I don't frequent this NG, but thought some might find this of interest. I also sent this to a flyfishin' NG that I do frequent, thus the intro.
I sent this letter to the editor of our local newspaper--and since this is a
*news*group, I thought y'all might find it: funny, sad, disgusting, just like somethin' Op would do, nothin' like somthin' Op would do, frightening, informative, a case where Opie gets his ass sued off, a case where Opie ends up ownin' Gutter Pro and shut it down, totally off-topic and a subject best left to the deranged, totally on-topic, but best left to the deranged, or a public service announcement that will save millions of *honest* citizens their hard earned dollars!Letter in its entirety is as follows:
A Word of Caution
Any citizens who have gutter repair or replacement in mind, don't allow Gutter Pro in or near your home.
My mother had a new metal roof installed on her home a few months ago, and we had talked of replacing the old gutter system with a new leaf protection type. Well a representative of Gutter Pro happened to stop by mother's house last week, so mother set up an appointment for an estimate.
Yesterday at 6:15 pm a young woman knocks at the door. I stepped out expecting her to measure the house and give me a price, but she insisted that we first go inside and talk about Gutter Pro and its products vs. other gutter types--eluding to the inferior quality of her competitors product lines. I didn't want to be rude so I acquiesced.
She began to try and tell us about her companies history, at which point I stopped her, told her I merely wanted an estimate and wasn't interested in her companies history. She continued on, showing me--mother had left the room by this time annoyed by the sales tactics. The young woman had a mock-up of their gutter system, but it was designed for shingled roofs. I mentioned to her that our roof was a metal roof and that the system she was offering me was going to do the same job as the two types that her competitors used, which she had said were inferior. She stated that she was unfamiliar with how her gutter system would work when applied to a metal roof and called her supervisor. Her conversation with her supervisor was sad and comical. Honestly, here's how it went--paraphrasing-- "Sir, I'm sorry to bother you, and I know that you have better things to do than talk to me, but I have a question."
Well, I'm not a highly educated fella, but I know a scam when I see one. To make the long story short. I had told her that I wouldn't accept any price over $1500, but she came up with a "retail" $4500+/- estimate which she gave a senior citizens discount to, bringing the price to $4000+/-, for a 107' of gutter and 70' of downspout.
Naturally, I stated that she couldn't come anywhere close to my price range. She got on the phone again to her super. and the next offer was 20% more off. Okay, we're down to $3200+/-. I said thanks for comin' by, but I would contact some other contractors for the work. Next--still on the phone to her super.--she says, "No sir, I hadn't mentioned the model home." I said forget it, it's over, I don't advertise for a fair price. I leave the room. She tracks me down a minute or two later and hands me the phone. The first words out of her supers. mouth are, "What you won't work with us, if we're willin' to work with you! (in a nasty tone of voice) Becomin' very ill at this point, I say to the fella, "I don't want to do business with you!" and hung up the phone. I thanked the woman for coming over and led her out the door.
These folks used high-pressure sales tactics and tried to gain sympathy for the sales woman. At one point she stated that she would lose potential customers, if she were forced to return to our house again, because we had reconsidered. I assured her that such would not be the case.
Mark H. Bowen