Dateline NBC” Exposes Garage Door Technicians Precision Door of Phoenix in National Spotlight

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Dateline NBC” Exposes Garage Door Technicians Precision Door of Phoenix in National Spotlight HeadLines Today’s Top News Stories BUSTED: “Dateline NBC” Exposes Garage Door Technicians Precision Door of Phoenix in National Spotlight By Tom Wadsworth, Editor On Sunday night, May 15, “Dateline NBC” Behind the “Dateline” Cameras turned its hidden cameras on garage door The May 15 episode turned its hidden cameras technicians in a special “Hansen Files” episode on home repairmen for pool equipment, air on the reliability of home repairmen in the conditioners, and water heaters. Why did they Phoenix area. also choose garage door technicians? Two technicians were caught on camera “Nearly all homeowners have a garage attempting to sell items that the homeowner door,” said Dan Slepian, producer of the May Andy Pomroy didn’t need. Adding insult to injury, the 15 “Dateline NBC” show, “but my guess “Dateline’s” garage door expert technician from Precision Door of Phoenix is very few understand how the mechanism used profanity on camera after being exposed works or what it should cost to repair.” objective, informed, and honest expert by NBC’s Chris Hansen. He told us they selected the Phoenix area with a great reputation. Andy rose to the No, it’s not the image of our profession because a homeowner (Jenny) in Scottsdale top of that list.” that we’d like broadcast on national television was willing to open her house to their crew. to four million viewers. The taping of the garage door technicians took Fix Two Simple Problems Door & Access Systems could ignore place on March 24 and 25. Pomroy created two common and minor this story and pretend it didn’t happen. But problems that would require a service our industry can fight this problem only by Andy Pomroy, Windsor Door Sales call: (1) one photoeye was tilted so that facing it head on. Fighting the problem openly For the garage door segment, “Dateline” the two eyes were out of alignment, has been our constant approach ever since secured a garage door expert, Andy Pomroy and (2) the vacation button was pressed “Dateline NBC” first exposed the problem in of Windsor Door Sales, an IDEA-accredited to disable the remote controls. The January 2002. company in Albuquerque, N.M. Pomroy technician simply needed to press the In this feature report, we will reveal what has been in the industry for 15 years. He vacation switch and straighten the happened in this new “Dateline” episode, told us he was selected partly because he photoeye. how Precision Door has responded, and we’ll had no axe to grind against anyone in the “I’m confident that most folks in bring other key details to light. Our goal, as Phoenix market. our industry would agree it does not get always, is to lead the industry to higher levels Slepian said, “We searched across the any more basic than a lock button or a of professionalism. country for someone we thought was the most bumped photoeye,” Pomroy told us. 34 Door & Access Systems | Summer 2011 Our goal, as always, is to lead the industry to higher levels of professionalism. To make sure that nothing else was were selected from the Internet or the with them,” said Hansen on “Dateline.” needed, “Dateline” also installed a new Yellow Pages. “They are brand new.” opener on the day before the shooting. It was Shawn charged Jenny $190 for the two dusted up to look older, and Pomroy told us Eight Out of 10 photoeyes plus $35 for the service call. that a 2007 sticker was placed on the back The good news is that eight of the 10 door “In all, $225 for repairs that didn’t need to of the unit so it wouldn’t be obvious that the technicians correctly diagnosed the problem. be done,” reported Hansen. “So I sit down opener was new. Pomroy added that the door “None charged Jenny more than $75 for his with Shawn.” also had new 10-ball rollers and two new time,” reported Hansen on the show. Hansen walked into the garage, told springs installed just prior to his arrival on “There are a lot of good door people out Shawn that he’s on a “Dateline” story March 24. there,” Pomroy told us. “This is my chosen about repairmen, and accused him of Before each technician arrived, Pomroy industry; I want us all to look good.” charging Jenny for work that didn’t need to inspected the entire system to ensure that be done. “What do you say for yourself?” it was in perfect working order … except Bad Tech #1: Shawn asked Hansen. for the vacation switch and the photoeyes. Two technicians, however, didn’t look so “Nothing,” said Shawn as he hastily made Hidden cameras were placed in several good. The first one’s name was Shawn, but his exit to his truck. garage locations to capture all the action. the name of his company was not revealed on or off the air. Slepian: “We cannot provide Bad Tech #2: Rick Selecting the Technicians that information, although I can tell you that “The next day, here comes Rick from In all, Jenny called 10 garage door Shawn advertised on Craigslist.” Precision Garage Doors, an independently companies to come fix her garage door. Pomroy thought that Shawn “really owned franchise in Phoenix,” announced Pomroy didn’t help with the selection, but he didn’t know what he was doing.” Although Hansen on “Dateline.” After looking over the did send NBC a copy of “Bad Bob’s Yellow the cameras didn’t show it, Shawn was there problem, Rick came inside to break the bad Pages Scheme,” an article from our spring about 45 minutes. “He finally got on the news to Jenny. 2003 issue. phone and spoke to someone who obviously “Your circuit board’s gone bad,” Rick “We selected the companies randomly told him what to look for,” Pomroy told us. said on hidden camera. “It’s giving your through their advertisements,” said NBC’s Without telling Jenny, Shawn replaced sensors issues basically.” Slepian. Pomroy thought that the companies the photoeyes. “Remember, nothing is wrong continued on page 36 Door & Access Systems | Summer 2011 35 continued from page 35 if you want my opinion,” replied Hansen. “If Regardless of whether it was 2007 or 2011, Rick then proposed to replace the opener there’s anything else you want people to know, “Why would you replace a 2007 opener?” we and told Jenny the bill would come to $527.32. we’d be happy to hear it.” asked Hoffman. “That opener should be fine.” “Five hundred and twenty-seven dollars to “You should be busy out finding replace a perfectly working garage door opener pedophiles, rather than doing this … (censored Contention #2: Force Settings that’s less than a week old,” said Hansen’s by NBC),” said Rick, apparently in reference “Rick found that the force settings were set voiceover on “Dateline.” “I head downstairs to to Hansen’s long-running “Dateline” episodes, on 8,” he replied. “And he felt that the 1/3-HP speak with Rick.” “To Catch a Predator.” (motor) was not adequate.” As a farewell, Rick said, “Have a good … “So, why didn’t he just reset the force Trapped in the Garage (censored by NBC) … day.” settings?” we asked. On hidden camera, Hansen entered the garage Hansen: “You, too.” “With some openers, you can’t adjust the and asked Rick to explain the problem. “The force settings,” Hoffman said. “So he felt that circuit board is starting to have issues,” Precision Door Responds the circuit board was not working properly. explained Rick. “… It’s causing the sensors to On May 16, the day after the show aired, It’s a subjective call.” burn out.” we called Precision Door of Phoenix to Yet, if Rick could tell that the force setting Rick walked over to one of the photoeyes get their side of the story. We talked with was on 8, it was probably not an opener that and kicked it off with his foot. Frank Hoffman, the general manager, who has self-learning force settings. “And what did you just do there?” asked admitted that the technician (Rick) “behaved Andy Pomroy doubted that the force Hansen, still on hidden camera. unprofessionally … he should’ve never settings were on 8. He believed they were set “I’ve taken these sensors off. You’re swore.” But Hoffman adamantly contended, on 2 or 3. getting new ones,” Rick confidently “We handled the diagnosis correctly.” In addition, “We tested the door after each announced. Hoffman had three claims that weren’t (technician’s) visit to see if it would reverse “So the whole thing is shot then?” shown on the “Dateline” episode: (1) The properly,” said Pomroy. “If it had been set on asked Hansen. opener was not new; it was a 2007 model. (2) 8, it would’ve failed that reverse test.” “It’s going, yeah, it’s not worth … it’s not The force settings were set on 8, both for up worth repairing,” said Rick. and down. (3) The opener had a 1/3-HP motor, continued on page 38 With Rick on a ladder at the opener, but “it should be a 1/2-HP.” Hansen finally came to the point: “You want to know what I think? I think you are trying Contention #1: A 2007 Model to replace something that is working perfectly Since “Dateline” put a 2007 sticker on the well,” said Hansen. back, we could understand why Hoffman “But it’s not,” objected Rick. contended that the opener was four years Still on hidden camera, Hansen said, old.
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