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Ready Refresh Water: Dumb Ass, Stupid Management

Ready Refresh Water: Dumb Ass, Stupid Management

The water supplier Poland Spring was in a scandal years ago with claims that it was using simple ground water for its product after its natural springs ran dry. Nestlé owned Poland Springs and suddenly changed our water deliveries at home to a company they own called Ready Refresh. Then things began to deteriorate.

A couple of months ago we needed to order more water, which we had always done when needed, but I found myself talking to someone with a very thick accent and very poor English in the Philippines, or Cambodia, or somewhere in Asia. What she eventually told me—after a lengthy wait listening to music, and then a further wait while she consulted someone else—was that it would be two weeks. That was that, no exceptions.

So I wrote to Henrik Jelert, the Ready Refresh CEO, to tell him that was not our normal servicing support, and his representative was almost incomprehensible, and I was firing them. He, of course, never deigned to reply, but two weeks later—after I had fired Ready Refresh and chose a very reliable new company, Crystal Rock, with phone reps in the US and the ability to change my deliveries online—a woman named Janet from Ready Refresh left a message (on the wrong phone number) asking if she could help with some problem I was having. I called her back, and this happened three more times: She was never available, and just to get to her voice mail took eight minutes.

Companies fail because of dumb ass, stupid management, like faking their products and faking their service.

Written by

Alan Weiss is a consultant, speaker, and author of over 60 books. His consulting firm, Summit Consulting Group, Inc., has attracted clients from over 500 leading organizations around the world.

Comments: 8

  • Jolene Portegys

    January 31, 2024

    Purchased Lumina Bottom-Load Dispenser from Ready Refresh for $300, but after 11 months, it broke. They replaced it with a new one. Seven months later the red air connector to the inlet cap broke (because its plastic). They will not replace this one because of the “original warranty” on the first unit that broke is past its warranty. They offered me 6-months free RENTAL on a new dispenser but begin paying monthly rental after that, or 50% discount PURCHASE PRICE on a 3rd dispenser. Never mind that I have already spent $300.
    After 42 minutes of I’m sorry, but…., a lot of music, and 3 representatives that was all they would do.
    I proposed they give me a new Bottom-Load Dispenser (I’m 73 years old and cannot lift those bottles anymore) FREE with new 1-year warranty to maintain my business. I asked Ashley to give call me within a few days if that was acceptable, or I will go to another water company. We shall see what value they have on maintaining their customers!

  • Minister Edward

    February 4, 2024

    As I am experiencing at this very moment: 2/4/2024. I am sending everything back to them and demanding the $99 yearly membership “fee” as I just paid it 2 weeks ago

  • Alan in Chicago

    May 9, 2024

    I used Ready Refresh for about a year. When it works, it works, but if you need to contact them for any reason, it’s awful. It got worse as time went on, and eventually even scheduled (normal) deliveries would be delayed 1-2 weeks. I am very glad I got my softening/filtration system running and no longer need to depend on delivery services.

    “Dumb ass, stupid management” is exactly how I’d describe it. Glad to hear you made it out as well.

  • Kim

    September 18, 2024

    I cancelled my service with this company after 8 rescheduled deliveries (not my doing). Now that I have cancelled, they are now rescheduling pickup dates (3x so far) for the water coolers. They told me to leave it outside for them to pick up. It’s been out there for three days. I hope someone steals it at this point.

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