Cathy Coady

It is with much angst that I write this review. I don’t typically do this sort of thing but I feel I need to do this to protect others who may fall prey to someone who talks a good talk but in the end does not walk his talk. This year my snow removal contract was with Metro Snow & Ice Management for the second year in a row. Last year the service was great with regular email communication from the owner, Ken Dale, who regularly indicated when his drivers would be going out to start the cleanup. The work that first year was always completed in a timely manner. Unfortunately, this year’s service was totally different. The third snowfall of the season brought a much different scenario. When no one came to clear the driveway/walkway, I tried contacting the office through phone calls and email but unfortunately I did not receive a response back. This being the case, I decided to visit his office but didn’t have much luck there either. During my first office visit, I was told the owner was not in the office but I was assured by a staff member that our driveway and walkway would be cleared that day. I did indicate to the staff member that if it wasn’t cleared I would be returning the next day. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen nor did I receive the respect of a phone call or even an email with an explanation as to why the driveway hadn't been cleared. I felt I was left with no alternative but to return again to the Metro office the following day. Once again Ken Dale was not available nor was the girl I had spoken with during my previous day’s visit. I felt I had no alternative but to ask for a refund. The lovely lady in the office during that second visit, was very kind and agreed to cancel my contract and request a refund. She gave back my January post-dated cheque along with a “Customer Cancellation Form” indicating that my refund would be $245.32 which she mentioned I should receive in a couple of weeks. The cancellation form showed my payment of $285.32 minus the charge for two clearings ($40). She mentioned that the cancellation fee was being waived. That visit was on December 21st. Yesterday, January 10th I received a cheque in the mail for $46.22 with no explanation as to what this cheque represented just a cheque inside an envelope. You can imagine my surprise to find that it was much lower than what I had been promised. Today I went into the Metro office once again to speak with Ken Dale the owner, but was told he had been there in the morning but had left. His staff did not know when he would be returning. I asked to speak to a Manager but was told there wasn’t a Manager so I asked for their Accountant. I was told they had a bookkeeper. The bookkeeper was kind enough to come out of his office. He indicated that he was not the person who issued the refund but that he would try to figure out how they came up with $46.22. As per his calculations, my refund was per diem pro-rated. Basically I was charged $200 for two visits and also the cancellation fee of $45. I thanked the bookkeeper and proceeded to request a telephone conversation with Ken Dale. One of his staff members contacted him and handed me the phone. The conversation was very interesting especially if you look at it from a customer service point of view. I explained to him my concerns around this refund such as being charged a cancellation fee to which he replied that those are the rules of the contract. I told him I understand and agree with contracts but since his company did not come to clear the driveway/walkway, I did not have a choice but to cancel the contract and look for another snow plow service. This change in service was out of need not by choice. To this he abruptly replied that he was no longer going to listen to insults and proceeded to hang up on me. Nowhere during our conversation did I insult him. I was just stating my case especially since I had been given a “Customer Cancellation Form” indicating something totally different. To be charged a cancellation fee when the cause for cancellation was due to his lack of service is totally unfair as far as I am concerned. The cancellation was a necessity so that I could hire someone I could count on. The driveway needs to be cleared so that I am able to get to my place of employment. Like Mr Dale, I too provide service in my work environment so I know the importance of good service. At this point it’s not so much about the money but more about the quality of customer service he provides for the people who help his business flourish. Ottawa is a small city in comparison to other places like Toronto so I would caution Mr. Dale on how he continues to provide service to his customers. There was a storm on Monday and I am aware of two driveways that are yet to be cleared of the snow and today is Thursday. The effect of Mr. Dale’s actions will have an impact on his business in the years to come and maybe already the effects are being felt. I wish you well Mr Ken Dale but good customer service which includes showing respect to your customers is very important. These are the people who help you to prosper. It’s really about an equal exchange of energy … customers give you money which is a form of energy and the agreement is that, in return, you provide good quality service. This is relative for all forms of business and in the end it should be a win/win situation for everyone involved. Unfortunately that was not the case in my dealings with Metro Snow & Ice Management.