This was one of the weakest attempts of a bate & switch I?ve ever seen. I called to find out if they serviced my Bosch vacuum, and was told they did, when I arrived a white haired man (I assumed was the owner) told me that a standard service was like $39.00, but that they would have to check it out, which seemed reasonable to me, so I agreed to leave my vacuum.
I asked if he was going to call me back, and I was told (Rather arrogantly that ?no I would have to call him back? which I thought was odd since I wouldn?t know what time they would get to it? But none the less I left it anyway.
I call back and was told that the motor among other parts needed replacing, and that it would cost $125.00 to repair, I told him that I could buy a new vacuum for that cost, and that I would come by to pick it up ASAP! Once there, another guy came out with the selling skills of an eastside gang banger (And without my vacuum) to try to get me trade my vacuum in for $25.00 (I paid $250.00 for this vacuum 3 yrs. Ago) and suggested a $400.00 vacuum, (Maybe it was my $72,000 Range Rover I parked in front of the store that gave him the impression that I needed a $400.00 vacuum?)
After declining his feeble attempt at selling me an overpriced vacuum, and realizing that he was completely over his head he went to retrieve my vacuum, and I left. I am a guy who still likes to patronize the small business owner mainly because of the service, but in this case I understand why so many people go to the large department stores which is the reason so many small businesses have gone out of business.
Three comments for the owner of this business,
1. You?re not the director of a hedge fund on Wall Street, you?re a small time repair shop owner, (Lose the arrogance, and show your customers some respect, you looked ridicules doing your Mit Romney impression) when your customer leaves their vacuum for you to repair, ?YOU CALL THEM BACK? when you figure out what?s wrong with it, what else would you be busy doing, curing cancer?
2. Maybe you could get you sales person to focus on the customer, not on making the next sale (Even if he sold every vacuum in the shop, he wouldn?t make $1000.00)
I took my vacuum to AM Vacuum Co. at 3524 W. Washington, 1 mile from your shop, not only was Eric polite they took my vacuum, and HE called me the next day telling me what was wrong with it, then promptly serviced, cleaned and fixed my vacuum (Which just had a short, no need for a new motor) for $45.00 out the door.
3. If you barrow my corporate motto, you might actually not go out of business.
?Because after all, it?s not what we say about OURSELVES that MATTERS most, it?s what our CLIENTS say?
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