My response to the email containing the invoice is below. I did not receive a response.
" Hello Robyn, I'd like you know I feel as if I've been taken advantage of by Ben Franklin.
When I originally called for service, your dispatcher informed me that there was a fee for showing up, evaluating the job, and providing a cost for repair. When I asked about an hourly rate, he said your company didn't work that way, that the job would be evaluated and then quoted by an onsite service technician. I agreed to the terms and asked him to please schedule service as soon as possible.
At about 1:45 PM, two of your service technicians arrived and I proceeded to describe the problem and showed them where I suspected a blockage had occurred. They agreed with my assessment and then verbally told them to proceed. Admittedly, I did not ask for an estimate, nor was I given one. Frankly, I had sewage in the basement, your guys were on site, and really how much could it be? To my shock and disbelief, I was presented with a bill for nearly $800 for less than an hour of labor to snake 50' of drain pipe!!! That's $400 an hour for two men!!!
When I asked your tech how he could possibly justify such an outrageous cost, he said it was fixed and there was nothing he could do, and actually apologized. Additionally, your dispatcher could have been more forthcoming and told me there was a fixed rate (I had described for him the exact problem your techs ultimately resolved) but instead led me to believe it would be a time and material job. I find that extremely deceptive.
Let me just add that I also went out of my way to anticipate your tech's needs and made sure everything they needed to work on was readily accessible, including clear access through a walkout basement, providing an extension cord for power, and even spray lubrication at their request for the corroded snake mechanism!
As a licensed CT E-1 with service experience, I find your company's business practices unconscionable. I will not recommend or use your services in the future."
Dan Besaw
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