Complaint Review: Sears Holdings Corporation - Hoffman Estates Illinois

: August 4, 2018

Mr. Edward Scott Lampert

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Sear’s Holding Corporation

3333 Beverly Road

Hoffman Estates, Ill. 60179

Reference:      A Fiasco On-going Experience

Dear Mr. Lampert:

I am writing to you as a last resort on a problem which should have been resolved at the customer relations level.

I am a long time Sear’s consumer – 35 years.  My appliances, washing machine/dryer and vacuum cleaner are all from your company.  Up until this week, I have been a content customer.

This situation should never have reached your office.  Unfortunately, after a series of eleven (11) telephone calls and repeating my story as many times, I felt I had no other choice than to push this up the ladder.  My hope it for you to delegate this to one of your direct reports for resolution.

I made several calls during June to request a technician come to my home and repair my refrigerator.  They came and left.  My presumption is they did any repair or maintenance check.  At the end of June, another technician came to the house because the refrigerator was making rattling sounds.  He reported the refrigerator was not repairable.  He left and I did not hear from Sears.

Monday, July 30.  I woke up to a very loud, screeching sound.  It thought our neighborhood was being evacuated for fires.  It was the refrigerator.  Shaken, I pulled the plug, waited a few seconds and reinserted the plug.  The screeching sound continued.  I repeated the process several times and finally unplugged it.

I called Sears repair.  I had the scheduler hear the screeching sound and asked for someone to come to my home that day.  I was told no one was available.  The soonest anyone could come to my home was Wednesday, August 8!  Nine days later.

I went to the local Sears store in Concord, Ca. and purchased a new refrigerator.  I put it on my Sears account.  It was not the top of the line.  It was a modest Kenmore for the amount $1,200 + tax, new water hose (standard) and haul away the useless refrigerator.  Delivery would not be until Thursday, August 2 – three days later.

In the meantime, I attempted to salvage the food, placing them in ice chests with fingers crossed for the Thursday delivery.

 Wednesday, August 1.

I called Sears and explained that there wasn’t a need for a 3rd technician.  The refrigerator was no longer working and that my food had spoiled.  However, I did purchase another Sears refrigerator and it was scheduled to arrive the next day, Thursday.

I was forcefully told that the food spoilage was my problem.  There is are no benefits to my Sears Master Protection Plan.  I was quiet.

I asked to speak with her supervisor.  She told me that she does not have a supervisor.  I then told her that it appeared to me that she was having a difficult day (never mind me) and perhaps another person should assist me.  I then told her “God bless you and be well”.  She hung up on me.

Ok.  I don’t have a refrigerator.  I am shaking due to the sound it makes when it is plugged into the wall.  My food is spoiled.  I do have another refrigerator on its way.  Life will be good again.  I am not yelling nor sarcastic to anyone.

I redial and get another person who could not have been nicer.  He explained that since the refrigerator has not been deemed unfixable by a Sears technician (yes; it was in June), they cannot approve a replacement.  He suggested I cancel my order and wait for the technician.  Ok.  The technician is not scheduled to arrive until next week, Wednesday.  He immediately made a call and had a technician at my home that day at 5:30 p.m.

I call and cancel my new refrigerator order.

Mario with Wepco Services (95.381.8518 – Jesse, Manager) arrived at my home, fully checked the refrigerator and called Sears Service Technician Department.  He told them that the refrigerator was not repairable.  He noted the compressor and filter and stated that screeching and grinding noise continued to damage the unit and could cause a fire. 

The Sears department asked for the parts number of the compressor and filter and would schedule a repair service.  I was listening to all of this in disbelief.  The technician (the second one) tells you it cannot be repaired and you schedule a repair service.  Hmmmmm.  I am not sure why Sears hires professionals who know their job only to turn around and tell them they don’t know their job.

Repair service is now scheduled for next week.

Thursday, August 2 – spoke with Luz.  Will send a check for a mini-refrigerator while the issue is in progress.

Friday, August 3

I come home to a message left on my answering machine from Sears

Paraphrase – This is Sears (whatever department), we have canceled your repair order with Wepco.  Please call 1.800.549.4505 to schedule another date. ??????

Ok.  I call.

At this point, I don’t know what I am doing or saying anymore.  Which way is up?  I need a service repair to come to my home.  I think.  I tell my story –have, three times.  I do it again.

again, for the ‘nth’  He suggests I call 800.927.7836.  In the past five days, I The person who answered the telephone tells me there are no notations stipulating that the refrigerator cannot be repaired.  She has no notes – no repair requests, no nothing.

She notes a request for Food loss, no status.  And, she notes a check for a mini-refrigerator processed on Friday, August 3 with the notation that I accepted this as the replacement for my refrigerator.  What are you talking about?!

Ok.  Enough.  Please, someone, help me.  Please.

I do not have a working refrigerator.  It sits in the middle of my kitchen and there it is.

I sincerely hope you will provide me with resolution.  I buy the Master Protection Plan to be there when/if something like this happens.

Sincerely,

Yolanda Vega; 619 Huntleigh Drive; Lafayette, California 94549

Home – 925.283.5967; Cell – 925.324.5654

Wednesday, August 8, 2018 – 4:15 p.m.

Sear’s Technician arrived.

Did not have any replacement.

His notations did not show he came to repair the refrigerator.

He did an assessment.

He noted the refrigerator was moved.

Yes; the prior technician moved it to remove the back covering in which he reported the compressor number to the Sear’s representative.  At that time, the Sear’s representative asked him for the equipment number to order.

Sear’s representative told me that the repair was scheduled for today.

Once again, the technician noted the problem and ordered the replacement parts.  This is the second time.  The first time was Monday, July 30.

Another dated scheduled for repair – Wednesday, August 15.

It’s no concern that my career stands still.  I am at the mercy of their planning – or lack of it.

The refrigerator stopped working on Monday, July 30.

Friday, August 10 received two checks - $300 for spoiled food; $115 for the purchase of a mini-refrigerator to use while waiting for my refrigerator to be repaired.  I was told by a representative that the $115 would be payment for a replacement refrigerator.  I have not cashed either check.  I e-mailed Ms. Bloom and asked her to explain the comment regarding the $115.  I have not heard from her.