[Vowel Lady]

RUG COMPANY RIP OFF
I am livid...beyond livid.
I have signed up with the same rug cleaning company that has a monopy on the rug cleaning business for the last twenty years.
For the last six years, I have used their prepaid service...which is a little expensive, but kinda worth it for me because I have pets.
You have to use the service a certain way and use it w/i one year. I haven't had a need to use it in 5-6 months.
They sign you up for the bedrooms.
Recently, our little dog had an accident on a little area rug. I asked that they make a switch. Instead of my master bedroom...which is a little on the large side, if they would switch that out this one time for the soiled little area rug. The little rug is about 1/4 the size of the master bedroom rug. They said " no way." They would rather their employees spend extra time on my home and not send them home early than "break the contract."
The fellas at my home (right now are almost in tears) They said that the company ahs them "trained" that no matter what the circumstance, even if you have been a very loyal customer and have a very resonable request....mine is more than reasonable...it is cheaper for them and the fellas could go home early, they can't help out a customer.
WHAT IS WITH THIS?
Am I allowed to mention company names on this website?
It starts with an "S" stands for SS....also for s u x...like what vacuum cleaners do.
I am livid....in this economy, that a company would provide such HIDEOUS customer service and disregard for thier loyal customers and even their employees.

[lor]

Probably they have to pay the guys the same amount for each day no matter what they do. And if you have another rug you want done, then they want another rug in the 'thing/contract', so they can charge you more.

[DM]

I think "Customer Service" needs a huge overhaul in this country, VL. I am seeing less and less of this. I don't think it was a big deal for you to ask them to make the switch, but like you said~ it's the higher ups and not the employees.

We can't even make a service call to a major co anymore w/o it being answered by someone in another country. I agree w/you!!

[karousel]

I agree customer service is just not there anymore!! You'd think they'd want to keep their customer happy and since it was a smaller rug, I think it would be beneficial to their company to do it instead of the larger rug.

[lor]

daisymay, You might not get a foreign country...you get a stupid machine, not a human.

[greta]

How odd...must be franchise specific. They've always been willing to do whatever I've asked here. When I had carpet downstairs - they were here every 3 months. (I have 3 monsters who participate in recreational vomiting ) Maybe invest in a little green machine instead for those spots?

I never did prepay, and I was always happy with the service I got. Maybe your franchise stinks - try complaining to the corporate office and see what happens. That's not good customer service.

[Vowel Lady]

Found out some general info...
Year began: 1947 Franchising since: 1972
SS International Inc. was founded by Jack A. Bates in 1947. In 1972, the company began offering SS Carpet Cleaner franchises, and in 1998, it introduced SS Duct Cleaning Service add-on licenses. The company has more than 240 locations throughout the United States and is based in Dublin, Ohio.
5500 Sxxxxxy Sxxxxxr Pkwy.
Dublin, OH 43016
Phone: (800)848-7496/(614)764-2007
Fax: (614)764-2394

Side note: This franchise is in Tampa, Fla. If someone has research skills and can get me the franchise info...please pm me. Thank you.

1) How can I find out the names of the owner(s) of my local franchise? I have put in two calls to customer service to the main office in OH and have not gotten a return call. I plan on emailing tomorrow. I might send a certified letter.
2) Can we mention company names on this website? They sure don't make life easier, when they treat customers like dirt.

This might be the worst customer service I have received in decades and Daismay...I agree that this country seems to need some sort of "huge overhaul" in that years.

20 years I have worked with this company...multiple accounts. In the last six years, I have prepaid. However, they would not make a minor adjustment that would be financially in their favor. Nor would they lift a finger to ask someone in charge if an exception could be made this one time. Are these people STUPID? When people fall on hard times, do their brains rot? OBVIOUSLY, I would rather have root canal than use their services again.

[lefthanded]

Unilateral contracts that give the advantage to the corporation are fast becoming the norm in this country. Almost every contract you sign these days has a mandatory binding arbitration clause, meaning that you are signing away your right to sue when you put your signature on the line. Most contracts give the company the right to change everything without notice. . . including the expected terms that may have enticed you to sign in the first place.

I would say contact the Better Business Bureau in the area and complain to them. . . but they did me absolutely no good in a complaint against a major on-line video rental giant. I guess I signed up for unlimited monthly rentals that the company has the right to limit by taking as long as they wish to check them in and send them out! BBB felt that they had satisfied my questions . . . ignoring one of the major issues I had addressed in my complaint.

I would write to the founder/president/chairman of the company and ask why they can not provide a little more flexible customer service. . . especially for such long term and loyal prepaid customers. Ask them questions that can not be answered by a form letter . . . that will either force them to respond with a more personally tailored repsonse, or ignore you completely!

However, I bet if you checked your contract, you would find you have agreed that no substitutions will be made -- ever! Only if there is nothing stating or implying this in the contract would you have any legal recourse. If you look a little closer, I bet you find other provisions that could lead to disappointment too. I make service providers bid and compete for my business . . . why give them money before they give you service?

[Vowel Lady]

Thank you left handed. It seems to me that our best recourse is:
1. Try to use mom and pop places when possible...esp. those that have been in business awhile.
2. NEVER sign a contract.
3. Don't use this particular business. Side note: I am in Fla. This franchise is based in TAMPA, FLORIDA
4. It is debatable (and I'm being generous with this word) that there is such a "notion" of customer service left in this country. If the "norm" is "every man out for himeself" then it is not necessary. It is buyer beware to the extreme and let's get as much money from the customer as possible. Companies have no concept of possible customer loyalty...don't care at all about this. I know from experience that this could in the end influence the bottom line. perhaps this explains why our economy is in the toilet. No foresight whatsoever.

Anyway....Upon further inspection, this is a horrible contract. They also try their best to talk you into buying additional products when they come to your home. Of course...everything is "extra" and very expensive as well. It has been a learning experience, but a frustrating one.

[MelodyL]

Hi. I looked up SS on the website ripoffreports.com. This is a great website (kind of like the Better Business Bureau), and you see if anyone has made any complaints (in writing), about the company SS.

Here you go!!

http://ripoffreport.com/searchresult...&Search=Search