Houston Garden Centers – You Have Unhappy Customers!
Posted on June 2, 2008
Filed Under Consumer Protection | 5 Comments
Earlier this Spring I redesigned my landscaping around my home. Not only did I pull up the existing beds, I put more in. I usually get my plants and landscaping supplies at Lowes, Home Depot or Wal-Mart because they have good prices and a money back guarantee. However, I couldn’t find everything I needed there so I took my first trip to Houston Garden Centers location in Conroe at 1488. I have to tell you, I couldn’t have been more displeased with this Houston Garden Centers location if I’d tried!
First off, apparently everyone who works there speaks very little, if any, English. I’ll have to get my info at Houston Lawn and Garden from now on I guess. I have to tell ya, I was very leery of paying these people with a credit card. The entire time I was there and asking questions, I don’t think 10 words of English were spoken to me. I might as well have been banging my head against the wall.
The girl checking me out could only mutter what my total was. If it hadn’t been for her pointing at the total on the digital readout of the cash register, I would have had to ask over and over again.
At first, I thought this problem may have only been at this Houston Garden Centers location. So on my next trip into town to get more landscaping supplies, I went to the Houston Garden Centers location in Spring off of I-45. They did have a lot better selection than the Conroe location, which I appreciated. However, the staff could have been a cloned copy of the Conroe location. Very unfriendly and none could hardly speak any English. When I checked out, the girl never even made an attempt to smile or talk. She just turned the digital readout around and pointed to my total. A real gem of a salesperson!
I made several more trips back to both Houston Garden Centers locations to get some specialty plants that I wanted. But when it came down to supplies I knew I could get elsewhere, I didn’t hesitate to go someplace else.
I thought about posting a blog post at that time, but figured I was the only one who had that problem. I don’t buy a huge amount of gardening supplies, so I figured perhaps it was just me.
Others Have Complaints About Houston Garden Centers
Tonight, as I was searching for a news topic in Conroe, I ran across this message board that has over 120 comments on Houston Garden Centers and most of the comments are aimed at the Conroe location. Of course, this is a Conroe forum so that only makes sense. In good faith, I searched other Houston area forums and found many people with the same complaints I had with Houston Garden Center. Poor service, non-existent customer service and non-English speaking staff.
One of the things that really tick me off is their print ads and TV ads featuring Kim. We all know Kim as a pretty blonde haired English speaking spokesperson for Houston Garden Centers. You’d think Kim worked at every locations the way she talks. After my experience, I’m wondering if Kim works for Houston Garden Center at all! I figured she was a Actress, but I’d like to think someone that speaks English actually does work there. Since my experience this Spring, I’ve visited a few other locations and haven’t found anyone resembling Kim working there. They’re more like Shipley Do-Nut employees!
I don’t mind paying more for quality products or services. But if I have to pay more and keep enduring bad customer service, I’ll go elsewhere.
I prefer to shop local business’s when I can. Normally the small family run business’s have better customer service and product knowledge than franchises or box stores. However, for some things you just can’t find a local family run business. If someone knows a good nursery in the Conroe – Woodlands – Spring area, drop me a comment and let me know.
Until then, I refuse to keep giving my money to Houston Garden Centers as long as they insist on keeping non-English speaking, rude associates who apparently have no knowledge of what they’re selling. Am I over reacting? Drop a comment and let me know ’cause it sure doesn’t feel that way!
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5 Responses to “Houston Garden Centers – You Have Unhappy Customers!”
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I own a garden center on 249 south of Tomball. My brother owns one on Louetta near Kuykendahl in Spring. They are both called Plants For All Seasons. Plantsforallseasons.com I know of a nursery in Willis. Growers Outlet. Any or all of us would provide a more pleasant gardening experience for you.
By the way Kim Hooper is the owners daughter. Trust me when I say that your observations touched only the floating scum in a deep cesspool.
Hi Victor,
Thanks for dropping me a note. Next time I need some plants or gardening supplies, I’ll be sure to stop by your Louetta and Kuykendahl place. It’s a little out of the way, but I’d rather drive a little further and get good service with knowledgeable associates than put up with what I do when I go to Houston Garden Centers.
By the way, I’ll go ahead and give the other readers a live link to your site: Click here to visit Plants For All Seasons
Hello!
I lived in Spring/Klein for 10 years and purchased all of my plants from Plants For All Seasons. Not only do they have excellent quality and variety but their customer service is great! I moved to Lake Conroe and shopped at Houston Garden Center in Conroe ONCE. That was enough. I didn’t really mind that the employees didn’t speak English…however I did mind that their plants are VERY EXPENSIVE, they offer no warranty, and you can’t even exchange them or return them with a receipt…unused! Furthermore, they advertise great sales and the sale prices are the same price at other stores. Even Home Depot is cheaper! I was not impressed.
I love houston garden center. Get a life people!
I had the same awful experience:
1.NO English or attempt to speak English
2.NO help
3.prices are 50% off already high prices
4. Corporate office tells you the locations don’t answer their phones and there is no one to talk to if you have a question about a plant you purchased from them.
Mr. Matt Hooper & and his daughter Kim Hooper are probably providing wholesale services to non English speaking landscapers (who probably work there part time)and provide secondary retail service to the general public without decent customer service. That is why the service is bad.
Maybe INS should investigate the Hoopers to see if they hiring undocumented workers.
In my opinion, they should advertise:
NO customer service & Buy at your own risk.
at least customers would know their angle. But they would probably go out of business if they did that.
THIS IS AND WAS THE FIRST AND LAST TIME I SPEND MY MONEY WITH THEM.