Complaint Review: Amana - Newton Iowa

While calling Amana and being placed on hold for thirty minutes waiting to speak with a supervisor, I learned a trick: stay on the line and call Amana from your cell phone. You will of course have to wait about fifteen minutes to speak with a regular customer service person, but it will be worth it. Tell the customer service person that you are on hold for a supervisor and that it has been an excessively long wait. They will try to explain that you are in a que and try to transfer you, but DON'T LET THEM!!! Insist that they stay on the line with you until you reach a supervisor. And guess what? You'll get one right away. Hmmmm. Magic. They quickly figure out that they are NOT going to get rid of you no matter how hard they try! Normally, you must endure three service visits for Maytag-Amana to offer a replacement. But here's what I did. When I called, I stated who I was and started the conversation like this: "I purchased an Amana premium appliance on 12/03, so naturally it is still under warranty. Regretably, the refrigerator failed and the compressor part will not be available in a reasonable and timely manner. So what we need to do here is schedule a pick up of my unit from the appliance company from which I purchased the refrigerator, and I will also need you to arrange for a full replacement." You will hear a long pause and then they will ask who the service company was that checked the unit. Be ready to have the name and phone number of the service company, and enforce that it "is an Amana autorized service technician". Also have your model number and serial number handy, as well as the information of the appliance store where you purchased the item. If the service person states that the part will take several weeks to arrive and that it will be fixed upon arrival of the part, say to the service person (as I did): "So, Jane, let me understand you correctly. You are telling me to go without a frige for "x" amount of time (whatever it is). If you were me, what would you do in the meantime while waiting for this part." The response I got was, "um, let me check with MY supervisor and see what we can do for you." When the supervisor returned, she simply stated, "We're going to go ahead and swap out the unit for you." So, what happens next is that they will have you fax rour receipt copy to the attention of either Traci or Heather. Do it right away, and get a print out confirmation that the fax did indeed to through. But before you hang up with the supervisor, establish that you will have your appliance company call them to confirm instructions to replace the unit. Ask for the direct number for a SOLUTIONS SUPERVISOR. This is very important. Take your paperwork with you to the appliance store, and upon arrival, call Maytag-Amana on your cellular phone; remembrer it will take a LONG time for anyone to answer, as you'll be put on hold when you ask for the solutions supervisor. Walk around the store and pick out your model. By then, someone will have tended to you. They will open your file and they will need the fax number of the appliance store to fax over the authorization. BUT WAIT! Before you hang up, have the supervisor speak with someone at the appliance store, and have the appliance store ask for EVERYTHING THAT WILL BE NEEDED. The appliance store will receive instruction from a district supervisor with Maytag-Amana to either send the defective unit back or "scrap it". Tell the supervisor at Maytag-Amana that you don't want to hang around the store while he tracks down this elusive district manager who is somewhere in your state. Tell him that they can take all of this up with the appliance store. Have the appliance store arrange for pick up and delivery, and do not let them sock you with delivery fees. Remind them that they are the ones that chose to sell you this crappy product in the first place, and they can now stand behind the product after the sale. Do NOT pay for delivery AGAIN! I hope this helps anyone who has gone through what I did.