Home Depot Carpet Installation

Home Center – Home Depot:

The Home Depot Values as defined on the Corporate Website have Failed me as a loyal customer:

“Associates are central to Home Depot’s success and our values are part of the fabric of the company. Values are beliefs that do not change over time. They are what we believe in, what we do, and what govern our decisions on a day-to-day basis. They are the principles and standards for the framework upon which Home Depot is built. Home Depot’s unique culture is built on associate dedication and a commitment to an “orange-blooded” entrepreneurial spirit.

Taking care of our people:

The key to our success is treating people well. We do this by encouraging associates to speak up and take risks, by recognizing and rewarding good performance and by leading and developing people so they may grow.

Giving back to our communities:

An important part of the fabric of The Home Depot is giving our time, talents, energy and resources to worthwhile causes in our communities and society.

Doing the right thing:

We exercise good judgment by "doing the right thing" instead of just "doing things right." We strive to understand the impact of our decisions, and we accept responsibility for our actions.

Excellent customer service:

Along with our quality products, service, price and selection, we must go the extra mile to give customers knowledgeable advice about merchandise and to help them use those products to their maximum benefit.

Creating shareholder value:

The investors who provide the capital necessary to allow our company to grow need and expect a return on their investment. We are committed to providing it.

Building strong relationships:

Strong relationships are built on trust, honesty and integrity. We listen and respond to the needs of customers, associates, communities and vendors, treating them as partners.

Entrepreneurial spirit:

Home Depot associates are encouraged to initiate creative and innovative ways of serving our customers and improving the business and to spread best practices throughout the company.

Respect for all people:

In order to remain successful, our associates must work in an environment of mutual respect, free of discrimination and harassment where each associate is regarded as a part of the Home Depot team.

As a resident of Irvine California since 1982 the closet Home Depot is store #603, located at 2782 El Camino Real, Tustin, CA 92782. I watched this store being built and was a loyal customer until a few weeks ago when I have finally had it with the lack of professional, knowledgeable staff and service.

I rarely engage with a staff member who remotely understands basic questions about product and availability and I have been told many times you don’t sell that, only to find it myself by wondering around forever.

A few weeks ago I decided I have had it and will no longer step into a Home Depot again after it has cost me nearly $1,000 of additional charges due to an error on your Tustin store’s behalf, Not only would they not recognize their mistake, but daily phone calls to the salesman and the carpet expediter would never be returned when I was insured they would. For purposes of this letter, I won’t specifically refer to these employees by name, but I can provide upon request.

Let me explain in detail the events that led up to my decision that I’m through with Home Depot and will use other retailers for my needs. Don’t mistake my composure in crafting this letter for lack of frustration and downright anger!

On the 4th of July weekend, 2006 I went into my Home Depot with my designer to shop for carpet. After wondering around in the flooring section for an hour looking at samples we narrowed down the choices to two models and six color candidates; Stainmaster Plus Troubadour, and Stainmaster Plus Bonjour. In the hour we where there, no one asked if we needed help or stated they where busy with a customer but would assist us when they where free.

Satisfied with my selections and color choices I sought out a salesman to discuss a five-thousand dollar sales for you Tustin store. He wrote the order and scheduled a measure to be in the next few days. Home Depot was offering a 25% discount on the carpet and I assume a manufacturer incentive on top of that through July 07 that would reduce the price even more. During the initial transaction, I provided the salesman with the color samples I needed ordered from the manufacturer; the in-store samples where too small for my designer and I to make a correct color selection. Some of the samples where on back order and would take awhile to ship to my house.

Directly after the carpet transaction, I tried to buy a Webber BBQ grill advertised as “free assembly included”. When I finally got someone to help, two employees scratched their head and said they needed to get it off a high shelf and did I still want it? It surely seemed like they didn’t want to be bothered. The sales persons where confused about the free assembly so they called a manager and he stated I had to wait over a week to get it assembled. I asked him why they advertise an assembled grill on the 4th of July weekend that I had to wait a week for. He got very short and aggressive and explained that they out-source the assembly of the grills and they won’t be back ‘til Friday. Eventually he knocked 10% of the price and I would assembly the grill myself which was satisfactory. He did say the Tustin Home Depot was trying to change its image and he was there to help; I think the store has a long way to go and its starts at the corporate level.

With the measurement complete (1500 square yards) my designer went to the Tustin Home Depot in person to pay for the carpet before the sale ran out on July 7th. She stated we hadn’t selected a color because we where waiting on samples to arrive. In order to process the billing, the salesman needed to document a color so my designer provided a color that we were leaning toward. A note was place in the computer file and on the paperwork that CUSTOMER WILL SELECT COLOR AT A LATER DATE WHEN SAMPLES ARRIVE. The cost for the Stainmaster Plus Troubadour, and Stainmaster Plus Bonjour was roughly $16.22/ square yard and $22.00/square yard respectively. We paid for the higher priced carpet although we had not selected a model or color, which I can’t stress this enough. So the sale was recorded as 1500+ square yards of Stainmaster Plus, Bonjour Cherry Blossom, with padding, installation, etc, for a total cost of around $5,200 which was paid in full.

About 2 weeks later I receive a call from the Tustin Home Depot’s out-sourced installers (Carpet Pro’s) to schedule my installation. I stated I haven’t finalized my order yet, therefore how could my carpet be in? She told me to call the Tustin Home Depot and work it out with them. So I got a hold of the carpet expediter at the Tustin store and she explained that the order had been processed which was customary as soon as someone paid for an order. The salesman assured me I could take my time selecting my color because the prices where locked in. I told the expediter that I haven’t even received all my samples yet and that I was sure I didn’t want the Bonjour Cherry Blossom as delivered. The expediter explained that she could return the carpet and for me to call her when I select the color and model.

So within a week, the final samples arrived and I decided on the Troubadour model ($16.22 square yard) and I select a color. I called the expediter and placed the order. I explained I had paid for the higher priced Bonjour ($22+ square yard) and should receive roughly a $900 refund. She stated it sounded like I would receive a refund and she would call me and let me know when she checked with management.

A week went buy and she never called back so I finally called and got another person who had been on vacation and I had to explain the whole thing all over again. She stated she would call back after a discussion with management about the refund. Again no call back! After calling everyday and leaving messages, I finally got the expediter on the phone who stated there would be no refund because my order was processed after the sale and they will not honor the $16.22 price quoted. This is when the expediter got VERY RUDE and CONTINUED TO TALK OVER ME and NOT LISTENING TO ME – TELLING ME HOW IT WAS GONNA BE! The expediter did however say that she’d have another discussion with management and would call me back a.s.a.p. No callback again from the expediter, but I called and finally bypassed the answering machine and got through. I was again told “No Refund” which I refuted. Again, the expediter stated she would discuss this again with management. A short time later that day, the expediter I initially placed my final order with who also never called me back finally called, she also was VERY RUDE, ABRUPT and UNPROFESSIONAL. She stated that the problem was my fault and that not only was I not entitled to a refund but technically, I owed more money and I should feel lucky they weren’t charging me an additional fee.

After giving it a lot of thought and discussion with my designer, we determined that the Home Depot 25% discount was honored, but to get the price down to $21.00 and $16.22 respectively, there must have been a manufacturers discount also included in the original quotes that had expired after the correct order was placed. Had someone explained it to me that way, I would have understood, but to just tell me we aren’t honoring it because it’s past the sale date which is my fault was unsettling.

Finally, the carpet is shipped from the manufacturer and the installers call and we settle on a Saturday morning appointment. The installers where six hours late and ended up working until after 9:00pm in the evening, tying up my entire day and night. Nobody bothered to call me to let me know the guys where gonna be late; I had to run the crew down myself. Not only did the installers bring a roll of Troubadour, but they brought the screwed-up order of Bonjour too. When the installers left, they had no room in the truck to take away the old carpet because the truck was full with the extra roll they had to take back. The carpet sat on my front lawn and burned the grass for three days ‘til they came back and picked it up.

You guys have broken your own business model that made you great. You originally had sales associates working for you that had hands-on expertise in the departments they represented – not anymore. I’ve lived in my community since 1982 and everybody I know needs the types of products you sell. I will surely relay my bad experiences with home depot when a discussion arise or when asked where to get work done or where to purchase materials. I have a 34 year old house and it needs a lot of upgrades to include 3 bathrooms and a kitchen. I will not be using Home Depot to assist with these projects and I will not be buying anything there every again. Home Depot has slowly joined the ranks of the service based industries that provide little or no service. The effort to reconcile the mistakes and make sure you get what you pay for is just way too much work on the part of the customer; but this seems to be American business status quo.

Maybe you guys will wake up soon, but from what I can tell as an x-loyal Home Depot patriot, what made you great is now your weakness.

I tried to handle my issue through the store and then your consumer affairs department who was unwilling and uncommitted to help and only referred me back to the Tustin store as if the two where not affiliated.

Complaint posted on MySpace Web Log and filed with the Better Business Bureau @ PO Box 970 Colton, CA 92324 -3052 on 09/22/07

Very Unhappy Past Customer,

Jay Livingstone