Bethke Heating & Air Conditioning Inc

"We take customer concerns very seriously – and as company owner, I take them personally. My research into this complaint and my attempt to contact the customer lead me to the unfortunate conclusion that we cannot satisfy him. Bethke responded to a request for emergency service at 4:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning. We completed a repair in a manner that conforms to specific manufacturer’s recommendations. The customer was unhappy with the price of the repair but nonetheless authorized it after learning the price. This service call was the first time this customer ever contacted our company. The customer states that the part in question failed twice before; if that is true, then previous repairs were made by another company. We do note, however, that we performed our repair using a recently improved part recommended for this purpose by the factory. We also point out that the component in question has a history of failure, which is why the manufacturer redesigned it. Bethke does not install this particular furnace brand, although we service all brands according to manufacturer guidelines. When we received this report, I called the customer. I apologized for the fact that he was dissatisfied, and requested more information to clarify the situation. After answering a couple initial questions, he hung up on me. We often go to some lengths to satisfy our customers, but were not given a chance in this case. I also contacted the local distributor for this customer’s furnace, who in turn contacted the factory. An engineer there verified that the part that we installed was indeed the factory-recommended solution. We routinely survey the market and find that our prices are usually in the middle of the Madison area market. We do our best to ensure fair, straightforward repair pricing. Briefly, here is what happened in this incident: Bethke’s on-call service technician, Ken, received a call at 4:30 a.m. on a recent frigid Sunday morning, with the customer reporting a non-functioning furnace. During his phone conversation with the customer, Ken explained our repair pricing, including our diagnostic charge, flat rate repair pricing, and after-hours surcharge. The customer then requested a home service call. Ken arrived at the customer’s home at 5:00 a.m., diagnosed the problem, and informed the customer of the cost of repair. Ken explained that he would be using an upgraded part recommended by the factory, instead of a part identical to the failed part. The customer complained about the price, but authorized the repair in writing. When the repair was complete and Ken presented the invoice, the customer complained again and tried to negotiate a lower price. Ken explained that he was not authorized to adjust the price. I sincerely wish that we could have satisfied this customer, but this does not seem possible. Jeff Lindholm, Owner Bethke Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc."

"Dear Member, Thank you very much for taking the time to provide such detailed feedback. We are happy to learn that your experience was mostly positive and that you would hire us again. While we are pleased to learn what we are doing right, we are equally grateful when customers let us know how we can improve. We would rather receive constructive criticism than have a dissatisfied customer. That's why I called you recently to discuss your experience. I apologized for the inappropriate response of the return technician. As we discussed, your experience was reviewed in detail at our regular weekly service meeting attended by our entire service staff. My staff analyzed where we came up short and how we can prevent similar problems in the future. Speaking directly with you also helped me better understand what happened. Again, thank you for your valuable feedback. Please feel free to contact me directly any time you have concerns or questions about your HVAC system or our services. Sincerely, Jeff Lindholm, President Bethke Heating & Air Conditioning, inc."

"Dear Angie's List Member: We are sorry that you are unhappy because you believe the cost of your furnace repair last January was too high. We listen carefully to our customers and try to learn from them. We have reviewed our records regarding your repair. Our service technician diagnosed the problem with your malfunctioning furnace and replaced a broken blower motor. In addition, because your thermostat display was working only intermittently, you decided to replace it and upgrade to a model with extra features. The cost of the repair plus the brand new thermostat was $919, which included our diagnostic fee and $48 in state sales tax. We routinely survey the market to compare our pricing to that of other companies. We find that our prices tend to be about in the middle of our market. After reviewing your service ticket and invoice, we think that our price was fair and in line with prices charged by good HVAC companies in the Madison area. Furthermore, you were informed of the cost of the repair and the new thermostat before any repair work commenced, and you authorized the repair. As explained when you made the repair appointment, our repair service pricing works as follows: We charge a flat diagnostic fee, which is the fee for a trained and experienced service technician to travel to a client's home and spend whatever time it takes to diagnose the equipment problem. When the diagnosis is complete, the technician informs the customer of the exact cost of the repair. The customer can then choose to authorize or decline the repair. The bill will consist of the diagnostic fee plus the cost of the repair, if authorized. If the customer decides not to proceed with a repair, the only charge is the diagnostic fee. The customer is always free to contact other companies to price shop for the repair. You authorized the repair after learning the price, and you made the decision to install a new, more advanced thermostat. Again, we are very sorry that we could not satisfy you. However, we believe our price was fair. We note that the repair in question was completed seven months ago, but you did not contact us then to share your concerns. We always welcome customer questions and comments. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you wish to discuss your concerns. Sincerely, Bethke Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc."