How many Sears representatives DOES it take to screw a dissatisfied customer...DAMMIT?

[This entry is cross-posted with Moms Speak Up]

This is an emergency, people - quick, somebody call Ty Pennington - we seem to have a severe laundry backup!

Now, I'm NOT the type of person who likes to complain - heaven knows, my mommy ears are VERY tired already - but, our nearly new dryer broke two weeks ago and it's STILL not fixed DAMMIT!

Did I mention, we've got 6 people living in our house?

Last week, The Boy (he's 9) had a wicked stomach virus and threw up 11 times, on Thursday - I know, my 6-year-old was home sick with a fever and was good enough to count it for me - oh, and...DAMMIT...our nearly new dryer STILL doesn't work!?!?

Not for the lack of trying - we've got the service center on speed dial - but, it seems that reliable customer service is the last thing on Sears' mind.

As far as my family and I are concerned - yes, they ALL know and are just as surprised our new dryer doesn't work - it's time we aired out the dirty laundry and let you know....Sears sucks!

I can't tell you HOW pissed I am, right now....DAMMIT....but, at least I can show you!

[see above photo]

My husband Garth (not his real name) wrote Sears this letter on Saturday:

In January 2007, my wife and I purchased a Kenmore washer and dryer in your [town omitted] NJ K-Mart store.

The dryer broke this year literally on the last day of the warranty - had the machine broken one day later, we would have been out of luck.

How does a $1000 dryer break after 12 months?

Not only did it break, it was the "control panel" which is electronic; its not even a moving part!

Following my call for service, we waited almost a week for an appointment with a technician.  He had to order a new "control panel" and he told us it can take up to two weeks to get the part and then another waiting period to get it installed.

Waiting two to three weeks for a repair to a dryer is an inconvenience and a major expense.  We have six people in our home and I had to use a laundromat for thirty dollars last week and I'll be doing it again this week.

I find it incomprehensible that a firm the size of Sears Holdings does not have repair components for a recent model appliance on the truck or at the local repair center.   

We purposely shopped for a better quality product and we thought Kenmore was the answer, but obviously we were wrong.   This is not an isolated issue for Kenmore either.  We bought our stove at Sears a couple of years ago and it needed a new brain after only a few months too.   

My mother bought all Kenmore appliances as I grew up and nothing else. She raised five kids and worked her machines into the ground, but they always lasted years and made you feel you got your money's worth.  Apparently, that ethic is gone and Kenmore is relying on its reputation to squeeze out more money by using inferior parts in machines selling at premium prices.

I feel cheated and I will be sure to tell everyone I know about my experience.

Guess what?

The part was delivered and replaced by another repairman. within a week.

Surprised?

Me too.

Until, it broke AGAIN.

This time, the buttons on the "newly installed control panel" stick and the dryer starts up...arbitrarily...and will work on "touch up" mode ONLY.

The 1st repairman was back, today - we asked Sears NOT to send the 2nd repairman, who was rude, obnoxious and dismissive toward my insisting that he re-attach the vent and left the repair call with a non-functional dryer - and the dryer is now fixed, sort of.

The repairman unstuck the "touch up" button - not to mention, declared the machine exorcised of all arbitrary behavior- but, the "control panel" is still not lining up, properly.

Sears' response, thus far?

Dear Mr. Garth (not his real name) Thompson,

Thank you for your recent correspondence.  We are always interested in hearing
from our customers, but regret it was this type of situation that prompted
you to contact us.  Please accept our apology for any inconvenience you may
have encountered.

We will contact the Store Coach and will share your concerns.  We do not have a phone number for contact so if you would provide this to us we will forward this to the K-Mart store as well.  They should be contacting you within the next two business days.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us.  We appreciate your business and
value you as a Sears Holdings customer.  We certainly hope you will continue
to make Sears Holdings your choice for quality and value.

Sincerely,

Jerry T.
Sears Holdings Corporation

Did I mention, we are dryer-less, K-Mart is NOT the problem and - since, they don't offer repairs service and YOU do - I really don't see how they (K-Mart) can help?

Unless, the "Store Coach" can help us in catching up with ALL the dirty laundry!

Heads up, Sears - I'm telling my friends, and they'll tell their friends....and so on...and so on - this mommyblogger is SO talking!

Since, you know, Garth (not his real name) doesn't have a blog!

© 2008 This Full House - All Rights Reserved.

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Comments

[FireMom]

I'd be jacked.

[Jamie]

That sucks. :(

We bought a Kenmore "Elite" (har dee har har) refrigerator at our local Sears outlet here in Nashville and it died this summer while we were in Florida, but of course. Any way, it was no longer on warranty and we had actually had it repaired a few years ago and it was only seven years old.

You tell 'em sister! I was raised to believe that Kenmore was the best, too.

[Laura]

Awwww, I feel so sorry for you; but definitely understand your pain.

Our refrigerator was finally replaced. I called the property manager of our house on a Saturday evening, she was out of town. She spoke immediately with her maintenance guy, but it took until Wednesday morning. All I can say is thankfully is was cold enough at night. Our food was in coolers..ugh...it was a pain.

Good luck! There is a bright side though; it was the dryer, not the washer. :)

[Donna]

I had similar experiences with Sears repair people. I don't use them any more and won't buy my appliances from them, either.

Good for you for posting about it! (And I'm so sorry!)

[Reluctant Housewife]

Wow, that's terrible. Sears = ew. (how's that for a deep thought?)

Laundry is my #1 housework-related nemesis. We have to share a communal washer/dryer with everyone that lives on the same floor as us in our building. The other day I went to the laundry-room mid-cycle to check on my laundry and someone had taken half of my almost dry clothes out of the dryer and piled them in the washer on top my half washed clothes in a drum full of soapy water. Then they left the doors on both machines open. Argh!

So, needless to say, we'll be in the market for a washer and dryer as soon as we get a place that'll accommodate them. And when we shop around, we'll heed your advice - no Sears!

[feefifoto]

Consumer Reports still insists that Sears appliances are among the best, yet I've had similar problems with products and service. My washer rusted out in less than five years; I waited at home an entire day for delivery of the replacement and Sears never bothered to call me to tell me they'd rescheduled my delivery for two days later.

[Liz]

My dear Reluctant Housewife: Holy crap, we did the communal laundry thing for a week and it nearly killed us - not to mention, used up most of our milk money - I hear you!

Sears, do you?

[Believer in Balance]

As you know, I can TOTALLY relate! They're demons! I will NEVER spend another cent in SEARS for as long as I live. And I've ordered my kids to do the same!

[JayMonster]

The forwarding of the information to the store is in this case the correct step. You do realize of course that K-Mart acquired Sears, correct? So the assertion that it is not K-mart's fault but Sears is somewhat misguided. Yes, it is the "Sears" name that is on the side of the repair trucks, but the company is still one in the same (unfortunately).

That being said, the rest of the scenario (and your comments) are quick (sadly) accurate. I also came from a home where Kenmore was THE trusted name. But unfortunately, for people like us, this only guides us into a false sense of security when it comes to brands like Kenmore, because (like almost everything else), those brand names are similar to what we remember in name only.

The sad part is, there is no easy answer, because no matter where you turn, you wind up with similar types of problems, other brands, GE, Westinghouse, Maytag, Magic Chef, etc. are for the most part a mere shell of the companies they used to be as everybody has gone to oversea manufacturing suppliers. Unless you can afford Viking or SubZero (I can't, so it is entirely possible problems plague them as well, but somehow I doubt it), you run the risk of these problems with any of them. As one commenter previously mentioned, Sears is still among Consumer Reports Top brands... there is a reason for that. Customer Service is a lost art for all these companies.

On the other side of the coin, what do you expect from a company that reports a 99% drop in profits.(http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2007-11-29-sears_N.htm) Obviously something is seriously wrong at Sears Holdings.

[Liz]

Hi JayMonster,

Yes, I do know that K-Mart acquired Sears; however, our inquiries were forwarded to the Sears service department.

It sounds like I am not the only one who's having customer service and product reliability issues.

Heaven knows, I would LOVE to be able to buy into Viking and SubZero - since, they seem to have a pretty good market going with the cooking shows on television - but, we paid nearly $2,000 for the washer and dryer (thanks to a tax refund) and that is a whole LOT of money, for anyone, I think.

You right, I don't see an easy way out of this problem, either.

I want some answers, DAMMIT and hold companies, like Sears, responsible for selling expensive crap that does NOT work!

Some people may think this post a rant - I certainly do - but, I guess you can also call it word-of-mouth-unmarketing.

Thanks for your insights!

[rebecca]

this sounds like the conversation I'm having with my HMO!!!!