Kitchen Aid Repair by A&E Factory Service
Complaint
Mark
Country: United States
A&E Factory Service, Northern California Citrus Heights, CA On March 30, 2007 I purchased a condominium that came fully equipped with Kitchen Aid brand appliances included the refrigerator that is referenced below.
Beginning on July 25, I began experiencing problems with device not holding temperature. After calling customer care and receiving troubleshooting information I waited to request a service call. On July 27, after no improvement I called to schedule an appointment.
I was referred to A&E Appliance (18007713029) who informed me that the soonest appointment I could get was Tuesday, July 31, 2007. After waiting the four days for service I encountered over $200 in food loss due to unsafe temperatures. My time window was 1-5. After leaving work half way through the day unpaid to be present for my scheduled appointment I did not receive a telephone call from the service technician until 5:15 P.M. Upon inspecting the fridge from approximately 5:45 until 7:30 Chester, the technician informed me that I would need to make an additional appointment 10 days from now.
He also informed me that I would have to accept delivery of the parts. This poses several problems for me. 1) I work 60+ hours a week and arranging to be present to accept a package is a huge burden. I requested that the package be sent to his office/service location. He said that this would not be possible. 2) I am unable to make a realistic appointment do to unforeseen scheduling conflicts.
The next possible time made available to me was Friday, Aug. 10 which I knew would not work so I made an appointment on Saturday, Aug. 11 from 8 - 12. Ultimately, I am being asked to wait over 15 days without a fridge that should not be having these problems in the first place. This is a $2000+ fridge that was purchased than 6 months ago! What does your company expect your customers to do? Where would you like me to store my food? How much do you expect your customers to be inconvenienced before you simply replace the fridge? This whole process has been extremely disappointing, frustrating, and costly. I would expect more from a well known brand like Kitchen Aid.
Beginning on July 25, I began experiencing problems with device not holding temperature. After calling customer care and receiving troubleshooting information I waited to request a service call. On July 27, after no improvement I called to schedule an appointment.
I was referred to A&E Appliance (18007713029) who informed me that the soonest appointment I could get was Tuesday, July 31, 2007. After waiting the four days for service I encountered over $200 in food loss due to unsafe temperatures. My time window was 1-5. After leaving work half way through the day unpaid to be present for my scheduled appointment I did not receive a telephone call from the service technician until 5:15 P.M. Upon inspecting the fridge from approximately 5:45 until 7:30 Chester, the technician informed me that I would need to make an additional appointment 10 days from now.
He also informed me that I would have to accept delivery of the parts. This poses several problems for me. 1) I work 60+ hours a week and arranging to be present to accept a package is a huge burden. I requested that the package be sent to his office/service location. He said that this would not be possible. 2) I am unable to make a realistic appointment do to unforeseen scheduling conflicts.
The next possible time made available to me was Friday, Aug. 10 which I knew would not work so I made an appointment on Saturday, Aug. 11 from 8 - 12. Ultimately, I am being asked to wait over 15 days without a fridge that should not be having these problems in the first place. This is a $2000+ fridge that was purchased than 6 months ago! What does your company expect your customers to do? Where would you like me to store my food? How much do you expect your customers to be inconvenienced before you simply replace the fridge? This whole process has been extremely disappointing, frustrating, and costly. I would expect more from a well known brand like Kitchen Aid.
Comments
Aug. 16 Had a 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM service window. I believe that the technician was late, but only about 10 minutes or so. If he wasn’t late, then he was very close to the 5:00 PM deadline. He diagnosed the problem, didn’t have the parts and ordered the parts. Collected $93.87 from me to order the parts. Scheduled another service call for Tuesday, Aug. 28th - 12 days later.
Aug. 27 Parts had not arrived by 10:00 AM, called National Center to see if they could track them. Was told that the parts were scheduled to arrive on the 27th and a package did come in the afternoon.
Aug. 28 Technician arrived about 8:00 AM, only one. I had to help the technician remove the microwave from the cabinet. The technician commented on the fact that two men should have been sent. The technician opened up the package and only one of the two parts had arrived. Couldn’t fix microwave. Scheduled a new service date for 9/5/07.
I called the National Center to see if they could tell me when the part would arrive. I was told by the woman that it was in transit and that was all she could tell me.
Aug. 30 Called the National Center again, to see where my package was. looked up my file and told me that when I called on Tuesday, the person was suppose to order a new part to be sent and had not. He ordered a new part to be sent on an emergency basis.
Sept. 4 Second part arrived. Received a call to schedule my service window and was told it would be from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM. I told them this was not convenient, I pick up my daughter from school at 12:20 PM on Wednesdays and since this was my THIRD service call I felt I should be given the 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM service window. They agreed and scheduled me for the 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM service window.
Sept. 5 Waited all morning for technician. When he wasn’t at my house by 11:10 AM, I called the National Center to see if he would make it before 12:00 PM. I was told that he “clocked out of his previous service call at 11:00 AM” and I was next on the list so he should be there soon. He had not arrived by 12:10 PM [my daughter’s school lets out at 12:20 PM and is a 15 minute drive] so I called the National Center again. I expressed how upset I was and inquired about receiving a refund. I was asked if I wanted a supervisor and the technician to call me. I said yes, and she put in both requests. I left me house approximately at 12:25PM to pick up my daughter and her 7 friends for a previously scheduled event. The technician called me at 1:45 PM to see if I was home. I told him not, that he was 2 hours late and I couldn’t wait, I had a previous engagement.
Sept. 6 I had not heard from a supervisor and called the National Center AGAIN. I was told that it could take up to 48 hours for someone to call me. I did not a receive a phone call from a supervisor on the 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th of September.
Sept. 10 I called the National Center to see why a supervisor had not called me. I was then transferred to Customer Service and spoke to someone named Erlinda.. I was told by Erlinda that I was scheduled for a service call on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007 from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM. I told her that I didn’t schedule this and did not know about it. I asked about receiving my money back. I was told that I could get $33.87 back of the $93.87 I paid, that they would not refund the “trip charge”. I asked if they would fix the microwave on Wednesday [9/5/07] and “waive” the rest of the fee and was told no and I would have to “pay up front”. I asked if she was aware of California Civil Code 1722 regarding the 4 hour service window and that I could go to Small Claims Court. She said yes and that she could help me any longer. I asked to a “time certain” for my appointment on the 9/5/07, since it would be the fourth one, so that I wouldn’t have to wait all day for service, that I already had 12 hours of waiting for this company. She said no, that I could not have a “time certain”. At that point I told her to mail me my money back and I would probably go to Small Claims Court.
I then called the National Center and asked for the address of the National Customer Service office. I was put on hold then transferred to Debra. Debra gave me the address, then said she would take my complaint. I outlined the above actions for Debra, and again asked for ALL my money back. I was told no, I couldn’t have the trip charge back. I told her that I spoke to someone named Erlinda and she told me that Erlinda was in that office. She put me on hold and confirmed my conversation with Erlinda. Apparently, Erlinda HAD NOT canceled my service call for 9/5/07. I asked that Debra fax me the transcripts from ALL the calls that I had made from Aug. 16, 2007, so I could have them for my records and she said she would mail them to me at my home.
I've called Kitchen-aid and made a formal complaint regarding A&E Factory Service. I plan to follow up with a letter to Kitchen-aid and take A&E Factory Service to Small Clims Court in California where we have a Civil Code to deal with missed appointments.
Quite simply, A&E doesn't have enough qualified repair people. It's now 4:42p and the service guy isn't here yet. I was promised a time slot between 8:00a - and noon.
I'm old enough to remember when major brands such as Kenmore, Whirlpool and Maytag were not only dependable, but if they did break down, the appliance companies provided excellent service. These were great companies that reflected the best of American values. They turned into totally cynical companies who's only interest is the bottom line.
It's no wonder so many people are buying Bosch and Miele products theses days.
As for having all the right parts, that really is practically impossible, but it is manageable if you hold time out each day for parts replacements so that a customer does not have to wait another week to have the part replaced. While we do give our service technicians their schedule for the day, we do not rely on them to manage it. We keep an eye on when they have arrived at a call and if it looks like they are running behind we contact them for an eta and then our customers to let them know that we are running late to see if that will work for them or if something else needs to be arranged. As for the manufactures scheduling the calls for A&E, if they are overbooking you speak with your representative or better yet call the customer and explain to them and work it out. Ultimately, they are the ones that have to deal with the consequences.
And to the customers, know that you do not have to use A&E for your service, there are still independent service contractors out there that provide warranty service for the major manufacturers. If you call Whirlpool, Kitchen Aid, etc. and they give you a servicer that you do not want ask for another one in your area. We are still out there.