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A&E Factory Service Informative - A&E Service should not be in business! - Maytag Dryer Repair Service
Maytag Dryer Repair Service
HOUSTON, TEXAS -- On Saturday, March 8, 2008 I made a call to A & E Services to repair my Maytag Dryer. I was told I would be charged a $59.00 fee just for sending out a repair man and that they could only come next Saturday, March 15 between the hours of 8 & 12. I accepted this regretfully as I was at a loss on how to fix my dryer and when I called the 1-800 number on my machine this is where I had been transferred so I assumed this company was a referral of Maytag.
Saturday, the repair man showed up around 11am. He took one look at my dryer, found out it needed a thermal fuse and it would cost me a total of $187.74 for parts, labor, and the initial service call. Out of desperation, I told him just go ahead an d fix it and I wrote him the check on the spot. He turned on the dryer. It seemed to work, and he went on his way. I put a load in and before the cycle was even 1/4 the way through it was not working again. Not even 30 minutes had past so I called the service center again, explained the situation and was assured the technician would be out after he finished this next call he had already started on. After no one had showed up by almost 2 pm I called the service center again. I was told the service tech would be paged and he would give us a call back. By 4:12 pm we still had not received a call back not did anyone show so I called the call center again.
This time I was told the service tech was going to be paged again and be notified of the situation but he would not be able to come until he had finished his other tickets. Knowing there were other people out there who also needed this service and should not be inconvenienced like I had been I happily agreed to sit the rest of the afternoon waiting for the tech to finish his other service tickets and then come back to finish what he had attempted to proved me with the first time around. At 6:10pm still no tech and I called and was told that he was off for the rest of the day and I would have to wait until Tuesday, March 18th for him to come back. I told the "customer service" agent that this was unacceptable, that I had been waiting all day for this tech to show up and fix whatever it was he had done and I was assured each time I had contacted them that he would be out that day. The result was an entire Saturday waisted waiting for someone who was not coming and no one even had the courtesy to call me back and tell me he was not coming.
After I asked her(Linda the "customer service"agent) to contact the service tech and ask him to come out she refused. I asked to speak with her supervisor and after she refused to let me speak with her supervisor at least 6 times I was finally transferred to a "manager", Tanesha. I explained the situation to Tanesha and asked her to contact her tech and ask him to come out and finish the job, after all we had already rendered payment for services we did not receive and it was only courteous to do so. She refused to contact anyone after hours and explained that she just could do it and we would have to wait until Tuesday until he would come back. After I explained again to her the severity of the situation,(I was schedule to go on a business trip and needed my clothes to be washed and dried before Monday and why would I spend money needlessly at the laundromat when I had already paid her company to perform this service to my dryer so I could take care of my clothes at home with my own appliance) she again refused to help me.
I was not in any way rude, condescending, obnoxious, or threatening in anyway to this woman or the agent I spoke to before. I never raised my voice and was actually cordial to both of them while pleading my case and just requesting the service I had been promised and already paid for. She told me the part was faulty not the service and since I had already paid that it was my fault that the dryer did not work again because it was working fine when the tech left. I thanked her for her time, explained to her that I would be stopping payment on the check and I would be happy to submit payment after the job was complete and she threatened me with their collection agency. I asked her for corporate office information and at first she refused to give it to me but finally did. Tanesha gave me the name Dale Reader and the address is 1300 Louis Henna Round Rock, TX 78664. I thanked her for time and told her I would be contacting the CEO of the company on Monday morning during my business trip and let him know how bad the "customer service" is in Houston and that I would be naming her and Linda exclusively, and the technician, Sonny Sa, who would not return the pages to the company following my phone calls of inquiry.
She said there was no reason to do that and I should contact someone locally to resolve the situation. I had to actually remind her that I had called the Houston "customer service" line to try and "resolve" the issue to begin with several times throughout the day and I ended up speaking to her after all was said and done. I again, thanked her for her time, explained to her I am not upset with her or the previous agent, Linda, and that I just wanted my dryer fixed and then I ended the conversation. After looking on my phone, I was able to obtain the cell phone number of the technician that was sent out because he called me before he came to make sure I was home. I called him 2 times and left a message for him to please call me back. I still have not heard from him or anyone else at the company and my dryer is still not fixed.
Unfortunately, I am not the only victim effected by this company. If you "Google" A&E Factory Service you will be able to see all the others effected by the horrible service by this company. I only wish I had known about this company before I contacted them to "help" me. I hope you are able to notify others so they won't make the same mistake I did.
Saturday, the repair man showed up around 11am. He took one look at my dryer, found out it needed a thermal fuse and it would cost me a total of $187.74 for parts, labor, and the initial service call. Out of desperation, I told him just go ahead an d fix it and I wrote him the check on the spot. He turned on the dryer. It seemed to work, and he went on his way. I put a load in and before the cycle was even 1/4 the way through it was not working again. Not even 30 minutes had past so I called the service center again, explained the situation and was assured the technician would be out after he finished this next call he had already started on. After no one had showed up by almost 2 pm I called the service center again. I was told the service tech would be paged and he would give us a call back. By 4:12 pm we still had not received a call back not did anyone show so I called the call center again.
This time I was told the service tech was going to be paged again and be notified of the situation but he would not be able to come until he had finished his other tickets. Knowing there were other people out there who also needed this service and should not be inconvenienced like I had been I happily agreed to sit the rest of the afternoon waiting for the tech to finish his other service tickets and then come back to finish what he had attempted to proved me with the first time around. At 6:10pm still no tech and I called and was told that he was off for the rest of the day and I would have to wait until Tuesday, March 18th for him to come back. I told the "customer service" agent that this was unacceptable, that I had been waiting all day for this tech to show up and fix whatever it was he had done and I was assured each time I had contacted them that he would be out that day. The result was an entire Saturday waisted waiting for someone who was not coming and no one even had the courtesy to call me back and tell me he was not coming.
After I asked her(Linda the "customer service"agent) to contact the service tech and ask him to come out she refused. I asked to speak with her supervisor and after she refused to let me speak with her supervisor at least 6 times I was finally transferred to a "manager", Tanesha. I explained the situation to Tanesha and asked her to contact her tech and ask him to come out and finish the job, after all we had already rendered payment for services we did not receive and it was only courteous to do so. She refused to contact anyone after hours and explained that she just could do it and we would have to wait until Tuesday until he would come back. After I explained again to her the severity of the situation,(I was schedule to go on a business trip and needed my clothes to be washed and dried before Monday and why would I spend money needlessly at the laundromat when I had already paid her company to perform this service to my dryer so I could take care of my clothes at home with my own appliance) she again refused to help me.
I was not in any way rude, condescending, obnoxious, or threatening in anyway to this woman or the agent I spoke to before. I never raised my voice and was actually cordial to both of them while pleading my case and just requesting the service I had been promised and already paid for. She told me the part was faulty not the service and since I had already paid that it was my fault that the dryer did not work again because it was working fine when the tech left. I thanked her for her time, explained to her that I would be stopping payment on the check and I would be happy to submit payment after the job was complete and she threatened me with their collection agency. I asked her for corporate office information and at first she refused to give it to me but finally did. Tanesha gave me the name Dale Reader and the address is 1300 Louis Henna Round Rock, TX 78664. I thanked her for time and told her I would be contacting the CEO of the company on Monday morning during my business trip and let him know how bad the "customer service" is in Houston and that I would be naming her and Linda exclusively, and the technician, Sonny Sa, who would not return the pages to the company following my phone calls of inquiry.
She said there was no reason to do that and I should contact someone locally to resolve the situation. I had to actually remind her that I had called the Houston "customer service" line to try and "resolve" the issue to begin with several times throughout the day and I ended up speaking to her after all was said and done. I again, thanked her for her time, explained to her I am not upset with her or the previous agent, Linda, and that I just wanted my dryer fixed and then I ended the conversation. After looking on my phone, I was able to obtain the cell phone number of the technician that was sent out because he called me before he came to make sure I was home. I called him 2 times and left a message for him to please call me back. I still have not heard from him or anyone else at the company and my dryer is still not fixed.
Unfortunately, I am not the only victim effected by this company. If you "Google" A&E Factory Service you will be able to see all the others effected by the horrible service by this company. I only wish I had known about this company before I contacted them to "help" me. I hope you are able to notify others so they won't make the same mistake I did.
Comments:
Posted by SilverWngs71 on 2008-03-16:
The sad part about this is alot of service companies will not "clean up A&E's Messes" while the ticket is still open. There are other choices than A&E. If you go to www.maytag.com go to customer service at the top, click on service, put in make and zip code, authorized servicers will pop in screen. The main Headquarters for A&E is in Chicago Heights and they are a subsidiary of Sears/K-mart. When Maytag was bought out last year, they stopped having Maytag Factory Service, LLC. They are now having to schedule with A&E.
Gave you a thumbs up on the post!!
Gave you a thumbs up on the post!!
Posted by qualityappliance on 2008-03-16:
A&E was the name used by Montgomery Ward years ago for their service department. When they went into bankruptcy Sears bought the name and just held it for years until the bankruptcy procedings were complete. Sears then bought a bunch of vans and painted them up with the A&E logo because the Sears service department had such a bad reputation for incompetence. If a customer complained about one of the Sears idiots they would have a guy change their shirt and drive the A&E truck. Different truck, same idiot.
Added note, They charge rediculous prices, $187.74 for a thermal fuse, in Texas, is quite high. In the San Francisco bay area, (one of the highest service rate areas), most independents charge $80. to $90. for the service call which generally covers some labor up to 30 minutes, plus the part, thermal fuse $20.+/-. As for the part being defective, highly unlikely. In my 20 years in this business I have changed literly thousands of thermal fuses and have not seen a defective one yet.
Added note, They charge rediculous prices, $187.74 for a thermal fuse, in Texas, is quite high. In the San Francisco bay area, (one of the highest service rate areas), most independents charge $80. to $90. for the service call which generally covers some labor up to 30 minutes, plus the part, thermal fuse $20.+/-. As for the part being defective, highly unlikely. In my 20 years in this business I have changed literly thousands of thermal fuses and have not seen a defective one yet.
Posted by karveurname on 2008-03-27:
I work for the a&e call center and it's really annoying to read this complaint.
1st off we do not have a manager by that name.
2nd we are located in tx. We have two call centers, with about 80 agents per center.
Do you honestly believe that we know every technicians number? We don't even know their names.
3rd the managers IN TX have no recourse after 5 p.m. your time. Want to know why? Routing offices and Upper management offices in your area are closed. No one to call.
4th We schedule appointments over the computer. We don't call a person in your area. With that being said: We can only schedule what is available to click on. we cannot offer sooner service if it's not there.
5th We don't like asking people to wait because we get yelled at.
I literally have to keep my daughters picture next to my computer to keep myself focused on why I allow myself to get verbally abused.
The problem that you had was 100% customer services fault. Our agents know better than to ask a customer to wait for a technician to return. They should have informed you that he would call IF he could come back. I'm sorry they didn't for you.
Just try and realize we're not a horrible company. Our technicians are simply over booked and under staffed. That's why it's hard to get preferable service dates.
Our call agents aren't incompetent. We lack resources.
For the writer of this post: This reply is for all customers reading not just you. I'm aware you said you never raised your voice.
As for customers who cannot contain themselves: Remember the people you're yelling at probably (me included) do not make enough money to have half the appliances you do. So asking us if we have seen how nasty laundry mats are... you come off snobby! Most of us see them Every weekend!!
Tip: if you get a rude rep...call back...you might just get me! I actually care!! As long as it isn't past 5 p.m. your time there is someone we can call.
Sorry for ranting, just got off work!
1st off we do not have a manager by that name.
2nd we are located in tx. We have two call centers, with about 80 agents per center.
Do you honestly believe that we know every technicians number? We don't even know their names.
3rd the managers IN TX have no recourse after 5 p.m. your time. Want to know why? Routing offices and Upper management offices in your area are closed. No one to call.
4th We schedule appointments over the computer. We don't call a person in your area. With that being said: We can only schedule what is available to click on. we cannot offer sooner service if it's not there.
5th We don't like asking people to wait because we get yelled at.
I literally have to keep my daughters picture next to my computer to keep myself focused on why I allow myself to get verbally abused.
The problem that you had was 100% customer services fault. Our agents know better than to ask a customer to wait for a technician to return. They should have informed you that he would call IF he could come back. I'm sorry they didn't for you.
Just try and realize we're not a horrible company. Our technicians are simply over booked and under staffed. That's why it's hard to get preferable service dates.
Our call agents aren't incompetent. We lack resources.
For the writer of this post: This reply is for all customers reading not just you. I'm aware you said you never raised your voice.
As for customers who cannot contain themselves: Remember the people you're yelling at probably (me included) do not make enough money to have half the appliances you do. So asking us if we have seen how nasty laundry mats are... you come off snobby! Most of us see them Every weekend!!
Tip: if you get a rude rep...call back...you might just get me! I actually care!! As long as it isn't past 5 p.m. your time there is someone we can call.
Sorry for ranting, just got off work!
Posted by Have tech will Travel on 2008-03-30:
Looks like qualityappliance has a problem with being a honset and a compentent tech. Quoted from his above statement " As for the part being defective, highly unlikely. In my 20 years in this business I have changed literly thousands of thermal fuses and have not seen a defective one yet" First of all he has changed literly thousands of thermal fuses and yet has not seen a defective one yet. This tells me 2 things he has ripped off thousands of customers, why would you change a part that is not defective. Also I don't think he knows how to check for a defective thermal fuse. Thermal fuses do fail in dryers and do so a fair amount of time. One big reason for thermal fuse failure is poor or clogged up venting on the dryer. If your dryer cannot vent, heat will build up inside the dryer causing thermal fuse failure meaning the fuse will open and cause the dryer not to run or not to heat. If the venting is not taken care of the thermal fuse will open again in due time. Also the second main reason for thermal fuse failure is when the heating element will short to ground or part of it will short to ground causing the heating element to stay on all the time when the dryer is running. Thereby causing the dryer to over heat. As for calling A&E techs idiots, Obviously in this case it takes one to know one.
Posted by qualityappliance on 2008-03-31:
There is a big difference between a thermal fuse that has burned out from use and one that is brand new and defective.
Posted by harpo79 on 2008-10-30:
I Completly Agree. A &E and Sears/Whirlpool are a complete disaster. We're on week four for our service request on a Whirlpool Duet dryer that is only six months old. The short story is A&E came in to fix one thing on our dryer and blew out our Heating Element and that part is six weeks away according to A&E. So between October 1st and Mid December we will be without a Dryer. (Keep these stories in mind when Whirlpool asks you if you want to extend your Warranty for $100+ a year...their service stinks and it's worth the frustration).
End Result is still to come..but we got tired of the run around and ordered the parts from Sears Direct (which is where A & E Sears gets their parts) and It should be here tomorrow not December. There is a big difference between October 30th and December 15th when you're waiting for a part to fix your Dryer.
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Full Story: Our Dryer broke with an F 25 Thermister error and it took a week to get A & E Service (Sears and Whirlpool) to our house between 8am and 12pm (arriving at 3:30pm). They told us we needed X, Y, Z parts..The parts took a week to arrive and they were shipped from a place that was only 20 miles away (but we're not allowed to pick them up and they won't pick them up for us either). Then another week for them to comeback to fix the machine (week 3). In week three they finally showed up at 3:00pm (for a 8am-12pm window) and a different technician said "These are all the wrong parts. The person that ordered these didn't know what he was doing."
This guy said that all that was broken was a safety switch and that he could permanently bypass the switch so we never have the problem again. I asked if it was safe to bypass this and he said that as long as I keep an eye on the dryer and make sure it doesn't get too hot it would be fine. I expressed my desire to keep my house from burning down and would prefer he just fix the part. After he tried to convince (bully) me for a few minutes, he finally gave up and said he could fix it a different way and replaced our Thermal Fuse. I now know that this was a temporary fix for him to get out the door.
The Dryer worked for two loads and then died again...A & E came back a week later..Yet again a different guy and he said "the previous guy didn't ground your machine properly and blew out your Heating Element". This heating element is out of stock and won't be available until mid-December.
HERE IS THE FUN PART: After complaining to A&E (owned by SEARS) for breaking everything..we calmed down and did some research. I figured out who they order parts from SEARS Parts and SEARS Parts Direct (.com). I called SEARS and they can ship the part the same day and even overnight it to us, but A&E will only talk to FSP Appliance Parts (also owned by SEARS) and A & E says they don't have a phone number for FSP Parts. So I found the address for FSP and did some web research..figured out that the number for FSP Parts (AKA Sears Roebuck Parts Dept.) in Glen Burnie, MD and called them...The part can be shipped from Texas and arrive in 7-10 days. Still a long time, but much better than A & E six weeks + one week to get a techinician to come.
End Result is still to come..but we got tired of the run around and ordered the parts from Sears Direct..It should be here tomorrow. There is a big difference between October 30th and December 15th when you're waiting for a part to fix your Dryer.
End Result is still to come..but we got tired of the run around and ordered the parts from Sears Direct (which is where A & E Sears gets their parts) and It should be here tomorrow not December. There is a big difference between October 30th and December 15th when you're waiting for a part to fix your Dryer.
---------
Full Story: Our Dryer broke with an F 25 Thermister error and it took a week to get A & E Service (Sears and Whirlpool) to our house between 8am and 12pm (arriving at 3:30pm). They told us we needed X, Y, Z parts..The parts took a week to arrive and they were shipped from a place that was only 20 miles away (but we're not allowed to pick them up and they won't pick them up for us either). Then another week for them to comeback to fix the machine (week 3). In week three they finally showed up at 3:00pm (for a 8am-12pm window) and a different technician said "These are all the wrong parts. The person that ordered these didn't know what he was doing."
This guy said that all that was broken was a safety switch and that he could permanently bypass the switch so we never have the problem again. I asked if it was safe to bypass this and he said that as long as I keep an eye on the dryer and make sure it doesn't get too hot it would be fine. I expressed my desire to keep my house from burning down and would prefer he just fix the part. After he tried to convince (bully) me for a few minutes, he finally gave up and said he could fix it a different way and replaced our Thermal Fuse. I now know that this was a temporary fix for him to get out the door.
The Dryer worked for two loads and then died again...A & E came back a week later..Yet again a different guy and he said "the previous guy didn't ground your machine properly and blew out your Heating Element". This heating element is out of stock and won't be available until mid-December.
HERE IS THE FUN PART: After complaining to A&E (owned by SEARS) for breaking everything..we calmed down and did some research. I figured out who they order parts from SEARS Parts and SEARS Parts Direct (.com). I called SEARS and they can ship the part the same day and even overnight it to us, but A&E will only talk to FSP Appliance Parts (also owned by SEARS) and A & E says they don't have a phone number for FSP Parts. So I found the address for FSP and did some web research..figured out that the number for FSP Parts (AKA Sears Roebuck Parts Dept.) in Glen Burnie, MD and called them...The part can be shipped from Texas and arrive in 7-10 days. Still a long time, but much better than A & E six weeks + one week to get a techinician to come.
End Result is still to come..but we got tired of the run around and ordered the parts from Sears Direct..It should be here tomorrow. There is a big difference between October 30th and December 15th when you're waiting for a part to fix your Dryer.
Posted by Jenny on 2012-11-05:
I am about to scream. My 1 yr old Sam Sung washer was already replaced once. Now it is broke again and I bought the extended warranty service from HHGregg. Guess who covers the warranty? A and E! UGH! So now I am on my THIRD day I had to take off work for this repair and once again they are not showing.
First time they were 2 hrs late (8-12 window, arrived at 2) They do not carry parts so had to order part and reschedule.We schduled an appt. They called and said they wanted to come sooner so I jumped at the chance to have them come a day earlier. I waited all day and they never called or showed.
I called again and reschedule for Monday and they said 8-12. Now here we sit at 12:16 and no one has called so we called 2 times and now they are saying 1:30. I doubt they will come by then.
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. THEY ARE HORRIBLE.
BTW talk about outsourcing jobs. They all have accents at the call center. I asked where they were located and they said they are not allowed to tell. WTF???
Americans are out of work and Sears/A and E has their call center in some other country????
First time they were 2 hrs late (8-12 window, arrived at 2) They do not carry parts so had to order part and reschedule.We schduled an appt. They called and said they wanted to come sooner so I jumped at the chance to have them come a day earlier. I waited all day and they never called or showed.
I called again and reschedule for Monday and they said 8-12. Now here we sit at 12:16 and no one has called so we called 2 times and now they are saying 1:30. I doubt they will come by then.
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. THEY ARE HORRIBLE.
BTW talk about outsourcing jobs. They all have accents at the call center. I asked where they were located and they said they are not allowed to tell. WTF???
Americans are out of work and Sears/A and E has their call center in some other country????
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