Lake Ontario
12-20-2003, 06:08 PM
Mr. Richard Smith, Store Manager
The Home Depot
Eastview Mall
Victor, New York 14564
RIGID TOOL COMPANY
December 20, 2003
Dear Mr. Smith,
I have purchased a considerable amount of tools and equipment both personally and professionally from The Home Depot. I called RIGID concerning the 3.25 HP Wet/Dry vacuum I had purchased for my home from The Home Depot when it had malfunctioned on December 14, 2003. The person who took my call in the RIGID Customer Service Department instructed me to bring the vacuum to The Home Depot and they would “take care of me.” So, today I drove my young family (ages 6, 4, 2), my wife, and I to the Eastview Mall location of The Home Depot bringing my malfunctioning vacuum in an attempt to get service.
I was greeted at the Returns register cordially by Drianna at 1:15 P.M. whom I have seen numerous times, before when I have returned or exchanged items, since I frequent this store. She requested an individual to inquire what vacuum there was on the shelf to service my needs. As it would take several minutes, I waited as Drianna waited on another customer. The individual returned stating that the store had a 3.5 HP to which I said fine. The individual then went in search of the 3.5 HP model, as it would then be several minutes, Drianna waited on another customer. When the individual returned he was carrying a vacuum without a vacuum hose or attachments. When he set the vacuum on the counter I looked over the new model comparing it to mine, realizing the hose I had at home would not match the new vacuum, I said to the individual that the hose would not match up. He then said RIGID did not make the model I owned and the hose would not match up.
Hearing this I looked at him a bit puzzled and inquired what I was to do, to which he replied that I would have to bring in my hose from my malfunctioning unit in and then he would give me the new hose with attachments. When I heard this I said why was this not pointed out to me when I first walked into the store while my wife and three very young children are waiting in our minivan in the parking lot. Ken replied in a sneering brusque, manner, “well, it just makes sense that you have to bring everything.”
At no point was the RIGID policy on returns or exchanges explained to me. I did not know what to expect when I walked into The Home Depot, nor did I know after being waited on by The Home Depot staff.
When hearing the, “’just makes sense,’” comment I thought why am I being talked to this way? I brought the vacuum into the retailer as I had been instructed. I had waited patiently as the staff went through its’ procedures. Now, I am being told that I am to figure out before I travel to the retailer what I think makes sense on a return or exchange on a particular product.
When I attempted to point this out to the individual he told me to, “leave his store.” I replied to him asking whom the manager of the store was, to which he said, “I am.” The individual repeated to me twice more to, “leave his store.” I asked him specifically “Your store?” To which he replied, “yes.” Now, estimating at how I was being handled I considered the individual before me and seriously doubted that this was in fact the store manager. The individual then got on the phone loudly and proclaimed to call “security,” employees of the store started to look at him waving the phone. I remained motionless and requested the store manager’s name and phone number. After several minutes of the individual calling, “security, “ he came back to me and I told him that things did not have to have turned out this way and I requested the Store Manager’s name and phone number.
When the individual went to get me the information, I said to the return cashier, Drianna, that I am in this store quite a bit, to which she acknowledged. I then asked to whom I had just dealt with to which she replied Ken Kaiser, the afternoon shift Hardware Manager.
This whole episode was very upsetting. I got into our vehicle with my hands shaking as I told my wife what I had just gone through. It took some time before I could drive our family to our home. We immediately retrieved the original box the vacuum was purchased in with hose and attachments (some still wrapped in original packing) and returned to The Home Depot.
I handed Drianna my box and she handed me a box with holes in it held together with packing tape that had contents with dirty hoses and attachments.
I ask is this how The Home Depot and RIGID treat a customer who has been loyal to you?
Sincerely,
Matthew D. Kells, CPM, MRCM,
The Home Depot
Eastview Mall
Victor, New York 14564
RIGID TOOL COMPANY
December 20, 2003
Dear Mr. Smith,
I have purchased a considerable amount of tools and equipment both personally and professionally from The Home Depot. I called RIGID concerning the 3.25 HP Wet/Dry vacuum I had purchased for my home from The Home Depot when it had malfunctioned on December 14, 2003. The person who took my call in the RIGID Customer Service Department instructed me to bring the vacuum to The Home Depot and they would “take care of me.” So, today I drove my young family (ages 6, 4, 2), my wife, and I to the Eastview Mall location of The Home Depot bringing my malfunctioning vacuum in an attempt to get service.
I was greeted at the Returns register cordially by Drianna at 1:15 P.M. whom I have seen numerous times, before when I have returned or exchanged items, since I frequent this store. She requested an individual to inquire what vacuum there was on the shelf to service my needs. As it would take several minutes, I waited as Drianna waited on another customer. The individual returned stating that the store had a 3.5 HP to which I said fine. The individual then went in search of the 3.5 HP model, as it would then be several minutes, Drianna waited on another customer. When the individual returned he was carrying a vacuum without a vacuum hose or attachments. When he set the vacuum on the counter I looked over the new model comparing it to mine, realizing the hose I had at home would not match the new vacuum, I said to the individual that the hose would not match up. He then said RIGID did not make the model I owned and the hose would not match up.
Hearing this I looked at him a bit puzzled and inquired what I was to do, to which he replied that I would have to bring in my hose from my malfunctioning unit in and then he would give me the new hose with attachments. When I heard this I said why was this not pointed out to me when I first walked into the store while my wife and three very young children are waiting in our minivan in the parking lot. Ken replied in a sneering brusque, manner, “well, it just makes sense that you have to bring everything.”
At no point was the RIGID policy on returns or exchanges explained to me. I did not know what to expect when I walked into The Home Depot, nor did I know after being waited on by The Home Depot staff.
When hearing the, “’just makes sense,’” comment I thought why am I being talked to this way? I brought the vacuum into the retailer as I had been instructed. I had waited patiently as the staff went through its’ procedures. Now, I am being told that I am to figure out before I travel to the retailer what I think makes sense on a return or exchange on a particular product.
When I attempted to point this out to the individual he told me to, “leave his store.” I replied to him asking whom the manager of the store was, to which he said, “I am.” The individual repeated to me twice more to, “leave his store.” I asked him specifically “Your store?” To which he replied, “yes.” Now, estimating at how I was being handled I considered the individual before me and seriously doubted that this was in fact the store manager. The individual then got on the phone loudly and proclaimed to call “security,” employees of the store started to look at him waving the phone. I remained motionless and requested the store manager’s name and phone number. After several minutes of the individual calling, “security, “ he came back to me and I told him that things did not have to have turned out this way and I requested the Store Manager’s name and phone number.
When the individual went to get me the information, I said to the return cashier, Drianna, that I am in this store quite a bit, to which she acknowledged. I then asked to whom I had just dealt with to which she replied Ken Kaiser, the afternoon shift Hardware Manager.
This whole episode was very upsetting. I got into our vehicle with my hands shaking as I told my wife what I had just gone through. It took some time before I could drive our family to our home. We immediately retrieved the original box the vacuum was purchased in with hose and attachments (some still wrapped in original packing) and returned to The Home Depot.
I handed Drianna my box and she handed me a box with holes in it held together with packing tape that had contents with dirty hoses and attachments.
I ask is this how The Home Depot and RIGID treat a customer who has been loyal to you?
Sincerely,
Matthew D. Kells, CPM, MRCM,