Complaint Review: A & E Factory Service

I have been without a washer for 64 days and counting!

The problem began on September 21 when A & E was first contacted to arrange an appointment to service the washer for the following problems: Error code indicated that the water was not draining and additionally would not spin. I was told that the first available appointment would be on Thursday, October 5, 2006, the absolutely first available time. I provided them two telephone numbers to contact me for appointment confirmation, they were to arrive between 8 am and 12 pm.

The day before the appointment I received a call that indicated the service rep would now arrive between 12 pm and 5 pm. On the day of expected arrival I received a call at 10:10 am on my cell phone but could net answer it in time as I had to put another party on hold. I returned the call within 1 minute and got a recording for A&E. I assumed they were calling to say they were on their way to my home. I left work for the rest of the day and waited. At 12:30 I called the Service company to try and get closer estimate of arrival time only to find out that because I did not answer the call they assumed there was no one home and they took the liberty to cancel my appointment.

Okay, I was then slightly enraged. Further, they indicated that next availble time was on October 21 btween the hours of 8 am and 12 pm. Wow, two more weeks!

On October 21 they call (I was glued to both telephones time)my alternate number to indicate that they will be late, sometime closer to 2 pm. Okay, it's Saturdy and sunny, I can wait. Finally A & E arrrives and diagnoses the problem as a faulty control panel. He emergency orders the part and tells me it will arrive in two days. "When it arrives please call the main number and they will send out a tech to replace the part."

The part arrives and I promptly call. "We are sorry but the first available time is not for two weeks. Wow, I am over the top with rage! Now my wife intervenes and calls Whirlpool directly. She speaks with Audra Spurio, who calls A & E and gets the appointment moved up to November 4.

November 4, 2006, I take off my second day from work. This rep arrives at 11 am. After 1-1/2 hours he indicates to me that he is not sure why the first rep ordered a control panel because the water pump is broken. He says, "I will order a new one and a new control panel and a new motherboard. Beccause when you arder a control panel a matching motherboard must also be installed (huh?). The parts will be here in two days. Also at this time let me schedule an appointment using my wireless laptop. Oh, the first available time is not until November 16th, between the hours 8 am - 5pm. Sorry, but when the part arrives please call the Service center and if there is an opening they will squeeze you in sooner."

So the parts arrive as indicated, I call the Service center and they are sorry, but the 16th of November is the first opening. Again, Whirlpool is contacted but this time they cannot step up the date.

November 16th arrive and I have arrranged for a retired friend to be on call. At 3 pm A& E calls to indicate that they are on their way. The tech arrives and installs the pump, the motherboard and the control panel. Guess what, it still does not work. He says, "Gee, I cannot figure this out, ther is only one part left to change, the control switch. Let me order that and while I am here I will schedule an appointment with my wireless laptop. Ah, it looks like the first available time is November 30, betweent he hours of 8 am - 5 pm. But, the part will arrive in two days. When it does arrive please the Service center, if there is a cancellation they will fit you in."

Again we call Whirpool, they have no pull with A&E Factory Service. A & E indicates that this is the beginning of the holiday season and they are really busy working around the Thanksgiving Day holiday, sorry.

So the saga continues. Whirpool is furious because the A & E Techs are simply swapping parts. Whirpool cannot give a new washer because we have not gone through the entire repair process..there is hope for our washer.

If you are buying an exteded warranty, make sure A & E Factory Service is NOT the service provider

Keith
sterling, Virginia
U.S.A.