What are my options after poor landscaping work?

[Mtn.man]

Yeah ya gotta wait till spring DUH...

[hatidua]

Are you drunk??

Not just yet...

[TRnCO]

I haven't had to mow even once in 2 months

Just the way I like my grass.......'cause I hate mowing....

[anaphylaxis]

Why worry about extreme solutions when you haven't even called yet? As a business owner, it drives me nuts when customers get all pissed off about something but haven't bothered to tell me about it. It's true that the bad contractors out there have tarnished the reputation of us all. Some people assume that all contractors are shady and not interested in fixing problems. Please don't paint us all with the same brush. There are lots of reputable guys out there who will stand behind their work WHEN THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. We aren't mind readers and we don't know customers are having problems until you tell us.

It's possible the guy is a jerk and you will have to go to extra lengths to get your problem fixed, but most businesses don't get big by being rude.

One last thing. You starting out friendly will go a long way towards getting your problem solved quickly and well. Generally speaking, the customers who start out pissed off and antagonistic instantly ratchet up the stress level and make everyone's lives miserable. You'll probably get better service if you at least start out being friendly.

This. This. This.

I deal with the same thing. A client has an issue, and doesn't let me know about it, until it's an emergency. Then they get pissed off because the problem they didn't tell me about, doesn't get resolved right that second. Really?

Or the other people who go out of their way to act like an ass. Really doesn't help anything, and in fact encourages me to do the absolute minimum to resolve the matter. It's not like I would want to deal with such a client again, so why would I put any extra effort in?

[HoneyBadger]

This. This. This.

I deal with the same thing. A client has an issue, and doesn't let me know about it, until it's an emergency. Then they get pissed off because the problem they didn't tell me about, doesn't get resolved right that second. Really?

Or the other people who go out of their way to act like an ass. Really doesn't help anything, and in fact encourages me to do the absolute minimum to resolve the matter. It's not like I would want to deal with such a client again, so why would I put any extra effort in?

Very good points. Thanks!

[Great-Kazoo]

Very good points. Thanks!

So did you contact them?

[HoneyBadger]

Heard back from them today.

Here is the email I sent last Thursday:

Hi John,

When your crew came back to do the rock cleanup work (which looks great, by the way) it looks like they forgot to clip the sting at the top of the oak in the backyard. Could you send someone out to take care of this?

Also, I have followed the watering directions that All American supplied exactly, but the grass is not growing, and in some places I can't even tell if it is alive. I understand that it is getting late in the season, but I wonder if maybe the roots of the sod dried out before it was laid because it doesn't seem to be soaking up any water. Every time I sprinkle, a substantial amount of water runs off. Our grass looks quite pathetic compared to our neighbors' freshly laid sod. When Spring comes around, I am worried that the grass will be completely dead. I have been taking the proper winter watering steps and will continue to do so as much as possible throughout the winter, but what options do we have if the grass is still dead in the Spring?

As always, you can respond directly to this email, or call my cell phone after 5pm on weekdays.

Thanks,
Dave XXXXXXXXX

And this is the reply I recieved completely ignoring the meat of my email about the grass:

Dave, I will take care of the string this week.

John XXXXXX Residential Project Manager
XXXXXXXX
719.XXX.XXXX

[funkymonkey1111]

so send a response thanking him for his reply on cutting a string for you, but there was more in the email that required his attention

[T-Giv]

so send a response thanking him for his reply on cutting a string for you, but there was more in the email that required his attention

Agreed. He blatantly ignored the meat of your email. I for one can't ignore "the meat" LOL hence why I got my nickname.

[sniper7]

yep, reply back with a thanks for taking care of the one part, and ask again what can be done with the sod