Complaint Review: Year Round Maintenance - Steve Messinger - Lombard Illinois

Steve Messinger came to our house on Saturday, 6/17/06, to give us a free estimate on a minor landscaping project. He gave us a contract, told us he could possibly be out that Wednesday (6/21/06) because he could use some of our existing stone on another project, and told us we could send him a $100 deposit if we decided to go with him for the project. He gave us an envelope with which to send the deposit. We told him we would contact him later that night with an answer for him.

My husband left him a message around 5pm that evening telling him we would like to hire him and to give us a call back with a date or if he was in fact going to be able to come out on Wednesday. My husband also told him that we would put the deposit check of $100 in the mail on Monday. We did not hear back from him that evening. I left a message on Sunday (Father's Day) and asked him to please call us on Monday. On Monday evening (6/19/06), after not hearing from him, I left a message telling that I wanted to make sure Steve got our message from Saturday and to let him know that we sent the deposit that day. I also asked him to please call us back with a possible start date since we were leaving out of town the following Saturday. We never heard from Steve that day. I called again on Tuesday (6/20/06) because I was getting concerned that he had our check and we had not yet heard from him regarding this project. I left a message and asked him to please call us because I was unsure if he was going to be coming out the next day as we had discussed on 6/17/06. We never heard back from Steve. I called on Wednesday, 6/21/06, and told him that I found it unfair that he could not return a customer's phone calls especially considering he had $100 of our money. I told him that I had no idea if/when this project would begin and that, if I didn't hear from him by 6pm that evening, I would stop payment on the check and find someone else to do the job for us.

Later that afternoon, I received a very nasty message from Steve on my answering machine. He claimed that the only message he received from me was the one from the day before. Believe me, I left a message every time I called. He insulted me saying that I need professional help because I obviously have "insecurity issues with money and people" and that I was harrassing him. He also said "not to take offense" to his phone call because he meant no offense and that they were still willing to do the project. However, with the rain we had, he wouldn't be able to come out until the following week. He also said that he would send our deposit check back if we wanted because he didn't need to be "harrassed" like this.

I called him later that afternoon and actually SPOKE TO HIM! FINALLY! I explained that I found it unprofessional and unfair to speak to a client in the manner he did and to insult me and insinuate that I needed professional help. HE HAD $100 OF MY MONEY AND I NEVER HEARD FROM HIM! Of course, that would make me concerned. I told him that the least he could've done was return my call to explain what his plan was. Steve told me his company's policy is to call the night before he planned on coming out. So, why couldn't he have called me to tell me that? That would've put my mind at ease. He told me that "in a perfect world" that could be done. But, he doesn't have time to return everyone's phone calls. DOESN'T HAVE THE TIME? What kind of customer service is that? He also told me that my expectations are too high. So, let me get this straight: the owner of a company is telling a potential client that her expectations were too high? Wow, they must do impeccable work!!! This is a great marketing strategy! I'm glad I decided not to use his service.

I asked him to please return my $100 deposit check and send me a copy of the cancelled contract, since this is what he said he would do on my answering machine. He said that he "had done enough" for us and that, if I wanted these things, I would have to come and pick them up from him. I reminded him that he has my property (my $100 check) and has no right to keep it from me since he already said he would return it. (I have the saved message on my answering machine where he stated this.) Steve said that I would have to pay a fee to stop payment on the check because he refused to send my check back to me.

Steve Messinger is the most unprofessional, low-class individual I have ever met. He came to my house without a shirt on and his whole demeanor, from the way he carried himself to the way he spoke, was very low-class. I guess this is what happens when you deal with blue-collar people.

Toni

Lombard, Illinois
U.S.A.