Sunday, May 4, 2008

Baywest Appliance Service Inc. has very poor Customer Service

Everyone knows how important it is to have good customer service; great customer service is even better. All it takes is one disgruntled customer to tell all their friends and family and there goes potential business. People have a tendency to talk about negative experiences over positive ones as negative experiences leaves a bad taste in consumers' mouths. I am one of those disgruntled customers.

Our Frigidaire fridge has been making an annoying ticking noise every so often throughout the day even though it is a brand new fridge. In the past we've been able to tune it out but during the days where I was home during the entire day the noise started aggravating me. I ended up calling Baywest Appliance Services Inc located on 1st Ave N in Saskatoon. I called and was told that they would send out a service person at a time convenient for both of us. So far so good.

The service person came at the arranged time with what I assume was an apprentice as he really didn't do anything. As you would expect, when something is wrong it never occurs when a service person is present. I have to admit he did do everything in his power to make the ticking noise occur, from opening the fridge doors and changing the temperature in the fridge to make the motor run. Naturally nothing happened and 5 minutes later he left telling me to pinpoint where the noise is coming from. So that was that.

The next day he phones to ask if everything is running okay. I completely appreciated the call but in my head I am thinking, what the hell, you didn't do anything to fix my original issue while you were here so why would it be okay? I never knew things fixed themselves on their own. I was taken aback by this question as obviously he never did anything to fix it (and I had said it was a re-occuring noise from the start) so I said it wasn't okay at all. He tells me again to try and pinpoint the noise and states that fridges makes noises all the time. That made me irritated as he had no clue what kind of noise the Frigidaire fridge was making so don't try to brush my problem off like it's a normal sound and I was making a big deal out of nothing. I replied by saying that this was not a normal ticking noise and I never had a fridge, a brand new Frigidaire fridge nonetheless, make a ticking noise. What next I wonder as that was the extent of our conversation.

So at this point I have no idea if I am going to hear from them or not but a couple days later he does phone. He states that he has heard of problems like this (still this irritated me as he has not heard the noise still) but it originates inside of the fridge and it is not worth fixing as it is a lot of work. Again thinking to myself I came to the conclusion that he still has no idea what he is talking about because when we first spoke after his visit he told me that its normal that fridges makes these noises and now he states he has heard of my problem?!?! This frustrates me even more as he tried to pass off my "problem" as being a normal occurrence only to come back later saying that other people have complained about similar problems and it was too big to fix. I ended up saying that the noise is really irritating and it can't be normal and he said it was better to live with it than fix it. WTF? Obviously I can't live with the noise if I called you over to fix it.

Whatever. I no longer am at home during the day and have gone back to tuning out the noise. Then at the end of the month, maybe 3 weeks later I get a bill in the mail for $65.95 where it states in the description that the problem was "checked okay". Again wtf as I stated it was still making an annoying ticking sound and just because we couldn't replicate the noise when you were here does not mean that everything is ok. Not only that but I was never told there was going to be a charge for a house visit (although realistically most businesses charge for house calls but tells the customer upfront). With all due respect I understand and am okay with getting a service bill but that usually comes at the end of the service when the issue is FIXED. Completely annoyed I phoned the company to inquire what the bill was all about and that everything was NOT ok. The receptionist picks up and as I tell her that I don't agree with the bill she tells me I have to take it up with the service person that came to my house. Fine. She gives me his cell number and I call it. He picks up and is completely friendly and pleasant only to become irritated and abrupt as he brushes me off when he hears that I am questioning the bill. He tells me to call the office and leave a message for him and he'll get back to me. Presently I don't think he ever did call me back so fine, you don't return my call I am not going to pay the bill. Bottom line the fridge is still making a ticking noise and is not fixed.


So this all started back in the end of January and I didn't hear back from the company until April 28 when I am at work. I answer and the most bitchiest/rudest sounding person I have ever heard is on the other end of the line. She states her name and the company she works for which for the life of me I could barely understand as she spoke like she didn't want to be working. I greet her back and then in a snotty voice she states that there is an outstanding bill owing. I replied back saying I know about the bill but my problem wasn't fixed and you (the company) never did anything while you were at my house. She replies back even snottier that the charge is just for sending a service person to my house. I asked even if my problem was not fixed I still get charged and she replies back that it is a service charge and doesn't even offer a solution to my problem. Irritated I said I would send it in the mail when I feel like it and hung up.

I still have not paid the bill but I will probably at some point. However I will tell anyone and everyone that the service at Baywest Appliance Service Inc., 738 - 1st Ave N in Saskatoon has the worst possible service I have ever had and will recommend everyone avoid them. Does anyone have a similar service with them or for that matter, a company to avoid?

10 comments:

Jason said...

I have a European front loading Washer/Dryer combo. The plastic handle broke (which can be common on these units I've since discovered. Baywest ordered the part in for me and I took the door in to have the handle repaired. They installed the hinges wrong on the door so I have to go back and have it fixed. And all the screws used in the door around the window were replaced with random screws. Clearly not the original screws. Two of the screws don't even stay in the hole and two are stripped. I called the store to inform them of this and he called me a lire and said that's how it was when I brought it in. Clearly it wasn't. He did say he could fix the hinges (I don't have the tools to do myself as they are special screws). As far as the screws around the window he told me to just change the screws myself with bigger screws. $40 in later and a $74 bill I'm thinking this plastic handle and all it's parts should have been re-installed correctly. Tomorrow I will try and recoup the cost of the labour for having to make a second trip. Judging by how I was talked to over the phone - I don't expect much!

Trina ( Saskatoon ) said...

I have to add my 2 cents here since I have dealt with the rude receptionist answering the phone there this week as well. I called down on Thursday Apr 17 and was told to take it out and bring it in ( over the stove mounted ) on Monday because friday was a holiday. The tone of her voice was as if i was bothering her calling for service. I chalked it up to end of day before long weekend and thought they were just busy. ( still not acceptable )
I was referred to them from Electolux since I was told they were the only Fridigaire Professional service provider in my area.
I dropped off my microwave on Monday since it was no longer heating and they guys I spoke to were all very nice. The guy said it wouldn't be long to get the quote so I went back to work and never thought anymore of it. After working till 4:30 I thought I would call since I had not heard anything. So when i called to ask if there was any update or if they found the issue, the woman that answered the phone gave me such ignorant responses like - " I don't know when they will get to it because I don't make their schedules", i then asked if maybe tomorrow someone would be getting back to me she said " Service Calls take priority and as I said I don't make their schedules". I had to hang up because i was enraged with the poor customer service skills of that woman. About 30 minutes later the service tech called to let me know what was wrong and the cost but I told him i had to talk to my husband so to not do anything and I would call in the morning. I was too mad to get into it as I had just settled down from the previous call.
I went into the shop at 8:30 the next morning when they opened and told them i was taking it out of their shop. The service guys who were very nice, looked shocked and i told them that there is no way in good conscience that I could give business to a place that allows people to talk to customers in that way. I also told them I would rather run it over in the street and by a new one than give my business to someone who thinks it is acceptable to treat customers like that.
The guys said they were very soory for the trouble, yet still took my 42$ for assessment. I don't have any clue if anything is done about it but I defiitely will never go back there unless that woman is out of there. They lost my business that day and I am very easy to deal with. I can't imagine how much they loose from people who don't say anything and just don't come back.

James said...

I find it surprising and disappointing to hear they still haven't improved on their customer service (at least the receptionist). You would think it's common sense that the first person a customer interacts with leaves a lasting impression and can make or break a deal so you would want someone personable in that position. Sorry to hear you also had a bad experience.

Anonymous said...

Lol....you all need to get a life.

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