We have a Whirlpool dryer and it suddenly stopped working. The drum would spin but there is no heat. I googled and watched YouTube related to the issue. Tried the suggestions offered but still did not work. So I ended up calling the 1-800 “customer interaction centre” number. A service appointment was booked and the representative explained to me the cost of the initial visit ($89) and that I will be informed of the total cost of the repair and labour for me to make a decision.
The Day of the Appointment:
Firstly, in today’s world, I do not understand how a company can still give you a service visit window of 8am to 4pm! Most companies recognize the importance of customer experience and have narrowed that time frame. One of our family members had to take a day off work to wait for this appointment. A Whirlpool technician (not third party) arrived and spent less than 10 minutes in diagnosing the problem. We were told the computer board had to be replaced. It was only after we probed for the cost, he gave an estimate of ~$250. He said he has to order the part and will have to come back. We were not provided with a quote of how much the actual repair will be (parts & labour, etc.) and there is nothing in writing.
So the next day, I called the 1-800 number back and reported that I was not provided with sufficient information and that I did not consent to proceeding with the repair. The representative repeatedly told me that she was unable to tell me how long the repair would be and could only say that it is $29 every 15 minutes. However, she said she could tell me how much the parts were (I can only assume that the information had been entered into their computer system by the technician). She said that we needed 3 parts and the total is $478. I was upset by the fact that the technician was not forthcoming with the information and misled me. I asked to speak with a supervisor.
From the supervisor, I found out that it is not Whirlpool’s standard to provide customers with a written quote. And when I asked whether it is also a standard that their technician should inform the customer the details of the repair, he could not answer the question. The only thing he could offer was to ‘email’ the technician to get the information on parts and expected labour. I have yet to receive anything from the technician, the supervisor, or Whirlpool and there is no follow up.
I am extremely disappointed (and angry) with this experience and I would never purchase a Whirlpool or its associated brands again. Overall, my impression of Whirlpool Service is arrogance, dishonesty, unprofessional, and a complete lack of sense of customer service.
