Appliance Repair

The dispenser on my refrigerator has had problems for months. About two weeks ago a piece actually fell off so I decided I had to call someone to fix it. I didn't have anyone specific to use for this as I haven't had an appliance problem in several years. I decided to just call the number in the fridge for the Sears Repair Center though I really didn't want to.

For some reason I just don't like Sears. I think it is because their sales people in the actual stores always remind me of used car salesmen - they just seem less than honest - especially the guy who sold us our vacuum - I will not buy from him again. Love the vacuum but do not like the man - story for another day. [If you are a honest used car salesman please ignore the previous statement. I don't really have any first hand knowledge of used car salesmen, I'm going with the stereotype here - bad I know.]

When I called I had the number wrong and couldn't get through so I asked Michael to call. I wasn't at home where I could look the number up. He did an online request. Three days later we still hadn't heard when the appointment would be, so I called them.

Of course, I was dealing with an automated system and not a live person. When I said I wanted to schedule service the system told me I already had service scheduled and asked if I wanted to know when. Well, duh, of course I want to know when. How do you expect me to be home if I don't know when you are coming? The system proceeds to tell me that a person will be coming 8 days later and the window in which they will be there is from 8am to 5pm. Um, I don't think so! Sorry I have a job, four kids and well, a life! I'm not sitting at home for 9 hours waiting for someone to show up! It's just not gonna happen. By this point the system thought it had taken care of my problem and had hung up on me.

I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that it was scheduled so far out and for such a long window because the request had been made on-line and called back to talk to a person. When I got to a person she tells me that is the earliest date they have available. I ask about the call window, she proceeds to tell me that is the standard call window in my service area. So I tell her she can cancel my appointment as that is completely unacceptable that I will call someone who can arrive in a more timely manner. She then asked me if she could help me with anything else? Hello! If you can get someone to repair my refrigerator this week and give me a four hour or less call window, sure! Otherwise, you have helped me immensely by making sure I never call Sears again for appliance repair!

But now I'm back to square one, the door is falling off the dispenser, making the fridge run too much and I still have no one to repair it. [Just a note here to say we weren't using the dispenser and were keeping the door manually closed but every once in a while one of the kids would forget and try to get ice and the door would then be hanging open until an adult happened to notice it.]

Luckily when I asked some friends I got a couple of recommendations. I picked one and called at 3 pm. They said they would be happy to come out the following morning between 9:30 and 11:30! Now that is what I'm talking about! That is service! After I described the problem they asked for the model information so they could bring the part with them! And proceeded to say they would be happy to call me about an hour before they came so I wouldn't have to wait for them!

Not only did they show up when they said they would, they were extremely courteous and well just pleasant! I will definitely call them again when I need appliance repairs.

For those of you who live in my area it was American Eagle Service at 341-9111. I will say I have no idea how their prices compare. My only reference point is that Sears would have charged me $65 for the service call if I decided not to have them do the repair and American Eagles service call fee was $45.

I guess the good news is I didn't have to buy a new refrigerator!
Jenn