Disrepectful! I am all for supporting local business. Additionally, when we were looking for some new pendant lighting over our bar during a remodel, we purchased from Image Complete and had a great experience. Adam, our salesperson was very helpful and knowledgeable, and Tom, the owner, was also great to deal with. So, I figured I'd found the place to go in Denver for our lighting needs from now on.
Fast forward to today, and I had such a bad experience with Jennifer, the owner's wife, that we are likely never to frequent this establishment again, which is a shame, since our first experience was so great. I bought a Minka-Aire fan from another company, and when I went to install, found I needed a sloped ceiling adapter kit. Looking on Mink-Aire's website, I saw that Image Complete was one of their dealers. So I called them up to see if they had the adapter kit in stock. However, while talking to Jennifer, she asked if we had purchased the fan from them. I told her no, that we had ordered it elsewhere. All of a sudden, she simply responded, well, you should just call them for help. and HUNG UP ON ME.
That's right, she hung up on me because I didn't buy my original fan from her. How dare I!
I sat their stunned for a moment. Then, I called back. She obviously had caller ID because she apologized when I called back. (If she had caller ID and was truly sorry, she should have called me back first.) However, her apology was honestly pretty hollow, as she then made excuse after excuse about how it somehow pushed a button that I had purchased it online, that she and her husband had worked so hard to build this business, etc, etc. That's all well and good, but, to be honest, an unqualified, sincere apology and promise never to do something like that again, and maybe even an offer to give us a decent discount on the adapter we were wanting (a ~$17 part...well $17 online; she wanted $35 for it), would have been nice. Instead, she just kept up with making excuses, and pressuring me that I should have gone to their website to buy the original fan (which, btw, doesn't have the fan I purchased even shown; I checked), and emailed them so they could sell it to me. Nevermind that their price on a similar fan (same style, different color) is nowhere near as good as the one I got the fan for. And nevermind that that is way less convenient when I already knew what I wanted and was ready to purchase. And nevermind that it was none of her business where I bought the fan in the first place. I wasn't calling to buy a fan. I was calling to buy an adapter. I could have already had the fan and moved. It simply doesn't matter. Either she has the part I need or doesn't, or it's not worth her time to make the sale for such a small thing as an adapter (in which case maybe it's not worth my time to visit their establishment downtown when I need lighting or a fan!)
Again, I'm all for supporting local business. And when I need help finding some specialty lighting this WAS the place I would go, primarily for being able to see the product, and the great customer service. However, if this is how the OWNERS treat their customers, both existing and potential, just because someone purchased from a competing dealer, then maybe they should go out of business. I have spent ~$1000 at this store in the past, and was prepared to spend probably as much or more again on some upcoming lighting projects in our house. Now? Nope. I'll find what I want elsewhere, where they are willing to earn my business and treat me with respect. I'll give two stars because of my great experience with others on their staff. But if my only experience had been today, with Jennifer, it would be one star.