I signed a contract with Secret Gardens Landscaping, Inc., Elmer, NJ which would require their services to plant shrubs / bushes, etc. The contract called for replacement of all woody trees, perennials, and shrubs for a period of one year from the date of installation.installation date was ~5. Toward the end of the 2004 summer (~Aug.), I had placed continuous calls to Secret Gardens to please return my call and help me with ailing bushes. I placed calls on a daily basis. On one occasion someone actually answered the phone and I had to really insist that someone come out right away to investigate the problem. The girl who finally came out replanted one of the bushes as it appeared to her that it might have a chance to survive. Had I not reached her 'live' I'm sure I never would have even had this simple procedure done.
Despite following her instructions to the letter, the shrub died and actually, it looked like it was well on it's way to dying, even while the girl tried to replant it After this incident, I again started making calls to Secret Gardens Landscaping, Elmer, NJ again on a daily basis to no avail. Not one call was returned.By this time, winter had ensued. Obviously nothing could be done during the winter.
Spring rolled around and then I started making calls once again. ~Two to three months went by and still no return call. I finally reached someone live or agreed to come over to my home and take a look at the situation. Despite the obvious death of two shrubs, she placed an invoice on my door indicating that 'a bush' (one) would be replaced. No mention was made as to when this was going to take place. Again, I resumed making phone calls on a nearly daily basis, however, again, no return phone call!
It is nearly the end of May and I have yet to receive one return phone call! If they had any business sense, they would have helped me right away as they should have realized I might be interested in hiring them for more work. Had they provided some semblance of quality 'customer service' I might have been able to refer them to my ex-wife who needs 'major' landscaping work done at a home she is now purchasing in my area.
Regardless of how good a job is done, and believe me, it's no better than what anyone else could have done, the work is of little value when there exists 'No Customer Service! Use them if you don't mind placing calls for assistance to honor their contract on a daily basis for nearly a year without as much as one return call. This job would take a matter of minutes to complete, however, they probably figure that if they ignore you for long enough you'll leave them alone.
I would have to guess that because of the demand that exists for Landscapers, they have a lot of work to the degree that they don't care about providing a quality name for themselves via word-of-mouth. However, over time, it's going to catch up with them. While you can probably sustain a business for a long time with new customers, eventually, with enough time and poor word-of-mouth, they might start providing some semblance of 'customer support'; not because they want to, but because they have to! This company appears to have the attitude that they have enough work that they don't need to worry about 'customer service.'
Still Waiting For A Return Call After Nearly A Year! Do Not Utilize Any Services From Anyone Who Can't Even Return A Phone Call!
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