Super horrific customer service. Don't use the pool division if you want fair or courteous service. 4 years ago I worked and lived out-of-town, I filled out papers for the opening and put down a charge card and dropped this off when I was in town. This was a month or so ahead of time and then the opening always changes to different days. On a couple of occasions I was called for another card and gave it. The bill was paid immediately that moment. I have been a customer for over 20 years and my bill is paid with a zero balance. For the last 4 years I have paid my openings and closings ahead of time. I was told that paying ahead was store policy for everyone, and then told it was policy for everyone due to COVID. This week I went in and presented my card and was told I didn't have to pay ahead.
The manager interrupted her trainee right in front of me and said that my account is different from other customers. When I asked why, she told me that it was because of the terrible problems that she had to call to me to get another card number. She did this in a confrontative way in front of staff and neighbors.
Could this not have been handled in another way? The issue in giving the wrong card was 4 years go, and in the last 4 years I purchased a liner at $4,000, a pool heater at $3,700, a new filter at $1,200, and with the $1,500 a year I spent in openings, closings, and chemicals that totals $15,000. Isn't that business worth valuing? Certainly it was paid for UP FRONT! I was always polite and congenial, and never rude.
Perhaps she could have talked to me about the issue instead of being told something that wasn't true. She could have taken me aside to discuss the issue in private. After 4 years of major purchases paid for upfront, she might have been respectful. While needing to call me for my charge card 4 yrs ago was inconvenient for the manager, it was not lack of paying the bill.
I used to think of Novotny as pretty reliable and competent. But last year at the opening chemicals were dumped into the pool with my brand new liner and the liner turned white. When I expressed concern I was told that this was because not all the jets were turned on. Wasn't this to be done by those who opened the pool? I expressed concern that the new liner was damaged and I was told that it might shorten the life but would be alright in the short term. The brand new liner has bleached and brittle portions.
Basic courtesy is just basic good business. I was treated in a marginalized way as judgemental and humiliating comments were made while other customers and the staff could hear. This issue was handled in a way that bears discrimination without being willing to put those policies in writing or even inform the customer.
Now what I find really unbelievable, was that I sent my husband to Novotny to get a refund for the deposit I put down for the opening this year. The pool manager then continued to harass him and pretend that she couldn't get the card through to issue the refund to prove her own point and then called the owner to do it. Why would that occur? So uncalled for, no? Last time I checked, I am not employed by the pool manager and therefore am not obligated to meet her unspoken and unpublished protocols, endure unprovoked attacks, or put up with being demeaned or chewed out in front of others. This type of treatment while I'm pursuing my LEISURE ACTIVITY is absurd. However, there are many pool places around that will want this business and be willing to be courteous and provide appropriate customer service.
It's just true that my $15,000 of upfront paid business in the last 4 years just did not deserve this type of treatment. This is hideous customer service. I am surprised by the owners' reply to this, because the concern is about handling matters in an honest and respectful way. I wrote the review to help customers and hope the store will consider revising the way they treat customers. Did I really not follow guidelines? Is what happened really stellar service? Modeling to...
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