Whirlpool Canada

I am writing today because HomeStars says they allow responses from the companies and I am hoping that someone at Whirlpool corporate head office in Canada will respond.

I live in Toronto. My Whirlpool oven stopped working and I made an appointment for service. I waited 4 hours. No one showed up. I phoned Whirlpool. It turns out that the dispatcher had incorrectly entered my phone number, so when the serviceman phoned, he got another household who said they'd never heard of Whirlpool. Such is life.

I had another appointment for this morning. I received a call from Whirlpool partway through the morning saying that that the serviceperson had called in sick and wasn't coming. Of course, I don't expect anyone to work when they're sick but I have now taken off two shifts (unpaid) from work and not yet had any service. I asked, in view of this, if they could give me a specific time for the next appointment, given that they are the ones who cancelled and as I don't get paid when I don't work and can't take a third shift off. They say no.

I ask if we could pick a day that hasn't been booked yet, in order for me to be slotted in as the first appointment of the morning. They say no. I ask why not. They say that's "not how it works". I ask if they could show any flexibility in this instance, given that they cancelled both of my appointments, inconveniencing their customer twice. They say no.

I ask them how this response fits in with their corporate culture, the one that promotes "thinking in new ways", "fostering open communication", "performing to our greatest potential". Silence.

I ask about the Whirlpool mission: "We will become a company of people captivated with creating loyal customers. From every job, across every imaginable contact, over the course of a lifetime, we will build unmatched customer loyalty. One customer at a time."

Another lengthy silence, then I'm told that all they can do is rebook the appointment (for a third time) and "if the serviceman is feeling better he will show up".

I ask if they will send another serviceman, in the case where the original serviceman has to cancel again. I don't want to risk taking a third shift off work, and having another cancelled appointment. They say no. That's not how it works.

I ask if I may speak to a supervisor. At first I'm told no, that no one else is there. I persist. I'm then transferred to a call centre in the United States. I explain it all again, ask if there's any way I can can have a guaranteed appointment. I'm told that's not how "it works".

I ask for an email address for the President of Whirlpool Canada. I'm interesting in hearing how he thinks it's supposed to "work". He, after all, must have approved the values and mission statement. The are unable to give me that information.

I search the internet for contact details for him or anyone else in corporate head office, Canada. I want to "foster open communication" on this matter but I cannot find any email addresses.

I find a phone number for the the head office in Mississauga. I call but it is an automated answering machine. I try spelling out the names of every executive who's name I have found listed online, but none of them are in that directory. The directory eventually disconnects my call.

I revisit the Whirlpool "values" page: "How we operate everyday is through our values-based strategy that represents who we are to our customers, our investors and to each other. And the way they represent the company demonstrates how we do business: the right way."

Does anyone out there have an email for someone in corporate head office? They should know about the disconnect between their "values" and "culture", and their customers.

I'm not so upset that they didn't show up for two appointments,that I lost the income for two work shifts and still haven't had my oven serviced. What's most frustrating is the robotic responses from customer service, the complete inflexibility shown despite the fact that they were responsible for both missed appointments, the utter disconnect between the company's professed corporate values and how they actually respond to customers on the day-to-day level.

I wish corporate head office would have the courage and willingness hear directly from their own customers. We can call customer service for repair issues and complaints, but where is one to go when the complaint is actually about customer service? I wish head office would adopt themselves the values they publish in their annual report and on their website.