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Obnoxious Salesman Rant. Please feel free to join in!

UncleRJ

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After 21 years of faithful service, I find myself in need of a new Dual Fuel (Propane Furnace, Coil Box and Heat Pump) HVAC system.

Doing my due diligence, I contacted several companies to come out, inspect everything and place a bid.

But do to favoritism on my part, I contacted the company that has been taking excellent care of said furnace and heatpump for those same 21 years.

The salesman came out, did his inspection and then wasted a LOT of our time trying to sell us a new system that we already knew and TOLD HIM WE KNEW that we totally realized that we needed. I told him that I just wanted the sales brochures and a total price. And also seeing that we have been a customer for over 20 years, I expected the price to reflect that customer loyalty. Then he felt that he had to give us a PHD in energy efficiency. Which we both understood and told him repeatedly we did. Did that stop him?...................HELL NO.

We never did get the brochures on the hardware but he finally left us with a near illegible quote.

Here is where I admit to being a rather successful industrial salesman for many, many years. I have a couple of motto's that have served me well.

Eyes Open, Ears Open and MOUTH SHUT!

You let your customer TELL YOU what they want. And once you are sure that you have heard and understood your customers needs, then and only then do you respectfully inform your customer of what you are able to offer that fits their needs as well as giving them any other options that might interest them.

Then you leave the place of business (or home) after giving them any sales/specifications material along with a price (preferably legegable) and follow up with an email confirming the conversation as well a a formal quotation...Wow, this has gotten long.

Shortening it up now.

This clown was the highest price we received. But do to our loyalty to his company (and we LOVE our service tech) I called and told him what system I wanted and what I would pay for it.

Knowing that we needed to replace a small section of subfloor where the new unit would go, I scheduled with him to have his crew come and remove the furnace and heatpump and immediately after the furnace was removed and out of the house, my guy would arrive and remove the old subfloor and install new. Then they could install the new furnace.

My part of this went like clockwork. As soon as they hauled out the old furnace, my guy was there with plywood and tools.

We are all ready to go.

Until the Used Car Salesman informed me that since he really did not think the repair would go as I told him it would, not only could not install the new system until MONDAY but they had not ordered it yet! If this CLOWN had his act together I would not be sitting in a house with no heating or cooling at the moment!

Once the new system is installed, the Mrs. and I are going to meet with the owner and have a few four letter words with him!

Thanks for reading my rant. It has been very therapeutic for me!:deadhorse:
 

Markw4mms

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Wow, what a schmuck. Sorry, it's been such a PITA for you, Ron. I hate having to deal with crap like that. :gaah:
 

GBusafvet95

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That sucks!
Happens way too often these days.
Had a friend threatened by an HVAC salesman who tried to sell him a new system that he didn't need nor want. He just wanted the scheduled service on the unit that was just under 2 years old.
Stupid stuff.

I hope you get some satisfaction.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Whiskey

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Totally would have made me go into rage mode, what a money hungry incompetent asshole:gaah::gaah: Sorry that happened to you :(
 

UncleRJ

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Thanks Markw4mms and GBusafvet95!

And yes THERE SHALL BE SATISFACTION!

I have decided to send "Evil Uncle" to talk to the owners.

Even worse (for them) the Mrs. is coming along to say her piece.

With her you really need to be knee deep in shit before she says an unkind word.

Near as I can figure, she has not been this pissed off for about 15 years!
 

UncleRJ

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Totally would have made me go into rage mode, what a money hungry incompetent asshole:gaah::gaah: Sorry that happened to you :(


To make it even sadder, the SalesAss came with the very nice Technicians that were doing the actual work. I think he was trying to act important.

Anyway, I was at the dining room table looking over the contract and had pen in hand to sign.

Then he shouts from the living room that he needs me. NOW.

There stands the dimwit with the two tech's (who I think were trying not to laugh) pointing at my existing thermostat. You know those little boxes with digital displays, buttons that say things like Cool, Off, Heat and fan with temp settings and a glowing light with a home weather station mounted on the wall beside it showing the actual temp and household humidity as well as the time and this genius asked me.......

"Is this your Thermostat" :deadhorse:
 

f1r3b1rd

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Damn uncle!

In recent years almost anyone I have dealt with in the arena of home repair have been using the full court press style sales tactics. Treating a customer as if they are the least important or knowledgeable in that instance has apparently come to be the way many of them do business.
I hope you and the Mrs get the owners attention!
 

Whiskey

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To make it even sadder, the SalesAss came with the very nice Technicians that were doing the actual work. I think he was trying to act important.

Anyway, I was at the dining room table looking over the contract and had pen in hand to sign.

Then he shouts from the living room that he needs me. NOW.

There stands the dimwit with the two tech's (who I think were trying not to laugh) pointing at my existing thermostat. You know those little boxes with digital displays, buttons that say things like Cool, Off, Heat and fan with temp settings and a glowing light with a home weather station mounted on the wall beside it showing the actual temp and household humidity as well as the time and this genius asked me.......

"Is this your Thermostat" :deadhorse:
At that point I would have walked him to the door and said, "Yes , and this is my door, use it to exit MY house"
 

UncleRJ

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And the Ahole just showed up again! Talking his fool head off and distracting the tech's from their work.

And dropping a hint that it also may not be done today!!!
 

Whiskey

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Call the company and turn his ass in, tell them he is not allowed on your property again.
 

AndriaD

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We almost got a runaround like that from Lowes on our water heater we bought last year and the idiot they sent to install it. This idiot says we need a "drip pan" under said water heater... even though a) we didn't have one before, because b) WE'RE ON A CONCRETE SLAB! There is ZERO wood anywhere under our house! It's all concrete! And because the installation we had then was so "substandard" according to this idiot, Lowes was going to charge an EXTRA!!! $800 FOR THE INSTALLATION!

We called them up and CANCELLED our order, then went to their competitor, Home Depot, bought the water heater ourselves, and MY HUSBAND installed it. WITHOUT a fucking drip pan. And because we're on a slab, the pipe that "exhausts" the water heater has to get creative and go upward... but that's the only possible way to do it, since we're on that concrete slab, so my husband arranged it exactly as the old water heater exhaust was arranged... and it works perfectly. Just like the old one did, till it got old.

The world is so full of fucking idiots, it's really a daily miracle that it doesn't simply implode.

Andria
 
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The Cromwell

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Drippan?
Probably a change in the local plumbing codes since the original WH was installed.
Licensed plumbers MUST upgrade to current codes when installing a new water heater.
New code for Water heaters here is an expansion tank on the input.
 

AndriaD

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Drippan?
Probably a change in the local plumbing codes since the original WH was installed.
Licensed plumbers MUST upgrade to current codes when installing a new water heater.
New code for Water heaters here is an expansion tank on the input.

Yeah, that garbage too, which our old water heater didn't have. So, my husband installed the new one, EXACTLY as the old one was installed, and it works perfectly. It doesn't need an expansion tank, because of the type of valve it has... something along those lines, which I don't truly understand, not being a plumber, but I remember reading that something in the valve of the water heater means it doesn't need the expansion tank -- it won't send any water *backward*.

Andria
 

UncleRJ

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Well, after Gabby the Salesjerk left (7 :30 A.M.), the two technicians just rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

These guys were not fooling around and worked without even taking a break until around 5:00 P.M.

I kept an eye on what they were doing without getting in their way, I was well pleased with the quality of their workmanship.

The installation went fine until it was time to install the electronic controls like a thermostat that "Talks" to the furnace and the heat pump outside the house and that was a learning curve to the Techs. But once I went online to register the thermostat, then it started acting right.

Now if I can only get them back quickly to repair/replace some ductwork.
 

UncleRJ

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Well, after my last post, Gabby the Dipshit Salesman returned to get paid. Just showed up no phone call in advance.

I told him that as far as I (and the wording in the contract) was concerned, I would not pay until the job was complete and new ductwork was installed.

I was absolutely amazed when he started to whine about the fact that I had already dickered him down on the system cost (I Went and got multiple quotes on the exact same system) and the materials for the new ductwork alone would cost him over $400.

I just looked at him and said flat out "When the job is finished to my satisfaction, I will pay it"

Then I added that he should call in the future before coming over.

I now have two great technicians (the same guys that replaced the furnace and heat pump) under the house performing the install!
 

KingPin!

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After it's all done uncle say to him thanks so much for all of this but this isn't really my house I actually live over there <point accross the road>

Now we've got the trial out the way let's get to work and I'll pay you when its done:devil:
 

The Cromwell

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Good one UncleRJ.

The thing about pushy salesmen is to push right back at them.
You are the customer and no sale means no money in their pocket.
 

KingPin!

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Well, after my last post, Gabby the Dipshit Salesman returned to get paid. Just showed up no phone call in advance.

I told him that as far as I (and the wording in the contract) was concerned, I would not pay until the job was complete and new ductwork was installed.

I was absolutely amazed when he started to whine about the fact that I had already dickered him down on the system cost (I Went and got multiple quotes on the exact same system) and the materials for the new ductwork alone would cost him over $400.

I just looked at him and said flat out "When the job is finished to my satisfaction, I will pay it"

Then I added that he should call in the future before coming over.

I now have two great technicians (the same guys that replaced the furnace and heat pump) under the house performing the install!

Is he a self employed guy or work for a company? If you're already using them to carry out the work his job is done isn't it? shouldnt he be elsewhere making other sales? Or is this normal in the US?
 

5150sick

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This idiot says we need a "drip pan" under said water heater... even though a) we didn't have one before, because b) WE'RE ON A CONCRETE SLAB! There is ZERO wood anywhere under our house! It's all concrete! And because the installation we had then was so "substandard" according to this idiot, Lowes was going to charge an EXTRA!!! $800 FOR THE INSTALLATION!
Andria

A drip pan only costs 15 fucking dollars!!!
I slid it under the new hot water heater as we were installing it 6 months ago.
 

The Cromwell

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A drip pan only costs 15 fucking dollars!!!
I slid it under the new hot water heater as we were installing it 6 months ago.
But plumbing the drain for a drip pan on a concrete slab?
A plumber would be required to do this.
Plumbers not following codes can cause loss of their license.

A homeowner not following codes CAN cause issues with their mortgage holder. Technically.
It can also cause problems with homeowners insurance.
For example water damage from a leaky water heater where a drip pan was not installed or no drainige for said pan was installed technically may not be covered.

3 more payments and NO mortgage :bliss:
 

5150sick

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But plumbing the drain for a drip pan on a concrete slab?
A plumber would be required to do this.
Plumbers not following codes can cause loss of their license.

A homeowner not following codes CAN cause issues with their mortgage holder. Technically.
3 more payments and NO mortgage :bliss:


But it in no way costs even $80 for them to slide one under the water heater while installing it

They tried charging her $800 extra!

They were trying to be her out of a huge chunk of cash for something that resembles a plastic trash can lid:facepalm:
 

The Cromwell

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But it in no way costs even $80 for them to slide one under the water heater while installing it

They tried charging her $800 extra!

They were trying to be her out of a huge chunk of cash for something that resembles a plastic trash can lid:facepalm:
I was saying that the pan is not the cost issue but installing drainage for it was.
And per codes they would have to install drainage for it.
Installing drainage on a concrete slab is not a simple thing.
 

5150sick

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I was saying that the pan is not the cost issue but installing drainage for it was.
And per codes they would have to install drainage for it.
Installing drainage on a concrete slab is not a simple thing.

Oh SHIT!

There is where the 800 bucks comes from.
Mine of course already had that part but a house that never had drip pan wouldn't:facepalm:

That is still a HUGE money waster and I'd have put the new one in myself for that reason too. :)
 

AndriaD

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Oh SHIT!

There is where the 800 bucks comes from.
Mine of course already had that part but a house that never had drip pan wouldn't:facepalm:

That is still a HUGE money waster and I'd have put the new one in myself for that reason too. :)

Yes... and that "exhaust" pipe for the water heater, well obviously with the house on a slab, it can't go DOWN, nevermind what the destructions say; it has to go out to the side, to reach the outer wall of the house. Our old original WH had the same arrangement -- the pipe actually does go UP, before going out to the exterior wall, and so does the new one, but it works. And it was kind of a pain in the ass to install -- the old one was REALLY old, and with our hard water, weighed several hundred lbs with all the mineral deposits inside it (even after being fully drained!!!) -- it was a fucking BEAST to get out of the house, but my husband managed it, single-handedly. And got the new one installed, and trouble-shot for leaks, and it all works perfectly. If they'd have said it would be a LITTLE more expensive to install, given the new codes, we'd have gone with that... but $800???????? MORE?????? NO FUCKING WAY, they were already going to charge us like $500 for the installation. so we said FUCK YOU VERY MUCH, cancelled the sale completely, and went and bought a nice Rheem at Home Depot, and my husband installed it all by his lonesome, saving us HUNDREDS of dollars.

Andria
 

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