This is a two part issue...the first leads to the second. It'll make sense once you read it.
Our GE Profile fridge wasn't very cool for several days...so I called Sears. They came when they said they would...and diagnosed the issue as a burnt out fan motor. Ok. No problem. A new one was ordered - and installed within a few days. I'm happy thus far.
Several months go by...and the fridge starts making a wonky grinding kind of noise. I call Sears and they are able to send someone over right away. So far - so good.
So...the repair guy empties out the fridge and takes it apart...only to discover that there is a lot of ice build up....and it's starting to impede the fan blade. The solution? Remove the motor....and pour a bunch of hot water to melt all the ice. I paid for a service call....and repair time to watch a guy melt ice? Well. Ok...if it works...it works...and it doesn't cost me any additional parts. I guess I'm okay.
A week later? I am not ok. The fridge is making the same funky noise....so I open it up myself and discover that yep....lots of ice build up. I employ the same tactic the repair guy used....but I was really mad that I paid over $85 for a 'problem' to be fixed...only to have it happen again within a week. I felt ripped off.
So...I called Sears...and told them the deal - and that I wanted the labour portion of the service call refunded. Not the money spent for having th guy show up - that's a standard fee...and he did show up. I wanted the money back for the non-repair issue. What a joke!
The Sears call centre people are the most aggravating human beings in the world to deal with. I told them time and time again that I didn't want yet another guy to come out. They obviously couldn't fix it...so I didn't want them in the house. Besides - I can melt ice...it aint' hard....and I have better things to do than wait around during a 3-4 hr service window for someone to show up. Sears out right refused to do anything for me. I was on the phone for nearly an 3 hours (over the span of a few calls)...and kept getting passed along from person to person. My apologies to the last person I spoke too that day....I finally lost it - and told them right off. But after hours of getting jerked around - I had had enough.
So. I slammed the phone down. And thought...now what do I do? My fridge is messed up (it still is by the way...I have to defrost it every week now)...and I got ripped off! So....I posted some comments on Sears' twitter feed...and on their Facebook wall. Got some more Mickey Mouse responses....please send us your info - and we'll look into it. Yeah. Sure. Because you're better than your call center?
When I get mad - I get on a mission. I went straight to the top. I found out the name of the CEO from the Sears annual report....and I called him directly. It's easy to go through the switchboard when you have the spelling for the name you're after. Sadly Dene Rogers didn't answer my call....but I did leave a calm message detailing my complete and utter dissatisfaction. The CEO's admin asst' called me within 2 hrs to refund the portion of the money I was looking for.
Would I recommend Sears? Maybe. Kind of. Not my first choice. I still have to fix my fridge myself every week or so...and I was really torqued at the level of frustration and BS I had to go through to get a partial refund.
I also cancelled my Sears card....they'll have to make a pretty good offer to get me back on one. Way to go Sears. The cost of reaquiring me as a customer is certainly going to be more than the $86 I was looking to have refunded. For the $86 it cost you...it'll cost you $100s now to ever get to me get a Sears card again. Do you guys even understand lifetime value of a customer? And the cost of a cheesed off customer? Get with it! Or move over for a retailer that gets it.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $250.00