Service Experience with Sears

[Alan H]

I'm going to write nothing in this post but facts...no opinions, nothing. This is just plain facts, including a Sears Call ticket #. If anybody wants the other call center techs # I will happily look it up for them. Ditto for our purchase receipt #. Those who read the post can take it as they will.

Joan and I bought a Kenmore HE2t front-loading washer from the Sears store in Palo Alto, California on December 28th, 2008. As you may know, front-loading washers are well-known for saving water and energy. When our old washer gave up the ghost, we decided to upgrade to a greener alternative and chose this model based on favorable energy star and water consumption ratings. Front loading washers spin very, very fast during the spin cycle, which is one reason the clothes come out drier, and don't take as long to dry as with a normal top-loading machine.

The machine was installed by Sears technicians. It does not have excessive vibration. The washing machine is covered by a one-year parts and labor warranty. You can opt to purchase an extended warranty if you wish, which we did at the end of May 2009.. To request service you call Sears scheduling line at 1-800-4 MY-HOME

Around the end of April, I noticed that the washing machine, which had been nearly silent in its operation, was getting louder during the spin cycle. In mid May I called Sears to schedule a repair visit, covered under the warranty. This has been the track record of Sears responses to my requested service calls.

1. First Call... I called the 800 number and requested a service call. I was scheduled for the following day from 8 AM - 12 noon. At 10:30 I got an automated call, not an actual person, telling me that the technician was running behind and to please call the 800 number to reschedule.

2. The next day I called the 1-800-4 MY-HOME number to reschedule. I was scheduled for the next day, 8 AM - 12 noon. After missing the first visit, you'd think that they might be kind of "on "it, right? No. I left and went to work at 11:45...no call from Sears, no visit. I checked our telephone messages when I got home that evening, nobody from Sears ever called that day, at all.

3. I was so angry that while at work I called the 1-800-4 MY-HOME number and gave the person on the end of the line a piece of my ind. They then escalated me to people at this number. 1(800)479-6351. Once connected there, I talked to "GARY", his service number is 64860. Gary opened a case # for me, which is 2640951. After giving Gary some serious heat, Gary was kind enough to actually call the field tech on the telephone and re-schedule me for that night...his last call of the day. Even though I'd now been to work late two days on account of Sears issues, I agreed to go home early to meet the technician.

Joan was home from 4:00 - 6:30. I got home at 6:10. No Sears technician called, no Sears technician came by. Stood up for the THIRD TIME.

4. I now called Sears AGAIN at 1-800-4 MY-HOME and as you might expect I wasn't very nice. The guy on the phone refused to escalate me to anybody who might help me, and instead, insisted that all he could do was schedule me for another 4-hour window. NOT acceptable. I then called the (800)479-6351 number and got a different person from Gary, her name was Latisha. Latisha assured me that I would be the first person on the next morning call list....I would be the first person they would visit.

The KILLER? The person at 1-800-4 MY-HOME told me that the Sears field tech had reported that he'd come by, and called and that nobody was home!!!! The Tech LIED about our being there. Not only was somebody home from 4:00 PM onwards, but we have a recording machine on our telephone, and no message was left.

The next morning...8:00...9:00...10:00 no Sears guy, no call. I finally got ready to leave for work at 11:15. The phone rang, and the guy said he'd be over in 15 minutes. I asked him if he had anything on his schedule that said that I was to be the first call of the day. No, he had nothing. I asked him if he had anything on his schedule that warned him that he was going to be dealing with a customer who was boiling mad at Sears. No, he had nothing like that. I told him I didn't want his visit, to go see his next customer, I'd had enough of waiting around for Sears and I had to go to work.

5. After learning from an independent appliance repair tech that service done on the machine by a non-Sears tech would invalidate the warranty on the electronics, last night I called ONE more time for a Sears service call. I called 1-800-4 MY-HOME. I was quite cold, but not rude. We were scheduled for 8:00 - 12:00 again. AGAIN I asked to be the first call of the morning, and was told that my request would be put on the schedule. I finally left for work at 11:15 today. Joan was home. 12:00 has come and gone...no call from Sears, no appliance technician at the doorstep..


Five Service Call requests from Sears.......and I've been stood up FIVE times