BLUE FLAME MUFFLER and CUSTOM MUFFLER CENTERS

This is a continuation of my blog from yesterday, that one must be read before this one will make any sense.

BLUE FLAME MUFFLERS and CUSTOM MUFFLER CENTERS



Eventually, over several weeks, all of the products, signs, and literature arrived. and in that time frame, a couple of customers came in and inquired on systems that are larger than 3" diameter. Remember the pipe bender only handles 3" material and all of the "inventory" is less than 3".....SOOOOO you have to order complete pre-made systems, so I call on 3 different occasions, this outfit out of GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK to inquire on prices and availability because I had neither available to me. Think I called and received an answer? NOPE!!! Think they knew the answer? NOPE !!!..... Think they put me on hold to get the answers? ..... NOPE...
The response was, "we don't know those answers because we don't have the catalogs that you are looking at and don't have part numbers or costs." Things that make you go ummmmm.... I thought they were this huge company, where this part is owned by that part and this part is part of the "MONSTER" MAREMONT.... either someone has mis-led me, I have been lied to, or maybe in the beginning phase of this "ORDEAL" the information was S....T....R....E....T....E....C....H....E....D just a little.

Two day later, I received costs for those parts, they were not exactly as inexpensive as I was initially told percentage wise and at the time the economy was in a decline, gas was $4.00 or so a gallon and well.... it just didn't work out, so those jobs were gone.

Lets fast forward about 6 more months. I now have done a few more jobs on this pipe bender and had a customer of mine inquire about a new exhaust system on his TAHOE. I did not have the necessary muffler and I was in need of a few chrome tips so I place a call to Custom Muffler Centers in Garden City NEW YORK to see about costs and time to order. The following will be a DOCUMENTED, recall of what transpired....
Remember kids..... don't try this at home, this can only be properly accomplished by someone experienced in getting severely SCREWED by this company !!!!

I called Custom Muffler Center and BLUE FLAME MUFFLER on Oct. 14th and placed a simple order for some chrome tips, and a muffler..... Spoke with a gentleman ( lets call him DON) he provided a quote and an order number and would get back to me as to when this would ship. I requested new price sheets, catalogs, and the latest literature, included with the order, he said that would be fine and that I could get the information faster my email.....(REMEMBER THIS PART.... THERE WILL BE A TEST LATER ON THIS TOPIC)
Oct. 16- 09 I called again because I did not receive a call back or return fax so I sent another request for the same order but made a cancellation of a set of tips...

on Oct 26 I still had not received confirmation although credit card information had been provided a week earlier to "DON"
So I called back and was told that Mr. MICHAEL CHRISTY, Remember him....he was the owner/president whatever of this company that "worked" so diligently to help me buy this "program".... was not available but that his assistant....lets call her CHRISTINE...would call me back....I said "great, I will wait for her to call me."
this message was given to the receptionist because the voicemail was full.

For those of you keeping score at home....this is now 12 days, 4 phone calls, 2 faxes and nothing....its now 11am eastern time.....

12:50 Am 10/26/09 re- faxed invoice of my order, with hand written request for shipping ETA to "DON" and he assure me he would get this handled, call me back as soon as he received my fax for confirmation .....

9:12 am 10/26/09...... no response from "DON" and no call back from "Christine" so I called and once again got the receptionist who by now knows my voice, has memorized my phone number, and dealer # and knows that I want Michael Christy or his assistant Christine who is currently running errands and wont be available until 10-10:30, so I left a message once again for her to call me back.

It was around noon on the 27th when Christine finally called me. I explained that wanted to talk to Mr. Christy and told her what I have been going through just to place a simple order, the very 1st order since buying into CUSTOM MUFFLER CENTERS "program".... she told me that she was sorry and that she would check into it and get back to me within an hour. I replied.."OK, thank you, and I am waiting because I have a customer waiting"

It's now 10-28-09 and 11 am in the morning, no call back.....what a surprise!!!!
so I called again, receptionist transfered me to "DON" who assured me that he finally received the 2nd paperwork, that he had sent it to accounting and that the product would ship before the 30th. I left a message again for Mr. Micheal Christy to call me, he was still unavailable and the time is now 11:15am 10/28/09

SCORE.... several more calls, another fax, more messages and nothing shipped !!!

My customer is getting ready to leave on a trip up north, I am sure the product was supposed to have been shipped....no confirmation of this of course so I called on 11-4-09 and Spoke to "ROBERTO" in customer service to check on status of this order at 10:30am and was told....."computers are down but he would call me back with a status"
So at 1:34pm, I called again to get status from "ROBERTO" he was "OUT TO LUNCH"
<~~~~ I am feeling that this entire company is OUT TO LUNCH~~~~>
SOOOOO...... I was transferred to "DON" for those of you keeping score at home, this is the guy that can't receive a fax, won't return your calls and as you are about to find out can't follow through on processing a simple order.
"DON" tells me...in a cheery voice..." I just received confirmation from accounting, that you credit card was just processed and that your order will be sent to the warehouse for shipping, they should get it out in a couple of days and then you should have it in 4-5 days from that time"......
My response was swift...." no shit!!!! you told me that this was handled last week, I was under the impression it shipped last Friday, the job is supposed to be done tomorrow and you only have billed it, the warehouse doesn't even have it? What kind of bullshit is that....? You know what....cancel the damn order and fax me back confirmation of that cancellation, if you can find the fax machine to do it with. You have now wasted 3 weeks of my time, cost a job and still have not heard from "Christine or Cristy. I expect that cancellation ASAP"

I called back to the receptionist, CHRISTINE = not available , Mr. Michael Christy = not available. Inquired about email addresses for both of these people and told......yes.... get this......neither one has email.
NOW, I AM FURIOUS....my reply was simply...."correct me if I am wrong, this is 2009 right, everyone has email especially heads of business who do not return calls or faxes.... I need an alternate way to get a hold of these outstanding individuals so get me something" she put me on hold...then returned with an email to the person in accounting so I could get confirmation of my cancellation and proof of my refund. The receptionist would not provide the other emails, so I informed her that I would make it my mission to put the word out on his (CHRISTY'S) company and then get my corporate lawyer involved.....so I once again left messages for both to call me ASAP.

11-04-09 @ 3:12pm called accounting...busy.... left message that no paperwork had arrived yet showing canx or refund.....

11-05-09 @2:27pm no call back, no verification, no manuals, no price sheets, no emails.....NOTHING !!! So I e- mailed accounting again....4:34pm

11-06-09 received fax and email confirmation of the cancellation and credit to my account by the only employee of the company to return a response and that was Christine in accounting.....and I thanked her and told her so....

11-13-09 called company again in an attempt to get a hold of Mr. Michael Christy or his assistant Christine....was told Christy was not available.....surprise surprise
and that Christine was on the phone.... I said I would hold.....and hold I did for 18 minutes before the receptionist told me she interrupted the call and was told that Christine....would call me when she was done.....its now 11-14-09 .....
no manuals, price sheets, calls, faxes, or any other kind of response.....

I will keep this Blog posted as to what happens, I am now in contact with my attorney and will see how this goes..... for now its $945.00 a month for another 4 years with a company that now has spun itself off as 2 companies under the same owner, Mr. Michael Christy of CUSTOM MUFFLER CENTERS and the newer company BLUE FLAME MUFFLERS all out of the same building in Garden City, New York but having different phone numbers....same receptionist.....same B.S.

I think I will call them again today to inquire on my catalogs and price sheets, see if I can leave another message in the hopes that someone will explain to me what is going on, no matter what they have to still provide product or they can be sued.

RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH, don't take what you are told for face value and more important DON'T TRUST THESE PEOPLE !!!!!!

P A S S I T O N ! ! ! ! !