# The Real Test of Customer Service Begins After the Sale
I don't write negative reviews lightly.
In fact, this review exists because I gave Mermaid Pools every opportunity to make this right. I waited patiently, communicated professionally, and repeatedly chose private conversations over public criticism.
Nearly a year later, I still don't have the spa I paid for.
This review isn't about a technician making a mistake.
Mistakes happen.
It's about what happened after the mistake--and what that says about Mermaid Pools' commitment to customer service.
In November 2025, a Mermaid Pools technician incorrectly installed the cover lift on our brand-new Signature Spa. The error left multiple unnecessary drill holes in the side panel. The technician acknowledged the mistake immediately, and we were assured a replacement panel would be ordered and installed in the spring.
That sounded perfectly reasonable.
Unfortunately, that was the last part of this experience that was.
Over the following months, communication became a constant struggle. Phone calls went unanswered. Messages weren't returned. Updates almost always came only after I reached out first.
The explanation continually changed.
The panel was coming.
The panel wasn't coming.
The shipment had been delayed.
The shipment had arrived.
The panel still had to be located.
Another shipment was expected.
Another update would come next week.
This cycle repeated for months.
Eventually I contacted the Director of Operations because I could no longer get meaningful updates. To Phil's credit, he apologized several times and acknowledged that the original mistake belonged to Mermaid Pools. Unfortunately, apologies never translated into action.
When the replacement panel finally arrived, the situation somehow became even worse.
Before installation, I sent written instructions identifying exactly which panel required replacement. I even described its location relative to the control panel and drain valve because, after months of waiting, I wanted to eliminate any possibility of confusion.
Despite those instructions, the technician arrived without the tool required to cut the drain opening.
Instead of returning to the shop to retrieve the correct tool, postponing the installation, or calling his manager, he installed the panel anyway.
The new panel was scratched during installation.
The drain valve was completely covered.
Our spa could no longer be properly drained.
At that point, this was no longer a cosmetic issue.
I ultimately had to purchase my own pump simply to perform routine maintenance because the drain valve installed by the manufacturer had effectively been sealed behind the replacement panel.
What I still cannot understand is this:
Why install a panel that you know cannot be completed properly?
Why wasn't the technician prepared?
Why wasn't the damaged panel rejected before installation?
Why didn't anyone simply retrieve the proper tool and finish the work?
Most importantly...
Why has no one returned in the three months since to complete what should have been a straightforward repair?
Those are management failures, not manufacturing delays.
Throughout this process I repeatedly heard that the manufacturer was responsible for delays.
Perhaps they were.
But I didn't purchase my spa from the manufacturer.
I purchased it from Mermaid Pools.
Managing suppliers, scheduling repairs, preparing technicians, inspecting replacement parts, communicating with customers, and completing warranty work are all responsibilities that belong to the retailer.
Passing those frustrations on to the customer isn't customer service.
What disappoints me most is how preventable all of this was.
One phone call.
One honest update.
One technician arriving with the correct tools.
One manager insisting that incomplete work not be left behind.
Any one of those things would likely have prevented this review.
Instead, nearly a year after Mermaid Pools damaged a brand-new spa during installation, I am still waiting for the repair to be completed.
For a purchase approaching $20,000, that is simply unacceptable.
Ironically, the sales experience was excellent.
The after-sales experience has been one of the most frustrating customer service experiences I've encountered with any major purchase.
I have retained the complete email correspondence documenting this entire timeline. Every promise, every delay, every apology, and every missed commitment is documented.
If you're considering purchasing from Mermaid Pools, don't judge them solely by the showroom experience.
Ask them what happens after something goes wrong.
That's when you'll discover what kind of company they really are. read more
