Yeah, that apology seems pretty genuine.

Because I was getting nowhere, the other day I sent an email to American TV and Appliance the complaining about the service response we've received to our ripped couch debacle. This was my message: In early December, I purchased a couch. We were told that it would be up to a 3 month waiting period because we were gettinga color that wasn't on the sales floor. So we waited. Finally, after 3 months, it was delivered. The couch came, it was set down in my living room, and the two delivery men raced out of the house. Before they were even out of the driveway I moved a precariously perched throw pillow that was placed in a weird spot, only to notice a 1" x 1" L-shaped rip in the middle of the back-right couch cushion. I immediately called your office, understanding that sometimes these things happen, and companies fix them. I quickly learned this was not to be the case. I was informed that I'd have to take another day off work at the day and time convenient of a service tech who would have to come and look at it or I'd be charged a restocking fee. (Remember, this was for a 5-minute old couch delivered ripped). When I said that was unacceptable, that I couldn't take yet another day off work for this, I was told someone would call me back the next day to see what could be done. No one called. 3 days later, I received an automated message, informing me that a service tech would be at my house on Monday between the hours of 8 - 5. I called again to cancel the appointment and follow-up on the phone calls I'd never received. I was told someone would call me the following day. I got another automated message confirming an appointment I hadn't made. A real person never called. So on the second day, I called again, with more excuses and promises of a call-back. Finally, later that day, I received a call from a technician who told me he'd order another cushion, but it would be quite a while before it came in. A week later, I receive a voice mail on my home phone informing me that the cushion would be in on March 5th and I'd have to take another day off work to let the tech in to repair it. And to this, I have to honestly ask, "Are you kidding me?" I paid for a couch that I then waited 3 months for, to have it delivered ripped, to then turn around and have to wait yet another month for the cushion to come in so I can take a day off work for it to be repaired? And to even get to that point, it took countless phone calls and days of badgering people who had promised to get back to me and never did. This has been the worst customer service experience I've had in my life. I've received empty promises, unreturned phone calls, and not a single "I'm sorry" in the entire process. To say that I'm disgusted by the service I've received would be an understatement. The only good part is that after this, I'll never deal with it again. In the meantime, I'll continue to share my story with anyone who will listen in the hopes of preventing another mishap with your company. *************

And the response via email:

Mrs. Rysewyk,

I am in receipt of your email from earlier this afternoon describing yourrecent delivery issues. Please accept this email as a response to your concerns.

I would like to start by offering my sincerest apologies for any inconvenience this situation may have caused you. It is certainly never our intention to inconvenience our customers, and I apologize if this situation has caused you to be frustrated.

I'm assuming you were initially pleased with your furniture purchase and can only imagine the disappointment you must have felt in noticing the damage to your product. Although our delivery and warehouse crews attempt to avoid damage by carefully prepping and handling the products, sometimes despite their best efforts, damage does occur.

Mrs. Rysewyk, although I understand your frustration with the damage to your product, as stipulated under the terms of American's Special Order Agreement(an agreement you signed prior to the ordering of these products):

"Special Order product in need of repair due to damage or defect will be repaired. Products will be replaced only if they cannot be repaired as determined by American."

With the above-information in mind, we believe that we are correctly responding to your furniture concerns in accordance with the Special OrderAgreement. Our records indicate that the necessary part for repair has beenordered, with an estimated arrival date of March 5th. In addition to this information, I have requested that our service center look into the possibility of expediting the part order with the manufacturer. However, as the part is being shipped from the manufacturer, we are subject to their production and shipping schedule, and expediting the order may not be a possibility. Rest assured that you will be contacted promptly with the results of our request. After how many of my phone calls this time?

Again, I sincerely the more you say sincerely, the less apt I am to believe you apologize for any inconvenience this situation may havecaused you. If you have any further questions, comments or concerns, or wish to discuss the matter further, I can be reached at (608) 275-7474 (608) 275-7474 or via email at

Rachel.Willadsen@americantv.com.

Sincerely,

Rachel Willadsen

Corporate Consumer Relations

*************************

I don't know what's the worst: that she referred to me as "Mrs", that she essentially did nothing but quote their policy to me, that there's absolutely no mention of the lack of response I got over and over again or that their policies are ridiculous enough to set your hair on fire, or that I still had to pay the $50 delivery fee!

So now I do the one little thing I can do, and that's tell everyone I know. So thank you for reading. And feel absolutely free to share the my experience with your friends, either via word of mouth or a link to this post. Because American TV and Appliance is about the most unfriendly customer service I've ever experienced, and if I can prevent one more person from going there, then it would soften the blow just a little.