Customer Service Blues--Beware Sears!

[Eileencc]

Guys, I need to blow off a little steam about the worst customer service experience I've ever had, and I mean terrible. Bad enough so that I want to spread the word to everone I know what a lousy customer service organization Sear ROebuck has standing behind it.

As I've mentioned here a few times, my family has been in the process of closing up and selling my mother's family home and moving her to a much smaller condo in my town. So far so good, right? Well, the new place needed a new refigerator, so a couple of weeks ago, we went to Sears (the place we've bought a number of appliances in the past--washers, dryers, refrigerators, lawn mowers, snowblowers, you name it...we always bought big appliances there.)

So we buy the fridge, a real beauty, and they agree to deliver it two days later on a Saturday. So I go to the empty condo to take delivery, and I wait, and I wait, and I wait...) They never showed up. (Or so I thought.) When I finally called the store, they said that they had tried to deliver, but no one was home. Uhhhhhh....that was the first bad sign. She lives on the third floor. They never pressed the buzzer to gain access. And they never called my cell phone to find out how to get in. OK, a mistake is a mistake, I said, so just send the guys back and I'll let them in now. Guess what, the delivery guys have already been released, and no one else can make the delivery now. Really? That's great customer service. They make the mistake, and they can't find anyone to make it right. Looking back, I should have cancelled the order right then. But...I wasn't wise....

So after talking to several people, being stuck on hold for many maddening minutes, they offer to come on Monday instead. OK, I say, Monday. So the manager comes back and says, actually Monday is no good. They're already booked for Monday. Tuesday. I said to cancel somebody's Monday delivery, since this is their mistake, and they should really make good on the Saturday delivery before any Monday delivery. Uhhh...that went nowhere. So Tuesday.

Did I mention that I work full time, and that I gotta leave the office to be at the condo to wait? Thank goodness I have a flexible boss. Anyway, I'm there at the condo on TUesday. They say between 11 and 1, So by 2:30, they still haven't shown up yet. But they called and said they were on their way. Aggggggghhhhhh! So around 3pm, two guys show up with the fridge. It's a beauty, and I'll tell you they were in and out of that condo in 3 minutes flat. They plug it in untape the two outer doors and they are gone.

So aggravated at the experience, but happy with the firdge, I turn out the lights in the condo and run back to work. Wednesday is moving day...chaos, craziness ensues. We move all the food from her old fridge to her new one. And I put my hand in there, and hmmm...it's not too cold in there. In fact, it's a little warm in there...Well, we figured it was just turned too low, so we cranked it up.

Yup, you guessed it. The fridge doesn't work. Never worked for a minute, except the light goes on and the fan seems to start up. So by Friday, we've determined that the fridge is a lemon and we get a service guy there, amazingly, who practically take the thing apart, and can't figure it out. By this time, my brother is involved, and he tells the guy to just take the thing out and replace it. Well, he can't get authorized to do that. There's no one local that can authorize anything. So she has to wait with the bad fridge until Monday. Between myself and my two brothers, we spent a total of about six hours on the phone over the weekend, trying to find anyone from Sears to take responsibilitiy for this problem, and to do the right thing by my mom, who is a little old lady, being forced to live out of a cooler in her new place.

Nothing, no response, not one person will take personal responsibility for their merchandise or their service. They won't even credit her for the lost food that spoiled in the piece of junk fridge. So basically, we have to sue them to get anything back.

This whole experience has been mind boggling to me. Sears used to stand for quality and customer service. No longer. I will never buy another item at that store, and I would strongly recommend that anyone on this board who had a large appliance to purchase, please avoid Sears Roebuck. This experience has shown them to be very unconcerned about customer service or standing behind their merchandise. I am so disappointed and aggravated.

And my mom still has no fridge. Today, we go to a smaller mom and pop store and get some real service.

Phew, sorry for the long rant, but now I feel better for having told the story, and myabe preventing someone else from making the same mistake we made. I believe that Sears will be going out of business sometime very soon, based on my experience. Thanks for listening!

[Jacko]

Wow! What a horrible experience! I am betting with the right phone call to the right person at Sears, you can get the fridge replaced with a new one. Try a VP of Customer Service if necessary. Just keep calmly asking for the next person's boss until you get satisfaction. I am betting they will waive the "restocking fee". Ever wonder what they did with Roebuck?

From their website-

Sears Policies

Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back
Our goal is that you are completely satisfied with your purchase. If for any reason you are not satisfied, simply return your purchase in its original packaging, with your receipt within 90 days of your purchase, 30 days for Home Electronics and Mattresses for a refund or exchange. If you are not satisfied with your purchase after these time periods, please let us know. Your satisfaction is important to Sears.
A 15% restocking fee applies on select Home Appliance, Home Electronics, Home Improvement, Household Goods, Lawn & Garden, and Automotive products not returned in the original box, unused, and containing all original product packaging and accessories.
Special orders cancelled after 24 hours of purchase are subject to a 15% order cancellation fee
Include the Order Confirmation e-mail, print out of your Order Status page, or packing slip. For return options and instructions for mailable and home delivery items, see our returns options below. Shipping and handling charges are not refundable. For additional questions on sears.com returns or order inquiries, email webcenter@customerservice.sears.com.

[Eileencc]

Originally Posted by Jacko

Wow! What a horrible experience! I am betting with the right phone call to the right person at Sears, you can get the fridge replaced with a new one. Try a VP of Customer Service if necessary. Just keep calmly asking for the next person's boss until you get satisfaction. I am betting they will waive the "restocking fee". Ever wonder what they did with Roebuck?

From their website-

Sears Policies

Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back
Our goal is that you are completely satisfied with your purchase. If for any reason you are not satisfied, simply return your purchase in its original packaging, with your receipt within 90 days of your purchase, 30 days for Home Electronics and Mattresses for a refund or exchange. If you are not satisfied with your purchase after these time periods, please let us know. Your satisfaction is important to Sears.
A 15% restocking fee applies on select Home Appliance, Home Electronics, Home Improvement, Household Goods, Lawn & Garden, and Automotive products not returned in the original box, unused, and containing all original product packaging and accessories.
Special orders cancelled after 24 hours of purchase are subject to a 15% order cancellation fee
Include the Order Confirmation e-mail, print out of your Order Status page, or packing slip. For return options and instructions for mailable and home delivery items, see our returns options below. Shipping and handling charges are not refundable. For additional questions on sears.com returns or order inquiries, email webcenter@customerservice.sears.com.

Jacko, thanks for the supportive response. I think Roebuck was the guy in charge of customer satisfaction! They deep-sixed him for sure!

We're defintely not paying for the refrigerator or the delivery charge or any other charge. That line about 100% customer satisfaction or your money back is all over the sales documentation and in the store, and on their web site. But when you get right down to it, their customer service is all decentralized and no one is authorized to provide the service you want or to allow you access to the higher level people. I am sure that eventually we could find someone who would help us, but the process is exceedingly frustrating and time consuming.

After hours and hours of myself and my two brothers trying to get to a high level customer service manager, the best we could get them to do was to offer to replace the fridge by January 27th. She needs it now, not in two weeks. I'm upset that they can't just do right by a little old lady who has to keep her insulin in the cooler outside because no one at sears can take responsibility for fixing her issue. uh-oh, do I sound bitter? I'm sure we'll get it all resolved, but it's just a bummer to see what has become of this place that used to stand for great custoemr service.

[TAPPY]

I have never liked Sears because of issues like this one...I have heard this same sort of story before. Be sure to also report them to the BBB in your area, you can even do this on line. I have had great results working with the BBB.

[Eileencc]

Originally Posted by TAPPY

I have never liked Sears because of issues like this one...I have heard this same sort of story before. Be sure to also report them to the BBB in your area, you can even do this on line. I have had great results working with the BBB.

Excellent idea Tappy! You hate to feel powerless up against a corporate giant. I will definitely pursue with the BBB. We are also thinking of bringing this up to the consumer reporters with the local TV stations. We'd like Sears to get as much bad publicity from this as possible. I'm sure that if this happened to us, there are plenty of other people with similar experiences that never pursued it. No one abuses my mom and gets away with it. I'm angry enough to make a LOT of noise.

BTW, that's a wonderful new avatar you've got there! Love the heart-shaped iris!

[JimmyMN]

Sears is just another fossilized remnant of the Montgomery Wards era. Have enough problems getting them to honor their lifetime tool replacement policy, so can't imagine buying an appliance from them. Luckily, we have some great alternative places to buy major appliances here in the Twincities.

Although the BBB will give you some BARK, taking them to small claims court will give you some BITE. It's the most effective way of dealing with large faceless corporations and I wouldn't blink twice about using that option.

Jimmy

[Eileencc]

Originally Posted by JimmyMN

Sears is just another fossilized remnant of the Montgomery Wards era. Have enough problems getting them to honor their lifetime tool replacement policy, so can't imagine buying an appliance from them. Luckily, we have some great alternative places to buy major appliances here in the Twincities.

Although the BBB will give you some BARK, taking them to small claims court will give you some BITE. It's the most effective way of dealing with large faceless corporations and I wouldn't blink twice about using that option.

Jimmy

Thanks Jimmy...I've never been a litigious sort, always been able to resolve differences by talking it through, but we have a lawyer drafting a letter to Sears about this issue now. I sense that this might end up in small claims court, but it really annoys me to have to continue to spend hours and hours of my time, and my family's time to get any satisfaction. At this point, it's much more the attitude than the money that matters to us. If someone, anyone along the line had just acknowledged the wrong of it all, and apologized and taken responsiblity, they might still have our good will. But that window is now slammed shut, and it's really too bad.

[kirbyfan]

Eileencc,

We bought a $800 dishwasher from Sears in August. Everything worked fine for about 2 months, then it started having troubles. When you wash the dishes they end up with MORE food on them than they originally had in the first place. Basically it takes any little bits of food, makes them much smaller (crumbs) and they fly around and wind up all over the dishes.

We have had "service" out 4 times so far and while they are trying its not getting fixed. We had 30 people at our house for 2 days over Christmas, try doing that with no dishwasher!!!

Needless to say we are just about at the end of our rope with Sears on this too. The service people and the phone support says that if we want a new dishwasher to replace this lemon, we have to take it up with the store we bougth it at. The store we bought it at is 80 miles away!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that we feel your pain.

[ryshkus]

Wow, I am surprised. Three of my major appliances were purchased within the last two years there. I even got into it with the dept manager because he told me he would be there at a certain time to sell me my products and then never showed. Then he gave me up to $150 off each appliance!!! I couldn't pass it by!

With my water softner, they had some ho dunk plumber come out to quote me a price to install it, but never thought that the softner would need ELECTRICITY!!! Oh the ho dunk plumber paid for the electricity in the end. And I let Sears know that I would NEVER tell anyone to buy a softner from them.

It also pays to work at a lawfirm...when people find that out, they usually resolve REAL quick! Even though I don't like to pull that one often.

[ryshkus]

Eileen that is very sad for your mother. And such a stressful waiste of time for you whole family. I would make sure the corporate offices were involved in this one. Did you talk to the store manager? And then the District manager? Regardless of what is being done now, they need to know the drivers screwed up.

Another thing about these stores that do delivery. Often times it isn't even the store that delivers...it is some outside company. I know Sears isn't like this, atleast in my area. But at any rate, the store has no control over the outside delivery drivers. So if they don't show or mess up something in your house or yard when they deliver the store has no liability.

[Eileencc]

Originally Posted by kirbyfan

Eileencc,

We bought a $800 dishwasher from Sears in August. Everything worked fine for about 2 months, then it started having troubles. When you wash the dishes they end up with MORE food on them than they originally had in the first place. Basically it takes any little bits of food, makes them much smaller (crumbs) and they fly around and wind up all over the dishes.

We have had "service" out 4 times so far and while they are trying its not getting fixed. We had 30 people at our house for 2 days over Christmas, try doing that with no dishwasher!!!

Needless to say we are just about at the end of our rope with Sears on this too. The service people and the phone support says that if we want a new dishwasher to replace this lemon, we have to take it up with the store we bougth it at. The store we bought it at is 80 miles away!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that we feel your pain.

Oh no! What a nightmare! I was just talking with someone who had a very similar situation with a rear projection screen TV he bought at Sears--it never worked right, they've been out to service it several times, ineptly, but he says they told him that they have to come back for the same problem four times before they will replace the item. (Although they WILL replace it at that point.) Again, much of the problem seems to be with the customer service organization--and their failure to take responsibility for the problem.

What an eye opener! So sorry to hear about your problem, especially over the holidays! At least you had a lot of people around to help with the dishes! But really your whole situation could have been resolved if someone had just taken responsibiity for doing the right thing. Which I found out that Sears just isn't willing/able to do. Hope your problem gets fixed pretty soon.

[MaripositaII]

Don't even bother buying their warranty programme because you'll have a hell of a time getting them out to service your appliances. We were dumb enough to do it (actually, my husband was) and before the end of the year I called to have them service my treadmill and twice they cancelled on me! The time before we had a problem with the washing machine and they told me I didn't have the service plan. I had to find my original copy, send that out, stay on the phone for more than 30 minutes before they could set up an appointment to come out. They came out, realised they needed different tools and a part, said they would be back and NEVER showed up! Another lengthy call, more waiting before they would come back to fix the problem.

You can find lots of complaints on the internet about SEARS. I'd stay away from that company if I were you. Go somewhere else for the refrigerator if you could.

[Eileencc]

Originally Posted by ryshkus

Eileen that is very sad for your mother. And such a stressful waiste of time for you whole family. I would make sure the corporate offices were involved in this one. Did you talk to the store manager? And then the District manager? Regardless of what is being done now, they need to know the drivers screwed up.

Another thing about these stores that do delivery. Often times it isn't even the store that delivers...it is some outside company. I know Sears isn't like this, atleast in my area. But at any rate, the store has no control over the outside delivery drivers. So if they don't show or mess up something in your house or yard when they deliver the store has no liability.

I was so frustrated with the problem and my inability to get anywhere with anyone that my brother took over communications with the store and management a couple of days ago, so I can't say exactly who knows what now, but I do understand what you're saying about the delivery guys being a separate problem that has to be addressed. And I will definitely let the local management know about that.

To me though, after acknowledging that the delivery operation is separate from the store, it's just a good customer service policy for management to take responsibility for a problem and make it right. I am just shocked that they can't or won't do that.

Being a satisfied Sears customer for many years, I can tell you that it only takes one bad experience to completely wipe out decades of good will. I'm so glad that you got satisfaction with your local Sears, and it's good that you have some legal savvy that served you well! I'm kinda tired of the whole issue, and I'm pretty sure that they get away with stuff like this because it's pretty discouraging to keep pursuing. Thanks again for all your good thoughts and suggestions.

(And who's that adorable little baby in your avatar? Such a cutie!)

[Eileencc]

Originally Posted by MaripositaII

Don't even bother buying their warranty programme because you'll have a hell of a time getting them out to service your appliances. We were dumb enough to do it (actually, my husband was) and before the end of the year I called to have them service my treadmill and twice they cancelled on me! The time before we had a problem with the washing machine and they told me I didn't have the service plan. I had to find my original copy, send that out, stay on the phone for more than 30 minutes before they could set up an appointment to come out. They came out, realised they needed different tools and a part, said they would be back and NEVER showed up! Another lengthy call, more waiting before they would come back to fix the problem.

You can find lots of complaints on the internet about SEARS. I'd stay away from that company if I were you. Go somewhere else for the refrigerator if you could.

Ugh! What a horror show! I make it a policy to never pay for those stupid warranty plans for just the reason you mentioned. It's a money-making proposition for the store, and really, you don't expect a brand new appliance to need service for the first several years. I can totally relate to that whole "lost on the phone support" experience, believe me!

This whole thread is like a case study on how NOT to run a service organization.

[jflattracker]

We used to use sear's with our business. We build houses and would get our appliance's from them. Until they tried for about two years to get us to pay $4,000.00 (almost $5,000.00) for a house we didn't even build! I called and called. Wrote down everytime I called and who I talked too! Went to the store personally every other month! They asked what they could do I said get rid of the bill! I showed them everything they wanted. Finally they got a manager back that we had dealt with before. I went in showed him everything said I wanted the dumb girl fired who kept giving me the run around! She hustled out the room really fast! They dropped all the charges and we've never bought from them again! Not even personal stuff! They are kinda like radio shack in this house!