Wednesday, July 4, 2007

WHERE IS MY #!$@$%*! DOOR?!?!?!?

This is the letter I am hand-delivering to the Quarry Home Depot store manager today:

Dear Mr. Virnig:

I am writing to alert you to a customer service problem which caused me great distress and is as yet unresolved.

First of all, let me tell you a bit about me. I have been in the residential renovation business since 2000, operating exclusively in Minneapolis. As a result, I am a regular customer in your store. In fact, I can be found at the Home Depot Quarry as often as 4-5 days per week, and have easily spent tens of thousands of dollars there over the course of the past 7 years.

During my years of patronage, I have learned that service at the Quarry Home Depot is usually mediocre. While the staff in the paint department are delightfully helpful and knowledgeable, (and I would like to commend them to you, as a matter of fact,) the overall level of customer service is far below that of your average Ace Hardware.

I have generally felt accepting of this, in view of the lower prices that Home Depot offers relative to smaller hardware stores. I don't expect every staff person roaming the floor to know exactly how every product works, or which is the best for a given scenario, etcetera.

What I DO expect, however, is that they NOT give me false assurances when it comes to special-order products, particularly when I specifically state that I am on a timeline and seeking a product which can be ordered and delivered therein. Furthermore, if staff screw this up, I do believe that an apology is the very bare minimum that I deserve as a customer.

Which brings me to the incident about which I am so thoroughly incensed:

During one evening in late May, my husband and I went into the millwork department to look for a storm door that I needed for the house I am currently rehabbing. After waiting for more than 20 minutes for the line of customers ahead of us to subside, we sat down with Josh to discuss the options. I told Josh that I needed a 36”x84” door, and that I really liked the cast-iron style of the Grisham security doors. I asked if there were any in stock in an 84” length. Josh told me there were not, and that I could order one if I wished. I asked Josh if the 84” length wasn't a standard size and he told me that it WAS, but that Home Depot simply didn't stock it.

I asked him how long such a (Grisham) door would take to arrive if I ordered it, and he told me it had a 28-day lead time. I was very disappointed to learn this, and told him so, since I reeeeeeeeally liked that style, but simply could not wait the 28 days, as I was working on a strict schedule.

Josh suggested that I might look at the Emco storm door, since it shipped in 10 days.

I didn't really like the Emco door, to be honest. Nevertheless, I wanted to keep my schedule, and I told him as much. I decided to go home and think about what I should do, in addition to checking some other stores.

On June 1, I returned to Home Depot and found Josh again. I told him that I had decided to go with the Emco door, reiterating that while I preferred the Grisham security style, it was more important for me to get the house listed by the first week of July so I could move on to my next project. (And as I'm sure you know, the front door is rather crucial to a house for sale.)

We ordered the Emco door.

On or around the 11th of June, I called to check on the status of my order. I spoke with someone other than Josh, and they informed me that my door had “a 28-day lead time,” and that I should check back around the 28th or 29th of the month. Needless to say I was quite surprised and disturbed by this information, and told the person on the phone as much. He responded that he didn't know why Josh had told me 10 days, and that it was simply wrong, but I was welcome to keep checking in to see if it arrived early.

A few days later I called again, and got Josh on the phone. He told me that he was with customers and would have to call me back. He called me after business hours and I wasn't able to receive the message. On the following day, I made one of my regular trips to the store for paint and drywall supplies, and stopped over at the millwork department as well. I did not find Josh, but I did find another staff person who checked the status of my door and said that it was showing in the computer system as finished and waiting to be shipped. He suggested that I keep checking back, as it might arrive earlier than 28 days.

On June 28th, I had to travel to Florida, where I stayed until July 2nd. Immediately upon my return, I called Home Depot once again, expecting that my door would now (FINALLY!) have arrived. This was about 8:30AM Monday, July 2. (Please keep in mind that I am now running a minimum of 10 days behind schedule on my project, since several other items – not the least of which is installation – are riding on the arrival of this door.)

Alas, the person to whom I spoke (it was not Josh) informed me that my door had still not arrived, and that I should check back again on Tuesday or Thursday, as those are the days that Anderson (Emco) shipments arrive.

I informed this person that I was quite upset about the tardiness of my door, that I was originally expecting it in 10 days per Josh, and that it was now even past the 28 day mark. I then asked to speak to a manager. The staff person told me to hold on, and they put the phone down somewhere without placing me on hold. They then proceeded to call to another employee and tell that employee about how I was complaining that my door was supposed to come quicker than it had, and didn't I know it was a custom door???

After a few moments of listening to their exchange which was less than professional, the person picked up the phone again and asked me for my name and number so that “George” could call me. George has yet to call me, as of July 4. Furthermore, I have since learned that George is not a manager, rather the millwork expediter.

And I still have no door.

And not one single person at the Quarry Home Depot has extended anything even remotely approximating sympathy or an apology for this unfortunate situation. There is something quite wrong with that fact, in my opinion, and I am seriously considering taking my business elsewhere permanently as a result.

I sincerely hope to hear from you regarding this issue.


10 comments:

Jean Martha said...

Make sure to send a copy to their corporate offices too. Everytime I have had a major problem...and complained...they sent me a $50 gift card.

Ranty said...

Thanks for the suggestion, ILU! I was going to deliver the letter today, but got too busy so I'll do it tomorrow, and I've added the carbon-copy to their corp. office.

Also, thanks for checking out my blog! I looked at yours too and it's very cool. I've bookmarked it for future inspirations. :-)

The Litter Box House said...

ILU, you got $50?!?! I only got $10 for my Home Despot complaint. Pout. Maybe it was because I did the email comment on the HD web site...

Anonymous said...

You could try ordering through the architect you know. That's usually cheaper anyway. And often much quicker. I don't trust Home Depot for the bigger stuff at all.

Ranty said...

Well whaddaya know, after I hand-delivered my letter to the GM of the store this morning, he actually called me.

He did apologize, and he says he's going to send me a $100 giftcard for the inconvenience.

But guess what? HE STILL DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THE EFF MY DOOR IS!!!!

I am so pissed.

Kevin from Minneapolis said...

Let the shitting cat loose in their store.

The Watcher said...

Wow. Remember when Home Depot was helpful? When I bought my house 14 years ago, I was ready to move into the store I was so happy. Then I tried ordering a couple of bigger project items and it's been a disaster. Now I'm trying to figure out how to order a handle for an Emco door and am getting nowhere with Home Depot or Emco. May be time to just get another door.

Anonymous said...

Here's my story. Thanks for the opportunity to vent! :)

4/4/2008:
Dear EMCO Representative,

Thank you for making me this latest offer, after reneging on the promise your representative made to me previously.

However, I regret that I will not be able to accept, as I've since removed your storm door from my house and have displayed it prominently in a public place, after having written the following on it in LARGE BOLD PRINT:

EMCO DOOR!!!
FROM HOME DEPOT;
CAME WITHOUT HARDWARE;
EMCO WON'T REPLACE;
EMCO WANTS ANOTHER $54
ON TOP OF THE $214 LIST
PRICE FOR A TIN DOOR
WITH NO HOLES PRE-DRILLED;
YOURS FREE; U-HAUL.
CAVEAT EMPTOR!!!

Please share with your staff and customers.

Melissa

Anonymous said...

I ordered a 82 1/4 inch custom-order door from Home Depot. Supplier -Emco. The door that was delivered measured 81 inches yielding a 1 inch gap at the bottom of the door, rendering the door virtually useless. Response from Assistant Manager: \"Thats the way all these doors are delivered from the manufacturer - anywhere from 1 -1 3/4 inch smaller than the Rough Opening size\". After a frustrating debate with this individual he said there are no returns or refunds on custom orders due to company policy- sorry about the gap at the bottom of the door - perhaps you should shim out the door frame at the top by 1 inch then it should fit. I say this is totally unacceptable. What is the purpose of a customer order? A 1/4 inch gap at bottom of the door could be acceptable and compensated by adjusting by the door sweep. If had wanted an 81 inch door, I would have ordered one. Home Depot\'s arrogance really miffed me. This situation is just not right and their respon
se is not acceptable. \"You can do it - and we can help?\" Right! Next step, escalation to Store Manager and then to District Manager, President of Home Depot Canada, then small claims court. My patience with this company has now run out. There are other building suppliers out there and they will get my business in the future.

Anonymous said...

I ordered a 82 1/4 inch custom-order door from Home Depot. Supplier -Emco. The door that was delivered measured 81 inches yielding a 1 inch gap at the bottom of the door, rendering the door virtually useless. Response from Assistant Manager: \"Thats the way all these doors are delivered from the manufacturer - anywhere from 1 -1 3/4 inch smaller than the Rough Opening size\". After a frustrating debate with this individual he said there are no returns or refunds on custom orders due to company policy- sorry about the gap at the bottom of the door - perhaps you should shim out the door frame at the top by 1 inch then it should fit. I say this is totally unacceptable. What is the purpose of a customer order? A 1/4 inch gap at bottom of the door could be acceptable and compensated by adjusting by the door sweep. If had wanted an 81 inch door, I would have ordered one. Home Depot\'s arrogance really miffed me. This situation is just not right and their respon
se is not acceptable. \"You can do it - and we can help?\" Right! Next step, escalation to Store Manager and then to District Manager, President of Home Depot Canada, then small claims court. My patience with this company has now run out. There are other building suppliers out there and they will get my business in the future.