Frustrated by the after-sales service of Brault & Martineau

"I dropped, then I heard a crac.I did not expect it to break so easily.It’s not as if I had jumped with feet attached to it!»»

— Une citation deMarc-Antoine Adam

Kym Champagne noted the poor state in which his bed is located.A part sold a month after delivery.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Jean-Luc Bouchard

Kym Champagne is just as exasperated.She bought a dozen furniture on Friday crazy last year.Modular sofa, dining room table and chairs, dresser.

Quickly, she discovers imperfections.Then his bed base collapses.In a few months, more than half of his purchases are damaged.

"I did not buy at the warehouse.I paid the full amount for new.I expect to receive new!But it's not that.»»

— Une citation deKym Champagne

Kym et Marc-Antoine contactent le service à la clientèle de Brault & Martineau.They believe they submit a request for repair, exchange or reimbursement.They are rather entitled to months of back and forth.

There, begin the steps of "prove and demonstrate" that it is damaged.Calls for customer service, sends photos, recalls.You put it all together, over eight months, we may have 40 hours. On a une bonne semaine d'ouvrage là-dedans, explique Kym Champagne.

It is complicated.I never speak to the same person.There was a little voice that said to me: "They are not correct." Ce n’est pas normal qu’ils ne puissent rien faire après un an et demi d'utilisation, affirme pour sa part Marc-Antoine Adam.

We have submitted these two cases to Yany Grégoire, full professor at HEC Montréal and holder of the Omer Deserres Commerce Chair.

Selon lui, les politiques de Brault & Martineau risquent de lui coûter la loyauté des clients.He believes that the company deprives itself of an important moment of truth towards its customers.

"When there is a good recovery of services, customers will often become more faithful than they were before.This is something we have been teaching since the early 1980s.[...] Je mets vraiment[Brault et Martineau] dans l'école de pensée qu'on ne recommande pas, qu'on n'enseigne pas.»»

— Une citation deYany Grégoire, professeur titulaire, HEC Montréal, titulaire de la Chaire de commerce Omer DeSerres

Peu importe comment Brault & Martineau perçoit les plaintes, l’entreprise doit garantir la qualité des biens qu’elle vend.This is called the legal guarantee.

Sylvie de Bellefeuille is a consumer optional lawyer. Selon elle, la garantie légale est unegarantie du gros bon sens, puisque les biens doivent pouvoir servir pour une durée raisonnable, compte tenu du prix et de l'usage que le consommateur en fait.

Mais Brault & Martineau renvoie la balle au manufacturier.

They said they sent my request to the manufacturer.It was long, supports Marc-Antoine Adam.Just this step, it took three months.

Who must reimburse, replace or even repair damaged goods, the seller or the manufacturer?Both are responsible, replied Sylvie de Bellefeuille. Elle ajoute quela limite va être la patience du consommateur à travers tout ça.

After months of waiting, Kym Champagne has enough. Elle décide de poursuivre la société mère de Brault & Martineau, BMTC.

Kym Champagne's dining table is cracked in several places.

Photo: Radio-Canada / Jean-Luc Bouchard

BMTC se défend par écrit et soutient queDans chacune de ces demandes de service Bmtc[sic] a agi avec diligence[...] by proposing an exchange of the defective property or a repair.

But the proposed solutions take time.Some items are out of stock.Kym Champagne has even received a wooden board to repair its bed base itself.

"Yes, at customer service, they apologize.They are sorry, they try to compensate you.But at the end of the line, it's been eight months, then I'm at the same point as a day when I opened my things.»»

— Une citation deKym Champagne

Pour mettre un terme à la poursuite, Brault & Martineau change de stratégie.The company proposes to cancel the sale, that is to say to resume furniture and reimburse it.

This is exactly what Kym Champagne would have liked at the start of the process.But the offer arrives too late.She wants to be compensated for all the disadvantages she has undergone.

A chair spring that did not hold out after a few months of use.

Photo: Radio-Canada

Professor Yany Grégoire is not surprised by this kind of reaction.

« Le problème de ce modèle d'affaires que prend Brault & Martineau, c'est que ça amène des réponses très agressives, négatives, de vengeance de leurs consommateurs.That makes it a firm that is always in crisis mode. C'est sûr qu'il va y avoir des coûts pour Brault & Martineau.»»

— Une citation deYany Grégoire

Quant àMarc-Antoine, Brault & Martineau lui fait une offre : un rabais de 1000 $ en magasin.But according to him, this is a false solution, because his new sofa costs almost $ 1,700.He will therefore have to pay the difference in his pocket to replace his damaged piece of furniture.

"It was the drop that overflowed the vase.I didn't accept to be treated like that. C'est là que j'ai fait une plainte à l’OPC[Office de la protection du consommateur].I asked for a mediator.»»

— Une citation deMarc-Antoine Adam

Finalement, Marc-Antoine et Brault & Martineau s’entendent.He will pay $ 200 in exchange for a new modular sofa.The regulations occurred seven months after the breakage.

"It looks like that's what they want.That the world is tinking, then that it lets do it because it is too complicated.Fight for seven months, it has to tempt you.But I am a batter.»»

— Une citation deMarc-Antoine Adam

Nous avons tenté de joindre Brault & Martineau et la société mère BMTC par courriels et messages vocaux.We have not obtained an answer to our interview requests.

The report by Jean-Luc Bouchard will be presented on the program La invoice, broadcast Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. (HAE) on ICI Radio-Canada Télé.