The predominate community mantra these days is: Buy Local. Taken at face value, this injunction seems to be a reasonable way both to engage and stimulate local businesses; however, as with all issues, the devil is very often in the details. Approximately eight years ago I contracted with a local home maintenance company, Pike’s, to install vinyl siding and replacement windows in my home. I decided it was time for me to join the legions of homeowners who had tired of scaling ladders and scaffolding to prepare and to paint the exterior of their houses. Along with installing premium siding from Alcoa we had ten windows replaced with premium virgin, vinyl windows that were double pane with argon gas to reduce the harshness of the sun’s rays, etc. We also had all of our gutting and downspouts replaced along with the waterfall gutter guards and some minor flashing work around a bay window area where we had already installed custom made Andersen windows. The installation went smoothly enough with only one rough spot–one of the windows had a defect and didn’t work properly. The defective window was quickly replaced which was reassuring considering the check I had written to have the work done.
A couple of years ago or so I had an issue regarding a section of vinyl siding. I contacted the company to have someone come out, inspect the situation, and repair or recommend what needed to be done–all of the materials were warranted for life. Perhaps it was an oversight or maybe scheduling was really a problem, but I got no response until I wrote a letter to the owner, who, by the way never responded although a “supervisor” eventually appeared and grudgingly made some adjustments to the siding. While he was on site he regaled me with anecdotes of the incompetence of the installers who worked for the company years ago, when the work was done on my house. Unfortunately, there was some truth in his tale as I was informed later by an official from Duke Power of a code violation because there was vinyl siding covering the electrical service where it attaches to the house and connects to the meter.
A little more than two months ago, while my wife and I were cleaning the windows, we noticed a problem with one of the windows. The problem is that the part of the window where the sash attaches to it has come detached from the window and remains at the bottom of the track when the window is raised. So I called Pike’s and described the situation with the window. I was greeted with what appeared to me was the usual truculent, defensive maneuver that so many companies resort to instead of simply ascertaining what the problem is and how it can be resolved. After a considerable amount of time explaining, then establishing that I was a customer, etc., I was transferred to a another person in the company. I repeated what I had told to the first person–I confess that my explanation may not have captured the problem as clearly as either I or the company representative would have liked–and suggested that it would be best if someone came out and inspected the window. A date was set, an estimator arrived as scheduled, looked at the window, declared it a manufacturing defect, stated that his company no longer had that window, etc. Defense again. I produced my invoice from the installation and the records associated with it, which he reviewed. I told him I wanted the window repaired or replaced. Interestingly, when the estimator first looked at the windows he remarked that they were in really good shape! I thought it odd that he would expect them to be in any other condition. I’m not in the habit of destroying that which I have worked hard to afford! At any rate, he told me that he would research the manufacturer of the windows and contact me in about two weeks.
Two weeks became two months. I called Pike’s to find out the status regarding the problem with my window. Once again I had to jump through hoops until I became just a bit warm under the collar and probably upped the decibel level of my voice whereupon I was handed off to another person who was considerably more adroit at recognizing there was such a thing as a customer and customers pay the bills. Apologies all around and excepted. I get transferred to the guy who came out to inspect my window; he tells me as others have told me that there was a miscommunication–of course there is always a miscommunication, remember Cool Hand Luke: When Strother Martin defines life’s biggest problem for Paul Newman! What we have here is a failure to communicate! He says he will call me once he verifies the manufacturer of the windows, etc. I’m told the company that manufactured my windows was sold about two years ago to another company. Fine, just gather all the pertinent information and get back to me. I give him my cell number in addition to the land line so that he can call me at any time. I get a call on my cell a day or two later while I am in the middle of something and can’t really talk but suggest that he either call me later or email me the information and I verify that he has my correct email address before I hang up.
A few days later I call the telephone number provided in the email I’ve received. Ah, the wonders of technology! Nowadays, all companies virtually guarantee that no customer will ever talk to a sentient being. After navigating a maze of pre-programmed telephone options, none of which was categorized appropriately for my particular problem, I simply choose one, and then another, until I manage to find a living being to talk to. All’s well that ends well, but the Bard be forgiven, that cliché is not applicable to my situation although one has to admire the novelty of customer relations: I was told to Google the series number on the gold label on one of the bottom rails (maybe on the upper half or the bottom half) of my window and that would tell me who manufactured my windows because she was absolutely certain that her company was not the manufacturer. I felt a sinking feeling come over me like an overweight mastodon strolling through the La Brea tar pits. Google, despite many who believe that it is the font of all truth, the be-all and end-all of all that is, isn’t, but, I do the search anyway. No manufacturer, not even close–maybe I should have given Bing a try. Maybe next time.
So I call Pike’s once again. I am regaled with menu of automated messages. There is no live person available despite being informed by one of those messages that the hours during which the business operates coincides precisely with the time my call has been placed. I leave a voice message. I send an email. Now another week has passed. I suppose that my next step is writing to David Pike once again; however, my last experience seemed less than fruitful, in fact, he seemed to ignore it. It appears that my only value to Pike’s occurred years ago when I wrote them a check and paid them in full. Apparently the company was not seeking to build a viable, long-term, community-based, business relationship. Owning a house is not a static proposition; maintenance and upkeep are constants; roofs need replacing. Why would any company spurn or discourage paying customers? Is it arrogance or incompetence? Even when the economy is blushing with work and ripe with funds ready to be invested in divers of projects, the best businesses–large, small, local, international–will attend to customers rather than disregard them.
One should always carefully scrutinize any business before one enters into a relationship with that business and it is no less axiomatic because that company happens to be locally owned. We thought we had taken the right step when we decided to support a local business but apparently we were mistaken. Lifetime warranty is a euphemism if the company which stands behind it is a façade. I’m not implying that all local businesses are taboo. As a matter of fact, I think very highly of Talley Water Treatment Company which continues to provide the kind of service and quality that was pivotal in my decision to retain them. I suffer no delusions that my venting in this blog will repair or replace the defective window; the three people who read this blog probably don’t intend to replace their windows or cover their houses with vinyl siding, but, I hope they’d contact me first if they were considering Pike’s for the job. The only thing I can say for sure is that I paid for the window once; and, it looks as if I’ll have to pay for it again, only this time it certainly won’t be Pike!
