Re: Sears Wins 2005 "Not My Job" Award

[Drsolly <drsollyp () drsolly com>]

It's your own fault. People who aren't competent at installing, upgrading 
and maintaining washers and dryers shouldn't be allowed to own them 
or connect them to the public electricity, water and drainage system. 

You can't drive a car on the public highway without taking a test - they 
should introduce a similar scheme for washers and dryers.

On Tue, 20 Dec 2005, Rob, grandpa of Ryan, Trevor, Devon & Hannah wrote:

> Or, Never Let Salespeople Try to Install Your Dryer
>
> (Nothing to do with security, of course ...)
>
> I, of course, miss my Reason-For-Being when I am away travelling, but
> for some odd reason she misses me, as well, rather than being relieved
> at not having me underfoot all the time.
>
> So I was coming back from a teaching trip, and not only was it a back-
> to-back set of two courses (one of which had been changed in mid-
> trip), but, as she was starting up a load of laundry, the good old
> washing machine starts making the "load of ball bearings" noise that
> the repair people had been unable to diagnose.  What's worse, this
> time around it starts making dripping sounds, and, sure enough, soon
> there's water running out from under the machine.
>
> So, after some investigation and discussion, we decide to get a new
> washer and dryer.  And after more investigation, decide on some
> machines.
>
> (I have to point out that my Reason-For-Being is very careful about
> the laundry, so much so that it is almost physically painful for her
> to have to use someone else's machines, and see the difference that
> results from lesser attention to the details.  Laundromat machines are
> just not in the picture.)
>
> One of the possible machines is Sears house brand, Kenmore, so we
> toddle down to the local Sears.  As luck would have it, we run into
> the Excellent Sales Representative for 2004 in Major Appliances.  We
> discuss options, measure machines (the space is tight, so we don't
> just go on the stated sizes), and we buy a set of machines.  And pay
> extra for delivery and installation.  We specify evening delivery, so
> that Gloria, who has, let's face it, good cause for not trusting me
> with a washrag, can be there to ensure that, when the old machines are
> removed, the floor and walls get a good scrubbing before the new ones
> are put back in place.
>
> We are told to disconnect the old washer from the taps ourselves, and
> to buy ten feet of four inch metal dryer conduit.  So we do that.
>
> That was Sunday.
>
> Tuesday night, dispatch tells us that we are on for 5 pm to 7 pm on
> Wednesday night.
>
> Wednesday afternoon, the delivery guys call.  They are in the area,
> and can they install the machines now, instead of tonight?  As a
> favour to Sears, we agree, even though it isn't very convenient.
>
> The delivery guys come.  They complain about the dryer vent.  They
> create a leak in the tap when connecting the washer (which they
> install first).  Then they complain about the space, and refuse to
> install the dryer.  And leave.  Swearing.  (They are swearing, not me.
> Although my blood pressure is starting to get a little high.)
>
> (Parenthetically, *everyone* I've told this story who has ever
> installed a washer and dryer, professionally or otherwise, has said at
> this point that you *always* install the dryer first, and then the
> washer.)
>
> I call the store.  Can't get our ESR for 2004.  Another sales
> representative snippily informs me that *she* always measures the
> machines.  (We had.)  I call back, and finally get our ESR2K4.  She
> says that she has already called a service person, and we will be
> getting a call in the morning between 8:30 am and 10:30 am to tell us
> when he will be coming.  Since this is exactly the time I am out most
> days, I ask if she has given the service dispatch my cell phone
> number.  No, she hasn't.  Can she call them back and give them my cell
> number, please?  At this point, for some reason, she gets really
> vague, but indicates that, no, she can't.
>
> I call the store back and ask to speak with the manager of major
> appliances.  The MMA is naturally appalled, and vows that a) we will
> not have to pay for the delivery/installation fee, and b) we *will*
> have working machines by the end of Thursday.  He will also ensure
> that the service person gets the cell number so that I'm properly
> called.
>
> Thursday morning I get a call from Sears.  Not the service dispatch,
> the delivery dispatch.  Was I satisfied with the delivery service?
> The delivery dispatch gets a bit of an earful.  Delivery dispatch has
> a series of questions, to most of which I have to answer "no."  As in,
> no, the ESR2K4 did *not* provide us with the pamphlet that outlined
> delivery and installation requirements.  And so on.  (As far as I've
> been able to determine, nothing whatsoever results from this phone
> conversation.)
>
> Somewhat later I get a call from the service guy.  He will be there
> between 1 pm and 3:30 pm.  So I stay home all afternoon.  At 3:35 he
> shows up.  I'm a little concerned at this point, since I have to leave
> at 4:30 myself.  However, my concern was groundless.  He looked at the
> dryer vent and the dryer plug, announced that he was neither a vent
> person not an electrician, and left.
>
> I drive down to Sears.  Fortunately for any sales reps that I might
> have encountered, the first two people I see are the ESR2K4 and the
> MMA.  I outline the events of the day.  They start asking questions
> about the space, and I offer to let them look for themselves.  They
> decide to come.  So I end up with the ESR2K4 and the MMA in my
> kitchen, looking at the washer and dryer.
>
> Then they try to fix it.
>
> I tell you, the sight of an ESR in a slinky dress and strappy high
> heels trying to crawl behind a dryer, and an MMA in a blue pinstripe
> suit down on the floor looking up a dusty dryer vent pipe is one to
> behold.  Almost worth the money I was losing as a magazine and an
> encyclopedia were waiting for articles and a lawyer in Dallas was
> waiting for research.  But not quite.  Despite the attempt to show
> that Sears staff goes that extra little bit, experience does tell: the
> MMA mangled the dryer vent elbow fitting (and then complained that it
> was no good anyway because it didn't have the right bracket on the
> end) and the ESR crushed the new dryer vent pipe.  (The ESR, in
> testing to see whether the dryer was working, didn't bother to take
> out the shoe drying shelf, and didn't see any particular problem in
> the crashes and thumps going on inside as the dryer turned.)
>
> My Reason-For-Being found a competent handyman who came and installed
> the dryer and fixed some problems with the installation of the washer.
> The MMA agrees (I have, by now, memorized not only the phone number
> for the Sears store, but also the process for getting through to the
> right person, which isn't easy) to take some money off so we can pay
> the handyman, but then the ESR welshes on the deal and I have to make
> multiple calls and visits to the store to get that straightened out.
>
> Final score:
>
> Sears: installation people who won't install, service people who won't
> service, muddy bootprints all over the kitchen and dining room,
> complaints and swearing, four and a half hours waiting for people to
> show up when they said they would, three visits and four people on
> site for an hour and 45 minutes, nine phone calls to the store, six
> visits to the store, one untested and partially installed washer, and
> a dryer in the middle of the kitchen.
>
> Competent handyman: a little drywall dust, installed and tested dryer,
> refit and re-leveled washer, thirty minutes.
>
> copyright 2005, Robert M. Slade
>
>
> ======================  (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
> rslade () vcn bc ca      slade () victoria tc ca      rslade () sun soci niu edu
>              Living well is the best revenge.
>                       George Herbert, 16th century English clergyman
> http://victoria.tc.ca/techrev    or    http://sun.soci.niu.edu/~rslade
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