Big companies behaving badly
November 5 2009 by Ellen Roseman
In my job, I hear terrible stories all day long. Luckily, I have an optimistic nature and often do get results, as in the case of an Enbridge Gas customer who was disconnected in error last week. See his story below.
But in some cases, companies are stubborn and won’t budge. Another story below is about a homeowner who wants a rotting telephone pole removed from his property. Bell Canada says its hands are tied.
Finally, there’s the tale of a new Sears washing machine that leaked all over the owner’s basement. The machine was replaced, but the dispute about damages has gone on and on. Meanwhile, Chase Card Services is gunning her for payments.
Once in a while, I do get some heart-warming stories. I posted a couple below about Moen, the faucet maker, and a local bicycle store. If you have any, please pass them along.
LD
Nov 5 2009
In the 1980s, Moen offered a lifetime warranty on its kitchen faucet and shower controls. As a consulting engineer, I specified its products for some projects. And during the construction of our house in 1983, I obtained the contractor’s agreement to provide Moen plumbing fittings for same.
The products performed trouble-free for almost 20 years. A plumber replaced the kitchen sink faucet and some hand basin cartridges in 2002. In August 2008, he replaced a cartridge in the replacement kitchen faucet and in a bathroom shower control.
In December 2008, we experienced a problem with our replacement kitchen faucet, i.e. minimal spout flow, normal spray flow, and with the shower control, i.e. low hot water temperature.
Because the cartridges had been replaced by a plumber six months earlier, I decided to attempt to determine the cause of, and remedy, each problem myself.
But I am no accomplished plumber!
Not possessing a fitting hexagonal screw wrench, I managed to access and remove the kitchen faucet cartridge screw using a Phillips screwdriver and without first removing the handle adapter and connector assembly.
On reassembling the kitchen faucet, in addition to the previous unresolved problem, it now leaked.
On replacing the shower control cartridge, its temperature range was restricted and water supply temperatures were reversed.
I turned to Moen for assistance. The three telephone services representatives, Marilyn, Pauline, and Emily, each analyzed the cause of each problem accurately — a defective kitchen faucet “diverter” and shower control hexagonal screw setting, cartridge incorrect installation and wall plate teeth-handle interference.
They offered to forward a replacement diverter, O-rings, and cartridges to me at no charge.
To save time, I offered to pick up the parts. On visiting Moen, its service counter representative, Scott, provided additional parts, including an adaptor and connector assembly, cartridge screw and a hexagonal screw wrench, to ensure I could overcome any disassembly difficulty and problems potentially caused by me. He also made recommendations to ease the task of removing shower control cartridges, all at no charge.
When I experienced further reassembly problems, Moen continued to provide telephone assistance until I managed to install the “diverter”, O-rings, cartridge, etc. correctly.
Kudos to Moen Inc. for its product support and customer service! I would recommend Moen and its products to anyone.
FD
Nov 5 2009
With so much focus on bad service, perhaps it’s time to write about companies that get it right. Let me tell you about a small store that has no problem competing against the big guys.
West Side Cycle is a bicycle store on Roncesvalles Ave. in Toronto. The bicycles they sell are not cheap, yet my three children have all bought their bicycles there and I’ll be next (we’re all urban cyclists).
The staff are warm, welcoming, professional and knowledgeable.
For the first year of purchase, you can take your bike in any time for a tuneup or checkup at no cost. They keep an air pump at the front of the store for people in the neighbourhood to drop in and fill up their tires.
During the Toronto civic workers strike, I kept my tires a little low, thinking that was better. When the tires got too soft and I stopped by to fill them up, I was told that in fact I should keep them highly inflated. (”It’s like having hard, calloused feet,” they said.)
Try getting that advice at Canadian Tire!
When I recently purchased a new light, they upsold me, not because they’ll make more money (which I’m sure they will), but because it was a better product and would make me more visible in the dark.
When I took my old clunker in for its spring tuneup and talked about replacing it, they advised me to hang onto it for a while as it was just fine.
These are people who love and believe in what they do and do the best for their customers.
I’m sure many of your readers have similar stories about great service and quality businesses. It would be fun to hear about them.
IJB
Nov 5 2009
I had a problem with Direct Energy over a cooling protection plan that was initially free with my heating protection plan and then wouldn’t go away, despite my efforts to cancel it.
I wrote to the Enbridge ombudsman’s office, who lodged my refund request with Direct Energy. After 90 days and no response, they credited my account.
The situation where one company bills on another’s behalf should not be allowed, especially when they are in a monopoly position. The less I have to do with Direct Energy in the future, the better.
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Three days later:
Ellen, you won’t believe this. After receiving assurance from the Enbridge Ombudsman’s office on Oct. 9 that a credit of $535 had been applied to my bill, I arrived home this evening to find they had cut off my gas today.
I just got off the phone. Their customer service person admitted the mistake, yet could not have a service person here until tomorrow.
Needless to say, my wife is furious. No dinner, no heat tonight. A perfunctory apology. No response to my inquiry as to why they could not attend to their mistake with an emergency call.
If you have any suggestions as to where to register my displeasure, I’d definitely appreciate it.
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Debbie Boukydis, an Enbridge Gas spokeswoman, later the same day after I called her on her cellphone:
Hello Ellen,
The gas has been reconnected. I will be back to you tomorrow with an explanation.
Debbie
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Debbie Boukydis again:
Ellen, the ombudsman’s office made a mistake. No one put a note on his file saying that the collection department shouldn’t take any further action.
Our records indicate that we sent a 48-hour disconnection notice on Oct. 2. We left a voice mail on Mr. B’s home phone Oct. 26, stating that the gas service would be disconnected the following day.
As the Ombudsman’s office had not stopped collection activity after Mr. Brown’s call, the automated process for disconnections continued until Oct. 26.
I am sending gift certificates to Mr. B and his wife for the inconvenience.
Mr. B and I talked about two things. First, his frustration at Direct Energy and second, the need for Enbridge to have emergency service for incorrect disconnections.
I told Mr. B that, as a result of our error last week, any customer who calls and claims they were disconnected in error will have their call escalated immediately to ombudsman Mike Mees and me.
MR
Nov 5 2009
In 2007, we had a tree break after a winter storm and we had to take down the tree at a huge expense to us.
The Bell telephone line was leaning on that tree and Bell informed us that we had better attend to the removal of the tree or else there could be major telephone outages in the surrounding service area.
We have other, smaller trees in the vicinity of the tree that was removed that also could cause issues further down the road.
At the time the tree was removed, Bell told us that the telephone pole on our property was rotting and that it needed to be replaced.
Since then, and over the years, we have been inconvenienced many, many times by Bell going through our back yard to look at the pole, never notifying us in advance, never notifying us that they were coming to our property.
We have Bell telephone lines that criss-cross the back edge of our property. They are unsightly and require restringing, and Bell has trespassed on our property numerous times to inspect them without advising us that it intends to pay a visit.
We have had enough of Bell trespassing on our property and not having the common decency to advise us before it does.
We have smaller trees at the back of our property that will also become problems because the Belll telephone line is leaning on them.
In 2008, Bell said that it would replace the rotting pole and take down these other trees. Bell contracted Weller Tree Services to remove the smaller trees right to the ground. Weller Tree Services did a horrible job. Their men were nasty and left the job in a very untidy state with all kinds of stumps protruding from the ground, instead of completely grinding them down.
Of course, we were very upset about this as the company did not complete the job, and Bell is ultimately responsible since it contracted Weller Tree Services to deal with the tree removal work.
We want Bell to replace the rotting pole and move it somewhere else. The Bell engineers are telling us that they cannot do that and that the new pole needs to be located on our property due to the amount of distance that there needs to be between two poles.
There are two problems: (a) the tree stumps need to be ground down so my earth and garden area can be planted and (b) the rotting pole be moved to another location.
Our property backs onto a park and Bell could place the pole anywhere along the park side of the property divide.
I am fed up waiting. I do not want the pole replaced UNTIL the stumps are first ground down and removed. Bell started the process with the trees and Bell needs to complete it. Bell has been out on many occasions and all of its personnel agree that this matter needs attention.
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Thank you for contacting Bell Canada on my behalf. Because of you, we were able to establish contact with the Bell Executive Office right away.
Unfortunately, that was about all we were able to do. Very much to our disappointment and extreme frustration, our call to the Executive Office yielded absolutely nothing. This in spite of the fact that a voicemail message to us indicated that Bell would remedy the outstanding matters “to our satisfaction”.
Not only were the matters of the tree stumps and broken flagstones never brought up by Bell, even though we explicitly wrote about these two matters in our correspondence to you, we were also stridently and adamantly advised that the Bell pole would remain on our property - full stop.
Needless to say, when we were told this, it was deja vu, re-living the last two years all over again because that was exactly what we had been told before speaking with the Bell Executive Office!
They call themselves the “Satisfaction Team”. How ironic that all that we are getting from the “Satisfaction Team” is more and more frustration.
The call ended the way it started - this is the way it is going to be and Bell cannot comply with our request to have the pole moved once and for all off our property, that we will be liable should the pole fall, and that we are refusing Bell’s offer to re-locate the pole somewhere else on our property, that we…, that we…
I asked for the phone numbers of Mr. George Cope, CEO of Bell Canada and Mr. Kevin Crull, President, Residential Services, but was refused. I asked for their email addresses and, again, I was refused.
I then asked that either Mr. Cope or Mr. Crull call me, and I was told that it would not be possible - yet more frustration and bureaucratic posturing - all this from the “Satisfaction Team”…
In the end, I was provided with the name of Mr. Andre Oulimar, a supervisor, but was told that even if I were to speak with him, he would convey the same Bell position.
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I had a phone call today from Mr. Andre Oulimar, Supervisor, Bell Executive Office. I emphasized to him that I do not want the Bell pole on my property, that my home has been burglarized twice and that I unequivocally do not want any intruders on my property as a result of these break-ins.
I do not want anything further to do with Bell repairmen, technicians and engineers having access to my property. I am nervous about intruders on our property. I also have sensors and motion detectors in the back, which would impede any work they would do.
Mr. Oulimar advised that the matter of the damaged flagstones would be referred to the Bell claims department for resolution, and that the matter of the tree stumps would be referred to Bell’s engineering department for resolution.
Mr. Oulimar had no qualms in asking me if I had contacted Weller Tree Services. I expressed my indignation about his suggestion. Since when is it up to an enraged customer to remedy matters such as this?
Mr. Oulimar then noted that Bell is isn’t in the habit of doing tree pruning, and that the original tree pruning was done as a courtesy.
It doesn’t matter what it’s called. This is what was agreed to in terms of Bell rectifying the pole situation and what resulted was a travesty.
If Bell has to seek redress from Weller Tree Service or pay to have the tree stumps ground down by another company, that’s all part of rectifying this mess.
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I’ll start with the most recent conversation I had with Mr. Andre Oulimar. He said go ahead and find a contractor for the trees and stumps in the backyard. Also, find a contractor to your satisfaction to deal with the broken tiles on the side of your house. He said he wanted me to be satisfied and he would pay the cost within reason.
I have since been called by a claims analyst for ClaimsPro. We are now dealing with insurance, all of a sudden. This is a twist from what we were told by Mr. Andre Oulimar that we should choose a contractor – one for the trees and stumps and one for the tiles – so that we will be satisfied with the results.
The amount of time off work that I have had to take to deal with this, the numerous phone calls, the disturbances and grief – and for what? We are back again at another impasse!
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I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!!
A few weeks ago, Bell informed us that the City of Toronto refused Bell’s application to move its rotting pole onto city park land adjacent to, and in back of, our property. The pole would be staying on our property.
I asked Bell to please provide me with the name and contact information of the person in the city that handled the matter because I wanted to get the documentation related to the permit application. Bell flatly refused to provide me with this information.
I persisted in my request; however, the call ended without Bell providing me with this information to which I am equally entitled, since I am the property owner and therefore party to this matter.
Since then, I have contacted the City and have tried over and over again to hunt down this information: from 311 to Licensing to Parks to Legal - and absolutely nothing! Every department that has been contacted knows nothing of this permit application.
There is absolutely no reason to withhold this information from me. Weeks have gone by and I am still no closer to receiving the information that I am entitled to receive.
By the way, the work that Bell is “willing” to do at “their cost” is work that Bell, in fact, has to do because it ruined our property when it came to remove tree stumps, did a shoddy job removing them and also ruined tiles in the process. Let’s be clear on this.
Julie Smithers, Bell spokeswoman
Nov 5 2009
We are waiting for MR to give us two pieces of information, as outlined in our letter of Oct. 5:
– The name of the contractor of his choice to remove the tree stumps on his property.
– The amount he’s claiming for damage to the flagstones.
Without that, we can’t proceed with his case. He has the name and phone number of someone in the claims department to speak to about this.
Bell can’t move the pole from his property and can’t help MR with his inquiries at city hall. His neighbour agreed at first to take the pole and then changed his mind.
Bell does not normally pay for pruning trees, removing tree stumps or replacing flagstones. We are doing this as a courtesy to the homeowner.
JHB
Nov 5 2009
You have been recommended to me as someone who could help me with Sears. We have a new washer we purchased that broke after first use and flooded my basement.
Sears was not willing to negotiate with me about reimbursement and have put me into collections.
I have no recourse and have not refused to pay, but would like to come to a compromise.
This is a long story. Here goes.
I purchased a washer and dryer from Sears on April 26, with a delivery date of April 30. That day, I tried a load of laundry and the washer wasn’t working right.
Sears sent a repairman the following week. He wasn’t sure what was wrong but said it was okay to use machine. He was just replacing a part because he wasn’t sure. He was there for about an hour testing it.
So, I did a load. Thank goodness I was home. I went downstairs and water was everywhere — in the storage bins, below the washer, all over the floor.
Called Sears and they couldn’t get it replaced until May 20. Ouch. Five family members, a $3,092.68 purchase with all the bells and whistles and I can’t get a new machine until then.
Fine. Nothing I could do but go to the laundromat, clean up the floor and drywall.
I was told that once the washer was replaced, we would speak of a settlement. The machine was replaced and I was satisfied. I called. They could only offer me $100.
I went over the story with salesperson, supervisor, parts department, etc. Finally, they said they would come to an agreement of $457.90.
I asked for them to put in writing, as I wasn’t happy with that and I would discuss this with my partner. They said they could only settle with a verbal agreement, not a written one.
I said no. I needed this to be detailed. They said no. I said I would wait.
Next thing I knew I had Chase collections calling me at home and work about this. I told them the same thing.
I am not willing to pay this yet. I would like the settlement put in writing and I would negotiate from there. They can’t do that, since they are a collection agency.
I asked for help many times. I told them I would wait and I deserved to see the settlement on paper. Nothing.
Credit card invoices keep coming in, adding up (only have washer and dryer on my Sears card).
Ellen, I am not refusing to pay for this. I put this purchase on my credit card for the points to redeem. Glad I did. Otherwise I would have no recourse.
BUT they have now put my name into the credit bureau and I am angry. I have a great credit rating and am sad to hear of this.
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From Vincent Power, Sears Canada spokesman:
Ellen, this was handled by our customer service area. Customer Service considered the matter in its entirety and feels that the offer made to Mrs. HB is fair.
If Mrs. HB agrees with the offer, then she does not need to see it in writing since, as is normally the case, she will see the credit applied to her account.
As for the issue with Chase, that will be between Chase and the customer.
If a customer does not pay their bill on their credit card as a manner of protest, that is between them and the credit card issuer.
Mark Henschel
Nov 6 2009
I had a similar experience with Bell. In the middle of what I thought was a negotiation — albeit a fairly one-sided one — I got an order to pay from a credit agency. From Bell’s side, they acted as if they had nothing to do with it.
And many companies are very allergic to putting anything in writing.
This “customer service” is the epitome of passive aggressive tactics — behaviour that demonstrates a profound disdain for customers. Sears seems to win the prize for being unapologetic.
I suppose this is something these people learn in business school. It appears to be common practice in these big companies.
ST
Nov 6 2009
Disney is offering a refund for Baby Einstein DVDs it sold. The problem is that the Canadian refund program is a joke compared to the American program.
The U.S. website states all DVDs purchased from June 5, 2004 to Sept. 4, 2009 are eligible. It doesn’t appear that you actually require a sales slip or the packaging.
The Canadian site is only for DVDs purchased in the past 60 days and you must have a sales slip and the packaging.
So, if you bought VHS copies over those years, are you out of luck? Why?
Why, because you live in Canada, can you only return them if you bought them in the past 60 days? The Canadian refund seems very, very limited.
Personally, I never thought that these videos/DVDs would make my child an Einstein, so I don’t feel misled, but I think the programs between the two countries should be reasonably similar. If not, Disney should be forced to explain why it is treating Canadians differently.
http://www.babyeinstein.com/home/
http://www.babyeinstein.com/parentsguide/promise.aspx
no surprise
Nov 6 2009
Bell, as always, will be ebola to us, avoided at all times. Sears must’ve hired the same brain dead exec Bell fired last year. Their dodgy service record doesn’t surprise me anymore.
Last year, our brand new Whirlpool wouldn’t drain properly so I called it in. It took almost two months for those flunkies to show up and look at our machine! Yes two whole frickin months and they still couldn’t diagnose it and we’re in the GTA! Check out their excuses:
– We don’t have a ticket open for you.
– You can’t escalate as there’s no one above us.
– You can contact the president, but I guarantee he won’t know how to fix your machine!
– What’s the problem and your contact info for the 15th time.
– Supervisor is sick or on vacation or in a meeting.
– Technician has a flat tire and is stuck on the highway.
– Technician is on a call in another town 5 hours up.
– We’re out of vehicles.
– Vehicle in for maintenance.
– Vehicle been in an accident.
– Manufacturer didn’t send in the parts yet or parts in reorder.
– Technician got lost on the way there.
– No one was home - my favourite.
During that time I did laundry at my sisters, parents - inconvenienced my universe basically. When the guy did finally show up, he looked at it for an hour, couldn’t tell me what was wrong, and told me btw he had to come back next week because he didn’t have the parts. I just lost it and kicked him out.
I went to Google and Youtubed the problem and there it was. It was a safety contact switch on the lid that was the problem. Everything defaults to off if it thinks the lid is open. I took it apart, cleaned the area and tightened it up and it worked perfectly.
My lesson learned is that big retail outlets and appliance manufacturers are no longer trustworthy, and we’re feeling the corners being cut. By the time all of this makes it to a spreadsheet for their next shareholders meeting, they’ll be asking why the numbers are softening up.
I guarantee that when we move to our much larger custom home, we won’t be going to Sears for anything. Period.
I’ll add that I, a pregnant grade school science teacher at the time, fixed it in 2 hours. Something that “15 years of experience, continuous industry training blah blah” couldn’t do in two months. It makes me wonder aloud about the Sears appliance service industry, and what they’re really contributing or leeching from society.
Bob
Nov 6 2009
I trade on my self-directed RRIF with TD Waterhouse.
My RRIF slipped below $100k at the end of 2008. So I wasn’t surprised that early in March of this year I started to get charged $29 a trade, rather than the previous $9.99 a trade.
Unknown to me (TD Waterhouse never communicated) was the fact that if household assets with TD Waterhouse were over $100k, then all my trades should have been at the rate of $9.99 and not $29.
I spoke to a rep in India and they refused to adjust my 2009 commission overcharges.
It amounts to a rebate of $671; so it isn’t chump change.
I didn’t blow up with her (the rep), but said I would contact the TD ombudsman immediately.
I give you the link to the TD WATERHOUSE ELECTRONIC BROKERAGE SERVICES COMMISSION SCHEDULE.
http://www.tdwaterhouse.ca/trading/asff.jsp
No doubt there are countless others that are not aware of this.
Thank you. I’ll keep you informed in regard to my further enquiries.
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Hi Ellen. You certainly know how to get resolutions to problems. TDW will rebate the overcharges.
Thanks again.
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From Barbara Timmins, TD Waterhouse spokeswoman:
Some background for you: We need clients to notify us of multiple accounts within a household, as they may be under various names.
That said, we routinely rebate commission for clients who advise us after the fact. This should have been done in this case and we have taken steps to contact the representative/team in question and clarify our policy.
As you can imagine, many clients have had their portfolios dip below the $100,000 mark in the past year. Given the exceptional market circumstances, we have relaxed this threshold temporarily on a case by case basis.
Incidentally, TD Waterhouse does not have investor service centres in India.
Thanks again for giving us the opportunity to fix this situation.
Bylo
Nov 7 2009
Bob> I spoke to a rep in India
More likely you spoke with someone in Canada who has a foreign accent (see below.)
TDW> Incidentally, TD Waterhouse does not have investor service centres in India.
That makes sense because Waterhouse reps have to be licensed in Canada to sell stocks, mutual funds and other securities. It’s highly unlikely that they’ll be outsourced overseas any time soon.
Bylo
Nov 7 2009
Re “Big companies behaving badly”, why do otherwise reputable companies allow their marketing departments to try to deceive their customers?
Here’s a case in point for TD’s Ms. Timmins attention. When I logged into WebBroker this morning I was greeted by this banner ad.
To a casual observer it looks like TD is offering a GIC that pays a 3% interest rate. Not so. The fine print reveals that the 3% isn’t the annual rate, but rather the total rate over 3 years. That’s a measly 1% annual rate.
A similar TD banner ad touts 8%. That seems too good to be true these days. And, as the fine print reveals, it is. That stunning 8% is the total return over the 5 year term of the GIC, or about 1.6% per year. (Considering that other financial institutions offer rates as high as 2.75% per year on 3-year GICs and 3.6% per year over 5 years, CDIC insured, one wonders for whom TD’s offer is a “deal” but I digress…)
Why does TD feel that it’s acceptable to confuse its customers with “total” interest rates when everyone else routinely quotes annual interest rates?
MK
Nov 9 2009
On Nov. 2nd, 2009 I discovered there was money withdrawn from my account that had been taken out by Extreme Fitness. I cancelled my membership over 5 years ago.
When I discovered this, I called the Head Office and was treated extremely rudely by Joseph White, head of financing. He ended up hanging up on me when I repeatedly asked for an explanation.
No one wanted to take responsibility for their actions. Without the public, he wouldn’t have a job and this is how you’re treated.
This should be investigated. How many other people has this happened to and how much money have they made doing so?
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Paula Dow, spokeswoman for Extreme Fitness:
There was a problem with our billing system, which resulted in M’s account being mistakenly debited.
Unfortunately, when M attempted to contact our Head Office, she was directed to the wrong department who were unable to assist her with the problem.
As soon as this was brought to the attention of the General Manager at the Pickering Club, it was recognized that an error had taken place and was promptly rectified.
A refund was immediately processed and has been mailed to her. We have also apologized to M for the error that occurred and the inconvenience we have caused.
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A response from MK:
Thank you, Ellen, for looking into this issue. My main concern is if I had not checked my bank account, I would never have known about it.
They are pocketing the money. There is no responsibility in this company to check out who did this and how many other people this has happened to, unknown to them.
When I did attempt to get in touch with the vice-president or a senior representative, the response from Joseph White was “they are not accessible to the public”. A reputable company would handle this differently.
Also, my account was officially cancelled in 2003, and this company still had my banking information on their computer!
I am concerned for previous members such as I am, having money illegally withdrawn from bank accounts years after cancelling their memberships. Who is doing this?
GH
Nov 9 2009
Very sadly, my ex-wife passed away a few weeks ago from an infection while undergoing a second round of chemotherapy.
I and our children in their mid-20s were suddenly faced with arranging her cremation and memorial service.
One son and I went to arrange the cremation. We were advised that her bank would immediately issue a draft payable to the funeral director out of her bank account (an ATM slip the day before she went into the hospital showed sufficient funds) upon presentation of a death certificate and funeral expense statement at the bank branch.
Well, the bank involved is Presidents Choice Financial. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, we went to the Lakeshore and Leslie branch in Toronto. The person on duty took our papers, asked us for a letter of direction, which we prepared on the spot, phoned their call centre and advised us to contact the call centre later that week for an update.
On Friday, Oct. 23 we called and were advised to call on Tuesday, Oct. 27. There was no information, so we called again on Friday, Oct. 30.
We were advised that the documentation from the branch had arrived Oct. 27 (six days after we had visited the branch) and that five business days would be required to review the documentation.
We phoned again on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and were told that the cheque was approved Monday by the legal department and was in the mail — the person on the phone was unable to tell me where the cheque would be mailed from.
By last Friday, the cheque had still not showed up and a call to them obtained the information that “five to seven business days would be required to process the cheque”.
I have passed this information to Linda Lee, Manager at The Simple Alternative, so that she and her colleagues can caution other families.
Readers, if you have enough assets to cover your funeral expenses and you haven’t made prepaid funeral arrangements, especially if you’re in fragile health, you would spare your families financial difficulties at a difficult time if you kept that money in a bricks and mortar bank.
Publishing this information might motivate Presidents Choice Financial to measure up to the practice of other banks, where I’m advised the money is paid immediately.
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On Nov. 9, we received a CIBC cheque payable to the funeral director for the balance in her savings account, fortunately not much short of the cremation expenses, and my Visa account feels much better.
The letter from PC Financial was dated Monday, Nov. 2, but was not mailed until Friday, Nov. 6.
Fairness requires me to note that PC Financial did not reduce this cheque by the $325 overdraft in her chequing account, which I thought they would be perfectly entitled to do. So PC Financial has already made a kind concession to us.
My main thought at this time is for other bereaved families.
Nineteen days is quite a long wait for bereaved families when other banks seem able to advance funeral expenses out of available funds over the counter, but so far I only have the assertion of one funeral director that that is so.
The other problem is that the timelines kept changing every time we talked to them.
My major hope is that PC Financial could organise themselves to process funeral expenses as expeditiously as other banks.
Second would be the hope that they could give an accurate timeline to bereaved families.
It should be noted that we did not know the amount that would be received until we saw the cheque.
Perhaps time is required to ensure that outstanding cheques are cleared, but the process was entirely opaque to us.
Rita
Nov 9 2009
To HB with the flooded basement caused by Sears. Have you contacted your insurance company? I’d let them know and have them go after Sears. I’d hire a lawyer and let Sears know what the courts decide is fair. And then I’d give Ellen an update for the world to see. And then I’d call up that Sears guy and tell him how to do his retail job better.
SS
Nov 10 2009
My wife received a letter from Allied International Credit Corp., indicating she owed Rogers $685.33. We have not had an account with Rogers for over 2 years.
During our relationship with Rogers, we were repetitively overcharged monthly for the services they provided. Only sometimes were we credited with the monetary difference. This never included the time and effort it took to get anything resolved with Rogers Customer Care.
This was time she couldn’t spend with her family, because once a month for a few hours a night for a week, she had to remain on hold and get transfereed repeatedly to different departments and disconnected. You would think a telecommunications company would be able to complete a call, usually ending in an unsatisfactory result.
One of the last calls my wife had with Rogers left her in tears, as a Sales Rep was very inapropriately rude to her. It takes a lot to bring tears to her eyes, so you can imagine what a shock it was to hear that it was caused from calling a company’s customer service department, if you could call it that! It definitely was not a service we had asked for.
Now, as for the overcharging, I can understand someone making a mistake on your bill. Everyone makes mistakes. Making the same mistake a second month in a row, now that’s not paying attention, but a third and fourth and fifth month? To me, that is fraud!
For a company that is making millions of dollars a year, maybe they should invest in a better accounting system. I know I am not alone thinking or saying this. Almost eveyone I have ever told about this has had a similar experience.
Will it ever end? Is there a third party audit company that can look into Rogers billing and accounting practises? I would wager that 25% of the profit Rogers makes is from bad billing. I would like someone to prove me wrong.
Back to my issue, I demand an end to this request for payment already made. We have severed our relationship with Rogers and I will not deal with them any more. Any further dealings will be through lawyers at their expense.
Since there is no posted email contact for the big telecommunication corporation, I will copy this email into their little complaint field.
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Ellen, I want to thank you for putting in an effort to help me out in this situation.
We received a phone call tonight from Rogers verifying that the account was closed.
They could not offer an explanation as to why the closed account was passed on to a collections company, however. I also received an email from Allied International Credit Corp. informing me that the account with them had been closed the day after the letter had been sent. So, everything is now cleared up.
I had read your online article about Delores Brown’s identity mixup with Rogers and that is where I got your contact information. It is too bad to see such a good company turn so sour.
We had a great relationship with Rogers and had nothing but good things to say until we moved out to Moncton, New Brunswick. Suddenly, all our monthly bills were wrong, and the customer service was terrible!
Really though, for a multi-million dollar company, they should have a better system for keeping track of their customer accounts and billing.
I want to thank you again for your help with this problem. I don’t think — scratch that, I know — I wouldn’t have gotten such a prompt response from these companies if it wasn’t for you! One thing for sure, you have just gained a couple of lifetime readers for your column.
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Ashleigh Blackmore, Rogers spokeswoman:
Hi Ellen,
Rogers has confirmed that the SS did pay the final amount last year. Rogers has requested that the third party credit agency in question remove any derogatory remarks on file.
Thank you for the opportunity to assist.
MA
Nov 10 2009
I am sending you an email I sent to the complaint department at Co-Operators Insurance.
Have you heard similar stories of policyholders getting canceled because of a home inspection being done, without any explanation or notice that a negative assessment could mean refusal of their renewal?
I know that Co-Operators will definitely not renew us. It’s not right that they deceived me that way, leaving me feeling helpless.
People should be aware of the company’s true intention when it comes to inspect homes. Always ask for a written request for home inspection and the purpose.
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I am a resident of Pickering and have been a Co-Operators client, both home and auto insurance, since 1988, when we bought our home. That’s 21 years and we have not made a single claim on our home insurance.
Last month, an employee from Co-Operators’ local office in Ajax advised me over the phone that an inspector will come to our home to inspect. I was surprised because in 21 years nobody ever came to our home to inspect.
When I asked what for, I was told that it is to check that we are paying the right premiums and to make sure we have enough coverage. So, the inspection was done on Oct. 28.
With no claims filed in 21 years, I was confident there would be no problems renewing our policy. Right after the inspection, I received a notice to renew and I noticed that the premium had gone up. I called to inquire but my agent was not in.
On Sunday, Nov. 8, I read our local agent’s two emails, dated Oct. 29 and Nov. 4, informing me that Co-Operators will not renew. I was shocked!
It was not at all explained to me that this home inspection can result to our policy being declined. I say it’s very deceptive because I was not notified that the main purpose of the home inspection is for “risk assessment.”
Never was it disclosed that a negative assessment can result in our policy being refused for renewal. I never got a written notification on why this home inspection was needed and there was no indication that we can in fact lose our policy based on this.
Then I was told that I have up to Nov. 13 to look for another provider, only 4 days from the day I actually read the agent’s email. Whatever happened to a consumer’s right to know “what could happen?” His reason for refusal was “upkeep” and using a new credit rating.
Three things are definitely wrong with this business practice:
1) It’s deceptive. I allowed the agent to come to our home, believing the reason for it was to find that we were paying the right premiums. I deserve to know ahead of time that a negative assessment could cause us to lose our policy.
2) There should be a written notice at least 60 days before renewal date, explaining the reason for home inspection, the benefits and risks (one being that the policy may not get renewed). Give details on how the company measures risk. If we don’t know, how can we fix those problems?
3) There is nothing in the policy that states “a home inspection has to be done, and based on the result, policy may be refused.”
I was so stressed over this, I let the agent into my home not knowing exactly what he was doing. I felt scammed, tricked, deceived!
Our home may not be perfect, may need a repair here or there, but was it ever explained to me that our policy may not be renewed because of this? That is not right.
The consumer has a right to know.
He mentioned in his email that the company uses a new credit rating. My question is, did underwriting look into our credit history, right after the home inspection? If they did, they did so without my consent. Is my credit score a factor in the company’s decision to refuse me?
AM
Nov 10 2009
I have a problem with Bell Canada that has been a nightmare to get resolved.
I’ve had my long distance through Primus for years. In July of this year, Bell took over my long distance without my consent or knowledge.
They started billing me at very high rates with no savings plan. I didn’t notice it until my August bill.
On Sept. 3, I phoned both Bell and Primus. Primus verified that my plan had been cancelled and not by me. They said whoever took over my long distance made the request.
I immediately instructed Primus to re-implement my long distance plan.
I started fighting with Bell to credit me for their long distance charges. I paid the regular monthly charges, but not the long distance charges.
I have wasted many hours on the phone, on hold, trying to get them to fix this. I have been promised a credit, only to find out when I got my next bill they had no record of that conversation or no notes to support my argument about the impending credit.
Seems they either don’t take notes or they just delete them afterwards and no one ever knows what the situation is.
I’ve had to repeat this entire problem at least 10 times. My phone was actually disconnected last week, but I was able to convince them to reconnect it, as there is an outstanding problem with my account.
How can it be legal for them to “highjack” your long distance with no authorization?
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Ellen: I received a call from a Supervisor of the Executive Offices of Bell Canada, Alexander Makrygiannis. I am happy to say that my issue has been resolved FINALLY!
They said Primus didn’t notify them properly, so Bell’s system showed me as their customer — even though I’ve been receiving my long distance bills from Primus since 2002.
They say their system does an update every so often and if your account is “not set up properly” to be under another long distance provider, Bell’s system basically takes your account over.
Not a really clear explanation to someone NOT in the telecommunication field or without much experience in this sort of thing. Still, I got the outcome I wanted so I’m happy, but quite a process to get someone to fix it!
I would advise everyone to check their bills carefully every month!
RM
Nov 10 2009
I would like your help to obtain two Bell calling cards for my wife and me to carry for long distance telephone calls when we are away from home.
I regularly vacation in Mexico and it would be helpful to have them.
I will briefly summarize my predicament with Bell:
– On Dec. 04/08, I called Bell to obtain new cards since one of mine was cracked due to age. The call centre promised to send 2 new “regular” cards and 1 “family contact” card to me. They said it would take 3 to 4 weeks.
I received nothing.
– On Jan. 12/09, I called and was told they had no cards and it would take two months for a new supplier to be found for the plastic. They said they had no record of my request. I was assured that once they were re-supplied, I would receive my cards. I received nothing.
– On Sept. 08/09 I called and was told to re-order cards, since they had no record of my request. A representative gave me a confirmation number and an employee number. I received nothing.
– On Oct. 16/09, I received a sales promotion call from Bell. They asked if I wanted to add to my services. I already pay Bell over $2,000 a year for services. I said “No thanks”.
They asked if I had any questions and I told them about the calling cards. They redirected my call and after I waited on the line for over 10 minutes, the call was disconnected.
– I called back and was told by a representative at a call centre in Costa Rica that the supervisor would call me back on Oct. 17/09. They did not call and, guess what, I received nothing.
I have spent in excess of two hours on the telephone (much of it on hold) in the past year, just to get something as simple as calling cards. This passed the point of ridiculous long ago.
I must admit that the representatives are unfailingly polite, but they make promises and deliver nothing. It would seem to me that this is a business model doomed to fail.
A large part of the problem seems to be the contracting out of their services to call centres. There seems to be no Bell and no Canada left in Bell Canada. This shields them from any accountability and is an impediment to customer service. All this for over $2,000 per year.
I appreciate any help you can offer to prevent this lousy service from manifesting itself in the future.
JW
Nov 13 2009
I just sent the following to Future Shop:
Howdy,
On Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, I went to a Future Shop store in Heartland Town Centre, Mississauga. I wanted to buy a 46″ LCD TV with 120hz, ranging between $1,100-$1,300.
A sales rep named Arun was helping me and had great attitudes. After some presentations from him, one of his coworkers happened to push out a Samsung 46″ LCD in a box that was not on display.
He happened to pass by us and told me that it was the last one left in store, a Samsung of 700s series with 240hz, and that it was only $1,700.
Arun continued selling this product. He confirmed that it was brand new, a 46″ Samsung LCD of 700s series @ 240hz, and a really good price at only $1,700. I was interested as I know something like that should cost around $2,000 up.
I couldn’t see the specs written on the box, so I asked Arun to show me the specs on the computer, just to be safe. So he went to one of the computers on display and opened up this product on the Future Shop site.
It was this one:
http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro…0121225&catid=
Showed it was a Samsung 46″, 700s series, just like the box said. I saw the specs and he kept repeating with passion about the 240hz, 150 000:1 contrast ratio. The site was still displaying $1,999, so he again repeated what a good deal it is to get it at $1,700.
I asked if he could get me a better deal, because it was still much higher than what I was orginally planning to spend. He showed me this tv table for $399 and said he’d try to get it free for me, along with the $70 that I would have to pay for the 1-year-no-payment-admin-fee.
Finally, after spending one hour at his computer to get my info, talking to his manager and making my Future Shop card, I got nothing but just a $35 off my admin fee. It was a really long day, so I just bought it.
I went through a lot of hassles to get a van to drive it to my new vacant house the next night. My fiancée and I, two tiny people, spent a lot of effort to transport and unpack it. Finally, on Monday night, it was set up. Woohoo.
That’s when I noticed the stand looked kind of different from the website.
The next morning, after an hour of research on why the stand was different, I realized from my bill that I was sold the model LN46A750, and that what Arun had been presenting to me was a LN46B750.
The difference is that it’s only a 120hz, 50,000 contrast ratio with a stand that doesn’t turn, instead of a 240hz, 150 000 contrast with a stand that turns.
I was really mad because something like that could have easily cost me $1,100-$1,300 at your own store, not $1,700.
I trusted Future Shop’s sales rep and even took the effort to confirm the specs on a computer with him.
And later I noticed it was an open box too! Not brand new like he claimed.
That evening, I went to the Heartland Future Shop again, looking for Arun. A guy from his department said he wasn’t there, his department manager was not there and the store manager was not there. That’s what he claimed. Scary store.
That was hard to believe, especially because they need a manager whenever the sales rep asks for better prices. I asked for their schedule and was told Arun worked 5-9 the next day and the department manager worked 1-9.
The next day, Oct. 28, I called at 1:30 to talk to the Department’s manager of home theatre. Finally he responded and he was not a nice one. I mentioned my 700s series Samsung and he immediately asked if it’s an A or a B series. So he is well aware of the differences.
The manager said I could just return it. I said I went through so much trouble because you guys made a mistake or lied to me. He said he’d have to listen to Arun’s side and he wouldn’t be back till Friday.
He said that even if Arun was wrong, it’s impossible that they’d exchange it to the LN46B750 for me, and that if I didn’t like it, I could just return.
Wow, I expected much more from the reputable Future Shop. I went back that night around 6. Arun was there, so another lie…
I said: Arun, remember you sold me this Samsung 46″ 700s series? He said Yeah. Then I said, remember how you said it’s a 240hz. He interrupted me and said “I never said it’s a 240hz”. So he is well aware of the situation, as he didn’t even have to ask if it’s an A or a B series.
I reminded him that he even took the effort to bring me to a computer to confirm it’s a 240hz with 150,000 contrasts. Then it “clicked” and he said: “Oh yeah, I’m so sorry”. At least he admitted it, which made me feel better.
But he couldn’t do much either. He went to deal with his manager and told me, this LN46B750 is selling at $2,199, and we’ll sell it to you at $1,899. Oh my goodness.
I told him, what are you talking about? Go to the site with me now! LN46B750 is sold at $1,999 not $2,199, and it’s not even on sale. On top of that, I knew the $100 off is simply from the coupon that anyone gets if they purchase over 1k during that 3 days. I’m not compensated at all from this fraud or mistake.
So I tried to return it, but I forgot to pack the controller and had to come back the next day to do it. You see how much I went through — 4 nights at Future Shop, borrowing a van and all the transportations involved, on top of this mental stress, just because of the dishonesty of this home theatre department.
Had I not noticed the stand difference, I would have paid so much for nothing, and incorrectly bragged to others about this “good deal” I got.
I was planning to get my appliances for my new home from Future Shop too, but I’m really reluctant now. The managers there didn’t do anything, but just lied or hid or stayed defensive.
I have never filed a complaint before, but this one is just too much. A number of forums and I with my Fiancée, friends, coworkers and family members will be looking forward to your response about this. I hope correct actions will be taken and fair compensation will be given as well.
you for your time, your effort will be greatly appreciated.
MA again
Nov 13 2009
I received an email from the Co-operators about my being turned down for renewal. Here it is below and my response.
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Thanks for your email - I can certainly appreciate your concerns.
The Co-operators has been conducting home inspections for a number of years now, as our files need to be kept up to date and we need to ensure that we are charging the right rate for the risk.
Your agent was thinking of your best interest when he advised you to find another carrier upon your home renewal, to avoid a cancellation by insurer (The Co-operators).
By your finding another provider, it would show as a
cancellation on renewal, which would have no impact on your record.
Your home insurance policy booklet does include a condition that says we are permitted to inspect the insured property at all reasonable times.
I can understand that email was not the best form of communication in this situation, given the time restraints. This issue will be discussed further with the agent.
Sincerely,
Lino Zamprogna
Service Quality Coordinator
130 Macdonell St. Guelph, ON N1H 6P8
Phone: 1-877-795-7272
Fax: 1-519-823-9944
—————————————————-
To: service@cooperators.ca
Sent: Wed, November 11, 2009 1:36:14 PM
Subject: Re: URGENT needs a reply
Hi Lino,
Thank you for your response. As I mentioned on my previous email, we have been a client for home insurance since 1988.
Key phrase in your policy is “reasonable times.” Would you say in my case that 3 weeks before expiry date is reasonable? Please answer.
I think it is only proper that when a policyholder is contacted by an agent to schedule a home inspection, you should mention that the inspection is for “risk assessment” and a negative assessment may result in non-renewal.
On the day of the home inspection, a brochure should be handed to a policyholder and the agent/home inspector should advise that after a home inspection, a negative assessment may result in non-renewal.
And at the end of home inspection, the agent before leaving should advise the policyholder to call the office within two days. Policyholders should then sign an acknowldgement form that they understand.
Consumers have a right to know to be fully aware of what could happen after a home inspection. That is the part that I want you to address.
What about the company’s obligation to consumers to be transparent and honest? Policyholders need to be informed in writing that the home inspection is for risk assessment and those homes considered high risk may be refused.
In my case, 21 years claim free, I’ve always believed we are low risk. It would made a big difference if I was informed before or even during home inspection of a possibility that I could be refused. I could have mentally prepared myself.
All night Sunday, Nov. 7, after reading my agent’s emails dated Oct. 29 and Nov. 4, I couldn’t sleep, too upset.
All day Monday, Nov. 8, I was furious. I have high blood pressure, and I was agitated. Our home is a valuable possesion and I was made to think that I only had 4 days to find another provider. It’s so unfair!
Co-operators need to be more transparent and stick to “reasonable times” — 3 weeks before renewal date is not reasonable.
My agent said he tried to call me a day after the inspection, but there was no answer. He called our landline, which does not have voice mail. Twice I instructed his staff to call only my cell number.
I did not read his email on Oct. 29 right away. He sent another email on Nov. 4. I got to read both on Nov. 7. To find out I had only until Nov. 13 to look for another provider, I panicked.
Even if I found another provider, I would take the first one that took us in even if expensive. There really was no time to shop around in 4 days.
What if I was sick or too busy to check my emails? The agent, I believe, knew when he left our premises that we wouldn’t get renewed, but he just left without saying a word.
If he said something to me, I would certainly make sure to communicate with his office within 2 days of the home inspection. Do you see the lack of communication on his part?
I’m sure most policyholders will get their policies renewed but for those few who won’t, they should not be put in a tight spot like I was in.
In 21 years, I paid an average of $600 per year for home insurance, or $12,000 in total. With our auto insurance, maybe $50,000. And this is how we are treated?
Co-Operators should always be transparent and honest, should practice full disclosure, it’s only FAIR!
I will expecting for your reply on the issue of transparency, full disclosure and proper communication.
JW
Nov 13 2009
Thank you so much Ellen!
After contacting you this morning, I already received an apology from that Future Shop’s store manager. He asked me to visit him to see what he can do. He said he was embarrassed when reading my case.
While their customer service lady Jasmine never got back to me, it’s been around 2 weeks.
We consumers really need people like you to protect us from these evil companies. Your presence gave me confidence to purchase large items again.
You push these big companies to treat their customers in a fair and ethical manner.
Thank you so much for being there!
RM
Nov 20 2009
Now for my good news story:
I bought a dining table set from JYSK (think IKEA on a small scale), back in December 2006.
In October 2007, I moved back home after the death of my father; the table was taken apart, wrapped up in shrink wrap and put in my brother’s basement till we could downsize.
Fast forward to September 2009, when my mom and I have moved into a condo.
It wasn’t till we unwrapped the table that I realized that I hadn’t seen the screws to put the legs back on. These screws are 4 inches in length and we need 3 of them for each leg.
We’re talking about a bag that would weigh at least 5 pounds; and I couldn’t remember seeing the bag when we temporarily moved to my brother’s place for 3 months.
After a few days of unpacking, I still couldn’t find the screws. I took a look at the retailer’s web site, and luckily enough, they still offered the table for sale.
I sent an email using their “contact us” connection. I asked if they might be able to locate a extra pack of screws and offered to pay for them if they could send it to their Brampton or Mississauga locations.
Within 2 days, they replied, asking for the details of when/where it was purchased and offering to send me the screws if available.
Luckily I was able to locate my VISA statement and I sent them the information requested (that’s when I realized that I had purchased the table over 2 years ago!).
Within 2 days, I received an email informing me that the package with extra screws had been sent out and they gave me the courier tracking number (at no cost to me).
By the end of the week, I had my hands on the package with a total of 15 screws (3 extra in case I lose more?).
So within 7 days of sending of my initial email, this retailer came to my rescue, all for a table that costs under $450!
Hope this puts a smile on your face as if did for me, and yes, I do let everyone know what a great job they did.
MF
Nov 30 2009
Hello Ellen. I wanted to share with you a positive experience we had with Black and Decker O/A Applica Inc. This is a good story.
We purchased a Black and Decker coffee maker on Aug. 8. The first time we used it, the result was a burned countertop and a melted coffee maker.
As a result of my email, the next day we received a phone call from a senior manager in the USA asking if “my family was okay” and apologizing profusely for the incident.
I was very impressed that a corporate entity the size of Applica would make that call. He gave me instructions on how to resolve the damages caused by the fire/smoke and sent us a claims package the same day.
We completed the claim form, included photos and, within about 8 weeks, we had a cheque for all of the damages.
We could not match the replacement countertop with the existing countertop and island, so they paid to replace the countertops in the entire kitchen.
At no time was the process a challenge. They kept me informed of their progress each step of the way.
To say I am impressed is an understatement. Naturally I will continue to use B&D products.
My expectation was that I would be having a legal battle with a corporate US giant of industry and instead I was made to feel like their most important client. This was truly a positive experience.
Thank you for your column and the work you do. Here’s my letter below.
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Dear Sirs,
On Aug. 8, we purchased a new Black and Decker coffee maker, model TCM1000KT, in London Ont. When we made coffee that day, it appears that an electrical short occurred, resulting in the mess you see in my enclosed photos.
Fortunately, we have smoke alarms on every level of our home and we were alerted to this in time to prevent a more serious consequence.
Our countertop is burned and we are uncertain about what to do with this burned-out appliance.
I left a message on your 800 line this morning and have not heard back from your people on this. Please have someone call or write ASAP to discuss this situation.
Many thanks.
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I received your General Release that you sent me on Oct. 9. First of all, I would like to thank you and Applica for the speedy resolution to our challenge and for how you handled this in a no-nonsense fashion.
We have appreciated that very much because, quite frankly, that was not our expectation.
Although I have signed the release that asks for confidentiality, I would like to be permitted to tell my friends and business contacts of the positive experience I had with Black and Decker.
Thank you again for making this a pleasant exercise.
MB
Dec 21 2009
I want to mention a firm that does stand behind its products.
Several years ago, I purchased an air power winch from Princess Auto. After using it, I found the product to be very inferior. I put it in my tool box and forgot about it.
About a year later, I was talking to their head office about their mail order policies when I mentioned the air powered winch.
They told me to return the item and even though I no longer had the orginal packaging and receipt, they took it back at the last sale price.
It is unfortunate that more retail outlets don’t have the return policy of Princess Auto.
JP
Dec 21 2009
You may wish to share with your readers that Sears Canada has made significant changes to their return policy and they can have a huge impact.
For their catalogue orders, if you do not purchase using your Sears account, your return window is only 30 days. It is extended to 90 days if you use a Sears account. Not sure what the policy is if you pay cash.
My daughter and son-in-law found this out the hard way. They ordered four sets of window blinds via Sears catalogue service. None of them were custom cut, just basic sizes they sell.
Two sets were installed, with two held until some painting was to be done. In the meantime, they found out that the condo corporation where they own their home was to be installing new windows before winter.
Only then did they realize that the two remaining sets of blinds (still unopened and in their initial packaging) would not be the correct size, as the new window frames are much wider.
Sears would not budge after several phone calls and a lengthy letter.
The amount in question is only $90, but the intent is to return the blinds (again, I remind you, they are not custom cut and still offered for sale in Sears catalogues, so can easily go back into stock) and to purchase two new blinds of the correct size.
Actually, they will be purchasing four new sets as they need to replace the two already installed.
No luck! All because the purchase was not made on a Sears account to get the 90 days return policy.
This is important to know, because I recently ordered a complete set of bedding via Sears catalogue. Two random pieces (duvet cover and one other piece) will not be available until Jan. 27th. The others were all available within a couple of days in November.
I always use my Visa card as we convert the points into merchandise, trips, etc. But my worry with this order would be that the last two pieces coming in late January would be a different dye lot and not match. So I knew to tailor my order by using my Sears card for the initial items and my Visa for the late arrivals.
I discussed this whole situation when ordering, expecting Sears to offer me a solution. The best they could do was give me an extended return date on my November items to Jan. 10th - actually the Christmas purchase return date. But that was all!
Not helpful at all as the remaining two items do not come in until Jan. 27th.
So buyers from Sears catalogue (and perhaps even the store purchases too, not sure) must beware!
You might be stuck with all kinds of merchandise you don’t need or want, just like my daughter with 2 sets of unopened blinds.
Our families are probably 4th or 5th generation Sears catalogue customers. Their return policy has always been most generous and simple. I know things change, but at whose expense? The customers?
———————————————————————————-
Ellen, wonderful news!
Corporate Sears left a message for my daughter yesterday and when she called them back they advised they will be taking the blinds back for a full refund on her credit card.
We sincerely appreciate your escalation of this issue on our behalf with a truly satisfactory result.
All the best to you and yours for 2010!
PT
Dec 21 2009
I recently ran into a most annoying situation with Samsung over their warranties.
At the time, I had t2o Samsung LCD monitors, purchased less than 3 years ago through Future Shop.
Both monitors were registered with Samsung via their website and I still had the original packaging material.
One monitor developped an intermittent problem in turning on, so I contacted Samsung. All was going great until the bombshell.
Without the receipt for purchase from Future Shop, NO repairs under warranty.
I spoke with numerous support staff and the manager and was given the exact same line each and every time.
No Receipt, No repair!
Future Shop was unable to provide a copy of the receipt either.
It makes me wonder, what IS the point of registration at all!
I had the monitor repaired privately, a new power supply for $100.
Samsung have LOST me a client for any future purposes.