Bad Customer Experience

I’m so bloody frustrated I need to get this out of my system. NOW.

We bought a Lebensstil cooker hood and hob, Benova (M) Sdn Bhd during one of those home exhibitions many months back and now the time has come for them to do the installation. The price included coring the wall for the flexible pipe.

I called to set the appointment and gave specific instructions as to what I wanted them to do, via phone and SMS. Basically, I just wanted them to:
1. Core the hole on the wall
2. Attach the flexible pipe.
The installation of the hood would come in later once the kitchen cabinets have come in.

In return, I was told:
1. I had to pay RM50 for the second trip
2. Prepare the cheque for the full payment of the hood and hob

I got my Dad to assist in overseeing this and gave him all the details. However, when the installer came, he wanted:
1. To see our kitchen drawings. We’re already telling him where to core the hole and to give us a longer pipe so that it can be cut down to size upon installation. He couldn’t give a clear explanation on why he needed to see the kitchen drawings.
2. RM100 to core the hole “because it is hitting a beam”. Nowhere in their conversations with me or on the receipt did they say they were going to charge extra if it “hits a beam”.
3. He would refuse to do the job until he got the two things above.

Fuming, I called the company and the lady just said, “We already told you it will cost RM100 if it hits the beam”. I really don’t remember hearing or agreeing to anything like that. Plus it’s not stated in my receipt of this condition. So to clarify when she told me, she said, "When the installer was coring the hole, he told your father."

Let me just be clear. RM100 is nothing. It’s the fact that they weren’t upfront with me and held me ransom as they are doing the job. I hate being cornered! What if it was RM1,000? Did I have a choice?

So I raised my voice, “FINE! I’ll pay the RM100 but you can be sure I’ll tell the world through Facebook, my blog and Twitter never to use your company! Now can you please just install the flexible pipe?”

She also raised her voice back and said, “IT’S NOT THAT HE DOESN’T WANT TO INSTALL. HE’S ALREADY HALFWAY DOING IT!”

Then why the hell was he still asking for the kitchen drawings before he proceeded? In the end, she just kept saying she will ask her installer to call me. Which he didn’t.

My dad had to run to my house to get the drawings (which I hope he got the latest version since there are a few versions to it) to show him. I shudder to think what happens if he got the wrong drawings.

And now they are asking me to pay full for everything, including the payment for the 2nd trip. Can I trust them to turn up later? Worse, if they were to produce more hidden costs? Hell.

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Service recovery after I contacted them again this morning:
They've offered to give me a slow cooker when they next come for the final installation. Anyone wants a slow cooker?