter hangs up after calling him a lying asshole.  Boss calls back and talks to mom (Who is awesome!) who says, "She's the ugly daughter."  Boss laughs and says he'll be over in 5 minutes to lock the windows just for her for free - because once again, she is awesome. 

It took him longer to drive to their house then to lock the windows.  Done?  No, the daughter starts in again on how her window was never fixed and was a waste of money and blah blah blah blah blah.  This is how it went down in winter of 1994 & 1995:  3 service calls with nothing wrong on the window, manufacturer was called in to service personally, personal service provided.  Report stated ice dam issues due to not having ice guard on her roof.  You see, if you don't use the metal underlayment up here, you get ice build up in low lying or mild sloped roofs.  The ice builds up, damages shingles and leaks into your home.  Most bay windows are secured with a big fat anchor rod, cables, and hooks.  The water will seek the least resistant path and slide down this rod and fill up any pockets above the window and make ice.  Low and behold, the roof was fixed and she has never had another issue. 

However, she forgot that the problem was never the window and has been bad mouthing us since her job was done.  She even said that she probably didn't listen when the roof was fixed and (ha ha) that is why she forgot what happened (yes, this is what she said).  There is no issue now, nor has there been an issue since she had the roof done. 

Laughs ensued at the mom's house with the boss, mom & daughter sharing a beer.  Boss is fine, mom is fine, daughter is fine.  Me?  I'm still a little pissed off.  Insert sarcasm here:  Please don't feel the need to apologize to me.  I love it when customers call and accuse us of being rip-offs, bad mouthing our company for the last 10 years, and oh yeah, being a complete bitch to me over something that was fixed and happened well over 10 years ago.

However, I will still go out to your mom's in the spring to help her clean her screens as long as you're not there.

--Little Slave

 

Comments

[Duke of URL]

Over 10 years ago? Heh more like over 15, or almost 20.

[facebook at school]

Appreciate the recommendation. Let me try it out.

[http://www.amerisleep.com]

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