Apache glass in Mesa Arizona: Last in customer service

The attached is a copy of a letter being sent to Apache Glass.
Although in the end I received my window, I am sure you'll agree the price I paid was too high.

General Manager 11-4-99
Apache Glass
8640 E. Apache Trail
Mesa, AZ 85210

Dear Sir,

Never before have I been motivated to write a business. In my time, I have been afforded excellent customer service, poor customer service and downright pitiful customer service. However, non of these experiences were of sufficient magnitude to warrant a personal response.... that is until now.

My experience with Apache Glass can only be described as a pathetic customer service experience. I brought my window in for repair October 11th. Although they asked me for both home and work phone numbers, nobody ever called me on the numerous occasions when Apache Glass broke their commitment to me, the customer.

I was promised that my window would be repaired on Tuesday, October 19th 1999. I arrived on the 19th and the window was not ready. Nobody had called me. I was then told the window would be ready Thursday, October 21st. I called Apache Glass on the morning of the 21st. They said you're window is ready.

When I arrived later that day to pick it up, the glass had a sand pit in it.. This meant they would have to reorder the glass again. This was discovered 3 hours before I arrived, yet for the second time, nobody called me. I was promised the window would be ready Monday, October 25th.

The 25th came and went with no phone call (should I be surprised by this now). I called on Tuesday the 26th, the window was still not ready... It would be ready Wednesday.

Wednesday came and went, no phone call, no window. On Thursday, October 28th, I took the initiative again and called. I was informed the window was ready. Later, when I arrived, upon inspection of the window, a 2 inch long scratch was discovered. The window would have to replaced again.

I was promised by Susan in the front office the window would be ready and delivered to my house after 3:00 PM on Monday, November 1st.

Monday came and went, no phone call, no window. This is the definition of pathetic customer service. I think in the future when I look up the phrase pathetic customer service on my computer, they will have a picture of Apache Glass.

Tuesday night I called again. I demanded to know WHEN my window would be ready. I was PROMISED.... PROMISED that it would be delivered Tuesday the 2nd of November between 9:00 and Noon. Tuesday came and went....no window...no phone call, nothing. It is clear, not only does Apache Glass have a pathetic attitude toward customer service, apparently they are totally incompetent with respect to telephone skills as well.

Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 PM I called AGAIN. They said the window was ready and would be delivered tomorrow. I asked them ...why should I believe you, you have broken every commitment to me so far without even the decency to give me a call.

I told them I would pick up my window in person. Don't bother with another delivery attempt.

I arrived at 4:30 PM to pick up my window. It was NOT ready. I waited 20 minutes while watching them assemble the glass into my frame. I was determined to voice my concerns to someone in charge and asked Susan, standing behind the counter, Is this a family owned business, I would like to have the name of the person in charge. Her response was Mr. Adams, shut up I said I will not shut up, furthermore, I want to know who is in charge

With that, Susan slammed her office door shut, walked into the service area and shouted at the top of her lungs break his fu*king glass!!! BREAK HIS FU*KING GLASS RIGHT NOW!

In 40 years I have never been subjected to such total disregard for customer service. Never have I seen such rude, belligerent, abhorrent behavior. Susan has a foul mouth; filthy attitude, pathetic customer relationship skills, and is a disgrace to the business community. She failed to grasp the most fundamental concept of customer service keep the customer informed. She could not comprehend that a few simple phone calls would have prevented this from becoming the nightmare it evolved into. A few simple phone calls would have saved me, THE CUSTOMER, from three wasted trips to Apache Glass. A few simple phone calls telling me not to wait at home for a delivery that was never coming would have saved me hours or waiting. Her inept skills at diffusing a dissatisfied customer should be seriously considered when comparing what benefit, it any, she contributes to the business as a whole. People like Susan should be protected from public interaction. If she worked for me she would have been fired on the spot. She would best be utilized by putting her in a dark room with plenty of Prozak. Perhaps she could calm herself then, or are drugs already the problem, I don't know.

I was treated worse than anybody had a right to be and now I am mad. Perhaps you remember the old adage a happy customer tells 10 people, an unhappy customer tells 25. Well in the computer age, perhaps that should be twenty five thousand....I will make it my life's mission, my goal, my quest... to tell EVERYBODY I meet, what a pathetic experience I had at Apache Glass. I will explain in great detail how their organization is the most lame, inept, disorganized, careless, PATHETIC business I have ever dealt with and that Susan in particular is a ticking time bomb, totally void of character, ethics and morals. She should be caged away in a rubber room so that other people won't be subjected to her fanatical, foul mouthed outbursts. I have seen small children with more self control than her.

Don't bother to call, I know you haven't figured out how to dial the phone yet. I don't want anything from you. Apache Glass is a joke.

P.S. I am sending a copy of this letter to the City of Mesa, chamber of commerce as well as the Better Business Bureau. Perhaps they should more closely scrutinize to whom they grant a business license.

Tim Adams