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The salesman was rude and condescending. He made inappropriate comments about our income, asked why we didn't have Dunkin' Donuts for him when he arrived, asked us to come out to the store to be presented with figures and to "bring lunch for him when we came", then didn't even have figures worked up for us. Told us they "COULD" replace certain parts of the windows that we were asking to be replaced, but that they were not going to "concern themselves with such trivial work" and that if we wanted to do business with them, "we had no choice but to gut the existing windows and replace them with all new ones". He also said to us, "I can't believe you had me come all the way out to your house for just 6 windows" (the trip was only 3 miles, but inappropriate for him to say that anyway). Then told us it would cost almost $10, 000.oo to replace the windows in my house ($1200 for each small window and $1500 for each big one) and said, "Oh wait. I don't think that included labor" When I told him "For THAT price it had better include installation" he turned to me and said, "Well I guess we're done then".
I shook his hand and left the store. God! Was I pissed. I've never been treated so rudely and with such a complete lack of respect than I was that day.
If you live in the Cincinnati area, stay away from GILKEY WINDOWS unless you don't care about spending waaaaay too much money and having the sales people treat you like [censored] if they don't think they can make any money off of you. President and Owner Mike Gilkey and his son Vince, obviously DON'T CARE how their customers are treated, or they wouldn't employ people like Chuck Haas as a salesman.
OH AND BY THE WAY... CHUCK HAAS is not ONLY a salesman for the company - HE'S ACTUALLY A PROJECT MANAGER FOR THEM. Can you imagine?
Let me guess... you work for Gilkey. "Screw off" I ended up going with a more reputable company - great customer service better windows and for less than HALF of what that trashy GILKEY wanted to do the job. If a sales person has a lousy sense of humor and comes across like a [censored], then he has people skills issues and shouldn't be trying to attempt to use humor if he sucks at it.
I can't tell you how many friends of mine have had terrible experiences with Gilkey windows. From poor installation that required a complete removal and reinstall, to crooked installations, to leaking windows. Take your bleeding heart love for Gilkey and SHOVE IT! First impressions are what make or break companies all the time. I DID contact their Sales Manager - who has yet to return my inquiries; I contacted the advertising and customer service departments with no return calls, or attempts to resolve any issues. Mike Gilkey, himself, never cared enough to even apologize for our rotten treatment.
I have two words for both you AND Mr. Gilkey... and those two words are not "HI There"
...and by the way - they are a local company... very few from around the "nation" buy windows from Gilkey; don't be a ###. The BBB is also a local endorsement and ANYONE can get that award; and as far as "Angie's List", they pay to be vendors on her list, just like the users pay to review. And for the record... I didn't say that Gilkey acted that way on "every sales call they ran". I said that's how I was treated - and even ONE customer shouldn't be treated that way... FO
I bought Gilkey windows several years ago. I paid $100 more per window than other estimates because I believed they were the best. They pressured me to have installation done on a day I could not be home. When I got home it was a mess. Broken glass, sawdust, plaster all over carpet, down registers, bent nails. No cleanup had been done. One window was installed backward and some of the caulking was poor. I guess the contract help was in a hurry to get back to the bar. I was so mad I cleaned up the mess as quickly as I could. It took a couple of hours - then I called Gilkey. 6 months later someone came out to look at the job and offer to install the backward window properly. I refused as I would never let that company in my home again. It has been several years, but no one forgets such a terrible job and despite the offer of money for sending new customers I highly recommend other companies to my neighbors.
Just had a Gilkey sales rep leave about an hour ago. I'm the type of consumer who likes to hear the pitch then go online so I don't have biased thoughts going into the sale. I did not experience anything the OP did in his post above. The guy was very professional and knowledgeable about his products and what differs him from the industry standards. He spent 2hrs here explaining and going over options, which is good because I like to have as much information as possible when making a big purchase like this. This was our 4th company visiting and giving us quotes, including Champion and Windows Worlds. All 4 companies were competitive in pricing, Champion actually being the more expensive by about $2000. We had 9 windows quoted, 6 sliders 2 double hung and a picture window for $4600. Another selling point was they have their own installers put in the windows. Not saying all contracted work is done poorly but you hear the horror stories and feel more comfortable when the company selling the windows will put them in as well. The warranty was also a good selling point. Of all the warranties pitched from other companies this was by far the best one, covering other areas of possible malfunction with the windows other companies weren't doing. We were quoted in a 6-8 week time frame if we ordered this week, which is comparable to the turn around at the other places. We haven't pulled the trigger yet but we are leaning towards Gilkey. Will respond back once we get the windows in from whomever we choose.
Just reading Mr Amrein's second post is enough for me...hes got anger issues bigtime! All over a window estimate? He ddnt even have them perform any work and hes that upset? He must of REALLY wanted those gilkey windows!
Hornet,
I have to disagree with portions of yor response to the complaint above. While I do agree that windows are an important Investment in a home, very few of us would have the time nor energy to go back to sales managers or franchise operators to address the situation at length. I do believe Gilkey has a fairly good product, however, there are also plenty of alternatives. Were I in Mr. Amrein's shoes, I too would have crossed gilkey off of my list, and moved on to the next option, and avoid wasting time debating with a company I didn't have to do business with. The entire customer experience from start to finish is important when the homeowner is often spending 10's of THOUSANDS of dollars.
Mr Amrein,
I'm sure if Gilkey behaved that way on every sales call they ran, they wouldn't be one of the largest, most respected window companies in the United States, have been awarded the BBB Torch Award or receive an A+ rating on Angies list. Obviously you didnt get along with Chuck but for you to let one salesman at a major window company determine your remodeling experience without contacting their sales manager and then if still not satisfied going to Mike Gilkey himself, before posting your experience online, is unfair. I bought windows from Gilkey and rest assured I would have never let a personality conflict with a salesman determine a product as important as windows for my home. I agree it may have been your first impression of the company and his manners should be nothing but professional, but perhaps you misinterpreted his sense of humor? I find it hard to believe a salesman trying to sell anyone anything would be serious about you providing Dunkin Donuts for his visit...c' mon! Ohhh and by the way, Project Managers are SALESMAN. That is just a fancy title in the remodeling industry.