SEARS Home Improvement - Sears, Roebuck And Co Don't Let This Be You! SEARS Botched My Heat Pump Installation... Winter Park Florida
To my fellow trusting consumers: I wish that I had seen this web site before I purchased my HVAC/Carrier heat pump system from SEARS and had them installed it. I have already written a four-page letter which I am mailing to their corporate offices and the Better Business Bureau, so I'll try to condense here.
Summary: Purchased from SEARS a replacement air handler, humidifier, and new Carrier heat pump in November 2005. SEARS sent out a contractor to install the system on December 14, 2005. Within a few months, the heat pump "froze" into a solid ice block, and the fan stopped turning.
Called SEARS about this never-before experienced event. They sent someone out to "fix" it. The guy asked me if I had a bucket. He then proceeded to fill up the pails with hot water and pour it around (perhaps over) the heat pump. Then he said he "reset" something. It seemed to work, and I thought everything was resolved.
It wasn't. On Saturday, February 23, 2008, I noticed that my heat pump was once again iced over and the fan wasn't turning. I thought it might be a problem with the unit, so I put in a service call through my home warranty service. They sent out a technician from a local HVAC company promptly on Tuesday, February 26.
The technician was outraged. He called me outside to show me what he found: an incorrectly installed heat pump (too close to house, leaning on house, not on large enough condenser pad, etc.). I called SEARS while he was still on the premises.
I was passed among 3 different persons while he was there. He spoke to each of them and told them that they had messed up the installation. Not one person said they could help me. The second person hung up on me. I got looped around from installation (where I called first) to "service," to the "resolution dept.," back to service...and on it goes.
The 7th person said they could send out one of their technicians to check--$99 service call fee. I told him I would NOT pay for a service call due to THEIR mistake. My call was "dropped." I dialed again.
I have been requesting to speak to a manager or supervisor since February 26. It is now March 2; I have talked to 10 people now, and NOT one has been anyone who could/would waive the service call fee. My house is being heated on the auxiliary which is going to increase my already rising heating bill. And I have to get this heat pump re-installed correctly.
Next stop: the Better Business Bureau and my state representative. I now warn anyone in earshot who will listen: STAY AWAY FROM SEARS! Good luck all!
Karen
Frederick, Maryland
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jay
Newport,Kentucky,
U.S.A.
Bad Service at Sears!
#2UPDATE Employee
Mon, March 10, 2008
Karen,
I am sorry to read about the problems you have been having with the company that I work for. Everything that you wrote about is consistent with the pattern of bad management, poor training, and the complete lack-of-respect for the customer by District Managers and Corporate Honchos. Unfortunately, the Sears Sales Associates are stuck in the middle and are just as frustrated with the situation as you are!
For example: During the last few days, we had a Level III Snow Emergency, which means all Municipal, Township, County, and State roadways are closed to Non-emergency personnel. No one should be out during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel. Those traveling on the roadways may subject themselves to arrest. The Managers at Sears refused to close the stores and even sent out employees who had four-wheel drive too bring employees in for their shift.
If the Sears Holding Corporation does not respect the safety and well being of their employees, what makes you think that they will respect you the customer?
Another example: An hourly employee was ordered to come in on a Saturday, they were told that because they were behind on the computer training that they would be paid at a lower rate and after six hours of computer training, they then went out and started their eight hour shift. This was a fourteen hour day for the person and there was no overtime!
If the Sears Holding Corporation is going to be this abusive to employees, how do you think they will treat the customer?
Another example: A cashier was told that they were under the wrong job classification and couldn't work until it was straightened out. During the three weeks it took to straighten out, the employee had to call in every day to check with the HR lady to see when they could start working. At the end of the three to four weeks, the cashier was told that the glitch was taken care of and they resumed working at a lower pay scale!
If the Sears Holding Corporation is going to cheat employees like this, what do you think will happen to the customer?