- Report: #161360
Complaint Review: Empire Today - Belleville Michigan
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Empire Today
41199 Van Born Rd. Belleville, 48111 Michigan, U.S.A.
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734-397-6701
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Empire Today POOR SERVICE, installation problems, carpet shedding and thinning after only a few months, ripoff Belleville Michigan
Several months ago(May 2005) we purchased carpet from Empire Today and it has been a pain ever since that time. First we get two installers that show up over 2 hours late. They end up working in our home until 11 pm. Probably would have been done sooner but they had to take cigarette breaks over and over while complaining that they were over scheduled on 2 huge jobs in one day.
They quickly left before we were able to inspect everything as they were tired and it was just past 11:30 by the time they cleaned up. After doing a walk through we found that the carpet was not tacked down in several areas. Some places where the carpet was cut was left with huge gaping bare floor spots along the wall.
Before the installer arrived we were told not to worry about our radiators as the installers knew how to work around them. Instead, the carpet was cut uneven and left bare floor showing, not tacked down and in several spots the carpet wasn't even cut but left trailing up the baseboards loose.
After calling the company they gave us the installers number and said to call him direct first. At first he seemed to dispute that it was bad but then agreed to come out. He came out the next day with a different man than the one with him during installation.
We were now informed that the man that was there during installation was a just a friend of a friend who had no real experience laying carpet he was just "there to help" since the regular installer couldn't be there. This man inspected the carpet and was angry at how shoddy the job was and stretched an re-tacked in several areas and "patched and tacked" behind/under the radiators. He apologized sincerely and we thought that the situation with the carpet was rectified though very disgruntled that Empire seems to not worry about qualifications of installers.
However, the carpet began shedding in large amounts. My sweeper has burnt up several times, belts snapped and wheels bind up because of the excessive shedding. After just two full sweepings we have two overloaded sweeper bags filled with nothing but carpet fiber.
I sweep the floor every other day and this has been going on since installation(end of May) until present day (October 19). We were told that shedding should not occur after 3 or 4 sweepings and to notify the company if it did as it would mean the carpet may be faulty. We did contact them immediately. It took at least 8 phone calls to get a response.
Fnally, they sent a man out to inspect the carpet and we gave him a piece of carpet the installers left with us. The inspector raked his fingers through the carpet and got nice little piles of fiber. He said it could take 2 weeks to get the report. It has now been double that and we have heard nothing.
We have placed 4 seperate calls to the company with the reply that someone will call us. Now on the fifth call we are told that the claim has been closed. We asked how that could be when the findings were not sent to us nor could they find any answer of findings on the computer. They lady on the phone said she swithced the status back to open and someone would call with the information within the next day. Well, as you can guess, no call and it is 4 days later.
This company is a joke, a pain, unorganized and has me irritated enough I am considering contacting my attorney at this point if my next phone call has no results. This company has serious customer service issues and not too thrilled with the carpet shedding excessivly. I have had new carpet several times in my life and have never had any problems with shedding, installation or customer service.
My first and last time using Empire Today. Sure wish I would have seen this site before I purchased. Our local BBB had numerous complaints against Empire in a different city near us but the one is our area only had two at the time.
Julie
Clyde, Ohio
U.S.A.
They quickly left before we were able to inspect everything as they were tired and it was just past 11:30 by the time they cleaned up. After doing a walk through we found that the carpet was not tacked down in several areas. Some places where the carpet was cut was left with huge gaping bare floor spots along the wall.
Before the installer arrived we were told not to worry about our radiators as the installers knew how to work around them. Instead, the carpet was cut uneven and left bare floor showing, not tacked down and in several spots the carpet wasn't even cut but left trailing up the baseboards loose.
After calling the company they gave us the installers number and said to call him direct first. At first he seemed to dispute that it was bad but then agreed to come out. He came out the next day with a different man than the one with him during installation.
We were now informed that the man that was there during installation was a just a friend of a friend who had no real experience laying carpet he was just "there to help" since the regular installer couldn't be there. This man inspected the carpet and was angry at how shoddy the job was and stretched an re-tacked in several areas and "patched and tacked" behind/under the radiators. He apologized sincerely and we thought that the situation with the carpet was rectified though very disgruntled that Empire seems to not worry about qualifications of installers.
However, the carpet began shedding in large amounts. My sweeper has burnt up several times, belts snapped and wheels bind up because of the excessive shedding. After just two full sweepings we have two overloaded sweeper bags filled with nothing but carpet fiber.
I sweep the floor every other day and this has been going on since installation(end of May) until present day (October 19). We were told that shedding should not occur after 3 or 4 sweepings and to notify the company if it did as it would mean the carpet may be faulty. We did contact them immediately. It took at least 8 phone calls to get a response.
Fnally, they sent a man out to inspect the carpet and we gave him a piece of carpet the installers left with us. The inspector raked his fingers through the carpet and got nice little piles of fiber. He said it could take 2 weeks to get the report. It has now been double that and we have heard nothing.
We have placed 4 seperate calls to the company with the reply that someone will call us. Now on the fifth call we are told that the claim has been closed. We asked how that could be when the findings were not sent to us nor could they find any answer of findings on the computer. They lady on the phone said she swithced the status back to open and someone would call with the information within the next day. Well, as you can guess, no call and it is 4 days later.
This company is a joke, a pain, unorganized and has me irritated enough I am considering contacting my attorney at this point if my next phone call has no results. This company has serious customer service issues and not too thrilled with the carpet shedding excessivly. I have had new carpet several times in my life and have never had any problems with shedding, installation or customer service.
My first and last time using Empire Today. Sure wish I would have seen this site before I purchased. Our local BBB had numerous complaints against Empire in a different city near us but the one is our area only had two at the time.
Julie
Clyde, Ohio
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Troy
Northlake,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Great Experience at Empire
#2Consumer Suggestion
Fri, March 10, 2006
I am the Customer Service Manager at Empire Today. I received this email from Brad and Shauna in Texas telling me about their experience with our company. "I would like to thank Empire Today and recommend Empire Today's services to anyone considering adding a new flooring surface to their home. On December 26, 2005 I emailed Empire Today asking for someone to call me. Within a few hours I had received a phone call and had an appointment for a salesperson to come to my home and give an estimate, show samples and answer questions. [The sales representative] arrived at my at the arranged appointment time and answered all of me and my husband's questions and concerns. Pleased with everything we scheduled to have our new flooring put in the next day. As promised the crew showed up on time and ready to work the next morning. [The] crew did an absolutely fantastic job. They were courteous, respectful and extreme hard workers. We had a rather large area to do along with some difficult wood flooring that was previously installed, so the job took almost two full days. Record time in my opinion. My floor is beautiful and I am considering inviting Empire Today back into my home for some additional services. I highly recommend Empire Today." Brad and Shauna - Crowley,Texas If your experience with Empire Today has not been as pleasant as Brad and Shauna's, I hope that you would take a few minutes to give our Resolution Team an opportunity to turn your experience around. You may reach us at (888)588-2315, ext. 7821. Sincerely, Troy Pringle Empire Today
Troy
Northlake,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Great Experience at Empire
#3Consumer Suggestion
Fri, March 10, 2006
I am the Customer Service Manager at Empire Today. I received this email from Brad and Shauna in Texas telling me about their experience with our company. "I would like to thank Empire Today and recommend Empire Today's services to anyone considering adding a new flooring surface to their home. On December 26, 2005 I emailed Empire Today asking for someone to call me. Within a few hours I had received a phone call and had an appointment for a salesperson to come to my home and give an estimate, show samples and answer questions. [The sales representative] arrived at my at the arranged appointment time and answered all of me and my husband's questions and concerns. Pleased with everything we scheduled to have our new flooring put in the next day. As promised the crew showed up on time and ready to work the next morning. [The] crew did an absolutely fantastic job. They were courteous, respectful and extreme hard workers. We had a rather large area to do along with some difficult wood flooring that was previously installed, so the job took almost two full days. Record time in my opinion. My floor is beautiful and I am considering inviting Empire Today back into my home for some additional services. I highly recommend Empire Today." Brad and Shauna - Crowley,Texas If your experience with Empire Today has not been as pleasant as Brad and Shauna's, I hope that you would take a few minutes to give our Resolution Team an opportunity to turn your experience around. You may reach us at (888)588-2315, ext. 7821. Sincerely, Troy Pringle Empire Today
Troy
Northlake,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Great Experience at Empire
#4Consumer Suggestion
Fri, March 10, 2006
I am the Customer Service Manager at Empire Today. I received this email from Brad and Shauna in Texas telling me about their experience with our company. "I would like to thank Empire Today and recommend Empire Today's services to anyone considering adding a new flooring surface to their home. On December 26, 2005 I emailed Empire Today asking for someone to call me. Within a few hours I had received a phone call and had an appointment for a salesperson to come to my home and give an estimate, show samples and answer questions. [The sales representative] arrived at my at the arranged appointment time and answered all of me and my husband's questions and concerns. Pleased with everything we scheduled to have our new flooring put in the next day. As promised the crew showed up on time and ready to work the next morning. [The] crew did an absolutely fantastic job. They were courteous, respectful and extreme hard workers. We had a rather large area to do along with some difficult wood flooring that was previously installed, so the job took almost two full days. Record time in my opinion. My floor is beautiful and I am considering inviting Empire Today back into my home for some additional services. I highly recommend Empire Today." Brad and Shauna - Crowley,Texas If your experience with Empire Today has not been as pleasant as Brad and Shauna's, I hope that you would take a few minutes to give our Resolution Team an opportunity to turn your experience around. You may reach us at (888)588-2315, ext. 7821. Sincerely, Troy Pringle Empire Today
Dottie
North Billerica,Massachusetts,
U.S.A.
I agree Empire stinks
#5Consumer Suggestion
Tue, February 14, 2006
I had carpet installed 6 months ago and have a large worn out spot already NO ONE RESPONDS also laminate flooring in my office they put molding over old molding instead of removing the old tracked mud all through my house and never cleaned you one guy left muddy footprints on my sofa that he must have climbed over. Found that with their 50% off and $250 discount that full retail prices elsewhere was cheaper including labor. BUYER BEWARE stay away from Empire today if you don't want inferior product. They also gave me an estimate with 50% off and $250 discount of $3600.00 to do my kitchen floor got another estimate better qualily lamintate for $1600 including labor see what I mean.
Mike
Northlake,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Empire Today
#6UPDATE Employee
Wed, November 30, 2005
I am very sorry that you had a negative experience with Empire Today. Please contact me at the number listed below so that we may discuss any open issues that you still have. We here at Empire Today are very serious about customer service and wish that every customer goes away with a positive experience in dealing with our company. Please contact me. Sincerely, Michael Hatak National Customer Service Manager Empire Today 888-588-2315 ext. 3992
John
Memphis,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
You Were At Risk
#7Consumer Suggestion
Mon, October 24, 2005
It appears that Empire does NOT use their own employees to do installs but rather farms out the jobs to any monkeys willing to accept the job at minimums. It seems that the 'installers' were unqualified and most likely unlicensed and uninsured. If either of them would have been injured on your property you could have been sued. Who does criminal background checks on these monkeys? Empire? You bet. The fact that Empire had you contact them first indicates that they have no real interest in service quality or customer satisfaction. I also suspect the carpeting you were sold was not 'prime' quality but most likely an inferior 'commercial' grade. You may have grounds to sue for fraud. The safe bet is to avoid Empire at all costs.
