When a company makes a mistake, correcting it quickly is a vital part of protecting that company’s integrity and reputation. If that mistake is ignored or repeated, and ultimately affects multiple customers, an intervention becomes necessary. Sometimes that intervention comes directly from customers sharing poor reviews. Sometimes it takes a bigger effort.
In Ohio, the state’s Attorney General is suing a roofing company over unresolved complaints. Those complaints were filed with both the Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau. The six complaints allege failure to deliver, shoddy or incomplete work, and refunds promised but never received.
This type of suit doesn’t happen overnight. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office apparently contacted the roofing company several times in the past year, hoping to prompt the company to resolve these issues. Without a suitable response from the company, a suit was the necessary next step to help affected customers and protect future customers.
Customers along the Gulf Coast can benefit from the guidelines being shared with Ohio residents by their Attorney General’s Office. Researching a company is a sensible first step. Asking for references and written estimates explaining the cost of the work are other recommendations. Other safe practices include avoiding large payments before work begins, and withholding final payments until the work has been completed to a customer’s satisfaction.
It’s important to note that the suit in Ohio doesn’t stop the company from offering and providing home improvement services. In fact, it’s likely the company has current customers who no nothing about the suit by the state’s Attorney General. But it is ultimately a customer’s responsibility to know who he or she is doing business with.
That doesn’t mean a company shouldn’t be held accountable when it fails to deliver goods or services as promised, and a lawsuit is not always necessary. As a pro-active customer, you can help keep home improvement companies honest by reporting fraud and bad business practices to the Better Business Bureau. You can also help fellow customers by rewarding the good companies with your praise.
