I'm going to try to sum this up as simply as I can.
I received an estimate from Nigel a few months ago. Over the course of a month, we had 5 scheduled and agreed upon dates for him to come out and cut down what he described as an "easy" tree removal. For some reason or another he canceled on me three times. The four time he called me a hour after he was suppose to be there to tell me he would (again) have to reschedule due to his wife falling ill. I understood and although I would have preferred to be called at least BEFORE he was schedule to be there to let me know he wasn't able, I let it go. He asked if we could rescheduled for three days later - I said sure. The morning of the third day I called his cell and work number to confirm he was indeed coming out and to clarify that he would honor my coupon, fully remove the tree off the premises, etc. He called me back two hours later to let me know his wife was still ill and he would have to reschedule again. He wanted to come the following day. After I had made REPEATED phone calls to neighbors to let them know of the changing dates to make sure their driveways were clear, telling my boss I needed to leave work early to be there for a part time anyway (for piece of mind, etc). - I told him it wouldn't work out for me that week. I suggested we could perhaps reschedule for another time all together. He insisted he needed to know RIGHT then what my decision was because he "didn't couldn't work with short notice". I thought this was ironic because each of the 5 times he had canceled on me, it was past time scheduled time he was suppose to be there. Weird. So he must work with short notice because he canceled on me every time with VERY short notice. I felt uncomfortable with the way he was aggressively talking to me. He told me he didn't understand why I wanted to be there while the work was being done, that I was making it a bigger deal than it is and that he "does these types of removals all the time". I'm sorry - I'm the PAYING customer. I get to decide when its convenient for me and if I want to be there, guess what - I can!:-) I finally got off the phone and my father called him later on that night to cancel the work. He was polite, considerate and as a small business owner himself - knew how to handle the situation appropriately. Late that night my father and I both separately received offensive and unprofessional voice mails from Nigel. He told us how horrible of people we were, how I had "some nerve", and how it was rude of me to not even call him until three months after the estimate to schedule the work (the first time). Ummmm last I checked, just because I asked for an estimate doesn't mean I need to call you at all! I'm hiring YOU to do the work, remember? He "you people think its all about you." - To that I wanted to say "It is! I'm the customer! It is all about me! I'm in charge. I'm paying YOU." He is the employee in a sense. He needs mine and others to PAY him to SURVIVE. I don't NEED my tree removed to SURVIVE. Its a service I (was) willing to pay for. I also don't have to hire you either. We never had a contract. There was not exchange of money. Nothing. I had your word on a 5 occasions that you'd come to my HOME and remove my tree. Since you dropped the ball 5 times, called me PAST time time you were schedule to be at my house and then rescheduled 4 times and never came, I have every right to cancel the work. You clearly don't want to do it. He claimed I wasn't sympathetic to his wife's situation. I was 100% sensitive to that. I just would have liked a call for a little heads up so I'm not sitting around the house waiting for you to come - TWICE! I was just 100% in disbelief that after all of the troubles we had with him NOT coming out and totally dropping the ball on several occasions, that HE would have the nerve to call and harass us like that. We were nothing but considerate of him and what does he do in return? Takes a cheap shot like that. TOTALLY unprofessional. I was amazed. If anyone doesn't believe me, I saved the voice mail. I was in such disbelief. If you want any piece of advice, to save yourself a TON of time, and headache - don't call Arbor Pro.:-) Good Day.
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