<p>Here’s my recent Sears story. Bought a new washer, and it broke immediately. A repairman came, and said it needed an expensive new part that would have to be ordered. I called Sears and said I don’t want to wait, bring me a new washer. They did. I called the repair company and told them I’d done this. Several weeks later, the expensive new part arrived at my house. I called the repair company and told them this. It’s still there, many months later.</p>
<p>I have a Sears story too. In 2006 I bought a refrigerator and a dishwasher. The salespeople told me I qualified for a rebate on both so I filled out the paperwork and sent in the required documentation. Months later I got a letter saying I didn’t qualify because my purchase was not in the right time period. Yet it was but there was no recourse. Five years later I get a letter from Sears saying I have never used the gift certificate that was issued as a rebate in 2006, would I prefer a check? Uh, yeah. (And I got a check from Sears for $182.)</p>
<p>We have a vacation cabin, said cabin is about a 3 hour drive from home. Bought new fancy dancy stove to replaced the avocado green early 70"s model that came with said cabin. Got a recall notice for new fandangled stove.</p>
<p>Called recall repair company…</p>
<p>Me: Hi, I understand there is a problem with the stove turning itself on at random times
Them has your stove done this?
ME: well, we have had it about 12 months, and been at the location to use it about 30 times…it’s not happened while we were present.
Them; Has this ever happened when you were not present?
Me; Huh?
Them: has the stove ever turned itself on while you were not there
Me: how would I know this if I was not there?
Them: Did you find it on when you returned?
Me: uhhhh… all electricity is shut off when we leave so it can not turn itself on when we are not there.
Them: is the stove on now?
Me: I would hope not since I am not there and the electricity is off.
Them: So you are sure the stove is not on now.
Me: tell you what, why don’t we call the stove and ask it…or does it have an undocumented reporting feature whereby you can contact it and ask it if it is on.
Them: No mam…this stove does not have this feature.
Me: okay, let’s just get it fixed…
Them: We can be there between 1-4 on Thursdays only.
Me: I am NOT AT THIS PLACE DURING THE WEEK. Can we set up an appointment for a month from now.
Them: no
Me: What are my options?
Them: well the receipt shows stove delivered to ‘our main address’ so we really can only send a repair man to that address.
Me:Great…have him pack a lunch and we can take the 3 hour drive to the stove location when he gets her
Them: we can not do that mam</p>
<p>It goes on like this for a while longer…finally they give me the name of a authorized repair service in the stoves’ hometown. They call to set up an appointment. I return there call and…the very person who left the voice mail says they have never heard of me nor can they assist me.</p>
<p>Called recall repair service yet again:</p>
<p>Me: can you just mail me the parts (it was really a minor issue and DH can fix anything)
Them: no we can not do that
Me: Put me through to a supervisor.
Them: I do not have a supervisor
Me: WOW…I had no idea I was speaking to the CEO of GE!!!
Them: sorry, we can’t help you - hangs up</p>
<p>I call GE corporate, navigate to a helpful person, they agree to send the parts…I also mention I’d already done a repair, similar to the recall. </p>
<p>Resolution: I receive 2, count them 2 sets of parts in the mail, one at my main address, on at the cabin. And…I receive a refund for previous expense.</p>
<p>Karma is great.</p>
<p>But don’t get me going on calls to our health insurance representatives</p>
<p>and just remember all these stories, folks, next time you say “good enough for government work”, or next time we contemplate outsourcing FEMA or weather, or any other major service, to the private sector :)</p>
<p>Dietz mentioned health insurance, which reminded me of something my H and I still laugh about. Complete dunderheadedness. He was in the hospital for an appendectomy. The man in the bed next to him was in for some other surgery, and a nurse came in to see him. She was very young. I don’t remember all the order or the specifics, but the conversation went something like this:</p>
<p>Nurse: So, Mr. P, how are you today?
Patient (weak, but trying): fine
Nurse: I see you were in before with lung cancer. How are you now?
Patient: OK, they had to remove a lung.
Nurse: And I also see you had more cancer, this time in your throat?
Patient: yes, I think they may have to operate in the future.
Nurse: and the chart says you had a cardiac event last year. How are your recovering?
Patient: I’m doing fine.<br>
Nurse: OK. Now let me show you some papers. Can I get you your glasses to help you read them?
Patient: I don’t need glasses.
Nurse: OH - you don’t need glasses ?! You are so lucky !</p>
<p>^^^ I would vote instantly for outsourcing our local planning department. While undergoing a major remodeling project, we were going to live in a mobile home which was to be brought to the property.</p>
<p>According to the planning department. They can not approve the final building permit until all temporary housing has been inspected. However, temporary housing may not be installed before the building permit has been approved. …nope, them thar folks is no bettuh.</p>
<p>(I should not have caffeine before posting…embarrassing mistakes in above submission - I DO know the difference between ‘there’ and ‘their’ “:)”</p>
<p>Who cares about small errors…the tales are amazing!</p>
<p>I was recently dealing with a person in an accounting office who simply accepted that we had bought Gillette stock in 1900 because that’s what it says on the statement.</p>
<p>Ah, Hunt - and you don’t look a day over 101 :)</p>
<p>re: (555) 555-5555</p>
<p>ellemenope - Next time try this: “Well I’m from out-of-town. But if you need to contact me you can call (202) 456-1414.”</p>
<p>What is that the phone number for? I’m clueless!</p>
<p>Clued in now…googled it–it’s the White House!</p>