sears service department bewilders me

[Val]

We bought a new refrigerator three weeks ago (it was our anniversary present- 20 years today, btw)...water line and ice maker wouldn't work. Delivery guy says it has to "run a gallon or so through to clear the line"....for three weeks we have been told this (if we COULD get a gallon to go through- nothing but dribbles!). Today we call again- get bounced back and forth between service and delivery for 40 minutes, finally get a three-way call goint\g. Demanded that a service person take a look at it- no appointments available until the 7th at the earliest. That is too long for me, got a little emphatic and stern but polite-remember we have been dealing with this for three weeks. I say find me something sooner. No go (real witch of a service person, too-snide remarks to me about why I am so concerned about needing refrigerator water, haven't I heard of a faucet). The delivery person then says, wait, they will REPLACE the whole thing tomorrow?!? What? rather than spend $50 on sending a plumber (okay, maybe $100) to clear the line, Sears eats the $1500 to replace the refrigerator? Now, I am sure they will resell- but still. I just don't get it. Then, to top it all off, the service person says "have a happy new year"- I say, "thank you and you too!". Her reply- "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to the delivery rep- screw you".....can you believe it? So much for service these days.....guess I don't mind taking that replacement fridge after all.

 

[kbkids]

Stuff like that makes me immediately call supervisors. Even had you been rude, that does not give her the right to be so ugly.

Had my insurance adjustor talk to me like that once. Vehicle was ready at body shop but couldn't get insurance adjustor to call them back, would I please try? I call and proceed to tell her what I was told, and she interrupts, "Well, they haven't called me!!" Okay - "Will you please give me your direct line then so they can do so?" "Uh, you dialed it, didn't you?" "No, I dialed the 800 number who transferred me to you, and now I need you to transfer me to your supervisor." Click. No problem, just dialed the 800 number back who had no problem transferring me to the supervisor, who assured me the check would be at the body shop within the hour and the adjustor would be taken care of. Was back on the road again within the hour and on my way to the nearest insurance office to change companies.

 

[Tina]

Screw you????? Did she actually say that??? I would tell them to forget the replacement and to just come get the fridge and give you a refund. I would then write a letter to the company telling them what happened and why you are now shopping elsewhere!! I would then go buy another fridge somewhere else!!

 

[Chicago526]

Was back on the road again within the hour and on my way to the nearest insurance office to change companies.

Not to hijack the thread, but I'm surprised you switched, the supervisor took care of the problem instantly. Now if the supervisor had caused you problems, that I could see. But why the switch?

 

[kbkids]

Not to hijack the thread, but I'm surprised you switched, the supervisor took care of the problem instantly. Now if the supervisor had caused you problems, that I could see. But why the switch?

Just one among many problems that we had with the company. Pretty much the straw that broke the camel's back. Not to mention that new company was $400 a year cheaper.

 

[floridafam]

She actually said "screw you?"

 

[Chicago526]

Just one among many problems that we had with the company. Pretty much the straw that broke the camel's back. Not to mention that new company was $400 a year cheaper.

Yup, that'll do it! Sounds like that supervisor should find another company to work for, their good work may be wasted there!

 

[Val]

Did call the supervisor, got an apology and again an offer to replace the fridge tomorrow. Guess I will take the new fridge. While I am complaining about Sears right now, I don't think Sears is alone in the poor service department. Somehow we have exchanged service in this country for better pricing- be it at McDonald's, airlines, or your local appliance store. We have started to go more and more with local family-owned services and companies. Unfortunately, we went for the discount this time. We got a great price for a new fridge and dishwasher at Sears, but along with the great price comes poor customer service. We could have paid a lot more for new appliances from our local store, and had great customer service (but really BAD and goofy commercials!)....guess we live and learn. In hindsight, we should have just eaten the price of the service call and called our wonderful local plumber. My dear grandfather was so right: You get what you pay for!!

 

[disneymom3]

Oh PLEASE tell me you got that person's name! And that you called back and talked to a supervisor. I agree with letting them pick up the fridge and shopping somewhere else. I had a similar prob with Montgomery Wards selling me a fridge that didn't fit in the space I had for it. (We told the salesman the measurements.) Very rude supervisor on that one. Never shopped with them again.


ETA--oops, took too long posting. I see your update now.

 

[Maleficent13]

I cannot believe she actually said "screw you". Wow.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Her reply- "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to the delivery rep- screw you".....can you believe it? So much for service these days.....guess I don't mind taking that replacement fridge after all.

Excuse me?! I can't believe she said that! I would have asked to speak to her supervisor, and if she hung up on me I would have called back. That's just wrong.

 

[OhMari]

Did call the supervisor, got an apology and again an offer to replace the fridge tomorrow. Guess I will take the new fridge. While I am complaining about Sears right now, I don't think Sears is alone in the poor service department. Somehow we have exchanged service in this country for better pricing- be it at McDonald's, airlines, or your local appliance store. We have started to go more and more with local family-owned services and companies. Unfortunately, we went for the discount this time. We got a great price for a new fridge and dishwasher at Sears, but along with the great price comes poor customer service. We could have paid a lot more for new appliances from our local store, and had great customer service (but really BAD and goofy commercials!)....guess we live and learn. In hindsight, we should have just eaten the price of the service call and called our wonderful local plumber. My dear grandfather was so right: You get what you pay for!!

I would be more than willing to buy from the person that fixes all of my appliances. But he doesn't have financing-and I am terrible about saving money. I usually buy an appliance with zero % for 90 days, so I can get it paid off, or I"ll stretch it to 6 months with zero%.

 

[WIcruizer]

It's very important to realize that Sears doesn't do the installation, service work, etc. for most of the things they sell. The problem you're having is more than likely Seras, the delivery company, and the service company area all bumping responsibility back and forth.

 

[PaulaSue]

Wow!
Hope it is fixed tommm!

I am another who had a problem with Sears and new appliances. I bought 3 with the sale they had in Nov.

I don't know who they hire to man the phones but they don't get enough trainning. After many calls back I FINALLY got a service person who ACTUALLY did what they said.

It is so sad when you get more bad service helpers than good ones.

 

[mrsstats]

We have had nothing but problems with Sears service on a water softner we bought from them & they sold a service contract on. 3 appointments made & cancelled by them. It appears they do not have more than 1 tech who is familar with fixing this product. I am truly disappointed in there service now. They used to be much better years ago but then again, service anywhere was better years ago.

 

[cheerful chickadee]

wow I can't believe how rude they were to you, that's ridiculous. I don't understand people sometimes. I'm sorry you had to deal with that lousy service rep though, she should be reprimanded.

BTW my mom works at a Sears service center/shop (not on the phones, she deals with in-person customers) and replacing whole appliances rather than having it repaired is the norm for them. My mom has told me plenty of stories where people bring in a microwave and instead of fixing it they just give them a new one. On a good day she probably gives away 2 appliances for free since it's more hassle for them to send them out for repair than to just give a new one. It used to be different, they used to have a shop with techs there and 15 or so outbound technicians that went out to people's houses to repair appliances but over the past 5 years they've closed their shop, laid off the in-shop techs and laid off half of the outbound techs. Now the only thing that generally gets service techs to come to you are treadmills, heating and cooling, fridges and washers and dryers. The rest of the appliances have to be sent to larger service centers to be repaired which could take up to a month! Now with the Kmart takeover it will get worse.

A lot of appliance makers these days price their parts outrageously high so that people will just buy new units instead of repairing them. DH works at a place that orders appliance parts for people and the microwave tray alone can run up to $70, the tiny roller wheels on a dishwasher rack run at $11 a piece on some models (most need 8 wheels btw). It's gotten ridiculous. A new rack starts at $90. Ridiculous.

sorry this got hijacked! lol