Sears Kenmore dishwasher

This is the letter I sent yesterday to Sears corporate headquarters.

Subject: Sears Service

Hello,

I have had a Sears extended service contract for all my major appliances for many years. For the last month I have been patient in waiting and having the necessary parts replaced lately for a dishwasher door leak. Late last month Sears finally agreed to replace the unit under the lemon rule. After another weeks wait the new unit finally arrived and was installed today (5/09/07).

The new unit's door after installing was found that it also leaks. Now I have an empty counter space making my kitchen look quite bad -- courtesy of Sears. I just had a new Pergo floor installed 1 year ago and feel like a guinea pig for Sears. This whole experience has been totally unacceptable!

The same day, after the defective unit was removed, I went to my local Sears store (#02215) where the new unit was to be ordered. I asked the appliance section personnel if I could speak to the manager after explaining the circumstances. The lady went to find the manager and came back and told me he could/would not speak with me as there was nothing that he could do until the unit was returned by the contracted installation company-- but how would he even know why I wanted to speak with him?

I had really wanted to speak to the manager and not a third party employee but I guess avoidance is standard Sears policy. I had hoped that the manager would be able to resolve things perhaps faster than the time and frustration of going through the national Sears number with the complicated menu and wait times. After all, aren't managers supposed to make things happen? Expedite problem situations?

Between waiting for the parts to arrive and my personal time waiting for the repair person I would appreciate some satisfaction for the service I have paid for as it was represented to me.

After these consecutive defective situations, I no longer trust the Kenmore line of products -- at least as far as dishwashers. My local store has no in store offerings for me to even look at that are comparable to my existing unit in color or features. The explanation was demographics.

I would like it noted that Sears offered an 850.00 credit towards the new unit. The one I picked out was on sale for 750.00. I have shown my good intentions and I think it is only fair that Sears shows theirs. Having Sears products has cost me yet another several hours in lost wages and I have the original old dishwasher sitting in my front yard which I now have to pay to take to the dump. Even though my contract clearly states you or your agent would remove it from my premises.

The following day (5/10/2007) I went to your local store again to see if the defective unit had been returned and what the disposition would be. Again, it would have been nice if Sears had contacted me, the customer, and been proactive as opposed to being reactive. I asked to speak to Vivian Tapia, Assistant Store Manager, who one of your Sears customer service personnel, the previous evening, had recommended I speak with. After explaining the situation to her I was given the standard token Sears apology ("sorry, but those are the procedures," paraphrased). I made it clear that I wished this issue to be resolved once and for all. That I had a different brand and model picked out as opposed to the new unit that was defective and which you were either going to replace or repair. After going through the procedure of placing the order for the replacement unit -- I was then told that it will be 2 weeks before it would arrive! When asked if it could be expedited she replied it could not. When asked if could be acquired from another store I got the same reply. In short Ms. Tapia would do absolutely nothing nor attempt to do anything to end this mess.

At the very least an offer of a cheap 200.00 floor unit to use until the new unit arrived could have made a difference. Such thinking runs contrary to Ms. Tapia and the customer service skills of Sears employees.

In theory I could just buy a 200.00 unit and use it for 2 weeks and then return it and no questions would be asked except I would pay a 15% restocking fee. For 30.00 I could at least have a dishwasher to use. The reason I don’t is that I know it would be wrong and quite frankly I consider myself a better person than the “assistant” store manager who is totally incapable of exercising any customer skills or decisions.

Would you buy another appliance from Sears?

Sincerely,

XXXX

Key West, Florida 33040

CC:

William C. Crowley

Edward S. Lampert

Aylwin B. Lewis

Steven T. Mnuchin

Richard C. Perry

Ann N. Reese

Emily Scott

Thomas J. Tisch

Vivian Tapia