Unsatisfactory Customer Service- Flags and Flagpoles in Lady Lake

[sbjaly]

As a military retiree, I have patronized the "Flags and Flagpole" store on Hwy 27/441, purchasing flagpoles, flags, and other patriotic items. I am preparing to move, so went to this store to purchase a new sleeve for my flagpole that I am moving to the new home. They sold me a sleeve.

A few weeks later, I was at the new home and decided to install the new sleeve. After preparing the ground, mixing 3 bags of concrete, placing the sleeve and properly burying it in the ground, I was ready to place the pole in the sleeve as per instructions. However, the sleeve was the WRONG SIZE (too small for my flag pole.) So, I quickly removed it and took it back to the store for exchange.

When I got to the store, I was told "You BOUGHT the wrong sleeve, and now it's considered used. We will not replace it." I explained that THEY SOLD me the wrong sleeve, as I had no idea what size I needed nor did they ask me. During the initial visit, I did tell them if needed, they should look me up in their system, as I bought the flagpole from them. I tried repeatedly to explain whey they should exchange the sleeve, but was met repeatedly with rude and insulting replies.

I was in complete disbelief that they would not exchange the sleeve. It was a very ugly interchange and I will never return to or recommend this business. When I mentioned that I would be placing this caution on "Talk of the Villages", the cashier even made a disparaging remark about "You Villagers."

I would like to ensure potential customers are forewarned...this business is not professional in their dealings. I, as a Veteran and general business customer, am completely disappointed in their dealings relating to a flag and with their customers.

[gerryh1943]

I bought ours at the Marion market the guy comes to your house and place your flap pole where every you want it. I am sure he will help you with a new sleeve.

[D&Lsunfun]

You Villagers,
is what keeps that store in business. thanks, for the heads up, i have purchased items at this store, but no longer.

[rdhdleo]

Thanks for the heads up we have been wanting to install a flag on our property will go to Markets of Marion now!

[Indydealmaker]

This is not the first report on TOTV about strangely weird dysfunctional customer service by this store.

Bipolar Customer Service.

[Villager Joyce]

IMHO the OP expressed dissatisfaction, but did so without being ugly. We could all (well I could) learn from this post.

[blueash]

And he admitted getting into an ugly confrontation which it seems likely both sides escalated. He had placed his sleeve into the concrete into the ground. It was used. I don't know what the store's return policy might be, but bringing a product back that is a month old and has been embedded in concrete and expecting a full refund? The OP clearly bought the wrong size. The OP seems to have purchased a sleeve in the past and is aware of the need for a correct size. While I agree it would have been nice for the store to make a trade I don't see how this is the store's fault. As the OP suggests that he was uncertain as to whether he was getting the correct size at the time of purchase he could have checked it before he stuck it in concrete in the ground. Likely there would have been no issue with an exchange of an unused item.

[Bill32]

very,very poor business decision...I don't know the value of this item but I doubt it's worth the loss in business... .how does the axiom go...A happy customer will tell a few others of his experience, an unhappy customer will tell many.....

[Mleeja]

Stores like Home Depot, Lowes, Nordstoms, etc will take back products even if they have been used or the consumer makes a mistake. Take a look at the returned paint at Depot or Lowes. It is called customer service.

[Sandtrap328]

Sorry, but I have to side with the store on this one. The OP should have tried the flagpole on the sleeve before putting the sleeve in the cement.

The store could not re-sell the sleeve.

That store probably does not operate on a large price margin for their profits.

Also, tempers sound as if they did get somewhat out of control and testestrone level raised on both sides. The OP might have said in a loud way he is a veteran and therefore should get his money back.

Just my viewpoint. In the future, shop the big name stores like Home Depot where veterans get a discount every day - or is that Lowes?

[NIPAS K-9]

As a military retiree, I have patronized the "Flags and Flagpole" store on Hwy 27/441, purchasing flagpoles, flags, and other patriotic items. I am preparing to move, so went to this store to purchase a new sleeve for my flagpole that I am moving to the new home. They sold me a sleeve.

A few weeks later, I was at the new home and decided to install the new sleeve. After preparing the ground, mixing 3 bags of concrete, placing the sleeve and properly burying it in the ground, I was ready to place the pole in the sleeve as per instructions. However, the sleeve was the WRONG SIZE (too small for my flag pole.) So, I quickly removed it and took it back to the store for exchange.

When I got to the store, I was told "You BOUGHT the wrong sleeve, and now it's considered used. We will not replace it." I explained that THEY SOLD me the wrong sleeve, as I had no idea what size I needed nor did they ask me. During the initial visit, I did tell them if needed, they should look me up in their system, as I bought the flagpole from them. I tried repeatedly to explain whey they should exchange the sleeve, but was met repeatedly with rude and insulting replies.

I was in complete disbelief that they would not exchange the sleeve. It was a very ugly interchange and I will never return to or recommend this business. When I mentioned that I would be placing this caution on "Talk of the Villages", the cashier even made a disparaging remark about "You Villagers."

I would like to ensure potential customers are forewarned...this business is not professional in their dealings. I, as a Veteran and general business customer, am completely disappointed in their dealings relating to a flag and with their customers.
Good for you, I shall not give them any business either.

[Walt.]

When you bought the original sleeve did you take one off of the shelf or did you ask for a sleeve and they got you one? If you got it yourself I don't see why it would be their fault. I'm not familiar with flagpoles, but could you have tried the sleeve on for size BEFORE burying it in the ground?

[Warren Kiefer]

Sorry, but I have to side with the store on this one. The OP should have tried the flagpole on the sleeve before putting the sleeve in the cement.

The store could not re-sell the sleeve.

That store probably does not operate on a large price margin for their profits.

Also, tempers sound as if they did get somewhat out of control and testestrone level raised on both sides. The OP might have said in a loud way he is a veteran and therefore should get his money back.

Just my viewpoint. In the future, shop the big name stores like Home Depot where veterans get a discount every day - or is that Lowes?

There never was a more true business statement than the one saying "the customer is always right".... Replacing that sleeve is small potatoes to what the business will lose resulting in bad publicity. It's not about being right or wrong, it's about building your business. The fastest way to go out of business is to have a lot of unhappy customers.

[unknown*server]

It seems that nobody wants to take responsibility for their actions these days.

You knew there was a question about size, yet, you did not try to assemble it after you got home to make sure it fit. Had you done so, I'm sure the store would have been happy to exchange it for you.

I would also bet that they have a return policy either stated on the receipt, or visible in the store. If not, I would have questioned them about being able to return it. And I'm sure they would have told you that it would have to be in the same condition in which it was sold.

The fact that you are a veteran, sadly, is irrelevant in this equation.

Thank you for your service.

[Miles42]

I'll side with the customer on this one. Will cross this store off my list of go to. No need for me to explain my point of view. It will change no one's mind and that is not my intent. To each his own.

[BobnBev]

I was in that store once. Once is enough!!!!!!
The place and employees gave me a creepy feeling, just sayin.

[Warren Kiefer]

There never was a more true business statement than the one saying "the customer is always right".... Replacing that sleeve is small potatoes to what the business will lose resulting in bad publicity. It's not about being right or wrong, it's about building your business. The fastest way to go out of business is to have a lot of unhappy customers.

I rest my case. if one reads thru the posts regarding the sleeve issue, this business has lost several potential customers, myself included. Mr. business man, sell the used sleeve to someone for half the usual cost, give this customer a new sleeve and you then have satisfied customers. Mr. business man, if your business depends on not being able to absorb the cost of this sleeve, you need to find another business.

[capecoralbill]

How much does a sleeve cost?

[Mleeja]

There never was a more true business statement than the one saying "the customer is always right".... Replacing that sleeve is small potatoes to what the business will lose resulting in bad publicity. It's not about being right or wrong, it's about building your business. The fastest way to go out of business is to have a lot of unhappy customers.

I agree! Just think how this post would have been going if it were the opposite? Right or wrong, the best move for the company would have been to "make it right in the eyes of the customer".

[FMF Doc]

Go see Terry at the Market of Marion. He served in the USMC and sells ONLY American made products.

[NavyNJ]

Sorry, but I have to side with the store on this one. The OP should have tried the flagpole on the sleeve before putting the sleeve in the cement.

The store could not re-sell the sleeve.

That store probably does not operate on a large price margin for their profits.

Also, tempers sound as if they did get somewhat out of control and testestrone level raised on both sides. The OP might have said in a loud way he is a veteran and therefore should get his money back.

Just my viewpoint. In the future, shop the big name stores like Home Depot where veterans get a discount every day - or is that Lowes?

Sandtrap - Discounts at BOTH, plus, pretty sure it's 10% at Chic-Fil-A too.

[Teryl1949]

What a great Mom & Pop family operated store. Myself and 2 neighbors have had poles installed WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS AT ALL ! Maybe you should have checked the size before blaming the store. They are nice hard working people and would recommend them with the highest compliment.

[jchase]

I've had the same experience with them. I would never go back. :spoken:

[dblwyr]

Use Therm Nichols, Villages Flagpoles. No such problems with him.

[Mleeja]

I rest my case. if one reads thru the posts regarding the sleeve issue, this business has lost several potential customers, myself included. Mr. business man, sell the used sleeve to someone for half the usual cost, give this customer a new sleeve and you then have satisfied customers. Mr. business man, if your business depends on not being able to absorb the cost of this sleeve, you need to find another business.

All of the negative post only proves Warren's point. Was the orgianal poster wrong becasus he did not check to make sure the sleeve would fit? Probablly, but at this point, the store should have helped its customer by taking the sleeve back and giving him the correct one. What a difference a little customer service would make. The posts would be praising the store for helping a customer correct his mistake although they were within the right to refuse a return.

I wonder how many of the posters has not worked in a small retail business or in a job that directly contacted the end user.

[ebfenster29]

I'm a 26-year Air Force veteran. I've been doing business with Flags & Flag Poles for over 5-years now. They installed my flag pole and over the years I have purchased many American flags from them. Never did I have a problem. They treat veterans with dignity and respect. I have recommended this business to many of my friends living in The Villages and here at Del Webb Spruce Creek. I have never heard of any problems in dealing with this business. If anything was wrong, they always took care of the problem. After "a very ugly interchange", for this retiree to go online and tell everyone the business is not professional in their dealings; that you should go somewhere else, is totally unfair to this business. You're only hearing one side of the story. Now if you think you can get a better deal at the Market of Marion, go for it, and while you're there, check where most of their items come from - not made in the USA. In closing, I've seen many times where Village residents got totally out of hand, rude and in the face of employees just trying to do their job at restaurants and other businesses throughout The Villages. This was probably one of those persons - wanting something for nothing. Retired AF Chief.....

[DougB]

All of the negative post only proves Warren's point. Was the orgianal poster wrong becasus he did not check to make sure the sleeve would fit? Probablly, but at this point, the store should have helped its customer by taking the sleeve back and giving him the correct one. What a difference a little customer service would make. The posts would be praising the store for helping a customer correct his mistake although they were within the right to refuse a return.

I wonder how many of the posters has not worked in a small retail business or in a job that directly contacted the end user.

If the store helped the customer correct his mistake, I doubt there would a be a post.

[Walt.]

As a veteran, and as a graduate of Yonkers High School... wait a minute... what does any of that have to do with anything?
I never realized that stores are supposed to eat mistakes that veterans make. With thousands of veterans in the Villages I can only guess that this was thrown in to bolster a weak argument. I'm also not totally buying the anti-Villagers remark. It sounds like the reason there was a heated argument was because they didn't want to pay for YOUR screw-up. Then you threatened them and they responded.

How much did the sleeve that YOU BOUGHT without measuring cost? The one that week's later you buried in the ground... without checking the size... As a veteran, I'm curious.

[BobnBev]

I'm a 26-year Air Force veteran. I've been doing business with Flags & Flag Poles for over 5-years now. They installed my flag pole and over the years I have purchased many American flags from them. Never did I have a problem. They treat veterans with dignity and respect. I have recommended this business to many of my friends living in The Villages and here at Del Webb Spruce Creek. I have never heard of any problems in dealing with this business. If anything was wrong, they always took care of the problem. After "a very ugly interchange", for this retiree to go online and tell everyone the business is not professional in their dealings; that you should go somewhere else, is totally unfair to this business. You're only hearing one side of the story. Now if you think you can get a better deal at the Market of Marion, go for it, and while you're there, check where most of their items come from - not made in the USA. In closing, I've seen many times where Village residents got totally out of hand, rude and in the face of employees just trying to do their job at restaurants and other businesses throughout The Villages. This was probably one of those persons - wanting something for nothing. Retired AF Chief.....

1st post.........hmmmmmm.........was this a paid advertisement, or does it just appear that way......I too am an AF veteran.:boom:

[Walt.]

As a veteran... and someone who went to P.S. 99...
The OP wasn't even going to move into the new house for several weeks but decided he needed a flagpole sleeve right away. So the OP goes to the store without knowing the size. Instead of going home, and coming back another time with the info, he makes the purchase.... goes home... and STILL does not check.
Remember...he had WEEKS to check on this non-emergency purchase.
He "told the store to check his flagpole purchase from years ago..." Does anybody really believe that? Do stores have some kind of responsibility to keep lists of your purchases for years? I hope not.
Someone mentioned that there was other complaints about this store on TOTV. Yep... in that thread there was also a complaint about NON-Service from the Marion Flag store.
The store will lose NO business. All the responses are from non-customers and people who "were thinking about buying 5,000 flagpoles... but will go elsewhere!!"

[Mleeja]

1st post.........hmmmmmm.........was this a paid advertisement, or does it just appear that way......I too am an AF veteran.:boom:

How many post must one make before not being critized as a shill? Not nice. State your opinion, but not attack...ok? Let's have some respect here! Oh yeah, I am a veteran and went to East School:)

[ebfenster29]

I stopped by Flags & Flag Poles today. I spoke to the owner about this lady's online comment. The store sells a verity of flag poles. This lady bought her flag pole about 1 1/2 years ago. When she came into the store she told the owner she was moving to another house. She couldn't remember which of the flag poles she actually had. She told him, I think it is that one, so he gave her that sleeve. Now instead of checking first to make sure it fit, she went ahead with the prep work and put the sleeve into the ground. That's when she realized the pole didn't fit. Now here's the good part! She took the sleeve out of the ground and took a saw and cut a portion off the top of the sleeve. I guess she figured she could make it fit. The owner said when she came back to the store, the sleeve was pretty clean, however was missing a couple of inches off the top of the sleeve. That's when she told him he sold her the wrong sleeve. She insisted he go back and check his records. The owner told her he didn't have time to go back 1 1/2 years to find out which flag pole she purchased. She slammed the sleeve down on the counter and tried to force her way into the manager's office. The owner put up his hands and told her to stay out. That's when she said like so many do, "do you know I live in The Villages." I guess this means she can get away with anything. The store owners mother said as she was heading for the door, "its people like you that give The Villages a bad name." This whole exchange between the store owner and this particular individual, was all caught on two security cameras. If this retiree hadn't damaged the sleeve and hadn't been "so in his face," the owner would have been happy to exchange the sleeve. I don't think that Home Depot or Lowe's would exchange an item that was misused or damaged by the customer. Every one of you that provided negative comments about this particular business now know the rest of the story. I sure hope that you're not one of those Villagers that think because they live in The Villages, they are special and can say and do whatever they want.

[Villager Joyce]

And somewhere between the two stories is the truth.

[otherbruddaDarrell]

I stopped by Flags & Flag Poles today. I spoke to the owner about this lady's online comment. The store sells a verity of flag poles. This lady bought her flag pole about 1 1/2 years ago. When she came into the store she told the owner she was moving to another house. She couldn't remember which of the flag poles she actually had. She told him, I think it is that one, so he gave her that sleeve. Now instead of checking first to make sure it fit, she went ahead with the prep work and put the sleeve into the ground. That's when she realized the pole didn't fit. Now here's the good part! She took the sleeve out of the ground and took a saw and cut a portion off the top of the sleeve. I guess she figured she could make it fit. The owner said when she came back to the store, the sleeve was pretty clean, however was missing a couple of inches off the top of the sleeve. That's when she told him he sold her the wrong sleeve. She insisted he go back and check his records. The owner told her he didn't have time to go back 1 1/2 years to find out which flag pole she purchased. She slammed the sleeve down on the counter and tried to force her way into the manager's office. The owner put up his hands and told her to stay out. That's when she said like so many do, "do you know I live in The Villages." I guess this means she can get away with anything. The store owners mother said as she was heading for the door, "its people like you that give The Villages a bad name." This whole exchange between the store owner and this particular individual, was all caught on two security cameras. If this retiree hadn't damaged the sleeve and hadn't been "so in his face," the owner would have been happy to exchange the sleeve. I don't think that Home Depot or Lowe's would exchange an item that was misused or damaged by the customer. Every one of you that provided negative comments about this particular business now know the rest of the story. I sure hope that you're not one of those Villagers that think because they live in The Villages, they are special and can say and do whatever they want.

That just goes to prove that there are always two sides to every story.
I have purchased from them in the past and was treated with respect.
While working out of Fruitland park making deliveries I have experienced first hand some attitude from some villagers. It seems like the larger we get and the more expensive the homes are becoming more people are moving here with a sense of entitlement. p.s. I am also a veteran and a village resident.

[raynitsche]

Always measure twice and cut once.

[blueeagle65]

I stopped by Flags & Flag Poles today. I spoke to the owner about this lady's online comment. The store sells a verity of flag poles. This lady bought her flag pole about 1 1/2 years ago. When she came into the store she told the owner she was moving to another house. She couldn't remember which of the flag poles she actually had. She told him, I think it is that one, so he gave her that sleeve. Now instead of checking first to make sure it fit, she went ahead with the prep work and put the sleeve into the ground. That's when she realized the pole didn't fit. Now here's the good part! She took the sleeve out of the ground and took a saw and cut a portion off the top of the sleeve. I guess she figured she could make it fit. The owner said when she came back to the store, the sleeve was pretty clean, however was missing a couple of inches off the top of the sleeve. That's when she told him he sold her the wrong sleeve. She insisted he go back and check his records. The owner told her he didn't have time to go back 1 1/2 years to find out which flag pole she purchased. She slammed the sleeve down on the counter and tried to force her way into the manager's office. The owner put up his hands and told her to stay out. That's when she said like so many do, "do you know I live in The Villages." I guess this means she can get away with anything. The store owners mother said as she was heading for the door, "its people like you that give The Villages a bad name." This whole exchange between the store owner and this particular individual, was all caught on two security cameras. If this retiree hadn't damaged the sleeve and hadn't been "so in his face," the owner would have been happy to exchange the sleeve. I don't think that Home Depot or Lowe's would exchange an item that was misused or damaged by the customer. Every one of you that provided negative comments about this particular business now know the rest of the story. I sure hope that you're not one of those Villagers that think because they live in The Villages, they are special and can say and do whatever they want.

As I expected. It makes me want to go out and buy a flag pole from these folks.

[dbussone]

Always measure twice and cut once.

Great life advice!