Goat Day #21: Get off my lawn
7
This is a door with a couple of locks on it. To be more specific, it’s my garage door. As you can see, somebody tried to open it with a credit card and/or putty knife. Yeah, those are some pretty specific items I know… because it was me that had to try to use them, unsuccessfully.
You see, a little while ago, my parents were visiting. It was pretty late on a Saturday night, but we decided to go get some ice cream after a bunch of people left the house for a birthday party we were throwing. The problem is, my dad, for whatever reason, decided to lock the door. This door has two locks. I had one key, and it wasn’t to the one that was locked. The other key fell down the slot in my car for my e-brake months before, and I never got it replaced until two days ago (don’t even remember why I had it off the ring).
Anyways, that part isn’t too important. After a quick google search, I come upon a site that had some decent reviews for 24 hour locksmith. I gave them a call, it went to a dispatch center. Asked for a price and ETA. I was told $39, and around 20 minutes. Pretty sweet.
35 minutes later, some guy rolls up to my driveway, hops out, and right away with his shitty attitude starts off with “Just so you know, it’s going to be $85. After hours fee, weekend fee, plus trip charge”.
I laughed. The lady I spoke with on the phone quoted me $39 I said. He pretty much told me tough luck, that was just the trip charge. I kindly told him that the site said quotes from dispatch would be honored, which he again basically pissed on.
Me: Well, it appears we aren’t going to agree, so I’m going to call another locksmith. Sorry they wasted your time, but I no longer require your service.
He was not happy, and told me I’d still be responsible for the $39 trip charge and he’d send it to collections if I didn’t pay. At that point, I told him to take it up with dispatch. I called them, I had an agreement with them, not him, and I was given false information. I then told him to get off my lawn, and to leave.
This entire time, my family is waiting in the garage, sitting on coolers that were used from the party.
I called another place, one with raving reviews, that wasn’t “Advertised” on google. Yeah, I guess the first one with the great reviews was a sponsored ad…
Guy quoted me MORE than the total that the first guy that showed up, showed up in 10 mins, took 2 minutes to do the work, and was really pleasant. I was thrilled to pay more for this guy, he was absolutely amazing.
I never heard back from the a-hole that threatened collections, but I was prepared to go to battle.
Feel free to share any bait and switch type stories, or overall shitty service stories below.
- 4 comments, 10 replies
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I could tell a dozen tales about how items ordered on Amz using Prime showed a 2 day delivery time on the product page, but after the order was placed the order confirmation email had a totally different delivery date. Sometimes by 3 or 4 days.
Complaints to CS are fruitless since they just check the order status and only see whatever the current delivery date is. Then CS launches a party line about “Prime Shipping TOC specifically states 2 days for ‘most items’ and doesn’t include ‘order processing’.
Maybe not a true B&S, but to compel me to place an order under the expectation I’ll have the item in 2 days, then changing the details after the order is placed… is total garbage tactics.
In previous times CS would readily give up a 1 mo. extension to my Prime subscription. Then it was a $10 account credit. Now they limit themselves to a song and dance routine.
Of course YMMV. It’s possible, since I’ve called them on their nonsense X number of times, they’ve reached some kind of limit and simple CS policy cuts me off from further benefiting from their shipping snafus.
At $100/yr. I find this frustrating. My next renewal will be $130, and this garbage will be intolerable. This is why I currently do not have plans to renew Prime.
@ruouttaurmind the 2-day shipping refers to the shipping method used once it ships. Not from when the order is placed.
@ruouttaurmind I’ve had that happen several times (2 day shipping that never comes until 3-4 days later). Every time that happened, they basically just brushed it off. My prime just auto renewed (don’t think I got a reminder) at the higher rate too.
I go by the “Guaranteed Delivery Date”.
There was a point where I had to return or get a partial refund on a lot of different orders for various reasons (broken items, wrong size shipped, obvious customer returns etc). Apparently it was too much too close together, because they threatened to cancel my prime membership. Technically now I’m supposed to escalate any issues I have to a specific department from now on, but I never do.
@medz
I realize that. But on the item listing Amz shows “order within in the next X hours and XX minutes to get it:”
If the order page says Wednesday, and it doesn’t show up until Friday, that’s not what I ordered. I paid $100/yr for the privilege of receiving it Wednesday, Wednesday is when I should have it, ya?
@lichme I’ve read tales of cancelled Prime subscriptions, and even closed accounts due to “abuse” of the return policy. I have no idea what level triggers that though. I’ve returned a fair number of defective items and late deliveries, but haven’t received that notice. Yet. But if an item is defective, what else would Amz have someone do? Eat the expense?
No story, but here’s some info:
/google how bump keys work
Bump Keys, how they work - YouTube
@narfcake
It’s not for everybody, but I guess diy locksmithing is a minor talent I have. I’ve cut bump keys for every major residential key blank and have pin sets on hand for schlage, kwikset, and weiser locks. I used to have access to a speedex coded key cutter and a duplicator in a previous life, but I started in college by making keys out of hacksaw blade steel from rubbings and later copying keys I wasn’t supposed to have with a Dremel, a milling bit, and a pair of vise grips.
Just another fun useful skill that’s a byproduct of wanting to learn about anything and everything. And like many skills, it’s useful when used for good but could be downright scary if used for evil.
@djslack @narfcake the dangers of youtube…my 13 yo just introduced me to the concept of bump keys!
@narfcake raking will also work for most residential locks.
@fibrs86 @narfcake Clearly, we should all be hiding lockpicks inside a fake rock near our front door.
These fake locksmith scams are one of the biggest ripoffs on the internet. Some people get ripped for hundreds of dollars, while these unscrupulous companies try to squeeze out the legitimate locksmiths. Looks like you did everything right!
The best prevention is to have legit brick and mortar locksmiths, plumbers, electricians etc already on your call list so you don’t waste time figuring out which google ad is legit or a scam during an emergency.
@mehcuda67 Angie’s List. There are sone deeply discounted subscriptions out there.
Also right up there with the emergency 24-hour service locksmiths are the drain/sewer/sump/plumbers. And the tow companies.
FYI - it is often the first three pages of results that are entirely Google placed ads. Then you get the SEO gamed ads/scams. You need to go pretty deep (10+) down the list before you get actual search engine listings. Especially for “first listing” businesses like towing, plumbers, and locksmiths. Why do you think before the internet, there were so many “AAAA Aaron’s <tow/locksmoth/plumber>” companies in the phone book?
@Lichme I would have called dispatch back and told them his fee story. Small% chance they actually didn’t know what he was doing. Or that dispatch got it wrong and needs refresher training.
@mollama @lichme Alternative: the dispatching company is part of the scamming. They know you’re in a bind and odds are you’ll pay for it.