Just whose definition of "Fair" are we using? OR Isn't a Consumer Advocate Supposed to advocate for the consumer?

I received the following e-mail from Nikki's Supervisor this week...

Dear Ms. Baty,

Nikki has forward your request for a supervisor to me.  I reviewed your emails and case file and and we do want to be of assistance to you.    I understand you would like GE is to cover the total cost however, I believe Nikki made a fair offer in covering all the parts needed to repair your unit.  Should you wish to accept this offer Nikki will be happy to schedule the appointment with the parts concession for you.  Thank you for taking the time to email us and I hope we can resolve this for you.

Di
Consumer Advocate Supervisor

In response to this e-mail, I have a few thoughts about the meaning of the word "fair".

• It appears that we have a difference of opinion about what is "fair".

• Is it fair to expect that GE customers will have a 75% failure rate with their appliances?

• Is it fair to expect that GE appliances are so poorly made that they will not be usable within 4 years of purchase?  

• GE claims to be an "eco-friendly" company, yet it is fair to expect their appliances to be disposable? 

• Is it fair to expect a consumers to pay for repairs on "high-end" appliances that were expected to last the duration of a new construction mortgage? 

I read today that GE is a company with the 3rd fastest growing stock in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, yet they are unwilling to back their products when they fail?  The total cost of fixing our appliances would be minuscule to GE, perhaps even tax deductible...yet the cost to our family would force us to decide which bills won't get paid next month. Please tell me where there is fairness on GE's part? 

I  believe that the only fair part of this situation is my request for them to stand behind the products that we paid thousands of dollars for only a few years ago.

It is interesting to note that Di's signature contains the title "Consumer Advocate Supervisor".  Her title suggests that she advocates for the consumer...hmm...who is she advocating for?

Still popping popcorn in the camper and taking dinner leftovers to the porch!

While I'll spare everyone the transcript of my most recent communication with Nikki from GE, the latest response is an offer to pay for the parts necessary to fix the appliances, but they are not able to cover the entire cost.

Well...they ARE able...they're just not willing.  Perhaps I have reached the limit of what Nikki is authorized to offer. So, I asked to be transferred to the next person up the chain of command.    I also took this opportunity to share with her about you all who've been encouraging me and waiting to see that GE will fix this.

I stopped short of quoting any of you, as I firmly believe that a corporation of their size has an I.T. Department that is fully capable of Google-ing  my name and their company and finding this blog.

Michelle mentioned in her comments how we're constantly drilled about being green, earth friendly, etc.  Isn't it ironic that GE's largest advertising campaign emphasizes being eco friendly?

Continuing the fight....using the camper's microwave to pop popcorn for tonight's bedtime snack and taking dinner leftovers out to the porch....

Quick Response From GE

Although it took almost a week for the first response to come, the next several responses came much more quickly.  


May 26th, 2011. 6:28 pm

Hello again Ms. Baty,

I'm sorrry these tips did not help. I would like to establish a Consumer Relations case for you but I will need the model, serial number, and installation date for the microwave in order to proceed.

I will look forward to your reply and helping you with this.Nikki

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

May 26th, 2011 7:54 pm
Nikki-

Thank you for your timely response. Below you will find the model, serial number and installation date for the 3 appliances with which we are having difficulty.

Microwave:
Model #:JVM187SK03
Serial #: TH905499 B
Manufacture Date: October 2005
Installation Date:  November 2006

Refrigerator:
Model #:PSS26LSRFFSS
Serial #:DL401563
Installation Date: November 2006

Dishwasher:
Model #:GLD5860L00SS
Serial #:RH806454B
Installation Date:November 2006

Wendy Baty

__________________________________________________________________________________

May 26, 2011  8:33 pm

Thank you for working with us Ms. Baty,

I value you as a consumer and want to do what I can to retain your loyalty to our brand. Therefore I would like to offer you a Good Will Certificate (GWC) in the amount of $200.00 which can be used toward the purchase of a GE or Hotpoint appliance, service, or parts and accessories.

It is similar to a rebate (full payment is made at the point of sale) and you would then receive the rebate. It is valid for 1 year from the date of issue. If you wish to use it for service on your three appliances before you receive it, send the certificate back to us within 30 days of receiving the GWC. To accept this offer, please reply back to this e-mail and I'll be happy to begin the process.

I have opened a case for you - case number 11911553.

I will look forward to your reply and helping you with this.
Nikki

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

May 26, 2011  9:20 pm

Nikki-

We appreciate the goodwill gesture and would love to accept the certificate, however, we have some reservations.
The total purchase price of these 3 appliances was $2,458 4 years ago.  This GWC represents less than 10% of the cost of these appliances.  If we choose to have service on these appliances, the total service bill will be much more than this.  There will be the initial cost of the service call, the cost of the parts for repair, then a second charge for service to install when the parts are received. 

Our second reservation is the rebate format.  I understand that to be that we would pay for the repairs upfront, then receive a rebate some time after the fact.  We are a middle class family of six.  Paying for this kind of an expense upfront would be a hardship for us.  Additionally, we purchased  top of the line appliances knowing that we would be including them in our home mortgage.  We wanted to make sure that whatever we purchased would last.  At his point, we are still paying for appliances that we can't use.  We have a 15 year old microwave and a 20 year old refrigerator on our back covered porch right now while the stainless steel microwave and refrigerator in the kitchen do nothing but look pretty. 

We believe that GE should be responsible for the full costs of repair to our appliances. 

Respectfully,

Wendy Baty

First Contact With GE

On  May 20th, I sent an e-mail to GE explaining our problems and requesting assistance.  Nearly a week later I received their response.  

Below is a copy of the e-mail that we received from them as well as my response.  Unfortunately, none of the suggestions that the service representative suggested were relevant to our problem.  I will give GE credit, however, for the fact that Nikki was much more polite and professional than my unnamed  friend at Lowe's.

Dear Ms. Baty,

Thank you so much for contacting GE Appliances. I apologize for any inconvenience you have experienced as a result of this situation.

I have a few suggestions you may want to check:

Refrigerator:
If you have a chilled deli or meat pan, the first suggestion I would have is to set your meat pan to a warmer setting. The highest setting can sometimes cause surrounding areas to freeze. Wait 24 hours for the unit to adapt.

If this does not help, check your temperature settings. Most no-frost refrigerators work the same. The freezer cools both sides. The control for the refrigerator section operates a mechanical duct that allows more or less air to flow to the fresh food section. Try setting the refrigerator control to a warmer setting. Your digital display will show the actual temperature and will change with the temperature accordingly. If you wish to check the setting, press your temperature control pad and it will show you the setting you have selected before switching back to the actual temperature. Allow 24 hours for the changes to take effect.

When you mentioned the freezer is dripping water, is this from defrost drainage? The usual evidence of a clogged drain in a side by side is the discovery of ice under the bottom basket in the freezer compartment, in addition to a puddle of water on the floor when it runs out the freezer door. Some side-by-side models have the defrost drain hole located on the back wall of the freezer, just up from where the floor slopes up to the back, in the center. In some models it is behind a plastic panel held in place by a screw. Remove screw and panel, and the drain hole will be visible.

Flush out the drain hole with a solution of 1 tsp. baking soda and 2 cups of hot tap water in a meat/turkey (bulb) baster. When clear, you will hear water running down into the drain pan below.

If the water is coming from the icemaker, turn it off and then the water supply until service can repair it.

Microwave:
If the microwave shuts down during a cooking cycle, check to be certain that the fuse or circuit-breaker protecting the outlet into which the cord is plugged is operating. If the fuse has not blown and the unit is not operating, this sounds like an overheating situation.

Overheating can occur after several back-to-back cycles of cooking (long cooking times) or if the microwave air clearance requirements have not been met. Please consult the Owner's Manual regarding air clearances for your particular model.

If the microwave turns off before the set time is complete, it can be due to a covered or blocked oven vent around the case. Uncover the vent or reposition the oven so that the vents are not blocked. This will assure adequate airflow around the oven.

Wait approximately 30 minutes to see if the microwave power returns. If power does not return to the microwave, this signals a problem.

If this is an over-the-range model, overheating can occur after several back-to-back cycles of cooking (long cooking times) or if the microwave venting requirements have not been met. If you are recirculating back into the kitchen it may be time to replace your charcoal filter. If you are venting to the outside be sure there are no obstructions in your ductwork.

Wait approximately 30 minutes to see if the microwave power returns. If power does not return to the microwave, this signals a problem. Try resetting your electronics by disconnecting power to the unit for 10 minutes or so at the breaker or fuse box.

If these suggestions do not help, I recommend contacting GE Consumer Service to schedule an appointment for an authorized technician to service the unit. They can be reached at 1.800.432.2737, Mon. - Fri., 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and Sat. - Sun., 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, EST.

You may also visit the website below for more information about GE Service and for assistance with scheduling a service call online at: http://localgeappliancerepair.com/

Please don't hesitate to contact me again if you have any further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Nikki

Appliance Specialist
Consumer e-Response Team
GE Appliances

Check out our new GE Appliances Community!
http://community.geappliances.com 



My Response: 
Dear Nikki
Thank you for your response.  Unfortunately, it seems that your suggestions will not be the solutions to our problem.
1.  We do not have chilled deli or meat pan. 
2.  We have experimented with placing the refrigerator on a warmer setting which has not changed the effect of our bottom drawers being frozen. (Not just a little ice crystallization, but to the extent that apples are freezing solid.) 
3.  The freezer drips water from the ice maker, because the freezer is not freezing properly.  The water from the ice maker will then drip down and freeze toward the bottom of the freezer causing icicles to form between the grates/shelves.  The food at the bottom of the freezer stays frozen, the food at the top of the freezer thaws and spoils. 
4.  The microwave shuts down during a cooking cycle but there is still power to the breaker and to the outlet in which it is plugged.
5.  It is not due to back to back heating cycles as the microwave is only used in the evening to reheat leftovers and pop popcorn.  No one is home to use it during the day and it has never been used for cooking, only reheating.  It shuts off like clockwork if it is used for more than 3 minutes.  IT always turns off in the middle of a cycle. 
6.  The microwave is an over the range model and the vent is clear.  We have verified this by turning on the vent fan and then going outside to the vent where the air is clearly flowing. 
7.  When we last spoke with GE Consumer Services regarding the microwave we were told that it was likely a "board" that needed to be replaced.  We were told that the board would cost $175.00 and that the service charge to come out would be at least $75-$175. And there were no guarantees that replacing the board would fix the problem.  With an estimate for $325 for repairs, this is nearly 80% of the original cost of the microwave ($412.20).  The quality of this appliance is in question when there are significant repairs necessary to an appliance that is only 4 years old. 

We would like to be able to contact Consumer Services to schedule repairs, however we will be unable to do so until GE can assure us that they will be responsible for the costs of said repairs.  We do not feel that it is a reasonable expectation for GE to expect consumers to pay for costs on appliances that are 4 years new. 

We anxiously await your response.

Wendy Baty

Discussion #1 with a not so helpful operator

            VS.
This is a transcript of my first interaction with Lowes.  I was prepared for it not to go well, but this was a little crazy.  I realize now that I didn't get this associate's name.  Oops.  I'll do better next time. 

Operator:  Good evening, Lowes of Plainfield, how can I help you?

Me:  I'd like to speak with your store manager, Rick Brien, please.

Operator:  I'm sorry he's left for the evening.  Can I help you.

Me:  Do you know if he will be in this weekend?  I'd like to set up an appointment to speak with him.

Operator:  I imagine he'll be in, but I don't have access to his schedule.

Me Thinking:  Really?  When I worked for Wolohan Lumber in college we all knew what manager was on duty for the weekend...and if there was any question...it was posted on the wall behind the service desk.

Me:  Well, I'd really like to talk with him.  What do you suggest would be the best way to go about this?

Operator:  I can take your name and number and he can call you.

Me:  Sure, My name is Wendy Baty he can reach me at 616.984......

Operator:  And can I tell him what this is in regards to?

Me:  Sure.  We purchased several appliances for the new home we built in 2006 and 3 out of 4 are not working now.

Operator:  Oooo...did you purchase any extended warranties on your appliances?

Me:  No, ma'am.  We did not. Would you expect that you would an extended warranty on a top of the line appliance that's 5 years new?

Operator:  Well, I can tell you that from my experience that without an extended warranty you're pretty much out of luck.  My mom bought one of those fancy side by side refrigerators with the french doors a few years ago and it took a dump on her this week.  We didn't have an extended warranty so we had to bite the bullet and buy a new one.

Me:  Well, unfortunately that's just not going to be acceptable.  We'll take this all the way to the corporate office if we need to.

Operator:  Good luck with that.

Click.


 

Just how long should a refrigerator last anyway?

My husband, Jim and I built our dream house in 2006.  We decided that since our appliances were going to be embedded in our mortgage, we would purchase top of the line appliances that would last a LONG time.  We hated the idea of mortgaging something that was going to need to be replaced.  It was our intent that the appliances we purchased would last the life of our mortgage.  We went to Lowes for much of the finishwork of the house.  Mistake?  Maybe. 

We purchased this GE Profile Side by Side refrigerator.    $1,617.30

This GE Profile Dishwasher, $429.30


This GE Profile SpaceSave Microwave  $412.20

And this Gas Range $1,798.20


AND MANY MANY OTHER ITEMS that day totaling just over $14,000.


Fast Forward 4 years and 2 more children later........Today May 20,2011
We are storing our food on the back porch in the 20 year old refrigerator that came with our single wide trailer.  Our stainless steel refrigerator looks beautiful next to our handcrafted Maple cabinetry, BUT there's water dripping from the ice maker,  the ice cream has melted all down the inside grates covering everything inside (which has also thawed, and therefore ruined everything else in the freezer).  Top of the refirgerator keeps the food cool at best and the crisper drawers have frozen every vegetable and fruit solid!  Not just ice crystals on the outside...but frozen solid...apples and oranges like balls of ice,  heads of lettuce like bowling balls!  We've contemplated putting the ice cream in the crisper and the milk in the freezer...  All in all I'd say we've lost $300-$400 worth of food in the unit.  It wouldn't be nearly as frustrating if it had just quit...but we'll defrost the freezer coils tomorrow and it will work again for a month or two and then BAM! out of nowhere water will drip from the freezer and our carrots and celery will be like the wooden "play food" at the children's museum.  GRRRR.

Having a craving for leftovers or some microwave popcorn?  Bummer...our microwave stops heating...just turns itself off, like a kindergartener at 3:30, after about 3 minutes of heating on high.  Couldn't reheat leftovers if we tried.  I'm remembering how my grandmother used to reheat dinner on the top of the stove and in the oven...Which I think was an ingenious way to reheat supper IN 1955!!!!!!

Finally, our dishwasher~ My wonderful husband the plumber replaced a leaking sump this winter from the inner workings of the dishwasher...it had just rotted a hole through the plastic pipe...now the seal on the outside of of the door is leaking.  With a family of 6, we'd spend all night doing dishes (like my grandma did) if we didn't use our dishwasher.  We just put a towel down and mop up the water...

So,  I'm now on a mission to get GE and Lowes to stand behind their 4 year old products.  Follow me through this journey as a Small Town Girl takes on Corporate America.