SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – Door-to-door salespeople are taking Metro Detroit residents by surprise, and their sales tactics are being questioned by a widow who believes she was taken advantage of.
This is the time of year when many people get a knock on their door from salespeople. Salespeople from one company are being accused of using a pressure-filled sales pitch. They're going door-to-door all over Metro Detroit, and seniors feel like they're being targeted.
Rhonda Lloyd said she opened the door when she heard a knock at her Waterford home. A salesman from Power Home Remodeling was standing at the door with his pitch.
"They made you feel like you need to get this done right now," Lloyd said.
Lloyd is a widow who needed two new doors, but the cost she was quoted, and the amount she eventually paid, was almost $10,000.
"I hadn't researched prices on doors," Lloyd said. "It was like this was the answer to the problem right then."
She also financed the project through a lender used by the company.
The doors were installed, but Lloyd was immediately upset that her old storm door wouldn't fit. She said she requested to add a doggie door, but it would have made the door ineligible for warranty coverage.
Lloyd said she didn't fully understand the financing charges. She blames "fast-talking salespeople" for the incident. Eventually, she told her son and daughter-in-law.
"It still makes me angry," Lloyd said. "It makes me angry thinking about it now."
Her family was shocked by the price and concerned with the sales pitch. The quote to add windows and insulation was nearly $40,000.
A quick search online brought up Yelp reviews about the company's Southfield office. People complained about pushy door-to-door salespeople, persistent calls over long stretches and salespeople who won't leave homeowners alone.
Google reviews from the national office are more favorable, but the ones mentioning Detroit seem to have a theme: Salespeople who won't take no for an answer.
"We're just trying to figure out why the sales pitch is so aggressive," Local 4 consumer expert Hank Winchester said.
"That's a really, really good question," said John Wade, vice president of marketing at the Southfield office. "We treat folks like they're our grandmothers."
"This woman didn't feel like it was her grandson at the door," Hank said. "The woman felt like someone was trying to take advantage of her."
"Gotcha," Wade said.
After meeting with Wade, Local 4 received a call from a vice president with the company, based in Pennsylvania. She traveled to Detroit and arranged another sit-down with Wade.
"Along the lines, we don't feel a ball was dropped," Wade said.
"So you feel like it was handled well?" Hank asked.
"Yes sir," Wade said.
"Even though you have a customer who says she felt the salesperson was pushy?" Hank asked. "Is that what you want to hear?"
"So with that, not at all," Wade said. "In this instance, we had a door that got installed. She's happy."
"She's not happy," Hank said. "She says she feels like she was duped."
"It's not just one door," Wade said. "We did two."
"And she's really unhappy," Hank said.
"I fully and completely understand that," Wade said.
"Our goal in bringing this to you is to make sure the next senior doesn't feel pressured or too aggressive," Hank said.
"Of course," Wade said. "That's not how we want to do anything."
Local 4 received an email Wednesday from the corporate office regarding a price change for Lloyd. Upon further review, the price for both doors dropped from $9,200 to about $5,500. The company will also be reviewing sales tactics.
A spokesperson for Power Home Remodeling told Local 4 the company will review sales training techniques to address the concerns of customers who have complained.
Here is a statement from Power Home Remodeling:
"We care deeply about each of our customers, and we have taken a number of steps to address Ms. Lloyd’s situation. We’ve opened a direct line of communication with her to address her concerns, we’ve reviewed her project and all communications in regards to it, and we’ve adjusted the project cost to acknowledge the confusion she felt she experienced in reviewing the pricing for her second door. Additionally, in an effort to always improve upon our processes and continue to better meet the needs of our customers, we will be reviewing our procedures and training in this area as well.
"Power Home Remodeling offers a quality product and premium service that is delivered through a process that focuses on educating consumers, making homes more energy efficient and providing peace of mind that the work will be done right and backed by a lifetime warranty. We believe that a home is your most precious investment and every homeowner deserves high quality products and service."