ComplaintsforGehringer Mechanical

• Initial Complaint

  02/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Work performed on January 11, 2023. Service and workmanship excellent. Shortly thereafter I received an invoice for 794.66. An exorbitant amount for a technician who was on scene for approximately 2.5 - 3.0 hours and parts that range from $150.00 - $225.00 if I were to purchase them. I promptly request Gehringer for an itemized invoice to ascertain how they arrived at my final bill. I contacted Gehringer twice by phone, January 19th and January 25, 2023 and was flatly refused. I then sent an email detailing my concerns to Gehringer on February 03, 2023 and to this day have not had a response. I will attach the document I sent to Gehringer Mechanical.The two people I spoke with at Gehringer were **************************** Vice President and ****************************** Service Manager. The email letter was sent to ********************************************* **************************** Vice President and **************************** Executive Supervisor

  Business response

  04/07/2023

  March 10, 2023
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  In the above referenced case, we completed a service call on January 11, 2023 at the Customer’s residence.  We performed the work at the Customer’s request and then billed him appropriately.  We utilize an upfront pricing system to do our repair work.  This includes any time and/or materials that may be needed to complete the job. This is an industry wide standard.  We do this to keep pricing standardized across all Technician levels.  It is not fair to charge the customer more money for a slower Technician and less money for a faster Technician.  Materials are also not broken out as there are too many variables now with the internet.  Anybody can find parts on the internet, but the internet cannot warrant the parts, install the parts, have a technician explain the part and operation, etc.  This was all explained to the Customer.  On another note, this Customer has had previous work done by us utilizing this system and has never complained before.
  
  It was shortly after that the customer began to call and complain to us that the price was too high.  His only complaint, as I stated above, was that the price was too high and he could have gotten the parts cheaper off the internet. He demanded a breakdown of the bill.  As explained for the reasons above, we do not do that any longer.  In his complaint he even stated that our “Service and workmanship excellent.”  
  
  We have been in business over 37 years and have established ourselves as a quality, reputable Company that does great work at reasonable prices.  We did the work at his request and utilized an industry standard billing system.  While I am disappointed to lose a customer, this does not change the fact that we did nothing wrong in this instance.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ** **** *******
  Vice President
  Gehringer Mechanical
  
  

  Customer response

  04/07/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  Without an itemized invoice, which Gehringer adamantly refuses to provide, I can only come to the conclusion that Gehringer is hiding their billing practices to protect themselves.

  If Gehringer has nothing to hide then why is it so hard for them to itemize my bill. Their response is nothing but a fluff piece. 

  I'm not interested in how long they have been in business or any other extraneous info regarding their business. 

  It is obviously easier and more convenient for Gehringer to dismiss my request and lose a loyal customer than to own up to their questionable billing practices.

  Why give up a loyal customer? Why the stonewalling?

  As for Gehringer stating that his billing practice is an industry standard, that is totally incorrect and a falsification.

  Before I contacted the BBB I did my homework and contacted a few other well known business's in the area that perform the same work. I inquired about their billing practices and found that

  none of the business's contacted bill like Gehringer. All business's contacted told me they itemize their bills. When they inquired why, I informed them of my dilemma with Gehringer

  and they were shocked. Every business I contacted came to the same conclusion, and that is that they are hiding their overcharging. 

  In conclusion, 

  It is unfortunate Gehringer has continued with their grandiloquent responses and attitude. 

  All I wanted was an itemized bill. All I still want is an itemized bill. NOT THAT HARD. 

  But they would rather hide behind some billing standard rhetoric that we all know is just hogwash.

  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *******
  

• Initial Complaint

  03/30/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Gehringer came up to our house to see what was going on with low water pressure to discover that the water softener filter was full and also that the hose bib outside could be the issue but wasnt sure. The man opened up a hole in the wall and said that it needed to dry out but he would be back to replace the hose bib as well as put a cover over the part of the wall that he carved a rectangle into. He explained that there was only vinyl between the outside and inside now that he made this cut. He neglected to add any insulation resulting in the pipe being frozen over the next two weeks. He charged us for that work and demanded payment even though the job wasnt complete nor was it even figured out when he left. The company sent a man that was a nervous wreck in his twenties. He was also very unprofessional with his conversation topics. They said that the man who first came was on vacation. We were expecting the same man to come and not this young man. The young man stated that he had no idea what was wrong as no water was coming out of the hose bib - he replaced the hose bib and nothing was coming out. He was frantic racing around from inside to outside the house. He knocked down a huge bunch of stacked paint cans and said nothing even though we heard exactly what happened and knew what he had done. We later found paint that leaked from the plastic cans that cracked from dropping on the basement floor and had to buy paint remover. He told us that he had no idea why water was not coming out of the hose bib but still demanded payment. We refused to pay him stating that the job was still not fixed from the time we first called close to three weeks prior. We had him call his boss who also demanded payment from us & was highly unsympathetic to the situation. The boss was supposed to come to resolve it once and for all but ended up send the young man again & an even younger man came with him! He then said it was a frozen pipe that unfroze. And charged us, again. Awful!!!

  Business response

  05/06/2022

  As response to the above complaint, please see attached No charge Warranty work that we completed for this homeowner.  We believe some of the statements the homeowner filed were not necessary.  We as a company pride ourselves on our service work, and yes we do have some younger looking employees that some homeowners are not yet comfortable with, but they have been schooled and trained, passing the necessary requirements to hold a Journeyman Plumbing License.  Please also note, when said homeowner 1st called our office to voice her complaints, she refused to allow us to return to her home.  Several days later, she was willing to allow us to return and complete the work as long as when sent a more seasoned technician.
  
   
  
  Thank you in advance for all your help in this matter.  Enjoy the rest of your week!
  
   
  
   
  
  **********************************
  
  Office manager

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