Consumer Complaints: None at Home Depot!
Filed under: Shopping, Consumer Complaints
I'm a firm believer in using the power of the internet to keep retailers and service providers honest. And I think consumers owe it to each other to report those companies that provide poor or dishonest service to their customers. But it's equally important to let the world know what you've have a great experience. Let's reward the good companies with our business!How do I love Home Depot? Let me count the ways... I cannot remember ever going into a Home Depot and getting anything less than superb customer service. Even when they've been very busy and clearly shorthanded, I was still treated with kindness and the sales people made sure I had everything I needed (without feeling rushed).
Chalk up one more gold star for Home Depot this week. Over the weekend I found a cool refrigerator for my office. I don't need a full size refrigerator, but I wanted something a little more substantial than the typical "dorm room" model compact refrigerator. The only problem with this medium-sized refrigerator that I found at Home Depot? It doesn't fit in my car.That's where the Home Depot delivery service comes in. $59 seemed a little steep for an item that doesn't weigh much and is only dropped off "curbside." But it seemed to be the best option. So I paid and scheduled a delivery day and time, and I waited. And waited. And waited. The delivery truck never showed up.
I called the store and was directed to the manager, who offered to have the item personally delivered immediately. Or at any other time that was convenient for me. Are you kidding me? I can basically pick the time to have it delivered??? And that's not all. For my troubles, the delivery fee will be refunded in full (without me even asking!). Now that, my friends, is customer service.
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Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-08-2008 @ 2:14PM
Anne said...
Tracy Coenen is raving in the article " Consumer Complaints:None at Home Depot" well I have a couple! First, I have, on many occasions, went into the Home Depot and found no one to help me. It seemed as if there were no staff! I had to manually drag the "big stairs" over to the isle to retrieve my item! No one to answer questions about items that I needed-Totally frustrating! Second-I decided to call Home Depot and ask about lowering their interest rate on their credit card! I have done this with my Discover card and they were more than willing and gracious! Home Depot informed me that they would not lower the APR rate but were in fact going to raise it next month to 22.99%! I find that a disgrace in this economy! I am paying off Home Depot and will no longer do business with them! I went to Lowe's yesterday and a human actually walked up to me and ask me "Could I help you find anything?" He then proceeded to show me where the item was located! Very customer friendly! Sorry for the employees that will lose their jobs when Home Depot closes it's doors on 15 stores but it should have been thinking about its customers! I am spreading the "bad news" about Home Depot to friends and family and how nice Lowe's and their employees are to the consumer! In this economy, every kind word or action taken on the part of a company to keep a customer must be taken.
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5-08-2008 @ 2:31PM
TE said...
Tracy - as a former HD employee who worked in Consumer Complaints department, I'll just let you in on a not-so-secret secret. If Home Depot misses a delivery - legitimately doesn't show up for whatever reason - the Store is SUPPOSED to refund the delivery fee to the consumer, and it's supposed to be done without you asking for it. Congratulations on your ability to get good customer service no matter what time of day or night or for that matter what day of the week you enter the store. I find it hard to believe. In fact, the majority of HD customers would probably agree with me that your local store is the anomaly, rather than the standard. HD is no longer the store it was 15 years ago.
P.S. - You could have saved yourself the aggravation altogether, by renting the HD Load-N-Go truck for $19.95 and you would have had the refrigerator in your house the same day. Nothing like doing your research.
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5-08-2008 @ 2:38PM
Tracy Coenen said...
TE - Thanks for your comments. I know about the $19.95 truck and I didn't want to do it. So I did my research, thanks.
Whether the store manager's rules told him to refund the money or not, I LIKE THE POLICY. That's good service to me, whoever was responsible for refunding the money.
I regularly visit 3 different Home Depots in my area, and have had great service at all of them, all the time.
I understand there are a lot of people who complain about HD, customers and employees alike. I've just never experienced any of that. Ever.
Maybe I just get good service cuz I'm cute. I dunno. I'm just glad that I get it.
5-08-2008 @ 2:56PM
Harry said...
Huh??? We have 2 Home Depot stores near us. Both are less than clean, often aisles are closed down during the day for restocking. They have plentry of employees but stop one for help. They probably can't help you. Seems that HD has a lot of small business contractors.
Opposite is Lowe's: a clean store, wide aisles and help that is eager to give assistance.
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5-08-2008 @ 5:13PM
Bob said...
Have been in the contracting trade for 30 years. Both Home Depot and Lowes are a poor excuse for lumber company's. You can't expect everyone in there to know everything, however both drop the ball as far as getting information about the building trade. In my oplnion they are just not trained enough.
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5-09-2008 @ 9:50AM
David said...
Bob, do you have any alternative suggestions for any smaller hardware stores that would be more in the know?
Much appreciated. Thanks!
5-08-2008 @ 5:18PM
Brian said...
I'm sure there are good and bad things to be said about both Home Depot and Lowe's. However, I have to agree with Harry that Lowe's is better. I've always found Lowe's to have a larger selection than Home Depot. I've also found Lowe's employees to be more knowledgeable about the products they sell. I still check out Home Depot regularly... but Lowe's is my DO-IT-YOURSELF center of choice.
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5-09-2008 @ 9:37AM
Rob said...
I live in Houston and use to shop Home Depot alot, but now days their stores have become the staging area for illegal day workers who at times number close to 100, All they do is sit around on the grass, throw their trash on the ground and swarm your truck when you pull into the driveway. I have contacted HD several times about these illegals soliciting ( which I think is illegal on HD property) but they keep teling me they are working with local authorities and their hands are tied. I was going to set up a hotdog stand next to their front door and see how long it takes to kick me off the premesis and say I am trespassing. But, the illeagals can solicit all day and not be bothered.
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5-10-2008 @ 7:36AM
Helen said...
Tracy, for years I bought small items/plants/etc. from the Home Depot in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Then I used them to completely re-do my condo, about $6,000 in materials. The sales staff was great, took time/patience to help me with each item. The problem came on delivery; literally one-half of all items delivered were wrong. Worse yet, I had to pay the contractor to return them to Home Depot and get the right items delivered.
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5-31-2008 @ 1:17AM
chuck linker said...
Home Depot is from the dark ages.
Lowe's is far and above HD in every sense- customer service, non-clutter appearence of merchandise, navigation of store, lighting, etc.
HD is like a giant Ace hardware-- to much mom & pop feeling with too much unorganized merchandise. I'm not talking about one or two stores. I travel the country and get in and out of HD everywhere.
Atlanta's gotta get with the times.
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6-04-2008 @ 1:01PM
c said...
Home Depot has slipped in the last 10-15 years. Employees used to see me wandering around lost and actually APPROACH ME and ask if I needed help. Good luck trying to find help nowadays...they run and hide if you look vaguely lost. I too have had to get the ladder and get the stuff myself, then the employees run to intercept you for fear of liability issues. I have also found the aisles I need blocked FOREVEVER for restocking, forklifts, etc. I will patronize the local Mom and Pop or Ace Hardware even if I have to pay more because of their helpful employees.
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7-25-2008 @ 5:48PM
N orman Roberts said...
Bought a washing machine May 27th 08...Paid 380.44 in advance on 6-12-08. Received my del fee check and a 25 dollar gift card...then received a bill about 7-21-08. Called and told them I had my canceled ck..Wanted me to fax it to them
Told them I 'd go to the store and let them fax it..At the store Brandi,at service desk called tehir main office in Atlanta..They told her that I would have to have my bank statement as well..Suggested I go to my bank...I told them I am not going to share my bank statement with them,..Canceled check had every thing they needed back and front...I will never spend a dime there again. Brandi informed me that she could not fax a copy of the check without the bank statement...
.
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11-08-2008 @ 10:14PM
sue said...
I have never had anything but incredible customer service at any Home Depot for the past 15 years that I have been going to them, of which there have been 6 different ones in 3 different states that I have lived in. Yes I have tried Lowes and I have found them to be snobby and not as trained in their products. Home Depot has always helped me in every way a store should...one time they were out of this bracket I needed and they got on the phone and called other locations to find it for me, without me asking them to. And this bracket was only 4 dollars so I was very impressed they would offer to do this on such a tiny sale.
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