Sears, Sears Holdings, A&E Factory Services
Sears, Sears Holding Co., Sears Repair Service, A&E Factory Services Missing Sticker voids Warranty

Two nights ago, January 28, I received a phone call telling me the one year warranty was expiring on the Whirlpool washing machine purchased on February 7. The lady offered to sell me an extended service contract.

I said "Oh, that's great! The machine is under warranty? Will you schedule someone to come fix the broken knob before the warranty expires?"

"That's not really why I am calling. I calling to offer extended service."

"Yes, I understand. But let me see how this current service goes, and then I might extend the warranty. Do I schedule with you, or do I call someone else?"

She gave me a phone number (which I didn't keep because this seemed easy enough). I called and was transfered twice before finding James. He made arrangements for the service to happen the following day from 8-5. He asked for the serial number on my machine. I went to the machine, asked where it was, he said under the lid. I saw a number, said "Does this sound right, SM 8525492-B?"

He said, "Yup, that's it. Now take this number in case there is a problem with service, 800-905-9505."

The next day I received a call around 9:00. The guy says he's on the way and knows where I am. Around 9:30 repair man arrive, we greet each other, his name is Mark, from A&E Factory Services. He said, "We do the repairs for Sears. Well, we're actually part of Sears, but we're not. It's confusing."

He comes into the laundry room, fires up the lap top, confirms my information, opens the lid and says, "I can't work on this machine. The sticker is missing. Did you remove the sticker?"

"Sticker, what sticker?"

This plays out like an Abbott & Costello routine for a few minutes about a missing sticker, who removed it and the evidence of paper residue from the missing sticker. The number I read to James, the night before, was a part number for the lid. I'm almost laughing, thinking he's got to be kidding.

Anyway, we call the office (800-905-9505). He speaks with a person, confirms they can't work on the machine without a model and serial number. I pull out all of the paperwork we have from the purchase: Instruction (English and Spanish copies), cycle description page, advertisement for cleaning products. It's everything that came with the machine, I know because Mark is the one who opened the sealed plastic bag. No model & serial number.

Mark says, "It's a good thing you didn't buy the extended warranty. We still wouldn't be able to fix it."

Now Mark gives me the phone and they forward me to a Sears Service person. I explain it to Channon. She apologizes and says she can have a Sears Service person come out. She schedules the appointment for February 5. She asks for the Model and Serial number. I want to scream.instead, I go through the same explanation I just gave. She says, "I can't do anything without those numbers.

At this point, I say to Mark, "You know, this isn't worth it for a silly little knob."

He says, "It's not a knob, the knob is fine. It's the timer gears that are stripped. It's $173 plus labor. It's definitely worth it." He punches some keys on the computer and say, "I have one on my truck. Sorry, I can't help. I need to go." Mark left while I was still on the phone.

Now Channon says she'll have to pass me to someone else. She give me Alley. Since I've been passed along a few times, it seems prudent to start asking for phone numbers in case we get disconnected. Alley gives me the number at her service center, 800-927-2291.

I explain the situation to Alley and ask, "Your company initiated this series of events by calling me to sell an extended warranty. Doesn't somebody have to have the information? Everybody knows the date I purchase the machine from Sears and the date of warranty expiration."

She agreed and said she needed to pass it on to National Services. I met Lauri at National Services and asked her number, 800-549-4505. I explained problem to Lauri. She said, "it looks like you already have an appointment scheduled for February 5th."

I said, "Yes, but there is a missing sticker and no one knows the model and serial number." She said, "I have them here, Model: 110W2W582SW & Serial #SM8525492-B. This shouldn't be a problem. Hold on I'll make a call." I'm on hold for 3-4 minutes.

Next person I speak with is Cakia (sp). She says, "Mr. Noad, you'll have to pay for the service visit on February 5. If the machine doesn't have a sticker, we don't work on it."

I said, "Are you kidding? Your system prompted a call to sell me extended warranty, because you know my machine is under warranty and it's expiring. You schedule a service call, he can't do the service, I'm transferred through Sears Service Phone Hell, explaining my issue to 4-5 people for 53 minutes, and at the end you say.'You'll have to pay?' You're going to make me "Postal"."

She says, "Mr. Noad, I consider that a threat and am hanging up." CLICK

David
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.

Company: Sears, Sears Holdings, A&E Factory Services
Country: USA
State: Pennsylvania
City: King Of Prussia
Address: 33 Beverly Road, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179
Phone: 6102862500

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