Poor Customer Service
I strongly advise against purchasing from this business due to consistently poor communication and service experienced across both the Brisbane and Melbourne showrooms.
We visited the Brisbane showroom with the intention of purchasing a 4x4m aluminium louvre pergola. Following consultation, we were offered the Baltic 4x4m aluminium louvre pergola, with one unit available locally and an otherwise advised lead time of 12–16 weeks.
We were informed that part of the package was located in Melbourne and would need to be transferred to Brisbane. While in store, the Brisbane store manager advised that he would arrange for the stock to be transferred so it could either be collected or delivered. At no point was it disclosed that any inter-store transfer costs would be charged to us as the customer.
Subsequently, the quote provided included an inter-store freight charge. Inter-store logistics are not the responsibility of the customer; they are a standard operational cost borne by the business to manage stock distribution. This position was explained multiple times to the Brisbane store manager, however it was either not understood or not accepted.
Due to the lack of progress, we contacted the Melbourne showroom directly. The Melbourne representative acknowledged that inter-store transfer costs should not be passed on to the customer and arranged shipment of the missing components to Brisbane at no charge. A tracking number was provided, and my phone number was incorrectly listed as the primary delivery contact.
Delivery subsequently failed on two separate occasions because the Brisbane showroom was unattended during advertised opening hours. As the listed contact, I was contacted by the courier instead of the store. This placed the customer in an entirely inappropriate position of managing internal logistics.
Eventually, delivery was completed. Several weeks later, we received an updated quote from the Brisbane store manager showing zero inter-store freight charges. However, the original 20% promotional discount that applied at the time of our visit had been removed, on the basis that it had since expired — despite the delays being entirely service-related.
I responded requesting that further communication be handled by an alternative contact, such as a General Manager, due to the service failures experienced. This request was refused, and the store manager stated that he would remain the sole point of contact.
Given the standard of service experienced during the pre-sales phase, I have no confidence in this business’s ability to provide reliable post-sales support and therefore chose not to proceed with the purchase.