To Whom It May Concern:
A few months ago, I contacted two local replacement window companies to get estimates on replacing the glass panels in some windows that the argon gas had leaked out of. The glass panels are so bad you can barely see out of them. The windows installed are made by Thermal Gard. They are double hung, double pane, vinyl windows with the argon gas between the glass panes.
Both companies said they were unable to replace the glass panels because the glass is factory sealed to the sash. The sales associate from one of the companies contacted Thermal Gard to see what needed to be done in order to replace the glass in the sashes. Lindsey, the sales manager and daughter of the president of Thermal Gard, informed the sales associate that the glass could not be replaced because they were factory sealed and there are special tools and equipment needed to seal the new sash to the glass panel. The sales associate from the window replacement company gave me Thermal Gard's telephone number so that I could contact them myself if I had any questions.
About a week later, I contacted Thermal Gard and talked with Lindsey. She confirmed what she had told the sales associate. I was a little upset that no other local company could replace these glass panels because I knew I would have to pay more if I ordered them from Thermal Gard. The sales associate told me I would have had about $30 per glass panel if they were able to replace them. Unfortunately, they were not able.
Since I had to order them directly from the factory, I figured I would be looking at about $50 to $60 per sash plus shipping. I also thought they might give me a little bit of a discount because I needed to replace 8 out of 12 of the sashes. When I talked with Lindsey, she told me that the 22 sashes would cost $103.51 each and the 26 sashes would cost $106.51 each. Plus, I was looking at about $120 for shipping and handling. The total would be about $954.08. I could not believe how expensive it was going to be to replace the glass panels.
When I talked with her, I asked if they would be able to give me a discount since I had to replace so many of them. Lindsey told me that they would not do that. I did not have the time to pursue the situation any further.
As things began to settle down, I decided I needed to pursue the situation again. On 3-13-06, I contacted Thermal Gard, and requested to speak with someone who was over Lindsey. They asked why I did not wish to speak with her. I explained to them that I was dissatisfied with the price and wanted to talk with someone who would be willing to work with me. They informed me that the person above Lindsey was the president of the company.
So, I told them he was who I wanted to talk with.By 3-24-06, I still had not received a telephone call back. I contacted Thermal Gard again. This time I talked with the receptionist. She asked me to explain the situation. Politely, I explained the situation to her. She insisted I needed to talk with Lindsey. I told her I did not want to talk with her because I was not getting anywhere. Still, she transferred me to Lindsey. I told her who I was and very politely told her I wanted to talk with someone above her.
Extremely rudely, she stated, What's the problem. Again, I explained to her the situation. I told her I felt that they should give me a discount since I had to replace so many of the windows. She explained to me that the warranty was not transferable and even if the warranty was transferable it is was only a ten year warranty.
I told her I understood and was not trying to get the new windows for free. Continuously she emphasized how the windows were not under warranty. I was starting to get frustrated because I felt she thought I wanted them to be replaced for free. While we were going back and forth the president, Mike Defelice, cut in and told me very clearly, Look, the windows are not under warranty! At first, I din't know he was the president of Thermal Gard. So, I asked who I was talking with. He told me he was the owner of Thermal Gard.
I tried to explain the situation to him, but he continued to cut me off in the middle of my sentence. Finally, I said, Sir, will you quit interrupting me! You have no idea what I am asking because you will not listen to me. He insisted that he knew what I wanted and basically told me that the price was the price! I could not believe how unprofessional he was acting. I could not believe I was talking to the owner of Thermal Gard. So, I told him, Sir, you are acting extremely unprofessional.
I have had to deal with many companies before and you are by far the worse company I have ever dealt with! Then he stated, Well, I'm sorry that I'm so unprofessional! Perhaps it's because I don't have a college education like you do! Maybe, if I were more educated I would know how to act more professional! By this time my mouth was literally dropped. I could not believe what he was saying. He continued to ramble on, not giving me an opportunity to explain myself.
He then stated how he didn't have time for me because he was more concerned with his bigger contractors. Then he stated, I don't have time for this s*t! I could not believe it! I said, Sir, you are acting ridiculous! You are the owner of a company.instantly, he cut me off and said, I'm the owner of five companies! I told him that I could not believe what he was saying. I proceeded to tell Mike how frustrated I was that the only company that could replace these windows was Thermal Gard. Very rudely he stated, Listen, we're not the only people that can replace these windows.
If you rip out the windows and bring them to us, I will gladly let you go down to the factory floor and put the new glass into your old sashes! In fact, I'll even train you myself! Then you won't even have to pay us to do it! I was furious! I could not believe that the president of five companies was acting this way.
First, if I ripped the windows out of my house then I would not have any windows there. This is winter. Not a very bright idea. Second, the Thermal Gard factory is out of state. I do not have the time to rip out my windows and take them out of state to fix them myself. Third, the president was just simply acting ridiculous. That was the most unrealistic option presented. I finally told them that I was done and obviously was not going to get anywhere with them. I also told the president of Thermal Gard that he was by far the most unprofessional person I have ever dealt with.
This is what I was trying to explain to Thermal Gard. The windows were installed in 1992. They are only 14 years old. I knew the warranty was not transferable. I was expecting to pay for the windows plus shipping and handling. I just could not believe that they were about $105 each. I thought because I had to replace so many of the windows, Thermal Gard would give me a discount. After all, that should be an embarrassment to their company.
When I asked the president of Thermal Gard if he thought that it was normal for the argon gas to leak out of 8 of the 12 windows within 14 years he stated, I don't care if it was 12 out of 12! The windows are not under warranty! We just bought Thermal Gard out two years ago and we are trying to clean up their mess! (Obviously they are not doing a very good job cleaning up Thermal Gard's mess!) Nothing the president of Thermal Gard said was handled in a professional manner. I also tried to explain to them that I could put in a new construction Pella window for about $180.By the time I replace each sash I will have about $210 per window; plus shipping.
This is how the situation could have been handled.
Sir, I know you're upset that you have to replace this many of your windows. You are correct in saying that the argon gas should not have leaked out within 14 years. We bought out Thermal Gard two years ago and are trying to restructure the company. Since we are a reputable company I am willing to give you % off per sash. Plus, we will get these windows made and shipped out as quickly as possible because of the inconvenience that you have experienced.
If the situation was handled in this manner, I would have been a satisfied customer and would have highly recommended Thermal Gard! Even if they were not willing to give me a discount, and they were polite, I would have been okay. This letter is not about them not giving me a discount. It's about how they treated me and the manner in which they handled the situation.
0 comments