Total amount spent $10,000
Ratings 0-10
Customer Service - 0
Install - 5
Follow-up & Resolution - 2
Product - 9
We chose Comfort Windows because they give the best warranty and we were happy with the quality of their product that we were presented.
First complaint is that they were scheduled to come out and give an estimate. Instead, our salesman Bob wrote up contracts. When we were done getting our "estimate" he asked us to sign the paperwork and that they could be installed within 6-8 weeks. We assumed we were asked to sign an estimate as agreed upon work to be done for said price. Never did Bob state that we were signing a contract. Comfort Windows and Doors is SO sneaky that they put the terms of the contract on the BACK of the paperwork you are signing. We advised Bob we wanted a few estimates. He bad mouthed every other company out there. That's just plain old dirty.
Second complaint is when we tried calling the Buffalo location about our windows. No return calls. We actually had to go to the Buffalo location to force someone to talk to us. Joe Schaus, the Buffalo Sales Manager told us that we signed a contract and that in NYS were only had 3 days to back out of a contract. Again, incredibly poor customer service. We explained to him that we thought we were getting an estimate and that our financing did not allow for us to do all the work at one time. He finally gave in and voided the contract. We reluctantly agreed to have Bob come out again to give another estimate based on what work would be done based on priority and funding. Bob came out again and give us 4 more contracts.
Third complaint is that Comfort Windows NEVER called us to schedule an install date. We had to call them. They scheduled it for about two weeks out. The installers showed up that day and on time. There was no reminder call a day or so before. Our salesman Bob also said that we didn't have to do anything that they do everything. The installers informed me that all curtains had to be down and everything out of the way. It would have been more convenient if they let us know that on the phone so it could have been done the night before. As it turns out, while signing so much paperwork with our salesman Bob, we did sign a piece of paper, which they left us no copy of, that stated we had to take care of those things. Bob zipped right through EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF PAPER and quickly said "all this says is... and sign here and here." After having Bob in our home for more than two hours and our mounting frustrating and personal schedules we had to attend to, we just "signed here and here" foolishly thinking Bob was our friend and being a decent honest businessman.
Fourth complaint is that our Salesman Bob said that the installers would move all our security sensors to the new windows and doors for us. That was a complete lie. We discussed this with Bob has we just purchased our home and JUST have the security system installed and updated. The installer cut out ALL of our existing security system without even questioning any of it and I was home inside the house the entire time they were there. POOR communication and VERY POOR customer service. Who just cuts out someone's security system with reckless abandon??? Now instead of hidden switches inside the windows and doors we have large clunky wireless sensors on the insides of our window frames and door. VERY POOR planning on behalf of Comfort Windows and Doors. Apparently their only concern is getting paid.
Fifth complaint is once the installer were finished late in the day, the lead guy said, "You owe me $10,000." I was baffled. Did NOBODY at Comfort Windows and Doors not tell the installers that we had financing in place? If you cannot even properly communicate to the guy you literally hand the paperwork to, then how can you possibly communicate to your customers properly???
Sixth complaint is that the lead installer asked me to just sign the paperwork because the other guy was going to be late for a class. They never showed the windows, the operation or anything. They left me some papers to read myself. Later in the day when we were both home and had time to look the windows over and test each one we found the while vinyl to be filthy. The windows were filthy and the stickers were left on all the windows. I guess I assumed that for $10K that they might actually clean off the filthy windows. I was wrong. ALSO, the lead installer advised me of areas around our brand new $10K windows that I should caulk! I guess we only pid for most of the install. POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE at the every least.
Seventh complaint is that the screen door has a fair amount of tension on it while trying to open and close it. Much more than the heavy glass door. We did not receive a booklet with instructions for adjusting the screen door.
Eighth complaint is that our salesman Bob and his several different contracts had the wrong door handle color hand written on the final contract. Again, we foolishly did not read the entire contract again as it has been written so many times. Comfort Windows did agree to provide the door handle at no charge, thus the 2 out of 10 rating for Follow-up and Resolution.
Ninth complaint is that Lisa called the Buffalo office of Comfort Windows and Doors while the installers were still at the house to inform them of the wrong color door handle. They told her they would call her back that day. They NEVER called her back. I call the next morning. They advised me that they would return my phone call in a couple hours. I called around 9-10AM. By 4PM that day with the third phone call not returned, we wasted our time to drive to their Buffalo office AGAIN. Sandra met with us and advised that she would order the door handle and have our screen door adjusted. Two weeks went by and guess what... NO PHONE CALL from the buffalo office again.
Tenth complaints will be wrapped up together as they are now all on the "Corporate Level." Upon calling again to ask when they were getting the door handle and coming to adjust the sliding screen door I was lucky enough to get a "Customer Care" person on the phone in the Syracuse office. She got our very simple problems elevated to a "Corporate Manager" level. The Corporate Service Manager, Joe Pidkaminy, told us on Thursday, June 30th that he would have the Corporate Sales Manager call me back on Friday, July 1st. As you can guess that day came and went with AGAIN no phone call from Comfort Windows and Doors.
Later the next week the Corporate Training Manager called us. I'm not sure why he called and wasted our time at all. We know how to make phone calls. The Corporate Manager completely wasted at least 20 minutes of our time and managed to frustrate us even worse than before as he had ZERO resolutions. Not sure why he call other than to have a frustrated customer advise him of his incredible failures on all levels of training within Comfort Windows and Doors Corporation from Sales, to Install, to Customer Service and Follow-Up.
The end result with the Training Manager is that we were supposed to get an Email from a Customer Care Representative at their customer to work with directly for our next purchase so we do not have these problems again. The problems are easy fixes and nobody should have to get dragged around like this and waste hours of their time. Comfort Windows is clearly not training their people properly or they flat out don't care about complaints.
The Corporate Service Manager, Joe Pidkaminy, advised us that on our next purchase that he would offer some type of discount. Nothing but foolish lip service with no real intent. Just more frustration piling up from the Corporate Level.
End result. 20 days later still no door handle and still no adjustment to the sliding door. Our security company is AWESOME! THEY ROCK! They were at our home quickly and even discounted the work and did not charge for the door sensor. Amazing company with OUTSTANDING customer service. What companies give free parts when other companies screwed up??? General Security does! Joe in Buffalo has offered to cover the cost of the security work and the door handle should be here tomorrow.
What Comfort Window and Doors does not understand is the incredible amount of aggravation, frustration, and hours of time on the phone, driving back and forth to the Buffalo location because they would not call us back, the hours of time with our security company on the phone with them and at the house while they did their work. Comfort Windows and Doors is on the clock getting paid while we are put out and rearranging our schedules to accommodate their multitude of complete failures. And these were very simple issues that the complete lack of return phone calls and any real resolution that has caused all the frustration and aggravation.
I have been asked to wait to post a review about our experience with Comfort Windows and Doors. I advised Corporate that I have waited long enough and I would be detailing everything that has gone on thus far. They again asked me, "Is there anything that you (I) would like comfort to do for you (me)?"
At this point it is apparent that Comfort Windows and Doors are either far too busy with other complaints to address all the new complaints coming in or have adopted the practice that they just don't care hope that ignoring a customer with an issue will just tire out and go away with no resolution.
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