I've owned a Sears water softner for the past seven years and have religiously purchased the maintenance agreements. On 9/7/06 I contacted Sears warranty for my annual inspection for a service technician (Sears private contractor) to carry out an annual inspection as provided in my Sears policy. The following events occurred on 9/12/06:
The techncian called informing that he'd be at my home, Weatherford, Texas between 1P and 3P. I told him that I most likely wouldn't be home and described the outside location of the softner.
About 2:30P, I called the tech asking what he'd done. He informed me that he'd replaced the ventori (sp) and other attendant parts and recycled the system. He said everything was O.K.
I challenged that he hadn't actually been to my home as I had been there about the time he would have conducted this service. He began to say that he return on Friday. He couldn't describe my home, dog, etc. I pressed him to just tell me the truth.
The tech eventually hung up on me! I was furious! I immediately called Sears Customer Service.informing them of my suspicions. They contacted the private contractor owner who said he'd look into the matter and would have another attendant out on Friday;
I was incredulous! They were treating this as if the tech had merely missed an appointment. I told the owner if tech had lied and worked for me, I'd fire him! He was not only lying but was stealing from me and Sears.
The tech ultimately called me, admitting that he had LIED and had not been at my home at all, apoligizing, and commenting that he'd be out on Friday, 9/15/06. I told him not to set foot on my property.
The tech went on to explain how easy it was to do the inspections on water softners, rarely was there a problem, and most customers never knew if he'd been there or not;
He claimed that I was the "one and only time" he'd ever lied about this service scam, and that he was actually a "great employee"; employed as a tech for the past three years.
I recontacted Sears and informed that the tech admitted to lying to me and no service was done on my softner at all. I informed that I wanted a refund of the current warranty, about $118 for the past year, and past years. I was concerned that I'd been lied to previously, as no one was usually present when the service was allegedly done.
Sears said they would conduct there own investigation. They asked me the location of my water softner and if the tech knocked on my door? I replied, "Don't you understand! He just called me and admitted that he lied and didn't do the service. It doesn't matter where my water softner is located." Again, I couldn't believe what I was hearing from Sears. They were rather indignant and seemed skeptical of my claims of tech lying.
I strongly urge anyone who has or has had a Sears water softner service agreement in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Or elsewhere, to insure they have not been a victim of a lying technician. And, most importantly that their water softner has been properly maintained.
This past evening I cut up all my Sears cards and cancelled out my Sears accounts. My wife and I made our first major purchase of a Sears washer and dryer in Birmingham, Alabama in 1972. We'd been loyal Sears customers as we have many major Sears appliances in our Texas home. No more... Never again will I darken the doors of a Sears.
I anxiously await the results of their investigation...
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