On 6/24/06 I scheduled a free, in-home estimate for laminate flooring. The salesman came, measured, chit-chatted and gave me an estimate - which was WAY out of the ballpark since I had gotten other estimates prior. I thanked him for his time and was basically excusing him. Mr. Davis asked me if there was something wrong and I proceeded to explain that his quote was very out of range for what I was expecting to pay. He asked me what I was expecting to pay and I told him. He then recanted and said to let him try to refigure out the numbers. Within 30 seconds, he provided me with another estimate - $200 over what I told him my expectations were for the size of the room and product, etc. He dropped nearly $950.00 in price right there on the spot & that tells me I was going to get ripped off by that amount intially. We changed nothing in terms of square footage or product! Mr. Davis couldn't tell me what the price per sq. Footage was for the product and stated simply they didn't work it that way — odd, everywhere else DOES. I also asked him how long the estimate was good for. He couldn't say. He also couldn't tell me how long the sale was on for. (Does this guy know ANYTHING about what he's selling here?) So I told him I wanted to think on it and reflect and had others coming to provide more estimates and I'd get back in touch. I asked him to give me out a WRITTEN estimate so if and when I did call back in a few days, I would get the product and installation at the price I was quoted. His idea of giving me an estimate was to write $2,200 on the back of his business card! CAN YOU IMAGINE? What a joke! (No itemized list, no breakdown, NADA). I decided - even after this bad sales experience - that I was most interested in the floor I picked out with Empire (which I can only get through them) and called the salesman back to get him to write me up a formal estimate that I could sign off on and get the ball rolling to deliver and install my floor. I was just about begging now to BUY A FLOOR! He was supposed to call me back. That was several weeks ago and many, many phone calls ago. I have called the home office in IL (I live in FL) many times and have also left messages through thier website asking for someone in management with some authority to get back in touch with me to help rectify this situation. I was given another number to call (which was the sales MANAGER in Florida that oversees Mr. Davis who came to my home) and even HE didn't have the courtesy to call me back. I guess he leads by example for his sales force. I find it appauling and frankly irresponsible that a consumer can't give a company their money to come and install a floor who is in the business of selling floors! At this juncture, I am having another salesperson come to my home again tonight (8/2) and reqeusted they NOT send Mr. Davis as he obviously participates in deceptive sales practices (over-inflated quotes that aren't given in writing because he can't possibly own up to the deal he made with me in person) and at this juncture I wouldn't give him a red cent in commission. If this new salesperson fails to give me the same or similar quote for the same product at the same square footage - I will forever kiss off Empire Today and will still be ahead of the game I suspect. After reading more comments about this company here, I guess I will have saved myself a huge headache in the end.
Where ARE the honest, hardworking sales people who want to do a good job, actually provide the services they offer and earn their commissions? Guess I might be asking for too much seeking this from Empire Today eh?
Unreal.
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