I searched for many weeks for a reliable service to look after my three dogs, Diesel, Milo and Charlie a couple of times a week. The dogs passed their initial assessment approximately 12 weeks ago, and initially the service was great - the dogs appeared happy there, and all appeared well.
There started to be ripples in the service the week commencing the 24th October 2011, when my partner collected the invoice that, according to the invoice itself, was payable within 7 days. On the 27th October I received a rather strange email stating that the invoice was overdue, and that if I didn't pay I would essentially taking the food out of the mouths of the staff that would be walking my pets.
The text is below, and obviously I've removed names, and commercially sensitive information....
Further to my email sent on Monday I note that according to our records there is still an amount outstanding on your account.
Our terms are currently 7 days from date of invoice because we have to pay the people who deliver the service that you have benefited from.
They are due to receive their wages tomorrow so prompt payment from you would be greatly appreciated today.
Please find attached a statement showing what is still owed.
You can pay:
- Electronically by BACs to CDPOM's bank account at
. Please quote your account number as the reference
- Securely & safely via Paypal by going to
clicking on Pay Online in the menu and following the instructions. You don't need a Paypal account to do this.
- By giving the details of any of the major credit/debit cards over the phone by ringing the office on or and speaking to
.
- By cash
However, from now on we require customers at point of booking to provide us with details of either a valid credit or debit card.
This will guarantee the service each customer requests. NB Under the new arrangement we will not be able to guarantee the service requested without these card details.
You will still be invoiced as usual and the card will only be used to pay any outstanding bill if payment has not been made within CDPOM's 7-day term by whatever means.
So that you can rest assured that there will be no problems booking any of our services please provide us with your credit or debit card details by completing the form below and either posting it or delivering it to us at CDPOM World, or by faxing it to our secure office on
Card Type (please specify) e.g. Visa, MasterCard, Amex etc:
Card No:
Expiry Date:
Issue no (Switch):
Security (CVT) Digits the last three next to your signature:
Account Holder Name as it appears on the card:
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me or X or by phone on the office number X
We look forward to looking after your pets and your home in the future.
Yours sincerely
This was from 'Roger' the company secretary. I replied advising that the invoice had only been issued 3 days earlier, and received the following response...
Thank you for your email.
Sorry for the confusion. You were not meant to receive this REMINDER email as X told me that you were due to settle the bill tomorrow.
It must have been highlighted and sent in error - for which I apologise.
We look forward to seeing Milo, Diesel & Charlie tomorrow.
Best regards
This made me slightly uneasy, the bill was paid without any issue the following day to Roger who had sent the email the previous day,
The following week there didn't appear to be an issue, the following week the dogs were booked in on Monday 31st October, which went without incident. At the time of check in I advised the staff that I wasn't sure whether I wanted the dogs watched on Thursday 3rd or Friday 4th November. I was advised that this wasn't an issue and either day would be fine.
I turned up on Thursday 3rd November only to be told that I hadn't booked in the dogs, that there would be an extra charge payable. This isn't mentioned in their terms and conditions anywhere, so consequently I left, peace of mind shattered. This turned out to be another 'error'. My morning ruined by this, I ended up cancelling the meetings I had booked, and was faced with the real quandary about how I was going to have my dogs looked after. This was solved when CDPOM came and collected the dogs which I collected later on. My initial reaction was to never leave the dogs in their care. I was persuaded by the founder and manager that this was a one off incident. Like an idiot I agreed. The latest invoice was presented on 7th November and paid at that stage.
The dogs were booked in on the 7th and 10th November - I was not presented with any invoice at all on collection on the 10th.
The dogs were booked in on the 14th and 17th November. I was presented with an invoice on the 14th to cover the 7th, 10th, 14th and 17th. I didn't have my card on me, and as the terms stated were 7 days presumed that it wouldn't be an issue to pay when I collected the dogs on the 21st. I noticed that one of the staff seemed particularly annoyed about this - the other seemed fine.
I dropped the dogs off on the 21st November and came to collect them at 18.00 as usual. I advised that I had arranged to pay the invoice by bank transfer (BACS),as I was aware that they were charged for credit card transactions. I also asked if there was any other invoices due - at this stage I was advised by a member of staff, that before I could leave I had to wait and see 'Roger.'
15 minutes later, Roger appeared. He accused me of deliberately not paying my invoice and telling them numerous times that I did not have my card on me - this is untrue, as I had been only given the invoice three days earlier. He said that I had always been a problem payer - again untrue. He said that the invoice had been given to me on the 10th November - again untrue. He waved a piece of paper in my face saying I had refused to fill it in - the credit card authorisation form. I pointed out that I hadn't been given it to fill in, again it was implied that I was lying. I was then informed that it was no longer a 7 day term for payment - when I pointed out that it stated very clearly on the invoice that it was, I was asked if 'when you go shopping at Tesco, do you leave without paying for your shopping' - the implication that I, as a reputable professional, am no better than a common shoplifter is as insulting as it is defamatory.
I have made the decision that the peace of mind that this service and its founder claim to offer is quite the opposite. My dogs will never be left with this service ever again, and I will be forwarding this review to all the people that I have previously recommended the service to.
I am utterly disgusted by the service and treatment I have received here, and will be happy to discuss any aspect of it on request - it is such a pity - managed properly with 100% customer facing staff, this could be a brilliant service that fills a gap in the market, and there genuinely seems to be some caring staff there - the founder, the manager and some of the staff are brilliant with the dogs, however it is being let down badly by at best shoddy administration - I so desperately wanted to use this service driving 30 minutes to drop off my dogs. Now my peace of mind comes from the fact that I will never be returning.
