It sounds to me like this "Relationship" is just not going to work for you in the future. He is being pissy yes, and his latest comment after you sought to compromise just shows you should be looking for a new company for next year. With that, you kind of have nothing to lose by asking him to remove your photo from the facebook page.

Obviously you still do owe him the money. He sounds like he is in way over his head. Not your problem.

Over the years I've had some odd experiences with the various pool companies who opened and closed our pools but I've never encountered one as rude and obnoxious as the one you're dealing with. My take is that he is busy enough that he doesn't need your business. I think he should have reduced the bill by $100 or at the very east accepted your offer to split the $100.

I'd ask him to remove your pool photo from his website and definitely find another company. I wouldn't want to deal with him again.

Wow. Yes to what Jojoco said. If he keeps that up he won’t have a business next year.

I would not ask him to remove the photo of your pool from his website ONLY because you can't force him to do so, and he will keep it there to spite you.

You can ask him to remove the photo, but once you pay your outstanding balance, you have no leverage in the future, so be prepared for him to add the photo back out of general poor judgment. I wouldn't post a review on his website, but I would tell the truth if asked by anyone for a referral. Keep copies of your communications with him! If you have contact information for his father, I would write the father a letter, including a copy of your communication with his son. The father probably still has a financial interest in the company and would want to know about the poor customer relations.

I would accede to his wish and not contact him on small matters again. Or medium ones, or big ones.

ETA - He seems to view you as a finicky customer or even "difficult." I don't think you are, you just don't like to be taken in advantage of. Many businesses (especially "luxury ones") are used to clients who pay zero attention and they don't like being questioned at all, however reasonably or civilly. I recall a vendor who, when I asked a simple clarifying question about his quote, just said essentially "never mind and I am not answering that and I don't want to do business, bye." I was floored but better to hear that to than to be mistreated down the line. Good riddance!

By the way, can someone explain to me why he has a right to use a picture of your pool on his website? It sounds like non-compensated advertising without your permission. Maybe one of our resident lawyers can chime in on that one?

I think there is a pool services company near you that will be getting some new customers, because I doubt this new guy is this professional only with you.

In re the photo, I've had that happen too. It's very galling and actually quite common. I had a decorator post photos of rooms she never touched. IIRC correctly, many times you are out of luck. I think esp if the photo is of something visible to the public, which may not or may not be the case for your pool. I'm also not sure if you can show how you are harmed, legally.

I’m surprised that when the son took over for the father, it sounds like he knew none of the history. Had he not been along on the service calls? Our favorite appliance repair guy is now training his son, brings him along and is developing that continuing relationship. Same with the garage door guy. The guy who services my dad’s well and pump is the grandson of the guy who put in my grandfather’s well and pump.

If this is how the son handles his father’s legacy, well, move on.

Yes, that's poor customer service. Find someone else. If this fellow doesn't shape up quickly, he'll run papa's business into the ditch.

For someone in the service industry, I think his attitude is appalling and I would not want to deal with him or his company again. I would also tell anyone who asked for a pool service reference about your experience with this guy.

He sounds like a complete tool. I like your husband's plan. The jerk gets paid when he removes YOUR photo from his page and not a minute before. And then I'd give him the online reviews he deserves (and potential clients deserve to know).

Customer service seems to be a lost cause for many younger people. I guess they have never had experience with true customer service where the same real live person answers the phone every time and then takes care of the problem. There are uses for web sites and automated phone systems but they are not a substitute for real local workers who understand the customer base.

I had a similar issue with an HVAC guy who retired and then his son installed my new furnace. The son's price was a bit high and then he took a cut and just hired someone else to do the actual work. We had an issue with an unusual size furnace filter and the son just totally mishandled the issue. The son won't be getting any more work from me.

The father sold his customer list to another firm and there was a bit of an issue. His son was trying to grab the customers who called his dads cell phone number instead of the main company phone number. The buyer sent us a letter introducing himself and his company as successors to the family business. A few months later, original owner ended up sending a letter with his name and signature saying that he was recommending the new company. and was sorry for any confusion.

Wow, sounds like more than just a bad day! Has the father retired? If not, I would contact him to discuss. Honestly, I am not sure I would want this guy (a$$hat!) coming around.

You're not in the wrong at all, and yet honestly I recommend you let it go.

The young man sounds like he's not all that well held together. Past experience for me suggests I'd rather engage people like that as little as possible. Things can escalate rather quickly with people who respond like he did.

Chalk it up to the fact some people are a little nuts, and move on.

The more I think about this, the more I think patriceny is right. Sometimes the best possible thing we can do for ourselves in a situation such as this is to just let it go. I would remain displeased that a photo of my property appeared on his Facebook page, and I would probably ask him to remove it, but then just let the whole thing go. The guy will either get a clue and learn how to properly treat customers, or he'll drive his business into the ground. Either way, it's not your concern.

Since the kid is such an idiotic jerk, I doubt you'll get anything out of continuing to deal with him other than more frustration. I might tell the guy that since you're no longer going to be a customer, you'll make payment in full as soon as he removes your photo from his website. It's logical though quite likely he can't follow logic. In my experience, turning the business over to the next generation often leads to failure of the business because the successor just doesn't have what it takes. Sounds like that's what will happen in this case.

I wouldn’t want this guy to come around me or my pool ever again. First, to not honor the appointed day and time twice is beyond rude and inexcusable. Second, his guys had no right to use or cut up your wood. And third, he doesn’t deserve your business for telling you he will refund your $100 and don’t call him again? Gee that’s decent of him since it was your wood in the first place that he screwed up, and your complaint was valid. Oh no, just be done with this idiot and move on.

After a couple of months, if you want to give him bad reviews and your pool is still on his website or FB page, let him have it. Next Door is also a way to let the word out.

He sounds like an entitled brat. He does the work when HE feels like it and not on the scheduled date and then charges what HE feels like and then gets pissy when the long time customer comments.

He obviously doesn't realized that the maintenance work of a service company is the bread and butter of the company, that's what pays the bills.

Apropos of absolutely nothing - it could be he really doesn't want to do pool maintenance but he feels forced to do it by his father. The only reason I mention this is because friends of ours were pretty much forcing their son to take over the family business (a small engineering firm) and he did not want it. He wound up leaving the city, basically in the middle of the night, and moving to the east coast to get away from it. He hasn't been back.

But regardless - Beagles, it isn't you.

Wow, blfenton, that son took drastic measures. Yikes.

It was the only way to live his own choices.

WOW!! I'd screen shot the text and post it on YELP!! What a little twerp.

Only pay when he takes down the photo, and then don't pay the $100.00. Poor customer service deserves poor customer payment. No way would I pay for someone doing something I did not ask them to do, and wrecking something of mine. Just paying $50.00 seems equitable. Be a capitalist, take your business elsewhere.

He doesn't deserve your business with that attitude. Good luck with the picture.

Mtn, I went through a similar experience last week when I needed a quote. What I've since learned is they would rather come to your house so they can convince you they need to do more work. Be wary.

Photos of property that is in public view are fair game, but a pool in someone's backyard is rarely in public view. Even then, use for a commercial purpose may be limited. And he just fired you as a customer, so it is now a misrepresentation to keep the photo online. I'd make him take it down and withhold payment until he does.

As far as how much to pay -- I don't know what it costs to have a pool winterized since we don't do that here in Texas, but given the situation, I'd be inclined to deduct the $65, $100 and whatever your husband spent on the lumber they cut up. I'll work things out with anyone trying to do the right thing -- even pay the full amount with an apology, but I'd have no patience with this situation. Time to find a new company.

Have you tried reporting the use of the photo to Facebook?

Thanks for all the input. Our pool is definitely not in a public place or visible unless you're deep into our back yard in the woods so there's really no excuse for the picture -- which he didn't ask us to take and which I alway thought was inappropriate because he doesn't even service the pool he just opens and closes it. But I didn't care until this incident.

We are going to tell him to take it down since we're no longer customers. And we're not going to pay the $100. I will refrain from leaving a negative review for now but I will definitely mention our experience to others, including the lady in my neighborhood who originally referred him to us.

This got me so fired up that I’m using my data to answer this!

I would definitely ask him to remove the photo and withhold payment until he does so. A friend of mine had a very expensive patio installed in her back yard with a fireplace. She is an avid gardener and handled all the landscaping herself. The hardscaping company installed none of it. After a year or two, they came by and noted how good it looked and asked if they could take a picture to show on their website gallery. She told them no because the impression would be that the company had installed the landscaping, which they did not. They’re reply “But it looks so good!” Yes, because the homeowner handled it, not the installers.

As for the pool company, wash your hands of them and find a new one.

ETA: I am sick of poor customer service so when I experience GREAT service I tell everyone I can about the company. And I make sure the crappy company knows they have lost my business.

A hundred dollars won't break a company, but to argue over it costs a lot in good customer relations. He likely won't be in business long.