# Unhappy customer--what else can I do?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [April 4, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808 "2015-04-04T16:02:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/21 "2015-04-05T14:36:52Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#):
>
> It is XPO Last Mile, yes. Cite : Me. I’m on their website every goddamned day.
Well, the OP might want to use the Contact Us link on the website to let them know what happened. And as suggested, the OP should let the store manager know as well. (Although given that the OP cancelled the order, I’m not sure what the store manager can do.)
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### Author:  [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/22 "2015-04-05T16:16:02Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#):
>
> Is there anything else I could (or should) be doing?
You don’t say if you contacted the local store to complain or went higher up the food chain. If your call was to the building where the item came from, consider looking for and calling a national number and letting them know. If the subcontractor has a “sweetheart” inside the local store, your concerns went right in the toilet. If National gets several calls and looks downhill saying “What the Hell are you guys in Topeka doing?” it may institute very real change.
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### Author:  [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/23 "2015-04-05T18:35:17Z")
> [@needscoffee](#):
>
> Wait, you didn’t give the product a bad review, did you? You’d never do that, right? Because I hate it when people downgrade the product in their review due to something that has nothing to do with the actual product (“I’m giving this only 1 star because the installer didn’t come through!” or “I thought it was going to wash my clothes, but apparently it’s intended to wash dishes!”) It skews the ratings. Lots of people may check out product ratings at Home Depot’s website even while opting to buy it through another store.
Seconding this concern.
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### Author:  [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/24 "2015-04-06T03:54:47Z")
Talk to store manager 1st see if you get results. If call the Home Depot 800 number and make a complaint. Then follow up with a written complaint.
My son was in retail sales as a store manager. Several companies hold any complaint against the store against the store manager’s bonus. One time he refused to give a cash return for a product his store did not even carry. They carried the brand but not that model. He got a call from his DM. And got chewed out for not taking care of the customer. Did not matter what company policy was he still got chewed out.
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### Author:  [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/25 "2015-04-06T04:48:55Z")
> [@Snnipe\_70E](#):
>
> Talk to store manager 1st see if you get results. If call the Home Depot 800 number and make a complaint. Then follow up with a written complaint.
>
> My son was in retail sales as a store manager. Several companies hold any complaint against the store against the store manager’s bonus. One time he refused to give a cash return for a product his store did not even carry. They carried the brand but not that model. He got a call from his DM. And got chewed out for not taking care of the customer. Did not matter what company policy was he still got chewed out.
Exactly. Even if you were completely in the wrong, you are still likely to be appeased. Your future business is very valuable to them and they will usually make a decent effort to make you happy.
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/26 "2015-04-06T11:46:25Z")
Just install it yourself. It isn’t that difficult. That way you know it’s being done by someone who cares about doing a good job. You may not do it as fast as a pro, but there isn’t anything they can do in an hour that you can’t do in four.
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/27 "2015-04-06T12:20:54Z")
You are obviously very angry, and in that anger are spreading that anger beyond the target, such as writing a product review for a product you never got to use, hurting a manufacturer that does not deserve that. From your postings I am inclined to perhaps take you as one of those customers that always complain and are never happy, one that the store management is secretly thankful that the customer will no longer shop there.
That’s how your post is coming across to me.
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### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/28 "2015-04-06T12:50:40Z")
Your presumption of his character seems to rest on the belief that Home Depot’s contractor may have done a reasonable job of installing the dishwasher. Since you probably haven’t had any experience with their installation services, this is not a reasonable assumption.
Once I ordered a replacment door from Home Depot. When the installers came, they had no clue what to do, so they left a grand piano on my lawn and took a dump in the bench where you’d normally store sheet music. Furthermore, they called the customer satisfaction line and gave themselves all 10s in rating how happy “I” was with their efforts. I think they were trying to win the $5,000 gift card.
Okay, almost none of that happened. But they still suck a lot of the time.
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### Author:  [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/29 "2015-04-06T13:28:12Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#):
>
> I also wrote a product review for the dishwasher stating that unfortunately I didn’t know how well it worked because of the shenanigans with the subcontractor
This is a useless and obnoxious thing to do.
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/30 "2015-04-06T13:45:19Z")
> [@Ravenman](#):
>
> Your presumption of his character seems to rest on the belief that Home Depot’s contractor may have done a reasonable job of installing the dishwasher. Since you probably haven’t had any experience with their installation services, this is not a reasonable assumption.
>
> Once I ordered a replacment door from Home Depot. When the installers came, they had no clue what to do, so they left a grand piano on my lawn and took a dump in the bench where you’d normally store sheet music. Furthermore, they called the customer satisfaction line and gave themselves all 10s in rating how happy “I” was with their efforts. I think they were trying to win the $5,000 gift card.
>
> Okay, almost none of that happened. But they still suck a lot of the time.
That’s the difference, you stated your reason for being dissatisfied which is reasonable to me to be upset, and a reason for me that I may not consider your installer for my needs and you are giving me helpful information to make that decision.
The OP did not, the OP has even been asked several times, obviously really angry at that XOP company wanting to hurt them but fails to give us a reason. It would be unreasonable to count the OP’s opinion as valid against XOP without knowing what happened, which one would think, if the OP really wanted to hurt XOP he would have given a reason why.
Further, not saying this is the case with the OP, but I have met people, perhaps with a bit of a OCD tendencies perhaps not, who take things I would consider very minor - things happen, as major things are you blind, GTFO, such as perhaps cutting across a flower bed. .
I’m not saying his reason is not valid, just not provided. The post does also indicate some irrationality to me, acting in anger.
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### Author:  [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/31 "2015-04-06T15:00:08Z")
As a counterpoint, I ordered a dishwasher from Home Depot and had it installed last week. I am super happy with it, the installers were very fast and friendly.
I agree with most others that the problem was not with HD, and writing a bad review on a product you didn’t use is a bad move.
I really wonder what the problem was though. There was a huge number of prereqs for the installers to come to my house when I bought my dishwasher. Was there some condition in the house that prevented the install from happening?
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/32 "2015-04-06T16:34:30Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#):
>
> … As I said, this is not a criminal issue …, more an issue of not being upfront about things, general incompetence, and a colossal waste of our time and energy. .
This is just about how I feel about this thread.
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### Author:  [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/33 "2015-04-06T16:42:48Z")
> [@kanicbird](#):
>
> This is just about how I feel about this thread.
+1
Be nice to have some clarification…
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### Author:  [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/34 "2015-04-06T23:30:12Z")
I would first consider the high probability that the company in question has a lawyer on retainer. It will literally cost them nothing to drag the op into court for bad mouthing them over an installation that never occurred. Unless there are gaping holes in the floor or they ran over the family pet it isn’t worth the time and money defending one’s indignation.
Lowes is hardly the end-all of appliance dealers. Buy from another company. Maybe one close to a flower shop so there’s a chance to stop and smell the roses.
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/35 "2015-04-07T00:12:22Z")
Around here (St. Louis) all the big box dealers subcontract with the same company for installation. So it doesn’t matter if you go to Sears, Lowes, Home Depot or whoever, the same guy in the same truck is going to end up at your house.
If you aren’t happy with the installation from the chain stores, find a local appliance dealer that still has its own installers. You’ll pay more, but service costs money, and good service costs more money.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/36 "2015-04-07T00:22:44Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#):
>
> This is a useless and obnoxious thing to do.
Saying “I bought this dishwasher and it sucks” would be an obnoxious thing to do. Saying what the OP said isn’t. The low rating is unlikely to affect the average very much, and anyone reading the bad review (which I would do) will immediately be warned about the installer. I hope some indication of geographic location is given so that branches of this company not involved wouldn’t get the heat.
What was the problem again? My experience with installers has been pretty good, but my wife works from home and so we don’t have the missing work problem.
(I’m probably going to be buying a new dishwasher once the California water savings rebates begin, so I’m interested.)
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2015, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhappy-customer-what-else-can-i-do/716808/37 "2015-04-07T12:30:54Z")
We had a multitude of issues with installers, delivery people and so on from Lowes- Holy cow. But honestly I stopped bitching about it because my complaints went nowhere and I was just aggravating myself. In the end whenever the people were scheduled to come I called a million times to confirm, reconfirm and reconfirm that and after a while I must have got on the PITA list because they just brought my shit and got out as quickly as possible.
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