We are a local custom home builder who used to build spec homes. Our plumber would get fixtures and supplies from Winnelson. So when we started building custom homes, we sent our clients there to pick out their plumbing fixtures. After a while, Kathy started...
Read More
We are a local custom home builder who used to build spec homes. Our plumber would get fixtures and supplies from Winnelson. So when we started building custom homes, we sent our clients there to pick out their plumbing fixtures. After a while, Kathy started losing a couple of our clients’ orders and then even tried to blame us as the builder. I called to confront her about it, and she still tried to blame us. So I then called her manager, and I was basically told that they’d had complaints about her but were unable to do anything about it. That typically means the person causing the problems is related to or connected to the owner somehow. So we stopped sending clients there. Fast forward a few years. We have another client who needed to lower her plumbing fixture budget a little, so I sent her Winnelson’s number. They are usually the cheapest. When she called to schedule an appointment, Kathy told my client that we don’t do business with them and to call one of their competitors! My client relayed this to us, so I called and asked to speak to the manager again. I was sent to David (who I learned also happens to be the owner.) I explained why I was calling, and David basically asked me why I was calling again if I told Kathy a few years ago that they lost our business. I told him I had hoped that maybe someone would’ve cared that they were losing business and some changes would’ve been made. He told me that I had gotten my “pound of flesh,” which was basically his way of saying he could care less. This tells me that Kathy is basically someone related to him or connected to him in some sort of way. How unprofessional. I have learned from another source that David has said he will close the showroom when Kathy retires. It’s so unfortunate that David doesn’t care that he is losing business. Maybe that’s the reason their prices are usually lower. Unfortunately for them, lower prices don’t always beat out good customer service.