ComplaintsforAl's Awning Shop Inc

• Initial Complaint

  02/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  They are unwilling to meet with me and I have to fix all their errors. I am too old to pack the open spaces and do not know how I am going to roll up these curtains as they never showed me how, I will not pay more money and told them to come and get them and pack the holes but they will not. So, just leave them as they are and I will find a way to fix them with someone else. Now they are threatening to send me to collection.

  Business response

  04/04/2024

  Our response:********* ***************** *******

  
  September 21, 2023: ***** ******* received an estimate for curtains on her front porch, with photos of similar curtain jobs that we have completed that would be similar to her custom installation.
  September 21, 2023: ***** responded with some questions 
  September 21, 2023: Jamie from Al's Awning Shop answered questions via a phone call and then an additional question about an additional window in the front curtain, Al's would add at no charge
  September 27, 2023: ***** put a deposit down via a call with Jamie providing her credit card number over the phone
  October 19, 2023:  Al's installed New curtains
  October 19, 2023: ***** informed us that the color was incorrect
   *** note - at the time of the deposit ***** chose Barque Brown, a few days later ***** had called Jamie and changed the color to a light tan, unfortunately this change in color did not related to our production, our mistake***
  October 20, 2023: Al's acknowledges the mistake in color and offers ***** a discount of $250.00 if she would accept the brown curtains
  October 21, 2023: ***** complains of errors: such as gaps on the bottom and sides, she also states that she was not instructed on how to rollup the curtains but she was informed at the time of installation because the installers had to ask her where she wanted her cleat to tie off the rope and they informed her she only needed to pull on the ropes and tie off the rope to the cleat to roll them up; the curtains installed at ***** *******'s are identical to the original photos that were sent in her estimate. It is also at this time that ***** admits she made a mistake and should have asked more questions. 
  ***** proposed a spring change to the curtains but wanted to discuss it with her son.
  November 7, 2023: Al's is waiting for a response from *****, so a reminder email went out for final payment
  November 7, 2023: ***** responds and states Jamie has been awesome but she just doesn't really like the curtains and wants us to take them back.
  ** we are thinking we custom made these curtains ***** and they look fantastic on her home, we would like her to keep them but want to come to some sort of agreement
  ***** says that the cost is not justified, she knew the cost when she put her deposit down.  We are unsure what exactly this means.
  November 8, 2023: Jamie and son discuss a few options, son was to discuss with ***** and let us know what to do
  November 21, 2023: Al's sent a message wondering if a decision was made between ***** and her son
  NO RESPONSE from *****
  February 9, 2024: Al's sent a request for final payment
  NO RESPONSE from *****
  February 13, 2024: Als' sent an insisting on final payment message
  February 13, 2024: ***** states she can not justify payment, at this time ***** had used the curtains all winter
  February 15, 2024: Jamie requested to let us know what the decision with her and her son was
  February 15, 2024: ***** said to come and get them and fill the holes
  Unfortunately at this time, February 15th, 2024 we have been completely short staffed and have not had time or crew available to make this a priority to pick up the curtains that are 40 minutes drive away. As well as working in the winter weather obligations. 
  We have our spring staff available now and can pick up the curtains and fill the holes. We would like ***** ******* to understand that these curtains are custom made for her home and  if we pick them up because she does not like them we will not be refunded her deposit. 
  I have attached example winter curtains photos that were sent to ***** along with her original quote and ***** ******* finished project photos. 
  I look forward to your response. It is our mission to provide quality fabric solutions to our customers. We would hope to come to a resolution with ***** *******. 

  Customer response

  04/05/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

  In speaking to the rest of my family, I am rejecting for these reasons: 
  

  *Jamie at Al's told me that it would not work to fill in holes as there were too many of them. Should they do it now, we feel they would not do is to satisfaction i.e., filling holes in concrete, vinyl railing and vinyl siding then painting to correct the color. They have been unwilling to come and look at or fix the other errors so why would they do a good job here. *This proposal is a "win, win" for them and a "lose, lose” for us in that they keep the $1700.00 and also take the curtains, leaving us with nothing. 
  *I began complaints last October, 2023, with no willingness from them to even come and meet with us to resolve the issues, thus the curtains were up all winter. 
  *Any photos they show, do NOT look like mine with all the gaps. I specifically asked for windows on all three sides so it was not with "no charge" to me. 
  *As far as "cleats", I have no knowledge of that and they did not show me how to use the curtains as I was told I did not have to be there during installation. 
  *My family and I do not want to deal with another further "disagreements" with them. 
  *We will deal with filling gaps each winter and learning how to work the curtains ourselves. *Since this proposal is all "one sided" in their favor, I am proposing this: 
  1) Al's can keep my $1700.00 
  2) We will leave the curtains as they are 
  

  
  

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

  Business response

  04/05/2024

  We accept that ***** will keep the curtains. The final product that ***** ******* received is identical to the example photos of winter curtains that were attached to her original estimate. If you look at the finished product on ***** *******'s home and the example winter curtains they are almost identical. They have gaps on the side and gaps on the bottom. We gave her a product that she agreed to have us custom design for her. There are no errors in the final product. The errors that ***** ******* refers to are only things that she realized after the curtains went up. The only error that we acknowledge is the color of the fabric and we offered a discount immediately. Unfortunately, ***** ******* did not review the estimate and the photos completely prior to her placing the order. We feel that the final product is a quality product and we are proud of the completed project. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I made a custom order for roller porch curtains on May 5 - 50% deposit required (total $1113.00- MAY PAYMENT/DEPOSIT: $556.50 paid MAY 5 Received no status updates on the order, so I phoned the company 6/28 - JUNE PAYMENT: $139.13 paid JUNE 28 INSTALL occurred 7/19 - JULY PAYMENT: (I made TWO payments today for JULY): -$89.13 - paid 7/22 -$150.00 - paid 7/22 (an extra payment this month) - Original payment agreement was to have four MONTHLY payments at $139.13 until balance was paid in full. I now have a balance of, I believe $178.24 to pay. I want to pay my final TWO EQUAL MONTHLY PAYMENTS, one before the end of August and one in September. The company agreed to four monthly installment payments until it was paid in full. The company said that someone would call me a few days before OR one day before installation - that never occurred. The installers did not offer or ask me whether I wanted the old roller curtains that they were taking down (per the agreement) - they took my old (which were only a year old - gently used - good condition). I called the office and stated what occurred. They offered $50 discount for compensation. They called back 7/21 saying they still had my old items. I said they can't guarantee that all hardware is still intact, etc., and I still wanted my $50 credited - I received the discount invoice $89.13, paid this 7/22. I emailed them inquiring why the invoice amount changed back to the original $139.13 - they rescinded the credit, without even informing me of it. I received a nasty email back, saying they will not be giving me the credit now, saying that I didn't abide by their monthly payment agreement which is an outright LIE & threatened that they will repossess the curtains should I choose not to pay in full as of August 1st, which goes completely against the original payment agreement of four monthly installments of $139.13. Completely unprofessional and disrespectful, delivering poor customer service.

  Business response

  08/08/2022

  *** ****** placed a custom order with Al's Awning Shop on May 5th, 2022. At the time of placing the order the customer requested to make monthly payments and we agreed to this request on her behalf. *** ****** did not make another payment until June 27th this is not a month therefore this is not a lie. 

  At the time of placing the order *** ****** was informed that production was running from 8-10 weeks. Her curtains were installed on July 19th. According to the agreement Al's Awning Shop was to remove and replace the old curtains with the new custom fabricated curtains. On July 20th *** ****** called and asked about her old curtains and was very upset that we had taken them down; as a courtesy Ashley offered a discount of $50.00 due to *** ******'s being upset about the old curtains not being left at her house. The following day Ashley called *** ****** back and informed her that we had the curtains and all the parts and offered to return them. *** ****** said she could not risk all the parts not being there and told Ashley to just throw them away, *** ****** was very rude to Ashley. 

  We rescinded the $50 credit and we still have the old curtains and are willing to return them to the customer. 

  Customer response

  08/11/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  Everything I stated was true - the owner does not know what "monthly" means.  A payment was made each month.  In addition, it was paid off early, shortly after the curtains were installed.  The owner is extremely rude and knows nothing of customer service.  This was not a pleasant customer service experience and I will not use this company in the future.  If she/Ashley would have INFORMED me that they were retracting the $50.00 discount, like I said in my original complaint, I honestly would have been fine with that, but they failed to do so.  I request that they return my items promptly to my residence - they can leave the items on my front porch area.  THEY TOOK THE ITEMS SO THEY NEED TO RETURN THEM TO ME.  I will NOT be picking them up.  They should have been left at my property to begin with (or her crew could have asked what I wanted done with the items).  PLEASE -  I request NO FURTHER CONTACT from her or this business in ANY form.   The curtains and installation has been PAID IN FULL as of July 30, 2022. 

  The fact that the owner cannot humbly admit that she and her crew were in the wrong is absurd and that she wants to put the blame on me, the customer, that I was rude, when in fact, she was the one who was THREATENING, demanding immediate payment, which broke our original agreement.  Is it so hard to provide a sincere apology to a customer?

  Thank you BBB - 

   

  With Kind Regards,

  
  ******* **

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩