I met the members as friends and they asked me to help them with their condo because they have a problem with their kitchen back splash. They gave me a key for their condo and I tried to help them suggesting several materials but they never made a decision about the kitchen. I did invest more than 30 hours of my time but they never found something that accommodated their preferences. I never changed them. During September and October 2009 they ask Signature to present some ideas for furniture and colors for their sunroom. Signature had several meetings to talk about the clients’ furniture proposal. Finally the last week of September we meet at their office to talk about two different furniture selections for the client’s sunroom. I presented two client proposals: Two different furniture proposals; Two set of Documentations: Documentations included furniture description, quantity to be order, Materials and Finishes, Pricing and in addition a photo of each product that was included in the proposal. After a long meeting, the client approved mainly furniture proposal number 2, but with the substitutions of some items from proposal number 1. The client furniture proposal indicated each item, piece of furniture, accessories or light fixture that she wanted, the color, the material, the manufacturer, and the price that she will pay for them. The client received a copy of the final proposal that described with detail each of the furniture pieces and accessories, and prices per each of them. As the store policy the store indicated Signature requires a 50% deposit to initiate the project, the client paid a $10,000 deposit. Signature informed the client that the pieces will take between 6 to 20 weeks to arrive to the store because almost all of them were special order including pieces totally customized to the taste, preferences and client’s needs. Signature proceeded to place the orders immediately and paid the suppliers the deposit as was required. Some manufacturers ask for a 50% deposit, some of them required a 100% payment; Zentique was the only exception that requires just payment during the time that the furniture will be shipped to us. Signature charged the client retail price and in some cases retail price discounted up to a 45%. Items started to arrive according to the plan and the 20th of December the client informed that they needed that we painted their sunroom and that we delivered the furniture during the last week of December because they were having a party on January 1st. By then we did have some pieces at Signature and we delivered to the client’s house on January 30th and 31st. The pieces were delivered in perfect shape, with the exception of the TV system holder that was having a problem with the closing which was not level. This piece was still in the original packaging and we inspected at the client’s residence. We needed to replace it, but because they were having a social event we left it at their house but we took pictures of the defective piece and Signature informed the client that the piece will be replaced as soon as possible. After we finished the painting job and the delivery of the furniture on December the 31st around 3 p.m. The client inspected the furniture and she communicated that she was happy with the received furniture considering that we will replace the TV system. The very next day she called first time in the morning around 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. she called at my cell phone saying that the old TV system that was placed on the basement the day before because of her request, she now needed it in the living room to be used as a bar for the party and additionally she informed that we left some plants and a pedestal in the wrong room and her bird was scared. We were responsible just to do the painting job and deliver the furniture and accessories which we did. We did not charge the customer any designing fee but considering that the client was sick, I asked my husband to please come with me and help me to do what she requested. We went to the client’s residence around 9:00 a.m... I showed my husband the furniture at the sunroom and after we moved the old TV system right beside the dining room at the main entry hall way and we took the plants to the basement, and the pedestal. We asked if she needed anything else and if she was satisfy and she indicated that everything was perfect now so we left. We did not hear anything from the customer and on January 10th we sent the customer an invoice for the furniture pieces and accessories that were already delivery and we asked for payment of $5,872.30. That payment includes the second 50% payment for the goods that the client already received and the payment for the delivered pieces, leaving the deposit required for the furniture pieces and accessories that were in transition (Table 2). Prices charged to the customer were exactly the same prices previously presented and approved by the client without any variation with the exception of $90 that the client asked to painter to fix an electrical outlet for the outdoor grill In January 15th, the day that the manufacturer opens its door, we notified them and asked for a replacement piece for our clients which they agree to replace immediately after inspecting the pictures. They shipped the piece to the client’s house and the client refused it (after we had to pay the shipping all the way from California). Additionally, they informed an employee at the store that they hired a new designer and that they will bring some pieces back to the store because the dogs urinated on it and that we should know that was going to happen. We communicate to the client that we will send the piece of furniture back to Zentique but after that we will not be able to replace the furniture at Signature cost because the manufacturer will not send another piece for us. On January 15th waiting still for payment, I proceed to call the client and ask when we can expect to receive the check. She was irrationally upset in the phone and she yelled about her partner being sick because the garage door has to be open while we delivered the furniture during New Years, and that we didn’t go to the party and some other unreasonable complains. After considering that there was no way to communicate with her over the phone, I decided to send an e-mail to them expressing the need for payment because the items had been delivered two weeks prior and we had not received payment yet. The partner replied via e-mail that she will pay at the end of the project when she was totally satisfied. That was never part of the agreement, we didn’t presented a designer proposal, we presented two different furniture proposals, we never charged the customer designer fees, the customer approved a proposal that considered a selection and we ordered the products based on her approval. All special orders are the customer responsibility. I explained again to them via e-mail that she needed to pay all the items that were already delivered as a regular commercial transaction which had been delivered as she had approved, but if there was anything that was making her unhappy that I will definitely will do everything in my power in order to satisfy her because I care about her business. Additionally, I communicate to them that we will not be able to deliver any other piece until they paid in full the items already received as well as the shipping charges. The client did not answer my e-mail. Instead, she called me at my cell phone number and she in a very abusive way, yelled at me while my husband and my kids were in the car and they can hear her screaming while she accused me of being a thief, and she threatened me and she said that if I ask for money again she will kill me, after that I just dropped the phone call. The customers complain that they have to leave the TV system door open in order to changed channels and we made clear to the customer that when she asked us to find a TV system for her sunroom, it was her preference to have a TV system with doors because literally they affirmed “they did not want people to see the mess with the TV and DVD cables and they asked me to find a piece with doors”. Signature presented 3 choices all with doors and she made her choice based on her preferences. Signature is responsible to exchange defectives pieces for a new piece not defective, but we cannot substitute the piece for a new one because the client changed their mind after approving the piece and we placed their order. Either way we tried to solved the client problem but the client did not accept any of our suggestions. On January 19th we sent another communication reminding them, the store special orders policy she came to the store at 9:00 a.m. asking to get the e-mail address for the company that will replace their backsplash and she ask for the condo key back, I was by myself and she was aggressive again, a little later our bookkeeper, arrived to the store and she witnessed how aggressive her behavior was while she screamed again to do not ask again for money to her partner, and to stay away from them and other really unusual rants. I had on January 26th 2010 and I didn’t come back to the store for 8 weeks, we call again for our payment, we did not receive payment. Instead we receive a letter from a lawyer that said that the client received 3 pieces that were defective, during the time that we delivered the pieces, the only piece that it was defective and we not successfully intended to replace was the TV system, and everything else was in good shape. Otherwise we will do something about it and it will be some kind of communication between the client and Signature. We answered the letter by proposing a resolution to their account due, but the client chose not to accept our offer. Additionally I am forwarding the e-mails that we used to communicate about the situation. If you need any further information I will be glad to provided it to you Respectfully, Carolina Atkinson
