Sears Customer Service, Hall of Shame

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My experience with Sears Customer Service and Sears Repair Center can be found here:

1. Sears Customer Service, Part 1
2. Sears Customer Service, Part 2
3. Sears Customer Service, Part 3

Today’s post is a compilation of Sears Customer Service stories, to show that my experience is not an isolated one, but just the tip of the iceberg – buy symptomatic of serious service design issues and failures.

From Grumpy Lion ¹,

Three days ago the refrigerator, a four-year-old Kenmore costing some $1100 dollars, failed. I called Sears Repair Center, told them it had failed, that my mother, an old woman in poor health, kept medicine in there.

Three days later, today, they’re supposed to show up when? Oh, yeah, between 8 and 5. Think you could pin that down some? Nope. So, three days without refrigeration, almost noon, woman in poor health, still waiting for Sears Repair Center, to show up or call or send a carrier pigeon.

Bet your sweet a** no more money flows from this house to Sears for any piece of equipment over fifty bucks.

Sears Repair Center: Worst Service In The World!

From epinions.com,

We had a flood in our house tonight from a refrigerator ice maker water line that obviously was installed improperly earlier today by Sears. We called Customer Service & were told that “repair” appointments are on a first come first served basis, & the next available date for repairs was in 6 days, and to take it or leave it!! They have no formal complaint or grievance process, certainly no emergency support services, & really could have cared less about our problem.

Then they said an obviously scripted, & inappropriate,”Thanks for choosing Sears”,and hung up. I’m in healthcare – I wonder how Sears would feel if they had an emergency medical problem and were told they had to wait 6 days to be taken care of. Simply shameful & atrocious service. I’m now forever an ex-Sears customer.

More,

Sears Corporate Office
3333 Beverly Road
Hoffman Estates, Illinois 60179

To Whom It May Concern:

During these hard economic times, I found it necessary to purchase a new Dishwasher and Refrigerator. The appliances I had were over 20 years old and were not energy efficient items.

As I have done in the past, I researched the products and looked for discounts. I have owned Kenmore appliances in the past, and found the items that I wanted to purchase were top rated products recommended by www.consumerreport.com.

After my research, I decided to purchase appliances at Sears. On August 13, 2008, I purchased two items totaling $2, $439.57 – Quite a substantial amount.

The Salesman, Eddie Barajas, did a wonderful job, as I had to call him a few times with measurement questions, and he was extremely helpful. After I purchased the items, I left the store feeling that I would definitely purchase other items from him in the future.

After discussion of delivery, I was told that I would be contacted within 72 hours with the date and times for delivery. I was concerned about having the deliveries too close, as I have a small kitchen, and did not want to have many delivery people in my home at once. Also, I have a large dog, and during hot weather, do not want him outside too long. I asked for delivery on a Wednesday or Thursday. My salesman told me that I could discuss this with the delivery department and would not have any problems, as the items were available at the local warehouse.

Nobody called and nobody from Sears came.  I cancelled my order.  Salesperson was great, but Sears installation and service is a load of crap.

You get the point.  Often times, when we are happy with a service, we might talk about it.  When we are unhappy with a service of product, we REALLY talk about it.

My negative experience with Sears is, unfortunately, more common than I had originally thought.  There are Sears detractors everywhere – all over the web, we see fewer Sears promoters and more Sears detractors.

To help the Sears brand image, they must improve their service design issues.  They cannot spin or PR their way out of serious service design problems.  They must actually face the facts and improve.