LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – Chips and cracks in auto glass are common this time of year as rock salt, asphalt and other road hazards hit windshields. That's what city officials believe is behind a new marketing strategy by an auto glass company in which representatives are going door to door soliciting business. The only problem is that the city says the company isn't playing by the rules.
Just about everybody we talked to in a Butchertown neighborhood says they saw two men come through last month identifying problems with their windshields. According to one resident, the men even told him they were contracted by the city because the city's salt trucks caused so much damage. However we discovered their story wasn't true and that they were not legally allowed to conduct business that way in Louisville.
“Right here. Little spot right there,” said Roy Parker, pointing at a centimeter-sized spot on his windshield. Parker said the chip brought strangers to his front door in mid-February. “They said ‘you need a new windshield,’” said Parker. When Parker called his own insurance agent he sent another auto glass company to fix the chip with a little resin. Parker showed us documents indicating the company was Coast to Coast Autoglass, LLC.
We called the representative who showed up at Roy Parker's house who told us he was licensed by the city to solicit on behalf of the company, but Metro Louisville’s Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits says Coast to Coast Auto Glass does not have a license to solicit, as required by city ordinance.
We called their customer service number, which referred us to a Louisville company called New Horizons Advertising, which was said to be Coast to Coast Auto Glass’ local sales office. Neighbors of their office in a St. Matthews business park say they haven't been seen for months. They also didn't answer their phone, when we made repeated calls.
“I don't think they ought to be allowed to solicit,” said Parker, “they went all up and down this street.”
“They stopped and asked if we had any window damage on our cars from getting hit by salt trucks,” said Stacey Mattingly.
He and his twin brother, Tracey Mattingly, say they originally thought the men were staking out the neighborhood to burglarize homes. “Never showed me an identification, never showed me who they work for,” said Stacey Mattingly.
“No truck with a logo. If I remember correctly, it was just an S.U.V. type vehicle. No tools, no nothing,” said Tracey Mattingly.
Todd Hoffman is General Manager of the Louisville Safelite office. He says glass companies like Coast to Coast Auto Glass target states where there are no deductibles for auto glass repair, like in Kentucky.
“They're popping up all over,” said Hoffman, “we've seen them at the malls, we've seen them at car washes, going door to door. It's happened to me. It's happened to several of my employees.”
“Do what you tell your kids,” said Stacey Mattingly, “don't talk to people you don't know. If you didn't call them, don't talk to them.”
Several complaints have been filed against Coast to Coast Auto Glass in other states, but they've only been active in Louisville for a few months so the Better Business Bureau doesn't have an reports concerning them.
After we brought the issue to the attention of IPL Director Jim Mims, he told us he would contact the company to make sure its representatives come into compliance before continuing to operate in Louisville.
The Coast to Coast Auto Glass corporate office later contacted us by e-mail saying it was no longer working with the marking company and will thoroughly investigate any customer complaints.
