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Thread: Customer Service at HD

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Customer Service at HD

    We had a traverse rod rip out of a wall tearing a fist size hole requiring repair. When my wife returned home from a trip, I discussed repairing it but we were unable to find a similar traverse rod. This one was probably 30 years old or older. So we discussed redecorating the living room. Custom blinds were ordered, new furniture was ordered and we shopped for carpet.

    First we went to our local HD. Then we hit most of the carpet retailers in town. She found a carpet she liked and both agreed upon. The salesman came out, measured and provided a quote. We were shocked at the price.

    We took that sample from Retailer A to HD and a guy waited on us. He searched diligently to find similar carpets in texture, color, materials, face weight and total weight. Finally he found one that was very similar in all aspects including color, specifications and warrantee. When he checked, he showed it had been discontinued. He checked online to see if other stores might have had enough still in stock to fill our needs. No such luck. Then he contacted the headquarters. It turns out, the reason it wasn't in stock was because it hadn't been produced recently but was due to be manufactured 1/16/2020. So while I was buying 5 gallons of interior paint, my wife placed the order. This morning we got confirmation calls from the installation team to schedule an installation date.

    This flooring specialist at our local HD went above and beyond to satisfy my wife's carpeting desire saving us nearly $3,000. In this day of the internet and social media, it's as important to applaud excellent customer service as it is to rant over bad customer service.
    Last edited by Ken Fitzgerald; 01-10-2020 at 2:39 PM.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    NE OH
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    OK, so I'm still stuck on: you had a bad traverse rod so you redecorated the entire room including blinds, carpet and furniture????

    Now I'm the first to admit I've had more than one project escalate (ok, maybe they all do), but I've gotta say I'm impressed

    You were very fortunate to hook up with a good flooring specialist at HD. There are some good folks sprinkled in there; they are just hard to find sometimes. I've worked with a HD cabinet specialist a few times who has been wonderful.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Paul, it had been over 30 years since that room was redecorated. The carpeting we are replacing in the living room was maybe 20 years old but the carpet we are replacing in the basement family room and on the stairs is a short shag that was here when we bought the house 37 years ago.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  4. #4
    Glad to hear a positive story, I also have nothing bad to say about my local HD.
    Especially the ones at the pro desk are extra helpful and friendly.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Medina Ohio
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    4,514
    When I had HD come out and measure they were way off on the yardage. At first they said I needed 32 yards. When I questioned that and said that the installers last time only used 21 yards. then they came back and said it would take 28 yards. I asked for their diagram and it showed that because the room was 12.5 ft wide that they needed extra to seam on either side of my fire place that the drop from the fireplace would be more then enough to seam with. I had them redraw the plans and they needed 21 yards so thats what I ordered and I still had a left over piece.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Kansas City
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    2,652
    When I have a good experience like that, I like to write a letter (not an email) to the store manager and commend the person. A good manager would value that kind of input.

  7. #7
    Ken,
    Please consider sending a quick email to HD complimenting the employee who impressed you. When I did this, I got a call from a nice person at their office in Atlanta who asked for a few more details and thanked me for the feedback. They very much follow up on emailed comments and I'm sure the employee gets recognized in some way.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
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    Pepperell Ma.
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    Good to hear of any positive experiences out there. Sometimes it seems it’s only the bad experiences we hear about. I’m an electrician and have worked on many houses, but I have no idea what a traverse rod is?

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Fleming View Post
    [edited]
    I’m an electrician and have worked on many houses, but I have no idea what a traverse rod is?
    My first thought is it is a curtain rod by a fancier name.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arthur Fleming View Post
    Good to hear of any positive experiences out there. Sometimes it seems it’s only the bad experiences we hear about. I’m an electrician and have worked on many houses, but I have no idea what a traverse rod is?
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    My first thought is it is a curtain rod by a fancier name.

    jtk
    Jim's right. This particular rod has 3 "layers" with the outside hang a valence curtain, the next level is corded and open and closes some shades/curtains and the inner most layer held some sheers that are always in place.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Edwin Santos View Post
    Ken,
    Please consider sending a quick email to HD complimenting the employee who impressed you. When I did this, I got a call from a nice person at their office in Atlanta who asked for a few more details and thanked me for the feedback. They very much follow up on emailed comments and I'm sure the employee gets recognized in some way.
    Edwin, I already did that for the reason you stated.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Longview WA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Calow View Post
    When I have a good experience like that, I like to write a letter (not an email) to the store manager and commend the person. A good manager would value that kind of input.
    Quote Originally Posted by Edwin Santos View Post
    Ken,
    Please consider sending a quick email to HD complimenting the employee who impressed you. When I did this, I got a call from a nice person at their office in Atlanta who asked for a few more details and thanked me for the feedback. They very much follow up on emailed comments and I'm sure the employee gets recognized in some way.
    This seems reasonable, but isn't always the case.

    Some of my employers have given me lectures against having "gone above and beyond my duty" because customers then expect it from all the employees.

    So if you send them a good word, do not explain the extent to what the employee did. Say something like they made you very happy to do business with them.

    In Oregon, almost all gas stations have attendants to pump the gas. Until recently it was against the law for people to pump their own. It still is in counties with a population more than 40,000. These folks usually have to stay outside for their whole shift. When one of them does a good job, is friendly or washes the windows, my tendency is to offer them a $1 tip. Recently one of the attendants told me they couldn't accept tips and could get fired. They were also on camera. Most of the gas stations do not pay well. This one is attached to a large chain grocery store. The guy told me they do pay better than at the station where he used to work.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  13. #13
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    Oct 2007
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    Coastal Southern Maine
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    What kind of companies did you work for?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    Some of my employers have given me lectures against having "gone above and beyond my duty" because customers then expect it from all the employees.

  14. I have two home depots within about 1.5 miles. One is AWFUL. As in, I asked if I could get a piece of plywood cut to fit in the car and was told that literally no one in the store knew how to use the panel saw. The person I asked asked me what a panel saw was. I asked if I could cut it...

    The other home depot is pretty good. The plumbing guy there is top notch and has saved my bacon a few times. When I was doing a somewhat large re-work he actually began to recognize me and ask me follow up questions about the thing we had talked about the last time. The checkout counter people are mostly pretty good.

    The local Lowes is hit and miss. There is a really good tool guy there and the lady who does paint is good. The checkout people are often too busy flirting with each other to be helpful.

  15. #15
    I am also an HD shopper even though I have a Lowe's much closer. My HD store is top notch and they give me my military discount with no hassle. Lowe's doesn't and neither does another nearby HD.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

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