Price Gouging at A & E Factory

ComplaintsHome & GardenA & E Factory

Complaint

0
Elizabeth Butler
Country: United States
A & E Factory Service,a nationwide provider for Kitchenaid appliances, should  not be recommended by its suppliers. I called them to have two panels replaced on my side-by-side KithenAid refrigerator. They quoted me a price of $65 for the service call and told that I will be charged for the workman time extra. The service man came and had the panels replaced in 5 minutes. He billed me for $200! I was shocked to see this price. I think they should be obligated to give a more realistic price quote before the service.

Comments

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  • 0
    Bob
    I had the EXACT same experience. My Kitchen Aid is 2 1/2 years old. Same cost for parts and labor. I was shocked at the labor costs!
  • 0
    repairguy0096
    $65.00 is just a trip charge, there is labor involved in doing repair work! Control board replacement costs around $150 including trip charge.
  • 0
    Repairguy0096
    Trust me it's not the Technician!
  • 0
    repairguy0096
    The $73.00 is a trip charge! How hard is it for you people to understand that it is just the cost for A&E to show up in your driveway. It is NOT a repair cost. To only pay $73.00 you must have declined the repair.
  • 0
    Bill
    | 1 reply
    I had A&E come to my house to repair my refrigerator.  The estimate to replace a relay on the compressor was $251.  I agreed since I had food perishing.  The repair took less than 15 minutes.  The relay was $70.  The repairman was there for 30 minutes, max.  By my calculations, they are charging $360 per hour for labor.  When I called to complain, I was given a story that they do not charge by the hour, but by the job code.  Obviously, job codes are based on the time it would take a reasonably qualified repairman to complete the job.  But, they would have none of it.  Since many people have had similar experiences, I think something should be done about this company.

    In my opinion, if this company can be prosecuted under the RICO statutes as a criminal enterprise, they should be.
    • 0
      Dave replies to Bill
      If you thought it was too much why didnt you decline the est and fix it yourself?
  • 0
    Anonym
    A&E service is horrible. They should be taken out of business.  I have been on the phone a total of 8 hours this week, trying to get things straight.  I have been sent to Asia, India and back, with everyone asking me the same questions and telling me the same crap. They should be reported to CNN or some news station so that no one would ever use them again.  I hate them and will complain and complain until I get some right answer.
  • 0
    woodysgk
    i also have had a very bad experience with A & E Factory Service; not only are they very slow in getting out to service you, they have a policy that you cannot expedite parts to have the service performed quickly. Their customer service hotline is anything but customer service; it is a series of "no" sayers that prevent you from getting anything done appropriately. my bill was inaccurate, they diagnosed the repair wrong. i did also contact maytag customer service, they took my complaint (and were polite and gracious, more than i can say about the operator on the line at A&E) and only could offer me a 10% coupon on a new product purchase. i explained to them (and asked that they put it in the written formal complaint) that as long as maytag used A&E, i would not purchase another maytag product (disappointing me since i not only love the product, but hate to potentially put out of work a michigan employee since the product is made in my home state?).

    please voice your complaint to local, state, and company officials that this company is not on the "up and up" and should be looked at closely for fraud irregularities due to pricing and policies.
  • 0
    Too much
    $73 is too much just to stop by.
  • 0
    REpair guy also
    | 3 replies
    I am a employee of A&E.  I am proud of the service that I do provide.  I work my butt off.  When I get the overwhelming schedule at 7:35 am of 15 stops in one day and 8 of which are before 12 it truly sucks.  I work on all brands of appliances and all types, my van is stocked with the national average of 10-20% failure ratio parts.  Keep that number in your mind. 10-20% of all washers, dryers, stoves, microwaves, refrigerators, ice machines, dehumidifiers, and window air conditioners.  About $35,000 in parts.  Most of you know that the appliance world is getting more and more high tech. lots of computer boards.  I am embarrased by some labor costs that I am told to charge,  I have a wife 2 teenage daughters and bills just like you do.  I have to do what I am told.  I was a Marine and have no problems following orders.     The A&E Company is overdemanding of the techs when our van needs brakes for example we dont work.  When we are stressed out with 10-15 calls and our daughter or son is in a band concert we miss it.  
        We miss our families growing up so that we can go in and out of your homes and attempt to fix your appliances so that you and your family are comfortable.  I wish every dispatcher and every person that calls in would be able to logicly place a degree of emergency on their problem.  I think it should be like this...  1  water leaks, or no cools refers or air unit,  2 washer and dryer 3 rd and last place your dishwasher microwave or stoves.  
    Yes I know you need to cook and clean dishes.  USe the grill Use the sink wash them by hand make some time for your family.  I would love to wash dishes with my girls.  I am just about fed up with all the griping about how A&E isnt treating customers right.  Customers have slammed their front doors on me saying "Your a servant go around",  Ive had kids not move the chair to let me in yet scream that im blocking the TV.  What has this world come to !!!    We are working 6 days a week 10-12 hour days driving average 200 miles a day to get yelled at and dumped on. Remember most repair items we carry in our truck you dont want us to have to replace because it is a HIGH FAIL item.  Be happy we have to order it if that makes any sense i know it is nt plesant having to wait but If its on my truck you will need it more than once in its lifetime with you...  

    Take care and God bless
    • 0
      mr t from A&E replies to REpair guy also
      you gotta it right brother
    • 0
      Dave replies to REpair guy also
      I feel your pain!  I am also a A&E tech. Under paid and over worked
    • 0
      STICKS replies to REpair guy also
      Kudos Mr. Repair man also -
      I am about to become an A&E repair tech myself. After reading so many negative comments about A&E, these thoughts comes to mind:
      First of all, how many of these complainers realize that we live in a free country of CHOICE?
      How many people realize they had a CHOICE to purchase ANY "convenience" appliance?
      How many people CHOOSE to pay for these "conveniences"?
      How many people CHOOSE to watch TV instead of applying themselves to learn something about the "convenient" appliance they CHOOSE to purchase?         Get the picture?

      For all who CHOOSE to complain about ANY service company in America, keep this in mind -
      There is a COST for "Convenience".
      There is a COST for lack of knowledge.
      There is a COST for lack of enthusiasm to learn something.
      There is a COST for not knowing the difference between WANTS and NEEDS.
      There is a COST for the very freedom of CHOICE.    Get the picture folks?

      For all of those who don't believe me, look up the definition of "consumer". Then look in the mirror and realize that's who you CHOOSE to be. (no charge)

      There is a reason for companies like A&E to exist. It's for people who who CHOOSE to be waited on. For all of the people who think that they will put ANY service company out of business because of complaints, I wish you luck. For I know there will always be many more people who CHOOSE to be waited on.

      The next time someone complains about a $300.00 service call for a "convenience" appliance that they CHOSE to purchase, they may be even more shocked at the cost of a transmission for their Lexus they CHOSE to purchase.

      Just some food for thought.

      By the way Mr. repair man, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service. It's people like you that allow this country to have the FREEDOM of CHOICE.
  • 0
    greg
    A&E services all makes and models and all warranty companies are using them.  I have a Samsung from Home Depot and it stopped cooling 2 weeks old.  The technician was late but I understand Im a dentist and run late alot also.  HE dint have the part had to call Texas for help with my brand and together they figured it out and ordered the part.  The control and the wire harness were replace a week later.  It was difficult to walk back into the garage but were not crippled and thought it was funny how many times we opened the fridge to find it empty.  brand new 2500.00  and BROKEN.  Its not the techs fault it broke the engineers screwed it up not him.  Ive read this blog and think most of you are just winers adn need to wrry about whats trly important in life.  The next week he came out differnt tech had no idea what part was ordered opened the box looked it up on his laptop and fixed it within 20 minutes.  HE was very professional and he showed me the workload he had for the day, I felt sorry for him Tuscaloosa to Prattvile is along way in one days work, he had 16 stops and his computer showed him getting to last call at 830 at night.  We joked and said they will be pissed.  He said yeah but if they are willing he will fix it tonight if he can.  What a great spirit he had.  I tipped him 20 Good Job
  • 0
    guit
    Face it, you people don't know what you're doing and I know the politics behind the factory warranty contract. Can you say kickback? That is why the fees are insane!
  • 0
    Jen
    A & E has terrible service!  To make my story short, it took them three tried over three weeks to repair my refrigerator.  In that time, they burned my kitchen floor, stood me up twice and deny that they ever received the claim for the damaged floor.  I cannot believe that they are in business.
  • 0
    trademark
    I will never use this company again.  The original repair was for a valve in the back of the washer unit.  The part showed up at my condo and another repair date was scheduled.  I understand the part had to be ordered, but my complaint is when the actual "repair" took place.  First of all it required a two person job and was scheduled as such.  When the same repair guy showed up I had to wait for the second guy to arrive.  I waited over an hour.  Oh and forgot to mention, my call my scheduled from 8 - 12.  The first guy did call to say he was running late.  The second guy didn't show up until almost 3:30.  While putting the stackable unit back in the closet (I live in a condo) they destroyed the dryer vent. I saw them doing it and said something.  As they were moving it back I told them to watch the dryer vent.  They said don't worry about it they would "fix" it.  They used probably a roll of duct tape to "fix" it.  I'm not joking.  Now the dryer vent has fallen down behind the unit.  Which means it will have to be taken out of the closet for a repair they caused.  Today the same guy was scheduled to come out.  I specifically called several times stating I didn't want they guy out.  Why would I want him to come out and do more damage.  So, of course, I had to schedule another appointment.  Since it's Saturday they work a skeleton crew.  The only reason why I called them was because they're listed on the Maytag website.  I will tell anyone who listens to never, ever use this company.  If I have to post on every site possible to get others not to use them, then my job has been done.
  • 0
    trademark
    Someone was scheduled to show up today and no one showed up.  I filed a complaint with the BBB and got a complaint number.  Please file a complaint with the BBB.  We've got to get them out of business!
  • 0
    AppTECH
    Your paying for trained service.  Could you diagnose this problem?  Guess not if you called the professional.  So don't complain; you have to pay more to have something fixed by the professional.  Remember you called them, and you can always decline the estimate.
  • 0
    Ticked in Texas
    I was stupid enough to buy a service contract from A&E for all of my Kitchenaid appliances.  My wine cooler went out so I setup a service call.  The technician came out, found the broken part, didn't have it in stock, called in the for the part replacement and left.  He left my fridge standing out in the middle of my kitchen, not put back in the place where it was when he got there, and guess what!  that was 3 days before Thanksgiving.  (The part came in 10 days later).  I requested they come back and move the fridge back where it belongs, the scheduler said he'd be out the next day - never showed.  When they did return to fix the system, the technician broke the light switch, and of course it wasn't in stock, so I waited to get the part, called to verify I had the part, and got an appointment scheduled.  They called the night before, said they would be here early as I was the 2nd person on the list for today, and then I get a call around 11:30 wanting to schedule the appointment again.  And then I find out, they aren't coming out today because the local office didn't assign someone.  Their appointment/scheduling synchronization is the worst I've ever seen.  Once they fix this fridge, I'm cancelling the contract and going with a local appliance store.
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