Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  23/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We contacted Captain Electric to come look at our intercom system (******), which they said they had experience with repairs. We agreed to pay the $169 service call for the consultation. They then decided that we needed a doorbell and sold us a ***** doorbell. After they left we looked up the brand on-line and saw that the doorbell cost $20 approximately so it looks like we were charged approx $178 for installation (for a 2-3 minute job). **** ************************************************************************************************************************************************** ******** ******************************************* ******* ******** *** ** **** * ********* ****** ** *** ****** ** ****** ** **** *** ***** ** a conversation with ***** at Captain Electric who we contacted right away upon noticing the upcharge and she promised to look in to it, talk to their one of two service managers (refusing to give us a name) and to date (Sept 22nd) has not called back.

  Business response

  01/11/2022

  Incoming calls to Captain Electric office are recorded for quality assurance and training purposes.

  Mr. ****** was told - that we can look at the system and provide options. Our Client care representative (******) never said we had experience with ****** Intercom systems , - but rather we can look at it and provide options. Sometimes power supplies are defective and can be replaced, or wires have been damaged or corroded over time.

  The attending 309A certified Electrician (****** ***** - certified in Ontario Canada - verified through Ontario College of Trades), worked through their system taking apart speaker, and checking panel for power supply voltages common for such systems. No working voltage was found.

  ******  - at this point - mentioned he could look for someone to do extensive diagnostics or possibly repair the old ****** system.

  After mentioning this  - As an additional option, (because the doorbell was attached to this nonfunctioning approx. 45 year old, ****** system) a wireless door bell solution was presented to Mr. & Mrs. ****** with both parties present.

  ****** recalls Mrs. ****** saying  "I want that " - and turning to look at her husband ,  - and he agreed. 

  The cost of ALL services was re-capped, (service call @ $169.00 and doorbell system supplied and installed for  $198  - TOTAL $367 + HST ) and presented.

  The customers agreed to the pricing and installation. ******** stayed with ****** during the installation process and helped with exact placement of the push button and the husband located where the plug in receiver would be positioned.

  Not only did both parties agree to the installation and pricing, they both helped in the installation process.

  The installation was completed, ******** paid by credit card, and signed  " All work performed to my satisfaction "

  ****** left site - and the following day - after researching on line - provided an email for a company that may be able to repair the old ****** system.

  We did not  "decide" for ******** what was needed, but rather offered an immediate solution to their Door bell situation, which they agreed to.

  It is true that Managers were unable to return calls to the customer due to illness and staffing shortages , forcing the managers to be working in the field, in and around the time of this call and the following months since.

  Subsequently , ******** has had the credit card charges reversed, - Captain Electric has refuted - now held with Card company  decision until December 5, 2022 minimum.

  Our company has operated on this same  UPFRONT , NO SUPRISE, pricing structure for DECADES .. as this is fair and transparent, and allows the client to know the pricing BEFORE the work begins.

   

  Customer response

  03/11/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1) First off, I did not sign the invoice, even though my name is on it, to be specific.

  2) When I called, initially, I did so because while I was canvassing for a local politician I saw a home in my neighbourhood which had a ****** doorbell so asked them when/where they bought it and had a long conversation with the homeowner who told me told me Captain Electric repaired their doorbell so I decided to call them, telling Captain Electric the 'story' of the recommendation so the company knew they were coming to look at an old ****** intercom system upfront.  If this was communicated or not from their order taker to whomever, I do not know, but it was explained in detail (after all it was the purpose of my call).  When electrician came he hardly spoke of the system and honed in on the doorbell. He did not look at the electrical; following it; nor did he look at the intercoms around the house.  In fact, we had to bring him into the kitchen to look at what we felt was the main box for him to examine (he did not initiate that himself and you'd think he'd want to see it).  He never said it was obsolete just that he would contact someone who could possibly 'fix' it then he showed me a box not telling me anything about it and said it would do the job of repairing the doorbell.  My only issue with the doorbell is there was NO electrical work done on it as after I priced the ***** Door Bell they sold me for $190 + tax it actually cost.  This is the doorbell and we called a supplier and they said it was plug in and wifi operated so NO electrician needed for installation.  

  https://www.*******************************************************************************************************************************************

  https://*******************************************************************************

  I called two retailers, selling the same doorbell, for $40 or $42 and they said it was wifi so no electrician required to hook up yet ***** Manager, at Captain Electric, who 1) promised to look into the matter and call back but did not and 2) insisted that an electrician was needed to install the doorbell saying 'I will take your information down and will talk  with the service manager to see what he can do'.  But this never happened as she never called back.  She cited:  "arriving in a fully stocked truck', the price includes a professional electrician to install it.  She again promised 'to talk to the service manager' but did not fall back and would not give us the service manager back then promised he would call back (they have two) but nobody called.  

  BBB has the recording of this call with ***** and she seems confused as to what a service call price is vs charging twice for the same item was mixing up her 'story', repeatedly.  She also did not do what she said she would do which was to talk to service manager and call back or have one of the two service managers call us back.  Good businesses with ethical practices do not do this. 

  Sincerely,
  

  ******** ******

  Business response

  09/11/2022

  *******  *** * ****** ****** * * ****** ***** ****** ****** * *********** ** * *********** ******* ** *** *********** ****** ** * **** * *** * ****** **** **** **** ** ************ **** ***** **** *** ***** *** *** ****** ***** **** *** ******** ***** *** *** **** * * **** *** ****** ********** *** **** **** * **** *** *** **** *** *****   *** **** **** *** **** ****** ***** *** ********** *********** **** **** ********** ** *** ******** *** ***** **** **** ***** **** *** ********* ***** *** **** ***** ***** *** **** **** **** **** *** ***** ** ***** **** ****** *** ********** ********** *** *** * ****** **** ** *** **** *** **** **** ****** *** **** ****** *** ********** ** ******** **** ***** *** ****** ********* ** ******** *** **** **** ***** ***** *****  ****** *** ******** ** *** ***** *** ***** ** * ********** ******* ** *** **** ** *** ****** ** *** ***** ********* 
  The money paid to Captain Electric is being held by the credit card company because ******** ******, or the card holder, called for a refund. Captain Electric refuted the refund - and we have been told, the funds will be held to at least December 5, 2022 - pending a decision by the card company. 
  
  Once the credit card company releases the funds to either the cardholder or Captain Electric , - we WILL decide to REFUND ($367.00 + HST),  all money paid to Captain Electric for travel, truck expenses, overhead, administrative, on site consulting, supply of materials, installation of materials, and all other costs associated with this service call on September 15th, 2022.
  
  We trust that this resolves the matter and we wish no further correspondence from ******** ****** other than to facilitate the refund if required. Again we are awaiting a decision from the credit card company and will contact ********, or the card holder if required. 

  Customer response

  16/11/2022

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I feel this analogy, comparing a meal at a restaurant vs this visit for electrical expertise is lubricious and not at all comparable (apples vs oranges), so will move on and again propose the same offer that we did on the recorded call of September 19th as we do not want to ‘rip’ a company off and did agree to pay the ‘service charge’ for $169.00 + tax.
  We contacted ***** on September 19th (electrician came on the 15th) which was within the 10-day period of the Consumer Protection Agency ‘change your mind’ policy if not happy with work/service" phone the company (which we did) and return product for full refund, which we tried to do, ***** did not respond even after ‘promising’ to talk with her service manager(s) and get back to us right away (still waiting for her to do as promised).    
  We did offer her three scenarios in the phone call of September 19th (recording posted):
  1. Will pay the $169 service fee plus tax
  2. Will pay the price of the unit it actually sells for based on research done with reputable companies
  3. Come and remove the unit and credit the $195 + tax
  But since no call was forthcoming, from *****, and she let the 10day period lapse we had no recourse but to contact BBB and asked our credit card company to reverse charges until we could get this resolved, satisfactorily (win-win).
  The card, due to fraudulent activities, was cancelled by the credit card company so no longer active but we are happy to send you a e-transfer for the service fee + tax if you would like to e-mail a revised invoice so that we can close and move on.
  We have no intention of not paying Captain Electric IF ONLY ***** would have called back, as promised two days after the work was done, so we could discuss like rational people and her procrastination with dealing with a customer service issue was/is poorly handled.
  Please in future respond to customer service issues and do not sweep under the rug in an attempt to ignore.  It is, after all, part of your business model and you do have a Service & Repair Guarantee on your site, which you are not honouring in this case:
  Service & Repair Guarantee (this from your website): 
  If you are not 100% satisfied with the service we have provided, we will refund all of your money. If our electricians smoke or swear in your home; are not drug-free; do not wear shoe covers or leave your home without cleaning up, you do not pay for the service. If a repair fails in the first year, we will repair it again absolutely free:  https://******************************
  

  Again, send me a bill for the service fee + tax and I will gladly pay it as we had agreed. You have my e-mail address. 
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ******** ******

  Business response

  25/11/2022

  As stated previously in our last correspondence, we are waiting until December 5th, 2022, to see whether or not the credit card processing company ( ***** ******* ****) will release the funds to the original card holder or to Captain Electric.

  If the funds are released to Captain Electric, we will provide a full refund for the entire amount as previously stated in our last correspondence. 

  If the funds are released to the original card holder, then we see this as case closed as ******** ******, or the original card holder will have received their funds back.

  Thank you. 

   

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩