High-end price but with low-end product/service/experience
Facts:
1. Paid $7000 for a "high-end" product during a global recession.
2. Waited 2 months to receive product.
3. Blinds were installed and three weeks later three of the four Hunter Douglas Duette shades malfunctioned. Night and Day reps told me "I was using them wrong". Eventually sent installer back to retrieve shades for service. No apology.
4. Blinds brought back after several weeks. Strings from a defective batch. No apology.
5. Installer put blinds up. One fell off the ceiling immediately. Installer came back and put it back up. No apology.
6. Called Hunter Douglas customer service. They did not apologize and told me to talk to Night and Day.
7. Spoke to Hunter Douglas rep, as per Night and Day's request. He was somewhat apologetic for poor product/service/experience but did not offer a refund or tangible solution. Said he would follow-up with Night and Day.
8. A Duette blind fell off the ceiling for the second time after a few weeks. The wall anchor and screw both came out of the drywall. The anchor used was insufficient for the weight of the blind. I called the store after trying to replace the blind for an hour on a Saturday. Spoke to Night and Day sales rep. Was told that "this never happened before". No apology.
9. Owner of Night and Day called on Tuesday (this was after a long weekend).
10. Told me that I am an awful person for making her staff upset. Got mad at me for getting mad at them. No apology.
11. Was also reminded of other "possible reasons" for blinds falling off the ceiling including alleged water damage (if true, "professional" installer should have noticed), and that the delays were due to COVID. There was no delay, however, to receive full payment during COVID. Invoices promptly issued every time during COVID.
12. Several days later sent another installer. This is the fifth installation visit during a global pandemic. He completed the job. Re-installed the other incorrectly installed blinds.
13. Told Hunter Douglas rep what transpired. No apology.
14. Final interaction: Night and Day owner emailed me to remind me that I received a discount. Also reminded me that I got a "free" pebble to house my remote for the motorized blinds. Told me this is valued at $78. No apology or refund, just a reminder that I "got a discount". This was a $7000 transaction.
I stopped communicating with both Night and Day and Hunter Douglas as they offered no refund (best case) or apology (basic customer relations management). Save your money and go to a "discount" blinds store. Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $7,000.00
- Company Response
Dear Private User,
Thank you for the detailed feedback and the opportunity to apologize publicly. We are sorry your experience was an atypical one and that we were not able to meet your expectations in the process of outfitting your home's windows with a variety of shades. Assisting home-owners in choosing the most appropriate window decor, measuring, and installing custom product produced by the world's leading manufacturer, is a juggling act with opportunities for less than ideal events to happen. However, we do believe that Night & Day's principle to make things right is what has kept us in business since 2004. Our extended service warranty offer stands, and we wish you all the best and much enjoyment out of your unique Duette Architella honeycomb shades as well as the other great choices you've made with our consultant. Ana Pilling, Co-Owner