Gardens of Italy - Extremely Disappointing!

Wow!! Now I’ve heard it all!

After giving them a 1-star review on Google, due to their unwillingness to accept responsibility after I discovered problems with my water feature purchase, I receive the following:

Quote:

“…. We thus quoted to come and help resolve the issue at a small cost but he turned very angry as he expected us to do this free of charge which in turn prompted him to give us a bad review.

In our opinion Mr. Delport declined installation - probably for cost reasons but had poor technical knowledge and thus damaged the pump and could not supervise the installation successfully. Hence he tried to ****** a replacement pump and a free installation from us.

Although we try to follow a "customer is always right" policy and always go out of our way to assist customers beyond our means, we find Mr. Delport's conduct and ethics very unfair and unacceptable and we will not be held ransom to his demands!….”

The following should be noted:

1. The poor review I gave was not because they refused to come and fix their mistake. It was because when I started questioning them on the broken pump and the blocked pipe, they insisted that it was not due to any of their doing, but rather my fault. Their claim to ‘the customer is always right’ policy is absolute nonsense. So, in other words - the review was coming anyway.

2. They put the statue down on THEIR wedge moldings. I didn ‘t suggest nor request nor recommend that action. I purchased those moldings on THEIR recommendation. So, why should I pay a callout fee for something which they did?

3. I am accused of ‘declining installation for cost reasons’. This is untrue, as installation was never discussed. I was simply not ready at the time to connect the pumps and piping, as I had contractors on my property and I had to prioritize my attention. The fact that I developed a health issue thereafter, and just could not complete the installation was unplanned and unexpected.

4. Furthermore, they state that I ‘had poor technical knowledge and thus damaged the pump’. So, let us get this little fact straight: I NEVER TOUCHED the pump until I opened the box and saw that it was broken. Who are these ‘directors’ to just ASSUME that I have ‘poor technical knowledge’?? It doesn’t require an Einstein or an engineering degree to see that something has been dropped. It was even suggested that a *****driver may have been used to try and open the pump, as there were ‘scratches’ visible. For what reason, I asked? Furthermore - I value my integrity and honesty far more than what they are suggesting. Had I damaged the pump, I would NEVER have put the blame on them.

5. ‘Hence he tried to ****** a replacement pump’…. chaps, now you are entering the dark and dangerous realm of defamation and accusation, and I would strongly suggest you withdraw that statement very quickly. Never did I ‘demand’ or ‘******’. I simply gave you the facts, and I REQUESTED that you right the situation. You should be extremely sure of your facts before you use the word ‘******’.

6. Finally, this is a company that INSISTS on FULL payment PRIOR to dispatch and delivery. Never mind the possibility that the goods are damaged en route or during final placement. With them there is no such thing such as ‘allow me to inspect the goods upon arrival’ and then pay an outstanding balance. So, no, once again their claim to “the customer is always right” policy is simply not followed.

And so again I say that I simply cannot and will not recommend this company.