This will be an ongoing saga... with any luck, to be resolved soon. However, I must start at the beginning.
We decided to order a storm door for the front. Because we had to order a custom storm door, all-in-all, it was almost $700.
We get the door installation scheduled... but guess what? The guy never shows up. Not only does he not show up, but we're never notified about the no-show. So Kyoko calls Lowe's THREE times. Each time, they say they will find out what's going on, but then they never call back. The next day, Kyoko calls again... Basically same story. Finally, I call customer service. Customer service leaves a message for the installation team. Finally, we get a call the next morning to get the installation re-scheduled.
It's the day of the reschedule.. and guess what? The guy doesn't show. So Kyoko calls the installer directly. We find out the installer has a flat tire and will be late. Uhhh, why is it that we have to call to find out what's going on?
Anyway, we get the door installed. Guess what? The door wasn't close properly. It looks even like the door is warped. The door hardware is crooked. We paid $700 for this?
We make it to Lowe's and we talked to the installation team lead. We tell him that we are unhappy with the installation. He says he'll get on it.
Two days later, nothing. I can Lowe's. After getting transferred about 5 times to the installation team, they finally figure noone is there. I talk with a manager at customer service. I tell him we are waiting for our door to be fixed. He pulls up our record and says "but the installer was called". Does that mean it's no longer their responsibility that they have an unhappy caller? I tell him to leave a message for the installation team lead.
A week passes, still nothing. I sent the following e-mail on the Lowe's web site:
I generally hate to complain. This means that something went wrong with some product or service I purchased.
I really hate having to complain TWICE about the same problem. If the store is already aware that I am unsatisfied with something, it irritates me that I have to remind them that they have not done anything yet.
So, it even irritates me more when I have to complain 3 times.
We spent almost $700 to get a custom-ordered storm door installed at our house. Let's forget the fact that the installer never showed up on the appointed date and that we were never notified. Let's forget the fact that we called Lowe's 3 times that day and was never given a return call about the status. Let's forget the fact that we had to call two additional times over the weekend to finally get a status.
We finally got the storm door installed. Then we noticed something very funny about it. It was either poorly installed or the door is warped. When the do or is closed, you can actually see the latching hardware on the inside of the door.
So last week on Tuesday, we went to the Lowe's store to complain. They said it would be taken care of. Complaint #1.
We did not hear anything for a couple of days. We expected at least a phone call to schedule an appointment for someone to come by. So last week on Thursday, we talked to a manager in customer service. He said the installer was already contacted as if it was no longer their problem. I said nothing has been done yet and we are very unhappy. He said he would have the installation team contact the installer again. Complaint #2.
Now, it is Wednesday of this week, and we still have not heard ANYTHING. So now I am writing this mail. Complaint #3.
Not only that, we are unhappy with the apparent quality of the door itself. The only reason we went with the Pella door instead of Larson was that the sales person was telling us that it would only take a couple of weeks to get the custom door from Pella.
All of our appliances to our 3 1/2 year old house came from Lowe's. All of the new appliances to our rental property came from Lowe's. All of the new flooring done last year at my mom's condo came from Lowe's. If this is the way Lowe's handles unsatisfied customers, I regret the fact that I have given my business to Lowe's.
I will wait a couple of days before I register a complaint with the BBB.
The next day, we get two calls. One from the installer and one from Lowe's (from the store). The guy from the store says that the installer has called and left many messages with us.
Now, this really irritates me. Based on what facts is he saying that. It would be different if he was the one who left messages, but he is not. And it is a fact that I have actually been working from home ever since we went in to complain and have been out of the house only twice during business hours during that time period. I have no proof that there is anything fault with our digital answering machine. I call Lowe's back. The person from the installation team apologizes for the other guy's behavior... and she asks if I would like to talk to the lead who is not in the office. I said yes, so I expect to talk with him tomorrow. It's at that time I'll decide whether or not to ask for them to take away the door so I can take my business elsewhere or not.
In the meantime, I did call the installer. The first available schedule is two weeks from now... So we have to wait two weeks for possible resolution.
So, it does not bother me that mistakes were made along the way... Somehow the door is faulty... Perhaps the installation was not done properly. People make mistakes. However, what is bad is the fact that:
- Lowe's apparently has no process for following up on customer complaints. They apparently "pass the buck".
- Lowe's customer service seems to be just lip service
I am sure that there are those in customer service who realizes... if I am having such an unhappy customer experience, I am probably not the only one... And how much potential business are they losing because of simply poor customer service...
Update: The installer did finally come by the straighten out the door. Overall, we are still not pleased with the door but at least the door (for the most part) closes properly. I am also not impressed with the fact that despite all our problems, noone from Lowe's has called afterwards to make sure the work was done to our satisfaction.
Update to update: We discovered that there was still something wrong with the installation. We went by Lowe's in early November... Finally at end of December, someone will come by and supposedly "fix" the installation (once more)...
