Chasing My Tail?

 


Okay, I don't have a tail, but that's how I feel.  I'm spending more time than I should chasing down companies that I do business with following up on issues that I shouldn't have to.  Or maybe I'm expecting too much?  I'll let you tell me. 

  • Landscaper:  Okay, as a reminder, the person who did the outdoor maintenance in PA (there's no lawn, but bushes and trees grow like crazy) was deployed overseas this year.  So he gave our business to another company, which was fine.  I tried to reach out to them via their website and got no response.  When I called, I did and in March the owner came out to look at the yard (there was still snow at this point).  In April, I called again because it was just about time for a spring clean-up.  He came back, accessed again but no work was done until a couple of weeks later.  It was still early spring, but he and his team came and put out TONS of mulch.  (I mean TONS).  They did clean the yard and do some pruning.  (I wasn't here when this was done.)  But that was at the end of April.   Now we are in full spring/early summer and everything is GROWING.  It's overgrowing.  And I'm trying to get him to come back because I need help.  So I've been texting him and...well, you take a look:


It's important to note that I haven't paid him ANYTHING yet.  I want to pay him. (Well, okay, I don't want to pay.  I never want to pay anyone anything, but it's a fact of life!)  I asked in the beginning for an estimate which I never got.  I'm thinking I should try to get another company to come in, but... 

  • Plumbing Company in NJ:  As you may recall I had issues.  The issue was resolved, although not permanently. The company recommended an annual checkup with the knowledge that at some point the pipe would need to be replaced.  Not great, but...Here's the issue, when they came out on Tuesday, the technician had difficulty getting the charge to go through on my credit card.  So he called the office and I gave them my info and all seemed well with the world.  HOWEVER, when I checked my credit card statement, I was charged twice on Tuesday (for the same amount), but never charged on Wednesday when they took the video and cleared the pipe.  Do I owe them?  Do they owe me?  And where is the video?  I'd like to see it because my PA plumber said he might have another solution and he'd be willing to go to NJ (because I'm such a good customer).  I gave the NJ plumbing company some time, but after a week had gone by...I called and left a message on Wednesday.  I hadn't heard by today, so I called again and spoke to someone.  They had gotten my message, but they've been busy (I get it...we're all busy) and will get back to me.
  • Fuel Company in PA:  In NJ I use a fuel company that has a budget plan; so I pay X every month and I'm not hit with a huge bill when they fill my tank.  (Because oil prices are outrageous.)  The NJ company USED to just charge my credit card once a month, but then they stopped doing that and I actually missed a few payments (because no reminder) and got a nasty letter.  (Why didn't you call me?  Why did you stop sending monthly invoices via email?  And why did you start doing that again AFTER I missed 2 months?)  So now I have a reminder on my calendar.  (Because I WANT to pay you, why did you stop auto payments?)  I want to do the same in PA and I called back in April about it.  They said it was early, but they'd get me on the plan.  Now it's June and I'm thinking that the budget plan should have started, but I haven't heard anything.  So I called again this morning.  Once again I gave my information and the person I spoke to is supposed to look at my account (to see how much fuel we get every year) and then call me back to set up a plan.  Why did I have to call again?  Shouldn't it have been taken care of already?

Shouldn't these things be taken care of without my follow up?  Or am I just a pain in the A**?  (Okay I know I'm a pain in the A**).

 On the other hand, there is the pond company.  The one who I also "inherited" from the previous owner.  The one who understood that we needed help with the pond and set up a maintenance contract.  The one who texts me once a month to let me know when they are coming by to do the monthly maintenance and even gives me a time frame.  (Which is why I just looked out the back window and sure enough he is here.)  The owner of the pond company is young (sigh...I could be his mother), but he's customer oriented.  Is it too much to expect similar service from other companies?  Or do I need to keep chasing my tail?




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