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  • Report:  #846676

Complaint Review: Answering Specialists - Bonners Ferry Idaho

Reported By:
Anonymous - , Connecticut, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:

Answering Specialists
6823 EL PASO STREET Bonners Ferry, 83805 Idaho, United States of America
Phone:
866-503-7025
Web:
www.answering-services-specialists.com
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
We used this company several times in the past. Unfortunately, their services have severely declined since then. We noticed the severe decline in their services last year and ended our association with them. Admittedly, their policy is a 30 day notice. Because of that we have two outstanding bills with them. One for a months service prior to our cancellation and the thirty day cancellation period. However, because of the deterioration of service we do not feel that we should be required to pay those service bills. We have expressed this feeling to the company and worked very hard to resolve this issue prior to posting this complaint. However, the company would not make allowances for their internal problems.

I am sure that Tim Harlan will post on here that this is again the customers fault. That we didn't pay our bill and that is the only time we were dissatisfied with their service. But, that is very far from the truth in this matter. We mentioned the bad service several times. The service continued to go from bad to worse which is why we terminated the service.

Tim, it's not always the customers fault. You have several posts on here at this point. Right now, you should come to realize it's not the customers faults. It's YOURS!

Instead of attacking customers you should find out what the problems are with your organization and correct them. Once you do we would be happy to come back to your company.



9 Updates & Rebuttals

Will

Elizabeth,
Pennsylvania,
I think i am agreeing with the Owner

#2Consumer Comment

Sat, January 25, 2014

Hello,

   I was looking up Answering Services and I am From Pittsburgh My Self. From reading the Reports on here from the person who Published it and from the Owner of the Company that is being Slammed on. I personally have to say after carefully reading every feedback i have to side with the Owner of the Company because it shows he has what he is saying is backing him up. The person in Question making the Rip Off Compliant keeps repeating them self on almost every feedback and has really nothing else to say but saying how many rip off reports are online about The Company in Question. The thing is how can you Bash a company when you barely never used the service and state that it is horrible? And by reading and signing the contract agreement with any company the standard is usually a 30 days of Notice to Cancel Service. I own Patient Care Advocacy Agency and i charge a monthly Admin fee to my patients to help them recieve medications at no cost from the Pharma Companies called the Patient Assistance Programs and for me to do all the paper work, Leg Work, Working on their Behalf and if they cancel without a 30 days Notice in Writing i will still bill them. So when you sign an agreement of contract and don't read the fine print the Client in Question is at fault for not following the terms and conditions of providing a 30 day notice. What the Owner of the Company has did was his best interest to turn you in to collections for non-payment to his company. Just pay the fee and move on because it just makes you look more like a fool and shows that you do not pay your bills where in your mind you feel your not responsible. I will be calling This Answering Service Monday to discuss doing business with them because your rip off report actually did not make me feel uncomfortable about using Answering Specialist. It actually really just showed me your one of those types of customers that like to have something to b***h about because you know your self your in the wrong and you want others on the internet looking for an answering service to believe your compliant of a scam on a company that is not at Fault.


Tim

Bonners Ferry,
Idaho,
United States of America
Amazing

#3REBUTTAL Owner of company

Fri, December 14, 2012

I don't mind if Joseph of Acer Appliance wants to complain as long as he is willing to tell the truth.  He signed up for service.  We procured a phone number for him and setup his service.  There is quite a cost involved for doing this as we explained to him.  I have the email from him clearly stating that he never ever even used the service.  He changed his mind about having a service after having it setup for almost a month and notified us that he didn't need it and wantd us to refund him in full.  I explained to him that there are costs involved and that he was welcome to cancel but we would not be refunding him for something he ordered, we setup, and had active for almost a month. 

Joseph threatened that if we wouldn't refund that he would do exactly what he is doing and try to ding us and leave bad feedback on our company on the internet.  This is his choice.  He can't make statements regarding our service when he never used it - not even one call.

I wish he had actually used the service and then could give a real review, but some people are just plain dishonest andand want to strike out at others when they don't get what they want.


Absolute Appliance Repair, LLC Cinc

Morrow,
Ohio,
United States of America
Disgusted, Ripped Off, and Fooled again!!!!!

#4General Comment

Fri, December 14, 2012

I own an appliance repair company in Cincinnati, Ohio. We had a prior experience with another answering service that I was guaranteed by Olaf, they operate completely different and that my experience with this company (Answer Specialist) would be less than excellent. HE SAW ME COMING I SUPPOSE!!! This was nothing less than another rip off disappointment. While waiting for them to set up my account, they charged my bank for services that were never even rendered. They sent an email telling us that they were ready to answer our phones, but they had never even completed my technicians calendars or tested the account one time. I am disgusted that I was tricked or misled into using their service. They never answered not one call for my company.... They charged my bank account for setup fees that were never even complete or even usable.. 

Be VERY careful of this company, they will charge you for an incomplete setup and tell you that you cannot have any of your money back due to their failure to complete the job they charged you for.. WOW.. 

THIS JOKER - TIM HARLAN, actually had the audacity to email me that they go to great expense to set up incomplete accounts. I can post the email he sent to me if anyone would like to read it. Any future companies that may consider this service, PLEASE LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES FOR FREE!!!! THIS COMPANY IS A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT AND WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY AND RUN!!!! WOW, I WAS SUCKERED IN AGAIN BY ANOTHER SMOOTH TALKING SALESMAN AND THEN CHARGED FOR INCOMPLETE SERVICES..........

BEWARE, BEWARE, BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SAVE YOUR MONEY AND BUY AN ANSWERING MACHINE, IT DOES A BETTER JOB AND IT IS WAY LESS EXPENSIVE!!!!!

Report Attachments

Anonymous

East Hartford,
Connecticut,
United States of America
Tim You Still Don't Get It!

#5Author of original report

Tue, June 12, 2012

This has nothing to do with the few bucks that is owed this company. In fact, at the beginning I mentioned that we INTENTIONALLY did not pay the bills - WHY? Because the service is lousy! All you have to do is put this company's name into Google and you can see I am not the only one that states this. There are multiple complaints about this company. Once you clean up your company Tim let the rest of us know. Attacking your customers simply doesn't work!


Tim

Bonners Ferry,
Idaho,
United States of America
Not worth responding further

#6REBUTTAL Owner of company

Thu, March 01, 2012

This client can't get over himself.  The only thing that would make him happy is if he had prevailed in bullying us into not turning his account to collections - which was his intention in the first place.  Unfortunately for him, we did turn him to collections for what he owed our company.  His idea of good customer service is that he gets his way.  That is not the definition of good customer service.

Anyone who wants a copy of the emails he sent are welcome to contact me.  They speak volumes.


Anonymous

East Hartford,
Connecticut,
United States of America
REALLY? Every Customer Complaint!

#7Author of original report

Thu, March 01, 2012

Boy this owner is very arrogant if he thinks that EVERY customer complaint is the fault of the customer. Like I previously mentioned just look at ALL the complaints here on RipOffReport.Com, Better Business Bureau, City Search.... Do you REALLY think that EVERY customer was at fault and this company is not to blame at all. That is really, really RIDICULOUS. This arrogance is the reason for customers complaining because this company never works to make anything right. If a customer complains, they attack the customer. Great customer service... NOT!!


Tim

Bonners Ferry,
Idaho,
United States of America
Same Response because Same Situation

#8REBUTTAL Owner of company

Thu, March 01, 2012

Yes, why didn't you file your nasty reports before we turned you to collections.  It is always once we have turned an account to collections - then all of the sudden we are the worst service ever.

I have a copy of all of your emails to our company.  Each of them states clearly, dismiss what you owe us or you will lash out as you have.  You have no credibility.  Techs 4 You, and you, are a company that  is dishonest at best.  You are a bully and I don't deal with bullies well. 

Some companies feel that the customer is always right.  Customers then take advantage of those companies by threatening them to get what they want - which is what you did.  We don't react that way.  If you don't pay your obligations, we will turn you to collections as we have done in your case. 

Try being honest and pay your obligations instead of trying to threaten our company with all types fake lawyers, lawsuits, bad reviews, etc.  This is who you are and have been exposed for who you are.  And all you had to do was give a 30 day notice and pay your bill instead of trying to skirt on paying a small bill you clearly owed.


Anonymous

East Hartford,
Connecticut,
United States of America
Same Response to EVERY Complaint

#9Author of original report

Thu, March 01, 2012

This is the company's response to EVERY compaint. Just take a look at the history of complaints here on RipOffReport.Com. Take a look at the company's history on the Better Business Bureau website and on other complaint sites. The customer didn't pay their bill... the customer didn't pay their bill. Do you think customers pay the bill when the service sucks? No, they don't. It's time this company stopped hiding behind the same response they use to every complaint and simply improve their service. Then, lo and behold, people would pay the bill! It really detracts from their credibility when they answer every complaint by attacking the very people who make their service possible - THEIR CUSTOMERS!


Tim

Bonners Ferry,
Idaho,
United States of America
Doesn't Pay Bill - then Angry Because turned to Collections.

#10REBUTTAL Owner of company

Wed, February 29, 2012

This customer was a client. I have reviewed the file and found no complaints for service. Fact is that he used the service very little usually 1 or 2 calls each month. When the client decided to cancel - he didn't want to provide the needed 30 day notice that he agreed to when he signed up for the service. What has taken place from that time forward is constant harassment of our call center. Today alone we have had 10 plus calls and several emails threatening us because he was
turned over to collections on the remaining balance. Its always interesting to me that we get these negative postings as soon as we are finally forced to turn a customer over to collections. Then we are the worst company ever. Why sign a service agreement agreeing to terms if you have no intention of being bound by them. Do you really want me to believe that you had such terrible service on the 1 or 2 calls during the month we handled for you?

I would be happy to provide copies of all of the emails we received just today where this client is threatening to file a law suit against us for $50,000 if he doesn't get his own way or if he was turned to collections. This is straight out extortion. He has also stated that he will be posting negative reviews on us everywhere on the web that he can unless we forgive his outstanding balances. Really?

We can't control what deadbeats do who don't want to pay for the services they contracted for. It's always when we finally turn them to collections that the complaint comes. I guess it's just part of the business and we will continue to turn past due collection accounts to our outside collection agency and will simply respond to the complaints as we are doing here. If you don't intend to pay your bill, please don't sign up for service with our company - save us all some grief.

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