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Whirlpool Appliances Customer Service in the NY Times

11 years ago

I love the Haggler, the consumer advocate in the NY Times. Thought this was an interesting column in this Sunday's paper.

Here is a link that might be useful: Haggler vs. Whirlpool Customer Service

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Comments (15)

weedmeister
11 years ago
Why am I not surprised.
xedos
11 years ago
So, knowing this ,

You folks still want to buy appliances from these guys?

Stop whining and moaning about your broken or crappy appliance and vote with your wallet.

Buy another brand !
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Comments (11)
Gary - does Maytag have their own research and design team? How about management team? Do they have their own factories where they only produce Maytag appliances ? Nope they pretty much cease to exist. The few factories that are still open are an old Amana plant from that acquisition and that scion of cooking Magic Chef ! Maytag 's only value is in its name. Now , lets look at Gaggenau. While they are under they Bosch ownership umbrella , they have their own mgmt. team, in Gaggenau Germany. Their own factories where they produce Gaggenau appliances, and more importantly, a capable R&D dept. that comes up with things like full surface induction tops, side hinged ovens, pop up column vents, side hinged ovens. Some of that is shared across Bosch's other brands, like the induction, and some is not - like the ventilator. I'll let you slide on this one since your a techie instead of a big picture management guy. But, how bout gettin a clue before you start looking for interesting things next time. Lots of parts are shared in the industry, and not just within corp. entities. There are only a few fridge compressors on the market. Does that make Kitchen Aid a marketing arm of Sub Zero because the compressor will fit both ? How about the light bulb that fits your Electrolux and a thermador too? What about the door hinges that Bosch and Tdor and Gaggenau use on their fridges? Miele has the same thing too. That's a whole separate discussion because of the shared factory, but by your logic it'd make them just a " marketing arm" because the same part is shared. Why don't you offer some reasons why one should buy Maytag instead of trying to pick a scrap with me and crapping on some other brand to deflect away from what the OP asked. And speaking of interesting and tellin it like it is, why didn't you include your beloved Electrolux on your list of poor service companies and those that don't do their own service? Inquiring minds find a THAT interesting.
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X post with appliances: Whirlpool Customer Service
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Comments (8)
From Wikipedia 2006 Acquired the Maytag, including the Maytag, Jenn-Air, Amana, Jade, Magic Chef, Admiral, Hoover, and Dixie-Narco brands, after Justice Department approved the merger. Surpassed $18 billion in annual revenues. 2007 Sold Hoover to Techtronic Industries, TTI Floorcare.[4] and Jade Appliances to Middleby Corporation. Also closed plants in Newton, Iowa; Searcy, Arkansas; and Herrin, Illinois. This resulted in the sudden loss of 4500 jobs in the affected communities. Surpassed $19 billion in annual revenues. 2008 Location closings in La Vergne, Tenn; Reynosa, Mexico; and Oxford, Miss. Later the announcement of Dishwasher plant in Jackson, TN to close in August 2009 2009 Whirlpool acquired WC Woods from Bankruptcy [5] and to keep Ottawa, OH plant open; Whirlpool to close Evansville plant;[6] Whirlpool has received $19.3 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding as part of its Smart Grid Investment Grant program [7] 2012 Whirlpool closes Fort Smith, Arkansas plant in June 2012 after moving production out of the plant to Mexico for several years prior to the closing. In 2006 the plant employed 4,600. 15,000 lost jobs since the merger, but the billions in revenue keep going up, while the customer service goes steadily downward.
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Hilarious NY Times article on appliances
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Comments (21)
Our icemaker decision was made for us by the fact that the city puts something into the water that we don't want in our systems, and it's impossible to get out with any currently affordable filters, so we're doomed to making our own ice with purer water from the store (refillable containers). And a note re the dependability that you won't blow anything up with a newer stove: read some of the horror stories at the link below (enter whatever brand you want -- I'll start it with one). That site is why it took us so darn long to get a new range! We finally settled on an American, which doesn't have as much electronics as, say, an Electrolux or whatever else, and is somewhat affordable (I found a great price that made it possible for us). We have our fridge from 1999--probably more energy efficient at cooling than yours, jakabedy, but no way as fundamentally cool -- with a fridge like that you were *destined* to find that home :) Here is a link that might be useful: the unfunny version of the article
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Bosch appliances: customer service exceeded expectations
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Comments (4)
Hi, my selections may not help you, but here they are ...I am happy with all of them: 1. Refrigerator: B22CT80SNS << the upper (refrig.) part is great, taking me awhile to get used to the drawer freezer as I am new to this configuration. Seems like less freezer space than my old side-by-side but the refrigerator more than makes up for that and overall I am happier with this configuration 2. Range: HEI805411 << Very happy with the cooktop and the oven ... I don't think mine has convection or induction features, but so far have only baked brownies so haven't fully explored all the settings:) 3. DIshwasher: SHP65TL3UC << so quiet, it is incredible. The 3rd shelf up top for utensils is great. As an aside, I only learned after I got this DW that there is a difference in the European brands vs. American brands re: dry cycle. You may want to learn about that. Now that I understand it, it is truly fine ... It dries 95% and then I let it air dry or just towel dry any remaining water that might not have fully evaporated. I added Jet Dry too, which is recommended, which seems to make a difference ... but the first time I ran it and saw some water I was (needlessly) alarmed. 4. Hood: HEB50651UC << seems fine -- nice light, fan works well 5. Drawer Microwave (not Bosch): SMD24704S << really nice microwave, FWIW. I like having a microwave drawer in my island:) Good luck, hope that helps.
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User
11 years ago
The Whirlpool conglomerate includes Maytag, Jennair and Kitchenaid. A lot of the KA line is still pretty decently made, but heaven help you if it's not and you need service.
SparklingWater
11 years ago
Thanks for the link. Our refrigerator purchase has waited to last for many reasons including angst over WP.
breenthumb
11 years ago
I'm shocked and really disappointed to read this. We're WP fans from way back.
llaatt22
11 years ago
A good rule today is never rely on the good brand reputation of an appliance over five years old when shopping for new.

Another is a piece of junk fixed again and again under warranty after waiting ages for back ordered parts, is still a piece of junk. Get rid of it and buy something decent and more soothing to the soul.
User
11 years ago
2 years ago, I bought a brand new Whirlpool fridge. Over the span of 3 or 4 months, I had 6 (yes, SIX!) service visits to repair that piece of crap.

I used a local company for the repair visits. Whirlpool "customer service" was a joke. The only thing that gave me any comfort - and admittedly it was very small comfort - is that they spent more in warranty service than the stupid thing cost in the first place. That was not much consolation when I had to keep taking time off from work to wait for the repairman though.

Whirlpool flat-out just didn't care, and their customer service people were horrid.
xedos
11 years ago
Current mgmt. will not change things until enough people stop buying their junk.

When 800m drops to 400m or 200, then someone will start to look into what's wrong.
SparklingWater
11 years ago
laat2- "A good rule today is never rely on the good brand reputation of an appliance over five years old when shopping for new."

So, US companies hungry and actively developing for refrigerator clientele are: GE (made in America and trying to turn around) and whom else? I've got to buy a CD 36" refrigerator soon (having a bit of a problem with door swing but that's my unlucky problem).

Btw, I officially decided against WP and its subsidiaries due to persistent doubts. Voting with my pocket book.
writersblock (9b/10a)
11 years ago
Whirlpool also makes the appliances for Ikea in the US.
caliente63
11 years ago
If you have a problem with an Ikea appliance, you will be dealing with Ikea service, so it doesn't matter who actually makes it.
jwvideo
11 years ago
Also, figure in that hardly any manufacturers handle their own warranty service any more. Even GE, which is struggling hard to recover from a 25% defect rate after it outsourced its refrigerator production for several years.

A year ago, just as it starts ramping up its new re-opened plant in Kentucky the company announced that it was contracting its warranty service to A&E, the Sears subsidiary/spin-off. This is the same one that has been Whirlpool's primnary contractor. According to a long running thread here at GW, A&E has earned an abysmal reputation for lack of competence and customer abuse, See the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: A&E Service
Jumpilotmdm
11 years ago
Another American company in need of a good PR firm. And to think that many peoples alternative is going to be GE?!
SparklingWater
11 years ago
Jumpilomdm, GE isn't and won't be the answer to today's widespread residential kitchen mid-range appliance problems, unless they are hungry to capture the wide open market spot with RELIABLE, no plastic/wire components, reasonably affordable, great customer service and repair, and elimination of "no returns" market. Apparently, that is too complicated for many manufacturers in the mid-range market.

IF GE were smart, given their new (partially public) R&D/investment money, maybe they would consider payback for shoddy past underperformance by great customer service. It starts at the top with management, and if the top takes the GE name with top salary and bonuses typical to such, it won't happen. I am not holding my breath either.

I was responding to xedos' point that once the big appliance companies know they are top dog mid range market (starts with a W, ends with a P), consumers might be better served by companies trying to stage a comeback, which describes GE after many soured on it's overseas outsourcing & poor customer service and poor refrigerator QA.

For your viewing pleasure, here is the new, big, electronic board heavy GE FD refrigerator, available April 2013. Regrettably for GE, I won't be the one of it's first consumer testers, especially with GE's "no returns" policy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link:
kathiguam
10 years ago
sigh* After 25 years, my old whirlpool microwave/oven wall unit needs to be replaced. Interestingly enough, it's the oven sensor that croaked before the microwave. The oven only heats on high. Just the thought & continued research of having to locate a dependable replacement has made me a doppelganger for "The Scream".
Perhaps I should just get the sensor repaired....

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