American Plumbing Experts, LLC

Tyler H.

Called and set up an appointment. They were really great at showing up... Kind of.

I had to get ready for work, so my wife (who literally sits above the garage/driveway while working from home) was guarding my phone in case they showed up while I was getting ready.

Well 9:00 came and the guy pulled up. My wife came to get me and I said she should greet him.

So she went downstairs but Fred was rocking out to a book on tape, but because he didn't respond to her, she had assumed he was finishing a good part. So she went back inside and waited for the call/ring/knock.

After 12 minutes after our appointment, we watched him drive away.

No phone call to us.

So we called the company (wondering if it was even our plumber) and he answered quickly - he was quick to tell us that he was the man who had ""waited two minutes, knocked on the door and rang the doorbell. [He] left his card.""

It wasn't his curt delivery alone, but the fact that he was also quick to say: ""Would you like to reschedule an appointment?"" Because we missed your narrow window of effort within 12 minutes?!

That was my cue: we had (supposedly) inconvenienced this man for 12 minutes too long to deserve his expertise.

I responded in the same curt, short manner: ""We'll find someone else. Thank you, though!"" We investigated and did find his card on our doorstep. Tested the doorbell, too. Worked.

Somehow we missed each other.

And we can claim each other at fault (he didn't see us and we didn't hear him), but at the end of the day -- business is his to gain, not the customer. Kindness and patience can go a long way to keep a company friendly and competitive.

In short - Fred may be the master plumber, but we'll never know because he doesn't want to give his customer any benefit of the doubt.