SafeStyle Uk - Be your own Judge

Jue_xx

ilikewatch wrote: »

(Many) years ago I got a job as a salesman for a (probably long defunct) double glazing firm called Weatherseal - I couldn't beleive their operating practices - I could discount the "book" price by 60% at my own discretion, and a phone call to my manager would normally increase the discount to 75-80%. I got paid 10% commision for cash sales and 17% for finance sales. I ended up quitting the day I quoted a lovely retired couple £25K to replace the (perfectly sound) windows in their medium sized detached house and the chap wrote a cheque for the full amount on the spot - I told him it was a rip off, refused his payment and never worked for them again.

:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T Good on you! :beer:

Stuartedwardbrown

I understand that Safestyle are the biggest company of this type in England. They've installed millions of windows and doors, millions and millions of them. So I guess it's understandable that you're going to hear some negative things about them. Not every job can go perfectly right each time, and not every salesmen and fitter is going to have the same morals or skills.

My personal opinion is that while the sales tactics can be abhorrent by some of their salesman and sales managers, the large majority of them are actually OK.

In my dealings with Safestyle I've basically told the salesman up front that I know their tactics and that I want a door/window and thus they don't need to "sell" to me, they just need to be honest with me and go through the products. It helps to have already done your research, know your prices and know how much you want to pay.

The immoral salesman relies on your naivety or laziness. Don't give them those hooks.

Turns out that the only two times I've used Safestyle they've not pressured me into anything and have given me an opening quote which didn't require any negotiation because it was fair and around the mark I was looking for. I was ready to spend £800 on a door. And got quoted £819 because the wife wanted a different pattern on the glass. All that followed has been quick, good and stress free.

Local tradesmen quoted me roughly the same price £774. But at the end of the day a local tradesmen can't really give you a 10yr warranty.

So that's that. I wouldn't say "stay away from Safestyle" - I'd say watch out for immoral salesman, they can work for any company, and they appear in all trades and services. Just do your research, and don't be a mug. And then all you've got to do is hope that you don't fall into the tiny bracket of folk who unfortunately have problems with their windows or door years down the line. Every single item out there has a failure rate, even £100k sports cars.

Sympathies to the guys who've had problems. But as always you never hear from the thousands of satisfied customers, just the dissatisfied ones.

Derekredwards

2 Years later after having all our windows replaced by Safestyle and we were still receiving regular calls from them. I tell them every time not to call again they take no notice. Avoid !!
The windows were overpriced to start with.

DRP

We had 2 large-ish windows fitted by Safestyle back in 2009. Personally, our experience was good and the windows themselves were a huge improvement in performance from the previous ones.

No complaints really. As the previous poster noted, do your research and don't be forced into making a decision there and then.

MoneyMate

LEJC wrote: »

18 months later and we were still receiving sales calls from safe style..so dont expect that to be the end of it.

Same for us, once they have your details they don't let go.
We had DG fitted 18moths ago by local company, would not use Saffestyle ( TOO MUCH PRESSURE SELLING ) still have phone calls.

Well saying that just changed phone internet contract with new number :j:beer::j

lancslass2008

Our family own a PVC & Timber window company in Manchester and WE LOVE SAFESTYLE etc.

But... Not for the reasons you think.

Such are there harassing, bullying, lying tactics of these massive companies that when we quote for the same job as them we virtually always get the job because of the contrast in sales technique. As an earlier poster said... Go round, measure up, give your best price (without stupid discounts & Gimmicks), leave the house and don't ever ring the customer again. If the customer wants to do business with you they will ring you back in their time. A phone call from the company chasing the job is not going to make them say 'Well. Initially we decided no but now you've rang up chasing the job I'll say yes'.

lancslass2008

Hubby also tells me that Safestyle and all these other huge companies employ subcontractors. Ie, the fitters are all self employed. Therefore, the quicker they get the job done, the quicker they get paid, the quicker they can move onto another job. There is no incentive for them to take their time and paying attention to detail whereas a fitter who is employed by the company doesn't need to rush the job or get it finished in record time because he gets paid 40 hours however long the job takes, ie... He can spend time making sure the job is right otherwise he gets a rollicking off his boss.

Seronera

Strange isn't it. We engaged St Helens Glass to do part of our house. They did a very nice job.... Then went bust and I started to read complaints about them. 20 years later the windows are still fine, none have failed or steamed up. There is just one handle that needs replacing if I can be bothered.

I was messed around by a small operator, but I sacked him before money changed hands and found an excellent local company who did the rest of the house when we could afford it. Nice sliding sash UPVC windows.

taciturn-reader

" I had an image of this salesman around a table but instead of me and my wife sitting here it was my Nan and Grandad or some innocent little old widow who would just say ‘Oh brilliant that’s fine, here is a cheque for £14k’ ..."

So the O.P (Dynamax) assumes that an "innocent little old widow" like me would be a push-over for a Safestyle salesperson, eh? Well that's a stupidly ill-informed, ageist & sexist opinion! :mad:

Personally I got a quote from a local small-scale tradesman who didn't bother to turn up to carry out the job (2 windows in the porch and a front door). So I contacted Safestyle. They sent a fast-talking, salesman round to me place. I let him rattle on about prices for a while, and then I told him: "Here's the deal - I want the job doing for £1,250" (That was the price quoted by the local no-show tradesman).
Safestyle man made a valiant attempt at trying to convince me to pay more ... but I wouldn't budge. How about THAT Dynamax? :rotfl:

I paid a deposit (£75) and the work was duly carried out ... but not to my satisfaction: so I withheld further payment until the job was re-done properly. :T