MARTIN HEATING & AIR COND INC

After a lightning strike my first call was to Martin Heating and Air. I have dealt with this company before. It was a small company and the guy who I dealt with seemed to be fair and the gentleman that I worked with before seemed to be professional. I called and left a message asking him to call me. I got a call back from a lady who stated that she would put me on the list...No definite appointment time. I asked about this and she explained that the company was experiencing a busy season and that I would get a call when the technician - apparently the owner of the company was going to come. Sure enough, the next day I got a call from the technician-owner who explained that he had stopped by and diagnosed the problem as being the condenser fan. He explained that it would be a week to get the part in from Louisiana. I didn't question this since I had done business with him before and found him to be above board. On the night before the day the part was to come in I called and spoke to the lady who runs the front office and asked if the part had arrived. She replied that she didn't know and that once again they would call when they were ready to install the fan. Having waited a week, I didn't feel like I had much of a choice. Since I had to stay home to get the phone, internet and television service repaired the day after the lightning strike, I asked my wife to call the next day and see if she could get a firm appointment date. The next day she called and could not get an appointment date from the lady who answered the phone. The next morning I decided to call again and inquire about an appointment date. Having waited a week with no communication from this company, I reminded the lady after hearing once again that she did not know when the service would take place, I reminded the lady that most customers expect to have a certain date and time and that she needed to return calls when they are left asking about dates and times so that they could plan there days off at work. At this point there was a pause one the line, and the lady replied: "Oh! So you're my boss now?" I was shocked to say the least at this reply and then I proceeded to remind her that no I was not her boss...I was more important than her boss. I was the customer! I then asked for her bosses number so that I could discuss the matter with him. She then replied that she could give me the number, but he wouldn't answer. Wow! I then told her just to cancel the deal....This was one of the hardest statements I have had to utter. During the week in question, temperatures were in the mid to high nineties with over 90 percent humidity. I am all about trying to support local small business in my community. I just seems some times they don't understand the concept of time management or customer service for that matter. I'm thinking that unless she happens to be his wife he needs to terminate the employee. If she is his wife, the company is doomed.

Despite a heavy schedule they promptly worked me in. Friendly, arrived on time and thorough and fixed the problem.