The Leak Detective

Contact Name and Title: Kathleen ***, V.P.
Contact Phone: 352-***
Contact Email: ***@yahoo.com
It is always our goal that a customer is satisfied with our service. We are known for quality service and knowledgeable technicians that provide accurate results at a competitive price. This office has been under the current owner since 2001. The franchiser has been in business for over 40 years. That doesn't happen by chance. On the rare occasion a customer isn't satisfied, we make it right. We would like to make it right with this customer too and are still willing to discuss options.
At this point, we are standing by our detection. To us, the bottom line appears to be that they just don't believe our results, even though they have no proof to the contrary. We understand not everyone wants to hear what we tell them. We don't always have good news. We also realize that not everyone understands what is taking place during a detection, which is why we try to explain everything in detail to the customer, even if they are on site watching.
This customers initial complaint to us was that we didn't pressurize the pipes, so we could not have found a leak, which is not true on either counts. The pool's main drain, vacuum and skimmer lines were pressurized, as well as all of the plumbing lines in the spa. As the return line in question had been plugged, and sand spilled out of it when we unplugged it, the technician looked up inside the line and could see an 8" slit in the pipe, with sand coming through it. He decided not pressurize the line. There was no need, as it wouldn't hold pressure. However, we do much more than just pressurize lines and, except for pressurizing the pool return line we knew was broken, a complete detection was performed on both the pool and spa, including the dye tests the customer says was the only thing we did.
While the customer WAS on site during the detection, he walked around with one of the technicians discussing the cost and procedure for repair, what causes a pipe to break, and then options for repair, while the second technician was in the pool and spa doing the actual detection. Perhaps because the customer was in discussion, walking back and forth between the pump and pool with the technician, he didn't really notice what was happening in the pool and spa, so he thought nothing was done. Part of the back and forth was because the technician was closing valves on the pump for the pressure tests that were being done as they were talking.
The initial quote for the pipe repair was $600 to $800, which is our standard rate. When the customer was told that did not include any texture or paint replacement of the deck (only the concrete), he wanted to discuss other options, including going through his pavers and tunneling under the deck, which is how his quote got to $800 to $1200, for the extra labor involved. We did not just tell him outright that it was $1200 for the repair, which we feel he has implied. Any customer is always welcome to get other quotes for any repair.
Some other issues were discovered during the detection that the tech advised the customer about, such as advice and recommendations about his DE filter maintenance, and how to keep everything circulating while plugging the leak.
When the detection was done, the tech went over the quotes again. He wrote up the invoice and returned to the backyard to collect payment and take some photos for the deck guy. The customer signed the invoice, and paid. There was no indication at that time that the customer was at all unhappy with our service.
We're not sure who the customer called 6 to 8 times a day, but it wasn't our office. We know of only 3 instances after the detection: once on 09/18/2019, and twice on 09/23/19. The customer called the office on 09/18/2019 to report that the pool was still leaking and the jets were plugged, and with questions the office staff couldn't answer. The technician was asked to call the customer, which he did. They spoke briefly about plugging the jets again and the call dropped. The technician called back several times but did not get an answer, and there was no return call even after leaving a message. On 09/23/2019, Mrs. customer called the office claiming we didn't pressurize the lines, and Mr. doesn't believe there is a broken pipe because he got in the pool and couldn't see the break. She was told the technician would call her after 3. She called back at 4:20 complaining she didn't get a call at 3. The tech called her shortly after, after his last job was completed. Mr. customer got on the phone saying "we didn't do the detection", "we didn't pressurize", "the pipe can't be leaking", "how could we see a leak in the pipe from the deck when he couldn't see it while in the pool", "why does it cost so much to repair", "what happens when you bust open my deck and don't find a leak", "why won't the texture guy repair my deck", "why was he quoted $1200"? The tech asked the customer why he thought we didn't pressurize and he said "because I didn't see you do it." The tech answered all his questions as best he could (we can't speak for the texture guy) and offered to come back out and re-test the entire system. The customer declined. Every offer the tech made to "make it right" was negated by the customer and he kept bringing up the price of the repair. When the tech asked if he re-tests everything and we find the leak is where we said it was, how would he respond, the customer replied "it can't be there". At that point, the tech offered 3 possible solutions: 1) we come back out and re-test everything, 2) we can refund his money and he can get someone else, or 3) he can trust us. He said that he could NOT trust us ("I trust you guys but I don't trust what you found"). Since that left only re-testing or a refund, the tech advised he would have to contact management to make that decision, and someone would get back to them. The tech probably should have advised the customer that those choices were at our sole option (per the invoice they signed). That was on 9/23/2019. The tech probably should have also let the customer know that the owners were out of state from 9/21/19 through 9/28/19.
At any rate, when we contacted the customer to arrange to come back out to re-test and do whatever it was they thought we didn't do (pressurize or anything else), and to show them the location of the leak as requested, we were told by Mrs. "the gate will be locked", and they didn't want us to come back. The customer said in his complaint that the technician refused to come back. We wouldn't have been calling to schedule another visit if we were refusing to come back.
If the customer would like to call our office, we will be happy to discuss their options: sending the owner of this office to re-do the detection himself, or a refund for their detection fee once they provide results from another reputable LEAK DETECTION company that shows we were wrong in our assessment, and there is no break in the line in question.
We feel we have offered to resolve their doubt by re-testing their pool and spa, so they can be as confident with our results as we are.