Door Lite Tek review: Do not use this company

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! The claimed owner, Ryan Cookson is a very good story teller, but does not follow through on his promises.

My mother and I found this guy at a home show in October 2009. He came to my mom's house and we both placed and order with him and gave him a deposit of $600 at that time. Our order was installed and finalized on February 16, 2010! My mother's doors were installed in October, but they were damaged and needed to be replaced. Ryan knew about it, yet it took us countless attempts to reach him and months to fix. He continued to give excuse after excuse and each one contradicted the other. Not once has he apologized or offered any type of reimbursement for the dissatisfaction my mother and I have with him.

I am posting an e-mail that I sent to Ryan Cookson on February 3, 2010:

"Hi Ryan,

This is a follow up to the two voice mails I have left for you. Can you please extend a courtesy of a response one way or another, but preferably in writing via e-mail.

I am EXTREMELY disappointed in the service, or lack thereof, that you have demonstrated. I am reasonable enough to appreciate being busy, but to be ignored is completely unacceptable!

I had, in good faith, given you a $600 deposit for a product that I have yet to see. When I spoke with you in December confirming that I want the Blackburn insert and matching sidelites, you had advised that the doors/sidelites/lock would be installed by the end of January as you were going away the week of January 12. You said that you would call me when you got back and make the arrangements. Here we are in the beginning of February and I have yet to hear from you. I have sent you e-mails as well as called you and you never return my calls? I know that my father gave you my number yesterday and you said you would call me - I never heard from you. Is there a reason for the lack of response?

You spoke with my father who you gave your word to that you would be at both our homes on February 2, 2010 personally to install their sidelites and my doors/lock/sidelites. Then I learn that you didn't even show up or have the decency to call and, on top of all of that, haven't even ordered anything? If you can't follow through on your word then don't give it. By doing so, you are setting an expectation to the customer and then letting them down when you don't come through. How can I trust that you will actually fulfill the expectation that I have of you and your company? Although I don't have an invoice from you because we agreed to a cash deal, I still have high expectations that you are going to provide me with the same service as if we were paying full price. At the end of the day, we are still paying customers. Our money is no different that anyone else's.

I don't care what kind of deal you think you are giving us that does not give you the right to put us at the end of your priority list. That is just poor business on your part. We placed this order with you months ago and we are still waiting. If you are the manufacturer and distributor, then what is the hold up? Given the length of time and the increase in frustration level, our order should be fulfilled on a RUSH basis - not at your convenience. I don't appreciate the stalling tactics that you are practicing. This has been going on for far too long.

We have been more than patient with you and have waited long enough. I need a firm date from you by Friday, February 5, 2010 as to when my doors/sidelites/lock and my parents' correct sidelites will be ordered and installed. Failing which I expect a full return of my $600 deposit and I will take my business elsewhere.

I trust that you can appreciate my frustration and it's unfortunate that it has come to this point.

I anticipate your response no later than end of day on Friday, February 6, 2010."

Here's a follow up e-mail sent to Ryan Cookson on February 16, 2010:

"Hi Ryan,

I just got off the phone with my father who told me that you will now be coming after 2:30pm because the door is not dry yet? What is going on? Why was the door not ready on Friday as you indicated? This news has pushed me over the edge and is what is prompting this e-mail. Moving forward, I will only communicate with you in writing as, clearly, your word means absolutely nothing.

I will refer you back to this e-mail dated Friday, February 4, 2010, whereby you confirmed that both door orders would be ready for installation on Friday, February 12, 2010 at 12pm. Not only did you not follow through with this, but now we have to wait even longer? You even called me to confirm that this would be done. You said that you will do whatever is takes to get this order done by Friday, February 12, 2010. Well, this date has come and gone and it's still not completed. What is going on here? Your e-mail led me to believe that you had placed the order on Friday, February 4, 2010 and everything would be ready for February 12, 2010. It is now February 16, 2010, and the doors are still not complete. You called me at 11:07am this morning and told me that you would be on your way to my parents' house in half an hour. I am extremely disappointed in the way you are conducting your business and your empty promises. Enough is enough!

I would have thought that given the unreasonable delays and broken promises made by yourself that you would personally come to install these doors to ensure that we were satisfied. To my surprise, you sent one guy to do this all by himself. He didn't show up until 4pm on Friday and worked until after 8pm. Not only is that not fair to him, but it was a waste of a Friday night for me and my family - time that I will not get back. Beyond that, your guy left a mess in front of my house and inside my house that I had to spend time cleaning up. Do your employees typically not clean up after themselves after they finish their work? Even further beyond that, I was left for 4 days without a functioning lock. How can you leave a customer stranded like that? It's funny how you were quick to call every 20 minutes on Friday to ensure you got paid? You were certainly on the ball for that but can't quite seem to balance that efficiency with providing customer satisfaction.

I am having a very difficult time in dealing with you with regards to this entire process. Not only has it taken far too long, but the way you deal with people is not only insulting, but a disgrace to a Canadian owned company. You should take into consideration that this will not be my last house that I own in my lifetime. I have friends who are in the process of buying houses and who are looking for a similar product. This is a cost of referrals and future business to you and your company. Word of mouth is a very powerful thing and will not be working in your favour. I hope you take that into consideration the next time you chose to treat people the way you have treated me and my family.

I trust that you will do whatever it takes to ensure my door/lock and my parents' doors are completed by the end of the day today and that this will be the last time I have to follow up with you in regards to this."

The lock continued to malfunction and it took Ryan 2 days to come out and fix it. He was supposed to come on Tuesday, March 17 at 8:30pm. He then called my father (who's not even the customer here) at 8:30pm to tell him that he can't make it. Then he said he would be there on Thursday, March 18 at 10AM - he did not show up until 11AM. When asked for his business card - he refused to provide it. He mentioned that he had a partner (which contradicts him being the sole owner) so we asked for his partner's name - he refused to provide it.

He honestly thinks that he is well within his rights to treat people this way. He has no appreciation for other people's time and thinks the world revolves around him. This experience was an awful one and I'm so sorry that I gave him my hard earned money.

This is a disgrace to the Canadian Business Industry. But you know what they say...Karma's a B I T C H and if I can help Karma out, then I will.

Save your money and give it to a company that will treat their customers right and actually respect not only the customer, but their business reputation.