Discount Windows and Doors Reviews (%countItem)
Discount Windows and Doors Rating
Address: 45-564 Kamehameha Hwy Unit A1, Kaneohe, Hawaii, United States, 96744-1966
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Following the installation of the windows and the inadequacy of the windows screens (gaps of 4mm and screens screwed to the window frame) and thermal isolation issues I have contacted the company to fix the screens and clarify why the windows thermal isolation was not as demonstrated by the vendor, Mr. Manarii G at the *** fair and at our home with a lamp behind a glass. Mr. Manarii G instead of taking the initiative and try to fix the screens just gave me a business card of the screen company that would do that work. The screen company told me that he does no longer do the work for them because they always have the same issues and DW&D never fix the problem.
I submitted then a customer satisfaction report to DW&D and I was contacted by Mr. G that told me he would look into the matter but after many emails I realized he was just trying to go around without answering my questions. Here is the information that I convey to Mr.G***:
"I really appreciate your follow up on my windows concerns. I want to let you know that you have a very capable and friendly team working at your company and my intention with this feed back is to serve as an opportunity to improve your services.
I would like to clarify that what concerns me is not just the situation of the current windows installed but the possibility to continue doing business with Discount Windows and Doors. As Mr. G knows, my initial intention was to change all the windows in my house. He sold me a certified window system that had the highest thermal insulation (he even brought to my house the special test kit that tested the quality of the insulation) and in addition had self cleaning glass. I was sold on that premise.
Our first estimate was for all the windows of the house using the PVC frame. When I took my husband to see the quality of the windows system we realized that the aluminum frame displayed in your store was stronger and better looking than the PVC one and we inquired about that system. We were told that the system was commercial grade and that the glass system was the same. Since the cost was significantly higher we decided to start changing part of the windows of our home and finish the rest in the future.
Another issue that I have is the payment of the product when it arrives. The current system does not seem adequate. On April 16, after four and a half month waiting time for the windows, I received an email informing that all the windows had arrived and where ready to install and that I had a week to pay the unpaid part of the invoice. The next day I paid what I had to pay and set up the installation date. But since not all the windows where in place, a several new dates where set up and I finally got the partial windows installed at the end of June (and I was told at the time that all the windows would be installed) and the last window (different quality - PVC) was finally installed in September.
The solutions that you are offering me in your email above does not give me (and other customers) any guarantee that your services will improve given what we know right now. I accept that mistakes are made but we ought to learn with them if we want to continue doing business. I would like to know the following:
1) What have been done to address the screens problem with the windows manufacturing company;
2) What happened that the window system that is not certified? Why does not contain inert gas between window panes? Have you addressed this issue with the manufacturing company?
3) Will The manufacturing company be able to make changes to their products regarding the screens, inert gas, and certification of their systems?
4) What steps have you taken to ensure the proper material inspection and proper communication of its findings when the windows are received? and
5) What kind of training or information have you provided to your employees regarding the quality of the information given to customers?"
Mrs *** is quite correct in her statement about the thermal efficiency of our own *** range of PVC windows, they are some of the most efficient in north America, if she had stuck to our recommendation and purchased the *** brand, all of these issues would have been averted. When she visited our showroom she preferred an aluminum window manufactured by *** in California which is a commercial grade of window with no where near the thermal efficiency of our own brand of *** PVC windows. All window companies use their own preferred glass and screen systems, we have no control over their selection. *** shipped the precise windows Mrs *** ordered but she did not like the method of attachment to the windows although this is their standard practice.
In order to try an appease Mrs ***, we sent an independent company, at our own cost, to try and change the screen system to her satisfaction, but although *** complied with her wishes, she still was dissatisfied. We feel we have gone over and above to try to satisfy Mrs ***. In order to sell windows, the *** require certification to be carried out by all window manufacturers and these are readily available, it is the customers responsibility to check the specific details of each manufacturer prior to purchase. The glass supplied by *** was double glazed with Low E but was not as energy efficient as our own *** Range of windows. We publish all data of our own windows as do all window manufacturers. Aluminum is not as thermal efficient as PVC as metal conducts heat far more readily so PVC is always more thermally efficient.
Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:
I am not satisfied with this response because it does not answer my questions and concerns that I had clearly stated and simply denies what it really happened.
1) I was told at the store that the quality of the glass would be the same as the *** range of PVC windows.
2) DW&D might not have control over the quality of the glass that the manufacturer uses but has the responsibility to inform the customer regarding the quality of the product offered, at least when the customer requests.
3) I didn’t understand what the sentence “she did not like the method of attachment to the windows although this is their standard practice” means. What I didn’t like because is not functional, and cannot be considered standard practice at all, are the window screens.
a. How can it be considered standard practice to screw the window screens to the frame?
b. How can it be considered standard practice to leave a 4mm gap between the screen and the frame?
c. How can it be considered standard practice to have window screens without “ears” to hold when removing/installing the window screen?
d. How can it be considered standard practice the design of a window frame where the insect screen seems to be an afterthought?
4) It is not true when DW&D says: “In order to try an appease Mrs ***, we sent an independent company”.
a. They didn’t send an independent company to fix my screens. What Mr. G did was to give me a business card for me to contact the screen company, which I did. What they did say was that they would pay for the work, which I much appreciated. The problem is that I contacted said company, they came to see the windows, and when they learned that my problem was with DW&D and that they would pay for the service I was told that they no longer do that work for them because it is always the same problem over and over and DW&D never try to fix. They did a small fix in a couple of windows but they never came back to finish the job. The one window that they fixed (was slanted) I was told that it has no solution to the window’s gap problem. I try to contact again but they never reply back and the work remained incomplete.
5) It is not true when DW&D states “*** complied with her wishes.” The window screens are still deficient.
6) When DW&D states: “In order to sell windows, the *** require certification to be carried out by all window manufacturers and these are readily available.” Where are these manufacturers certifications available? I have requested the certification of the windows installed and I had not received. What I received was a 2012 *** Architectural Manual that does not contain any of the windows installed in my house.
7) The statement “Aluminum is not as thermal efficient as PVC as metal conducts heat far more readily so PVC is always more thermally efficient” is irrelevant because I had no complaint regarding the thermal effects of the frames.
What I would really like to see are the answers to my previous questions that I didn’t get:
1) What have been done to address the screens problem with the windows manufacturing company?
2) What happened that the window system that is not certified? Why does not contain inert gas between windowpanes? Have you addressed this issue with the manufacturing company? Since you mentioned that *** requires certification to be carried out by all window manufacturers, please provide the manufacturer certifications.
3) Will the manufacturing company be able to make changes to their products regarding the screens, inert gas, and certification of their systems? Please, address all the measures that DW&D took to address these issues with the manufacturer to continue working with them.
4) What steps have you taken to ensure the proper material inspection and proper communication of its findings when the windows are received? This is very important since I was requested to pay the full amount when the order had arrived incomplete/with defects. Remember that the manufacturer was unable to produce the round window.
5) What kind of training or information have you provided to your employees regarding the quality of the information given to customers? Please, provide information regarding the type of training and quality of material provided.
I will appreciate DW&D to provide me the answers numbered and in the same order as the questions.
Sincerely
On Dec 7th Mrs. *** and I met at her home and I inspected the windows and screens. We are working to reach a satisfactory arrangement however I would like to provide responses to each of the concerns:
The quality of glass used for *** (SA) windows and *** Windows is the same. Cardinal glass company manufactured the glass used in both SA and *** windows. There is a difference in the thermal efficiency of the SA window you purchased and *** Windows. We agree that we do have that responsibility to provide clear information about our products and we take that responsibility very seriously. We apologize for any miscommunications or misunderstanding between this customer and our sales personnel.
I inspected the screens on Dec 7th and the work done by *** Raphael, the owner of ***. In my opinion the modifications made by *** on the 3 sliding windows are adequate and meet the requirements for a typical screen application for aluminum sliding windows. I agree with Mrs. *** that there is an excessive gap on the casement window and that the screen doesn’t fit as well as it should. We are in the process or manufacturing a replacement screen for the casement window to resolve this problem.
With respect to the question of *** certification, I believe I cleared this up when we met by providing more information. *** certification is a process of testing windows in various situations and for a number of criteria. For example, windows are tested to measure the amount of weight they can hold with our bending/breaking, the force of air and water they can resist without leaking, etc. The information is published so that suppliers and consumers can compare the quality of windows. Consumers do not receive individual certification documents when they purchase windows, however this information is readily available from the manufacturer. The *** Architectural Manual provided to Mrs. *** contains all the *** certifications for *** windows (*** is the manufacturer for *** vinyl products). For the SA windows, the manufacture provides their own details of certification and testing on their website. Mrs. *** has been directed to the manufacturer’s website for certification details.
As to the concern about addressing screen problems with the manufacturer; we are no longer sell *** products. To answer the question about inspection of products, we do have thorough inspection procedures in place. After arrival, everything is unloaded and inspected at our warehouse to ensure that the correct products have been shipped however the protective packaging is left on until the windows are delivered to the customer so that nothing is broken or damaged in transit to the customer’s home. Occasionally manufacturer’s make errors which are not discovered until the products are unpacked at the customer’s home. SA did ship an incorrectly shaped window initially (oval vs round). The customer was reimbursed for this and we re-ordered the round *** window.
We are continually improving our system and policies. We have weekly training meetings with the entire staff to discuss products and customer service. We appreciate any feedback which is used to inform our procedures and to improve customer service. We are committed to customer satisfaction and we have offered the following to Mrs. ***. We will replace the screen on the casement window so that it fits without a gap. Although the current screen configuration on the sliding windows is standard for aluminum framed windows, because Mrs. *** is not satisfied with the design we have offered to replace the windows with *** sliding windows or a $1000 reimbursement.
Had a great experience from start to finish. Tony was very friendly, knowledgeable and thorough with the selection and measurement process for the windows. The installation crew was efficient and clean. Will be going back to them for future upgrades on our home.
Thank you *** we are so happy you were pleased with our products and services and we look forward to seeing you in the future. Aloha, Jerry
The sales agent helped me find the windows that best fit my needs for my house which I was happy with. The installer, John, was thumbs up awesome, he was very knowledgeable and very easy to communicate with, installed my widows with ease, very clean, made my wife happy! Happy wife happy life! Thanks Discount Windows!
Hi ***,
Thank you for your review and we are glad you and your wife like your clean windows and are happy with the installation. Thank you for choosing Discount Windows & Doors.
Sincerely,
Jerry
Professional sales staff (Russell F) and excellent installer. 60 days since install and no adjustment issues with our new slider.
Thank you for your review. We are so happy you are pleased with the sales staff and the installation. We appreciate your business.
Great company from estimating, ordering and installing. Will use them for all my window needs in the future.
Thank you for your comments; we really appreciate your business and look forward to working with you in the future.
We have just had all the windows in our house replaced by Discount Windows and Doors. They did a fantastic job. Paul was very helpful in placing the order and helping us decide which type of window we wanted and where. The installers were great. They were very professional, fast and cleaned up everything beautifully before they left. We needed some trim work and they recommended someone who was also very professional and fast. The service we received was above and beyond what we expected. We absolutely love our new windows. They made the process smooth. We definitely recommend DWD if you plan to replace your windows.
Thank you for your comments and recommendation. We really appreciate your business and we are happy you were satisfied with our windows and our team.
On the day of installation (May 4), missing part(s) were identified. I was told that it would have to be ordered from the mainland and I would be notified when it arrived. Consequently, the installation was not completed and my apartment was left in an “in-progress” disarray. I was not given an estimate of how long it would take for the part ; 11 days later I emailed to check on the ETA, none available. On May 19th, I called the office and was put in contact with Jerry, the owner. His response to my frustration and not knowing status and when the job would be completed was “I have THOUSANDS of customers….can’t be calling you all the time with status”. The part finally arrived around May 19, but the installer was not available till May 27.
The measurement of a good business is how they respond/correct problems. Discount Windows needs to be upfront with delays and manage customer expectations. Finally, no matter how successful a business, “a thousand customers” will not be there long with this attitude.
We are truly sorry for the inconvenience caused by the 3 1/2 week delay in installing your window and agree that the measurement of a good business is how they respond to problems. Please let me share with you what happened on our end and hopefully you will see that we did our best to get the parts remade, shipped and installed as quickly as possible.
The incorrectly manufactured part was identified at the time of installation and immediately ordered (May 4th) from the manufacturer with an urgent request and expedited shipment. An email was sent to you that day explaining the process and letting you know you would be notified as soon as we had the part. We were unable to provide an estimated arrival because the part needed to be made, painted and shipped; there are many variables that could potentially effect the manufacture and arrival dates. I understand it’s frustrating to not know how long it will take to complete your project, but we did promise to let you know as soon as we know. We received the part from our mainland manufacturer 2 weeks after it was ordered and expedited. A two week turn-around time for remanufacture, paint and ship is very reasonable for this industry. The installer was able to install the part 8 days later. The time it took between recognizing the problem on May 4th to finishing the installation on May 27th was just a few days more than 3 weeks. Of course, the ideal situation would have been to complete the job as planned on May 4th; but we feel that we handled this problem as quickly as possible given all the variables. We appreciate your business and hope you can see that we did try to fix the problem as quickly as we could.
I had all the windows in my home changed. They were able to install all of them in one day. Their workmanship is great and the salesman, Paul was very attentive. He would keep me up to date on the shipping, construction and install of the windows. These windows are a great addition to the house!
Thank you *** for your review. We are so pleased that we met your expectations for communication, product and that the installation went well. Thank you for choosing Discount Windows & Doors; we hope to do business with you in the future. Sincerely,
Jerry G