ComplaintsforAdvanced Taxidermy & Wildlife Design

• Initial Complaint

  03/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In September 2021, I gave this business a deposit of $561.75 for a replica mount of a Lake trout. The estimated completion date was May 2022 (8 months). I contacted them in May and they said that it was coming along nicely but they were experiencing a backlog. I get it…every industry is experiencing supply issues…no big deal. I did not hear anything from them by September 2022 (12 months) so I contacted them again. Apparently, my fish was still coming along nicely but they are still experiencing a backlog. I talked with ***** (*** *****) on February 1st, 2023 (17 months since I gave them a deposit) and he was very frustrated that I was questioning why I did not have my mount. ***** told me that every time that he has to come to the phone and deal with a customer he is not able to work on other people's projects. He informed me how busy he is, how long he has been in business, his supply issues, and how he doesn't have the staff to contact customers but did not address my concerns. ***** said that he would still do the mount for me but had absolutely no estimate of a date. I have lost trust in this company and wanted a refund but was told that my deposit was put towards materials.

  Business response

  10/03/2023

  ***** *** *** **** ***** ******* **** **** *** ******** ** ** ** ***** ** **** ******** **** ************
  
  To give you a brief overview, Advanced Taxidermy was establish in 1986 by ***** ***** and ***** ********. We create fish and mammal recreations as well as traditional taxidermy. The business is essentially art completed by the artists who are the owners noted above.
  
  The past few years, our turnaround on fish recreations specifically, has been approximately 8 months.  The timeline is approximate because it is artwork and finishing times can very. For example, on a fish replica, each single scale is hand painted individually. It would be impossible to pinpoint exactly how long each project will take over the course of 8 months. One particular species of fish can take 20 hours to paint, while another species can take 100 hours to paint – there are so many other variables to consider which is why it is an estimated timeline.
  
  The customer who submitted a complaint placed his order in September 2021 and we had an estimated 8 month turnaround. Unfortunately, we were one of the millions of businesses impacted by covid-19 as well as the global supply chain shortages. We had trouble getting various supplies to our studio, including paint.  Suppliers provided us with ETA’s but unfortunately, they too were impacted by supply chain issues.  In turn, the timelines continued to change with no notice to us.  We have done our best to complete orders in a timely fashion, but when we don’t receive the material, we are at a standstill.  When the material did arrive, we had a backlog as we needed to get caught up.
  
  **** contacted us just before submitting his complaint to the BBB. ***** explained to him that the fish was nearly done, and it was difficult to provide an ETA but that we were in the final stretch. **** said that he would like to cancel his order understanding that he would not receive a refund.
   
  Following the call, **** contacted the BBB to submit a complaint and two negative ****** *******.  This is an example of why it is difficult to provide an ETA because ***** has now spent hours replying to this complaint and contacting ****** to edit the review which names an employee instead of painting fish.
  
  It would be unethical for us to push **** ahead of other clients who have been waiting longer then him for their fish. It was his choice to cancel his order.
  
  ** ** ****** ** **** ** ****** ******** *** * *** **********  **** ** *** **** ******** ****** ***** **** ************ *** ************* *** ** ******* ***** ********** **** *****
  
  In the past we have updated clients throughout the process and their response was that they preferred we focused on the projects opposed to providing updates as it only lengthens the turnaround. This is a case where you can’t satisfy everyone – no matter what we do, one person will not be satisfied. We try our best and sometimes the absolute best is not enough.
  
  As a small business, we look forward to recovering from the devastating impact covid 19 had on us the past three years, getting back to our regular turnaround time, and providing our customers with the quality work that we are known for. 
  
   

  Customer response

  17/03/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  In their response to the BBB, they indicate that when ***** spoke with me on February 1st, 2023 he indicated that the fish was almost done. This is correct! During my communications with them in May 2022 and again in September 2022, I was informed that my fish was coming along nicely. However, I received a call from ***** on February 23rd, 2023 indicating that ***** was just starting on my mount but wanted to confirm the measurements before he started. Obviously, my mount was not coming along nicely or almost done!

  If the company had been upfront with me from the start, I could have understood the position they were in and be sympathetic to the situation. Unfortunately, they decided not to take this approach and instead were they deceitful and dismissive.

  After a year and a half of getting the run around from a company, you get to a point where you do not want to continue doing business with them any further.
  * ** *** **** *********** ***** ******** **** * ******* **** ********* ******** ***** *********. They have lost my trust and I do not have faith that their workmanship would, at this point be acceptable. Nor do I feel comfortable sending them any more money to complete something that I may or may not get.
  If as they stated on February 23rd, 2023 they had not started work on my mount, they don’t have any time or materials invested in this project and I do not see why I am not entitled to a refund. Nowhere on my invoice does it indicate that deposits are not refundable.

  This has nothing to do with their business history or how difficult supply issues have been for them in the past. It has to do with poor customer service, ***** ********* *** **********.
  I gave them a deposit of $561.75 on September 24th 2021. If they mail me a check, (my delivery address is on file) for $375.00, I will consider this matter settled *** * **** ******* ** ****** ****** ***********.

  ******** ** **** *** *** ******* ** *********** * **** ** ***** ******* **** * ***** ** ***** ****** ****** * ********** **** *** **** ********** **** ******** *** ********* *** ** **** ****** ** ** ***** **********
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

  Business response

  28/03/2023

  Dear ******,

  We disagree that we have been ********* and dismissive.

  The client called for an update and was told that his fish was nearly complete, but we couldn’t provide an exact ETA – the client has acknowledged this in his correspondence.

  The client cancelled his order understanding that there was no refund for the deposit as the deposit had been used for the material – the client has acknowledged that he was aware of this and cancelled the order anyway.

  *** ****** ******* * ****** ****** *** ******** *** **** ** ** ********* *** ****** ************ **** *** ***** *** ******* **** ** ***** ***** *** *******  *** ****** *** *** **** ******* *** ****** *** *** ************** ** * ** *** *** **** ** *** ******

  I spoke with the employee named ** *** ****** ****** ***** ********** *** ****** ** * *** *** ********. She explained she was given two invoices, one to confirm dimensions the other to remove from our production schedule (that would be *** ******** order).  The employee inadvertently called the wrong client.  A very simple, innocent, human mistake.

  The fish would have been done by now, so this is all extremely unfortunate.

  ****** *** ******** **** **** * *** ** *** **** *** **** ***** ** *** ******** ** ***** **** *** * ********** ********* **** ** **** **********  We are a small business with few staff, but the team we have has done and continues to do everything possible to keep things moving along. No one here is required to work more then their 8 hours, 5 days a week, but every single person comes in early, stays late, works weekends, because we all care about catching up.  Hearing correspondence like this completely guts us especially after how hard we have all worked.  The pandemic has negatively impacted the business and we are doing what we can to get back on track.

  We wish *** ******** the best and apologize that we couldn’t complete his fish mount, along with every other customers displays quicker.  All we can do now is continue to do our absolute best.   

  ******** ******

  Customer response

  30/03/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I do not accept the excuse that their employee contacted the wrong customer. She left two voicemails indicating that they were about to start working on my mount. When I called her back, she even confirmed the original measurements that I had given. She was well aware of who she was talking to. I was also confused as to why they would be calling me when I had canceled the order. I asked her if she had spoken with ***** or if there was a note on my file. She said that there was NO note on my file and ***** was out of the country on business. This was not a very simple innocent mistake as they are trying to make it out to be but instead another fabricated story.
  I never once asked or insinuated that I wanted them to complete my mount before other customers as they are trying to infer. I simply wanted them to be upfront and honest.

  In May 2022, I was told that my mount was “coming along nicely”. This was untrue, as my mount was not even started. Again, in September 2022, I was told that my mount was “coming along nicely”. When I spoke with ***** in December 2023, he told me that my mount was almost completed. This again was untrue, as it was not even started. **** ** *** **** ********** ** *********.

  ** *** **** ** ************** *** *** *** **** * ***** ************ **** * *** ******** ***** *** *** * *** **** * *** ******** ** ******* ******* * *** *** *** * **** **** * **** * ******** ***** ***** ******** ******* *** ******** ********* *** ***** ***** ****** ******* ** ** *** **** *** **** **** ***** ******* *** *** ***** ********* ** ******** ********** *** ******** *** ****** ******** * ****** ** ***** ***** ***** *** **** ***** ***** ***** *** ********** ** **** ********** ** * ******* * *** *** **** ** **** ****** ** ** ******** ** * ******* ****** ** ******* * ***** ******** ** ****** ******** * ***** ***** ** ****** ** ******** **** *** ******* *** ******* **** ** ** ******* *** ****** ***** ************* **** **** ********* ** ***

  ******* *** ***** ** *********** * ********** ********** **** * ******* **** ******** *** ********* **** *** ********** ******* ** ** **** *** ***** **** ***** ***** ******* *** *** **** ***** ******* *** ** *** ************ ***** **** This is about poor customer service and false statements. If they were upfront with me from the start and simply indicated that they were behind and would get to my order as soon as possible, I would have waited. However, after a year and a half of getting nothing but a run around I did not want to continue doing business with this company anymore. I had doubts about whether I would ever get my order.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ********

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