What brand? It's very possible that the pads you had installed fade easily and that, when the brake work was done, air entered the brake lines....causing mushiness and a lack of pressure under heavy braking. Or there may be a more serious issue, that was not created by the recent brake work. In terms of other SVT Contours having recurring brake issues, I haven't heard of any to date...
I'm glad you have become a brake expert, all those phone calls paid off.
