Aarons Sales And Lease Called saying I was late with payment. payment had been sent. was two days late and due date was a holiday! Morristown, Tennessee
Recieved a call at 5:30p.m.on Jan.3 2008 from an aarons sales rep. He did not give his name just stated he was calling to notify me I was late with my payment. I told him I had sent the payment in earlier in the week. And that probably why he hadn't recieved it was because of the holidays.
I proceded to inquire as to why he was calling considering the circumstanses and I asked if I could have his name.He angerly said his name was Michael and it was his job.I replied I understood but when I made the rental agreement that I had a 5 day grace period and it should be stated on my agreement.I asked if he would check the agreement to verify the grace period.He replied "it's only my job to inform you you're late".Very rude too say the least.Especially to a customer who hasn't ever missed a payment.Yes Ive been late some but very seldom.I then stated to Michael that this was an unnessacary conversation.He then replied it was a conversation I would lose.I immediately asked to speak to a manager or some one in charge.I knew the managers name and asked to speak to Gerald.
Gerald came to the phone and I explained the situation to him.He stated he had 2 new people working, as if to reply that they were very busy and he didn't want too discuss the matter himself.I then explained the grace period and he said there was no such thing.There again being given absolutely no respect!By now this whole thing had gotten out of hand and tempers were flaring.I told Gerald I didn't appreciate the way this matter was being handled and he said "well we're doing our jobs".I wonder if doing ones job is to disrespect your customers and be rude to them, I think not!I became so angry I asked Gerald to give me the number to the district manager.
After recieving the number I called and talked to a lady by the name of Marty. She said she would relay the complaint and that a guy by the name of Joe would call me.Well, sure enough he called. I explained the whole thing to him and evidently he had my records in hand. We agreed that Michael and Gerald were doing their jobs but the disrespectfulness was uncalled for. I don't think it's Aarons policy to be rude or disrespectful but maybe they need to screen their employees closer and or relay to them what respect is! When dealing with your customers common sense is probably the best. Thats something I don't think Gerald or Michael have.
I have been a customer with this company for almost 3yrs.and I'm considering whether I'll ever do business with them again.I will do business with their competitors after this!! Don't be 2 days late with Aarons and if you are expect to be disrespected!
BOBE
MORRISTOWN,, Tennessee
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Jeremy
Hattiesburg,Mississippi,
U.S.A.
Former Employee and current customer
#7UPDATE EX-employee responds
Mon, June 08, 2009
In my contract, at least, it states that you have three days before a late fee is charged. While not technically a grace period, it is three days grace before the first fees are charged. This may be a regional thing more than anything else. Three days in this region might be five days in a different sales region. They really did start cracking down on payments last year, and it is a bit ridiculous, and they ARE losing customers. In this economy, though, they're getting them as fast as they're losing them. Everyone wants something they can pay on because how else can you afford a couch living paycheck to paycheck? I'm paying mine off before the 90 days is up, because there's no way I want to pay DOUBLE what the original asking price of the couch is to let this agreement go to term. Aaron's employees that deal with accounts are usually very rude, usually because they're being forced to be, though I knew a few who got a thrill out of it.
Inspector
Tobyhanna,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
Why didn't you just say okay and hang up?
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, February 27, 2009
I don't argue over the phone, it's non-productive. WOW....it appears that from the rebuttals, no one, even the employees, knows the company policies!!
What a joke, I am glad I never rented anything but a house.
Anonymous
Nashvillet,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
pay on or before your due date!
#7Consumer Suggestion
Fri, February 27, 2009
your payments are due on or before your due date..which is the 1st or 15th.
if you can not make your reg. lease payment on time..CALL AND LET SOMEONE
KNOW! Its that simple. And as for going somewhere else...there is one company
that calls you the day before your payment is do..just to remind you..then if you hav'nt paid by 12 noon the day you are due...they come to your home and return it.
Janice
Missasagua,Ontario,
Canada
OKAY
#7UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, February 12, 2009
There is NO GRACE PERIOD!!!! The payments are due on the 1st or 15th of every month. In the lease agreement it states that you must make that payment ON OR BEFORE THE DUE DATE!!! If you are a day late, there will be a $5 late fee on each agreement you have open with the store. Wanna know why they call? They want to get you to ownership without any more late fees! If you know you're going to be late, give them a call to let them know!!! (You will still get your late charge but won't get any phone calls). When you sign a piece of paper, you probably want to read it next time. The section about the due date is only one small paragraph. And I bet the employees were a little irritated when they heard there was a 5 day grace period and nobody called them letting them know you were going to be late. They were probably saying to themselves, "why would someone think that there is a grace period even though they signed something clearly stating there wasn't?" The more people who are late, the more people they have to call!!! Aarons isn't that bad of a company, leasing from them is like having a high interest credit card payment. The sooner you pay your items off the less money you are going to have to shell out!!! So once again, THERE IS NO GRACE PERIOD!!!!!
Aaron's Man
North,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Hold up...
#7UPDATE Employee
Wed, January 07, 2009
I would suggest you take a look at your consumer agreement, in my three years it has been a three day grace period. Regardless if your monthly or semi, if they were rude to you the only possible explanations are that they were rude for the hell of it or your "couple times" were alot more freguent and alot longer than a few days.
And just because it's a grace period does'nt mean we should'nt call, our jobs are to know when you will pay and if it will be the full amount. So if you call ahead of time in the future and say what you will be doing. You'll have no problems.
Xheathergx
Logan,Ohio,
U.S.A.
Reply to your report on aaron's employees and the grace period
#7UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, January 09, 2008
Hello, I just read your report about the disrespectful employees of Aarons. I am a former employee of the company. The people who called you was the job I held- customer accounts manager. I know for 100% fact that if you pay monthly you have a five day grace period, if you pay semi-montly you have a two day grace period. Most people take advantage of it because that's what it is there for. At my store there weren't many people who paid on the exact due date. Most people mailed payments or got paid on the third.
Anyway, the rude behavior they gave you is because they are starting to crack down on customers a little harder. We used to start calls on the fifth grace period day to just remind people so that they would not have that extra five dollar fee. The last whole month I was there which was in november of 07... they had us calling on the due date. I absolutely hated it and thought it was totally outrageous. We lost alot of loyal customers due to the harrassing phone calls when they were not even late. Apparently it is due to the high numbers of people who are late they are starting a new tactic.
Just thought I would let you know that it probably won't change! From what I have seen inside the company you might wanna check out some places that would love to do business with you and appreciate that you spend your money there-- not a place that has to "deal" with people.