03/21/2024
Hi Folks,
I wanted to take a moment to reach out and once again explain why we do not accept phone orders and why 99% of companies do not. Have you ever ordered anything online before? Chances are you have. Remember that little box you have to check before you can check out that's titled something such as 'I accept Terms and Conditions'? They always have a hyperlink associated with that box so you can review that companies policies before ordering. It is there as a legal protection for the company as well as to state what, if any, rights you may have with your order processing. READ IT PLEASE. Over the years we used to do phone orders, but it just became too much involvement in having to track customers down when they arrived to have them sign it or mail it to them in hopes they don't forget to mail it back.
We opted 5 years ago to allow for phone orders only and here is why.
The customer becomes responsible for the order in its entirety, from inputting their delivery address to ordering the correct items and quantity of items to inputting the correct date of check-in.
You'd be surprised how many get those wrong and then if it was a phone order the first thing I hear is, oh no, we didn't say that date or that many chairs or that address, etc. Even though we mail put a receipt stating all the items ordered with all the info they gave us. They just get the receipt and don't read it. Heck, I get customers now who have to input all this info and get it wrong and still will say, we talked to so and so and told them this or another excuse and then I have to explain we don't take phone orders so you didn't talk to anyone.
This is why we don't take phone orders, the same as why Amazon, Target, Walmart and more don't. It keeps the responsibility on the customer to make sure they are inputting all their information correctly. Ill give you a very costly example. I had a customer input the wrong dates of her vacation, it was an expensive order of over $600 for a setup service of umbrellas and chairs. Now we set it up every day and took it off the beach every day. 3 weeks later I get a call from her on her first day of service asking where their stiff is on the beach. I was dumbfounded when I went back and looked at her order and referenced her back to her order and she was beyond upset with herself as what am I supposed to do? We had already performed the service and my team was already paid for the service. I worked out an arrangement with her but it still costs her.
Another example is I had a lady order alot if umbrellas and chairs, nearly $400 worth for 'drop-off' to her home. She ordered items to be dropped off, NOT items to be setup, so her check-in day arrives and she calls and inquires about how the setup service begins. I explain she ordered incorrectly and the price difference to setup will be several hundred dollars difference. You could have heard her shouting from the moon. I never will forget her screaming at me that she paid enough for these items and she's not going to pay extra for the setup service. We'll, long story short, she didn't pay extra and she got what she ordered, itens dropped off. Our web page is clear and drop off items on our page are separate from our setup items page and are also titled as 'drop off to tour home, no setup included'. It prints that out on your receipt as well.
I'm not ranting, I'm just offering a long story of how important it is that you order correctly, and pay attention to what you order and remember to read a companies Terms & Conditions, don't just checkmark the box blindly so you can check-out. There is important information there that you should read before ordering.
