I had a very simple problem with my Sony TV - the lamp is blown. Sony referred me to A&E (which is Sears Home Services). I called them with the exact part I needed replaced and part number. Sony had provided that info. A&E told me the initial service charge to come out and that the parts charge and extra labor would be quoted from there. That was fine. I reiterated the part number TWICE for their info.
When the repair guy came out he agreed that the lamp was blown and gave me the price of the part and charge for him to replace it. I agreed to that because HE SAID HE HAD THE PART ON HIS TRUCK. He came inside with a lamp and it looked it different from mine. Went out and got another, still looked different. I kept saying I had the part number but he said he knew it and there must be a problem with the boxes (or something to that effect). I finally made him READ the part number from Sony and he said oh, he had it wrong. Thought it was something else.!!! So actually he DIDN'T have that part and would have to come back in a week. He told me he would return the following Friday with the part and do it then. I agreed to wait one more week.
Then I received a message the following Wednesday asking me to call about my scheduled service. I sat on hold for at least twenty-five minute and finally got someone saying I would have to wait for the part to be delivered to my house and THEN call to schedule an appointment. Which was not what the repairman had told me. The rep said in any case the part would not be here by Friday. I said this was unacceptable and to just refund me what I had put on my credit card for the part (not the initial service call which I had agreed to, fair is fair) and I would use an independent Sony repair service who are knowledgeable about Sony parts and keep them in stock. The Sears rep didn't answer (literally) so I asked to speak with a supervisor. She said okay then HUNG UP ON ME.
Called right back and on hold another twenty minutes. Eventually got a more polite and responsive rep, but she said to deal with the parts charge she would have to transfer me to another department because she couldn't find the order number that was on my receipt or anything related to my phone number.!!! On hold ANOTHER donkey's age waiting for this other department.
Another helpful rep in some other department did come on the line but she again had to put me on hold to figure out what to do. She said she could cancel the order for the part but that cancellation had to go to a different department from hers. Then I would have to call ANOTHER number the next day to talk to "billing disputes". I asked what she meant by "billing disputes" when she had supposedly canceled the order so it should be a straight refund. She said she couldn't answer that and i would have to talk to the other people...
Called next day and sat on hold, then got disconnected. Called again and sat on hold, but finally got through to Alicia in customer service who said she would give my credit card info to billing for a refund. She gave me a reference number to call back with in case I don't see the refund within 48 hours. Here's hoping.
It shouldn't be this hard to get a tv repaired. Or get customer service.
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