Complaint Review: Safeguard Tubs - San Ramon California

2 November 2013,

Demand for removal and reimbursement for all payments on the Safeguard Tub. 

All of this was observed with a single initial use of the tub.  It was not used a second time.  No soap or aromatic material was ever used with this tub.  We want the unit removed from our house as it is both defective and dangerous.  On top of this we were never warned of any possible negative issues and that it is not suitable for everyone.  The saleslady was in presence of my mother yet never listed a single possible downside or operational issue that could be associated with the tub.  All that was stressed were the safety features.  My mother is still in relatively in good shape considering her age of 87 yet still has to deal with age related physical problems that are not uncommon.  She is also very petite in size and stature at 4’9” in height and under 90 lbs. in weight.  The only reason we were purchasing this tub was for its lauded safety features and we found that the exact opposite was true.  I am not saying that the tub is ineffective or unsafe for everyone, rather that the hard sell tactics entirely avoid the fact that the tub is not necessarily safe for everyone and that not everyone is a candidate for this tub.  The very name on your tub includes the word “Safe” and in the extreme effort to make a sale the very namesake of your product in our particular case was used in a fashion that could be interpreted as false advertising.

Errors with the Safeguard tub as follows:

1.  The latch closes tighter and tighter as with progressively applied pressure.  A person’s body weight alone on the latch could result in trapping a senior without the physical arm strength pull it back up.  This very scenario happened in our instance.

2. The seat is incredibly uncomfortable especially if you are small in stature and you occasionally have to sit forwards.  It is a painful seat regardless of stature if you move forwards and have to sit in the “V” shaped hole.

3. I have concerns about the speed of the tub when filling and draining.  The amount of time for egress once started could pose problems if quick need to leave the tub were needed for any reason whether medical or not.  Although a large amount of water is required to fill this tub the design is also dependent on available water pressure, pipe size, and drainage capacity of individual residences.  No tests were done prior to the install to determine any possible range of this time which could range from insignificant, to inconvenient, to entirely annoying.   If it were a matter of fact that a Jacuzzi/hot tub required complete filling and draining before and after each use no one would every purchase one.  It is not difficult for a lay person to see if takes an extended amount of time for a sink or bathing apparatus to fill or drain in any particular house.   With a professional plumber present in the same situation a definitive or conclusive assessment could be made.  With a product that is so expensive the proper supportive conditions should be a requirement before install.  No one would be allowed to build a house without first testing the soil for stability or if it were on a flood plain or likelihood of an earthquake.   All of these factors would have an influence.  The same for the Safeguard tub that is a blend of mechanical and electronics with specific minimum parameters to work is a successful and reasonable manner.  

4. The tub is not matched to our water heater and we were not informed of this requirement.  The size of heater required is far beyond the capacity of our water heater room which is a fixed enclosure.

5. In regards to #4 by the time the water reaches the minimum operating level the water coming out is cold.  It is impossible to actually have a hot bath.  The standard maximum heat setting was just beyond lukewarm.  Even if it is set past the red safety button by the time it reaches the minimum level the tub will be cooled off as only cold water is running in.

6. It is impossible to tell whether the heat function is working as there is no change of light when hitting the button.  Within 5 minutes of the first usage the air jets ceased to work.   No amount of turning everything off and on with various interim periods in-between restored this function.

7. It is actually more difficult to bathe in than a regular tub for my mother because of the length.  She cannot possible brace her leg on the opposite side of the tub to stabilize herself.  It is like trying to take a bath in a swimming pool.  She could slide forward with her small stature and get trapped in the deep end of the tub.   With a minor accidental slip off of the ledge while reaching forwards her knee replacements (both knees) could be forced into an extremely painful bent position*.  She could possible get trapped under the water level and would only have her arms to pull herself out of a full tub that drains very slowly.  This very possible scenario poses a real drowning situation.

*Patients with knee replacements are rarely able to bend the joint beyond 90 degrees.

8.  There was a lengthy discussion with the sales representative, the East Indian lady.  Forgive me but I cannot recall her name.  I was rather firm in requesting a chance to test the tub to see if my mother would fit or be able to operate it.  I did not ask for a full tub but a walk in sample.  I was told that the closest one was in the neighborhood of Corona which is approximately a 300 mile round trip through rather bad traffic.  Still I preferred this as an option.   I was given an ultimatum on the spot.  I was told that in my entire area of some 300,000 people there would be at the most a discounted offer to a maximum of four people and either two or already three of these were filled.    Furthermore I was told that through the entire area of southern California there would be a very limited number of one time discounts and that once filled in a particular area they would be exhausted and never return.  If I chose to physically examine one of the tubs it would cost me a considerable amount more since I would lose the special discount.  I was toy this would never be given out again.  It was an extremely hard sell tactic forcing us into a corner.  I have no idea if this is true as the television commercials offering discounts have been constant.   This was a difficult situation for me and would have been not only unfair but impossible for a senior of my mother’s age or a handicapped person of limited travel ability to deal with.   There was no clause or reservation made or allowed to protect the discounts in a tentative sale.  It was a use it now or lose it situation.  In reality the sale tactics were conducted in such a manner as to prevent a hands on experience.  

Although the tub is carefully not being portrayed as an essential medical device it certainly does not come under the heading of an over the top luxury hot tub that is made for all ages to indulge themselves in physical satisfaction.  It is entirely being promoted as a safety device for the benefit of seniors.  Every last advertisement not only states this but uses seniors as both actors and narrators in the commercials.   

I would like removal of this tub to commence as soon as possible after my return from a work related trip I am on.  I will return on Sunday November 10^th.  I am available at any time before then by phone or email. 

Additional comments from November 11:

I am not sensing customer satisfaction but rather an all-out effort to keep the sale.  The offer was already made to alter the tub so any negotiation has to come from my side.  I am beginning to find this offensive to my intelligence as I have taken a lot of time to state the facts of the case and made it more than clear as to what is needed to resolve this.  I am not interested in talking with minions of the company way down the chain of command that can only respond in the manner of “I’ll ask or I’ll take it to my boss”.    There is a recording on your own machines stating an offered resolve.  Maybe this needs to be reviewed on your part as I will defer to it if needed.  This has been a monumental inconvenience to us and it has only been with difficulty that my mother has been able to bathe throughout this episode which extends to the present from the date of the tub installation.   I was not given the prompt response and degree of satisfaction I was promised on a lengthy recorded phone call.  This lack of promise and pushing for change of plans does not ingratiate me towards the company.   I should not have to waste my valuable time repeating everything I both said and wrote to another representative.  At this point I wish reimbursement of all monies I paid towards this tub, its removal from my house, and as offered, compensation or replacement of the demolished original bathtub and the required reinstallation of said tub.   I have not said anything derogatory about your products in public.  I have kept everything between us and have responded in a very decent fashion with critiques that should be taken as beneficial for future situations.  It should now be very evident to you that there are many sales deficiencies along the way that have been either unforeseen or overlooked.  I am only asking to be made whole in a timely manner which is both lawfully and morally correct.  

Please forward this to the appropriate person and call as soon as possible so that we may resolve this. 

Regards,

Contacts and Notes:

The sales Home Representative was Kanchan Kals   (209) 251-9554

Financing and contract was with Lee  [email protected]

Customer support was Karen Canright   1-866-903-9770 Ext. 414

Scott was there person that said I have no options   I cut him off as he does not negotiate and was rude

When I called their complaint department I had an extended phone call that was recorded and was told that not only would the tub be taken back and money refunded but that they would pay for the replacement of a new regular tub and pay for the installation.  I believe her name is Jackie at ext. 454 and the email for her is [email protected]