Local Business

SmallTown

Football season!
I know there have been a lot of talk about supporting local businesses over the "big box" business. Well, here is a wonderful story about a local business.

I went to Ultra Clean in San Souci Plaza to have my dry cleaning done. The first sign that things were not quite right was the fact it was going to take a week to get the clothes back. I did not feel like driving around to find a quicker turnaround time, so I left the clothes there. I return on the day things are due and they questioned if I was there on the correct day. When I showed them the ticket, they decided to look once again. They come back and tell us that the found the clothes but that not everything was complete. I was going away on business and the clothes that were ready were the ones I needed. I asked to pay for those and take them with me, but the refused saying the whole order had to be together. I am told to come back the next day to pick up everything. The next day I show up and they bring out the order, but are told they have lost a piece. This time we are allowed to take the clothes that are done. I call a few days later to inquire about the missing piece, and was told they had forgotten all about it and would start to look for it. To see what was going on, I go down there and am told by the manager that they had been looking for it every since they lost it (I suppose he did not know that the other girl told us the truth about that). I became upset and told them how I felt about the service I received. I was then told that the dry cleaning would be free because that was worth it to him not to hear my voice anymore. he also went on to say that they would pay us for the lost article if it was not found. Three days later we call and the manager says that since I made him mad when I talk to him last time that he was not going to return the article and that if I showed up again he would take a baseball bat to my head.
If this is the kinda of personal service you like from the local businesses, then this place is even worse than I thought.
a "big chain" cleaners would have simply either given us the money for the lost item in hopes that we would once again use their service, or been at least a little more simpathetic of the situation and would have done whatever it took to make things right.. If you are in a customer service business, you have to take care of your customers. If you want to take money from people and not do anything in return, you should be a tax collector, not a business owner.

The main problem with businesses here is they have no accountability for their actions. They feel that if something goes wrong, oh well. There is no competition so where else are you going to go.

I just hope people reading this understand what kind of people run Ultra Clean and do not use their services (unless you have some strange hangup about having baseball bats being knocked against your head)

Can anyone suggest another Dry Cleaners, preferably one that doesn't lose items (and don't make good for them) and don't threaten their customers with baseball bats?
 

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
Sorry to hear your plight. I have heard other horror stories about this place as well. I for one have not had a bad experince there, but its been quite some time since I was there.

There are a couple of cleaners in Leonardtown I think, but have never visited their establishments, so I cannot give a good or bad review.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Your story surprises me. I've never used any cleaner EXCEPT UltraClean and have been very happy. Once they lost a blouse of mine and they not only reimbursed me on the spot (taking my word for how much the blouse cost) but gave me a certificate for free drycleaning. The counter people have always been very nice, too, and that's saying something for an area that's...how should I put this...customer service challenged.
 

migtig

aka Mrs. Giant
Gosh - sorry about your experience. I have never had a bad one with them - Mine has only been good -I once even called on my way home from work - anxious about picking up an evening dress I needed to wear to a formal dinner the next evening - cause I was running late - and they stayed open for me. I know there is a dry cleaner in Leonardtown - I have heard they are ok - but don't know for a fact. All things considered, don't guess I could give a recommendation to you. Good luck finding something better for you!
 

DarbyOhara

Musician
I am not sure what the gender of the person that wrote this story is, but it seems if you are female... perhaps good looking, you get no problems with them... otherwise, you get threaten'd with a baseball bat... lol Actually, I think it would be interesting to check this place out since it is close to my bank... I normally use the cleaners that is out Gate #2... straight on Great Mills Road for about 2 blocks... on the right... They are called Lexington Park Cleaners in the Millison Plaza... a bit more expensive.. but professional.....

Actually... we should all call that Ultra Cleaner place and ask for the manager and ask if his company cleans "baseball bats" cause we had to use it on the last manager of the cleaners that didn't perform to our expectations..... :cool: This will really make him think twice to ever do that again!
 

fuzzyng

New Member
Originally posted by SmallTown
The main problem with businesses here is they have no accountability for their actions. They feel that if something goes wrong, oh well. There is no competition so where else are you going to go.

Thats sort of an unfair remark... not ALL local businesses are that bad... I work for a local business, and that kind of service is totally BS, and I'm sorry that happened to you. I dont take my stuff to the cleaners, all my stuff fits in my drier... sad, eh? :D
 

SmallTown

Football season!
Yea, the counter person we spoke to at first was pretty nice, but apparantly her hands were pretty well tied when it comes to trying to fix a situation. The manager on the other hand has issues. The person at the counter had the same reaction as a customer would about the situation (and at least she was honest enough to let us know that she was really sorry she had forgotten about it). The manager on the other hand only look at it from a "right now" dollar point of view and didn't consider the thought that if things had been handled different I would still consider going back there.

I have to agree that this area is very "customer service challenged". Hopefully as more and more businesses open up here, either the older ones will change their tune, or simply be put out of business. I think the people here have had enough of paying a lot and receiving nothing
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
The owner of UltraClean is Steve Goldman. If you received bad treatment at any of his stores, you should call him personally and tell him so he can deal with that manager.
 

SmallTown

Football season!
We used Lexington Park cleaners before with no problems. We only went to Ultra Clean because the last time we went to LP Cleaners, we were told they had such a back log that they couldn't accept any new clothes at the time.. Maybe because everyone had stopped using Ultra Clean :)

Hopefully things are now back to normal there and we can go there again.
 

DarbyOhara

Musician
Originally posted by SmallTown
We used Lexington Park cleaners before with no problems. We only went to Ultra Clean because the last time we went to LP Cleaners, we were told they had such a back log that they couldn't accept any new clothes at the time.. Maybe because everyone had stopped using Ultra Clean :)

Hopefully things are now back to normal there and we can go there again.


Well, I never run into that problem... I usually have enough clothes on hand... When I hand my stuff into them, they ask when I want it back, I usually say... when you get it done :) In fact, I still got a jacket and shirt in there that my lady was suppose to pick up weeks AGO! [HINT HINT] Lady... lol
 

Tonio

Asperger's Poster Child
A few months ago I took a tie into Ultra Clean for spot removal, and the tie came back with a rip in it. So I spoke to Steve about it. He said if I bought a replacement and showed him the receipt, he would refund me the cost. And he lived up to his promise!
 

jeneisen

Indy Bound
Well I have used them for some time and although I have never had any problems like that, the quality of work they give isn't the greatest either. I had them replace a zipper in a pair of pants and instead of replacing it (which i was charged for) someone tried to fix it with pliers and pass it off as new. Of course I was hot and they did replace it but that one broke too since the one they used was so cheap.

I also had a 500.00 comforter dry cleaned there and when I got it back it didn't seem like they even cleaned it. I haven't been back since. I am also seeking a new place to go. Dry cleaning is expensive and I feel that you should get what you pay for.

As for how you were treated, I am surprised that you even put up with that. I am the kind of person that would never even allow that person to get close to that point but if they did I would make it my mission to inform the owners of the establishment and everyone you know. Its unprofessional and uncalled for. I totally agree with you.
 

M Bucker

Member
Sounds like the Tackle Box

Anyone ever have any problems with the Tackle Box? Their prices are high and the cusomer service is ok but not great. I get the feeling that since they don't have much compitetion that they act how they want.
 

watercolor

yeah yeah
oh that is complete and utter BS and terrible! I can not believe they did that to you!

Maybe I should ask them if they could slick and clean my shoe so I can put a swift kick up there tighty whities and give em a taste of what a kick in the gut feels like....

But...then that is just my opinion...I could be wrong *evil grin*
 

watercolor

yeah yeah
and no I have not heard of the Tackle box doing that....maybe I should go in there, along with Ultra clean and ask them if I can 'tackle this' and give em my so called....'dirty laundry' if you know what I mean and I can give em a ' if you know what I mean' and you will all read about their reactions in public news spread by yours truely 'if you know what I mean"

vengence can be a 'well...you know what I mean'

lol


(ok I am done being stupid now)
 

watercolor

yeah yeah
But then again you can get a fishing poll from the Tackle Box, in the size and form of a bat, and then go to Ultra clean and ask them to steam clean it for you LMBO!
 

DarbyOhara

Musician
Someone once told me.... if you don't have something productive to say, don't say anything at all......


That said.... I am a bit confused why many of you people keep going back there if you have bad service. Takes only ONE time for me. I never had a problem with Lex Park Cleaners except their prices are a bit higher than the norm... but I suppose you get what you pay for....

Some of you seem to know who this owner is and I find it hard to believe that he doesn't know how his manager is acting.
 
G

giggles04

Guest
I've always used Lexington Park Cleaners. They've always been so nice to me... and gotten things done in the time I've needed them done. I think I'm going to stick with them!
 

SmallTown

Football season!
Well, from what I have seen posted here, it seems like we HAVE been dealing with the owner from the beginning. Now this is VERY disturbing. He never let on that he owned the place (and I never would have guessed by the way he acted).
Wow. I am just floored right now and don't know what to say.
 

DarbyOhara

Musician
Originally posted by SmallTown
Well, from what I have seen posted here, it seems like we HAVE been dealing with the owner from the beginning. Now this is VERY disturbing. He never let on that he owned the place (and I never would have guessed by the way he acted).
Wow. I am just floored right now and don't know what to say.

Well, what kinda resititution would you like (besides not using their service anymore)? After being threaten with a baseball bat... to me, that's grounds for criminal investigation.... Someone suggested you call the police and perhaps you should consider that.... but then again, if this guy is really a wise-guy... it's your word against his... From my experience with the police around here... they won't waste their time on "he did it", "no I didn't" thing.... This is a free country... you could protest outside the business with rude and unpleasant service... lol
 
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