SHEPHERD — After a powerful hailstorm damaged homes in Shepherd earlier this month, many residents were left looking for costly repairs. But for 72-year-old Connie Halvorsen, the real damage came from what happened after.
Listen to the full story below of a Shepherd woman's experience with aggressive door-to-door salespeople:
Halvorsen only received minor damage from the storm, noticing one of her windows leaking. After several calls, a local repair company was scheduled to come to her home and give her an estimate on the window, but what followed quickly turned into an aggressive, hours-long sales pitch.
Related: Shepherd residents face severe destruction after Monday storm
“Very invasive procedure. Boundaries were definitely crossed that should not have been,” said Halvorsen.
A door-to-door salesperson from a Billings-based window company, which Halvorsen did not wish to publicly name, came to her home offering an estimate. The company representative had no business card, no visible ID, and was adamant about entering the home. She offered a quote of over $36,000 to replace eight windows, but she later dropped to $30,000 after repeated phone calls to her manager. Halvorsen said the woman kept pushing for a down payment of more than $8,000.
"She was very aggressive, very assertive. She was professional, I'll give her credit. She did a really good job at trying to sell me a product that I did not want or need," recalled Halvorsen.
The quote shocked Halvorsen, who had paid just slightly more than that for a full home exterior renovation in 2019, including windows, siding, and a new roof. Halvorsen did not agree with the woman's assessment of damages in justifying replacing all the windows.
“She was very aggressive about me giving her a down payment, mentioned it numerous times," said Halvorsen. "I know the routine, I know what to expect, and I also know that I have the right to say no.”
After several hours, the sales representative finally left. Two days later, two more representatives from the same company were at her door attempting similar tactics.
"She tried to push her way into the house, even with my dogs there, and I just told her, 'No, we'll meet out on the porch,'" said Halvorsen. "They kept on trying to discuss it, and I said, 'I think you people need to leave, and you need to leave now.'"
Halvorsen said has also seen a spike in other companies cruising her neighborhood since the storm, inspecting roofs from the road, and leaving marketing materials in mailboxes, which she noted is illegal under federal law.
“I don't like people that really try and high-pressure anybody. It's not fair, and it's not right. It's not ethical," said Halvorsen. "Will I ever do business with that particular company? Absolutely not."
Halvorsen's experience is not uncommon, especially after natural disasters, when homeowners need urgent repairs and may be feeling vulnerable.
Related: Montanans share advice for hiring contractors after large hailstorms
In Billings, city ordinance requires that solicitors carry a valid business license, though a badge is not required, according to Business License Administrator Joanne Rindahl. Harassment and intimidation are illegal under city code, including entering someone’s property after being told to leave and pressuring someone after they have declined services.
In unincorporated Yellowstone County, where Halvorsen lives, those protections do not always apply. That leaves homeowners with fewer protections against door-to-door salespeople.
Halversen, a former social worker and longtime salesperson herself, said she knew what to look for and knew not to give in, but worry for others.
"Because of my experience in the field, I know that seniors are targeted, vulnerable adults are targeted, and at first I thought, 'Well, I can just blow this off,' and then I thought, 'No, this needs to be talked about because it's out there and it's happening,'" said Halvorsen.
Some of the calls she has received also raised red flags, with companies asking if she owned her home alone, whether she had decision-making capacity, or if someone else had power of attorney.
"That's really frustrating," said Halvorsen. "I'm not vulnerable enough for that to happen to me, but there are so many people out there that are in need to be protected."
Her advice to others is simple: do not give anyone money up front, ask for identification, never feel pressured to make a snap decision, and ultimately trust your gut if a situation feels invasive or manipulative.
"I will not be bullied or embarrassed or shamed into making a snap decision, and a lot of people out there can't do that. They can't defend themselves, and that's what's wrong,” said Halvorsen.
