My customer service experience

Like everything else with this house...the washer and dryer have a story, I am not sure if this makes me determined, annoying, or crazy, but I FINALLY got my Evergreen Maytags!

It all began when we bought our first washer and dryer as a married couple, a refurbished set from a 2nd hand dealer. They worked great for nearly six years and then the dryer broke. We went looking to fix/replace it and I came across the Steam Maytag Evergreen Series and fell in love. They were so beautiful and had so many features! However, our rental couldn't accommodate the height of front loaders, so we got another refurbished dryer to get us through until we got to the new house. Greg said, "We can just get new ones when we move delivered right to our door..." (um, keep that sentence in mind as you read on.)

Well, flash forward to this summer and my washer started leaking, a little more with every load until eventually I had to mop between loads (on a positive the laundry room floor was sparkling!). It was time, so August we went looking only to discover my coveted Evergreen were discontinued...(people preferred white due to the economy.) We were settled on a white steam set. I came home and researched just a little and found out that set got horrible reviews, like 2-3 out of 5 stars from everyone who owned one. I also research the evergreen ones and found that they got 4.5-5 stars and everyone loved them! I looked around and there were several available to buy online at closeout prices, so Greg said, go ahead. When I found a set of pedestals on ebay at half price, I was convinced I could get them! This was August 20...

Washer: I found immediately on ebay for a STEAL and it would ship within ten days, perfect...buy it now!

Dryer #1: Ordered it online, from company #1 in New York/India, with the cheapest price and free shipping (showing IN STOCK on their website), but it is not in stock, so didn't technically order it.

Meanwhile called lots of online stores in between, who had it IN STOCK on their website, but didn't really have one :(

Dryer #2: Called company #2, they had one. "Mam, if we didn't have one it wouldn't show up in my computer." Ordered, check! Meanwhile company #1 calls back, they have one now, but I don't need them because I have one. Half hour later company #2 calls back, they apparently didn't have one...so I recall company #1 and order that dryer.

August 28: Pedestals arrive! Ebay washer guy calls and says that the washer will not be in stock until Sept 4 (I guess Buy It Now, technically does not mean he had it???)

September 1, we move and I have NO WASHER or DRYER and am doing my laundry at Debbie's (mother-in-laws)

Sept 12: Dryer arrives...

In less than perfect condition...so I recall the company and they order me a replacement, (dryer #3). In the meantime, I continue to research and find another dryer, which "If it is on our website we have it." I order that one too (dryer #4). Greg is like, "What are we going to do when 2 dryers arrive?" And we are still waiting for the "Buy it Now" Ebay washer to arrive at the seller's appliance store. It will absolutely be there by September 17. In the meantime, hauling all my laundry to Debbie's...still.

September 27, washer finally arrives and is shipped. Dryer #4 is now not in stock (big shocker) and dryer #3 is no longer available. So I spent most of the next couple of days calling every store that sells Maytag from Portland to Medford, online appliance stores, and Maytag themselves, who consequently are of little help?!? Finally I do another search and come across one in Boston MA at an appliance store (he actually has access to 5!). I ordered, now longer worrying about price. He was a little hesitant to send it that far, but agreed to after I told my sad tale.

October 4: Washer arrives! The truck can't make it up our driveway and he leaves it on the side of the road, but it is beautiful and I love it! Greg brings up the old dryer and I now have a functioning laundry room again!

October 14: Dryer #5 arrives

as a scratch and dent model! We accept this one conditionally, but after taking it out just keep noticing more scratches and dings. We paid top dollar for this one and I don't want it banging up before my kids even touch it! Sadly, we file a claim with the store and the shipping company and look for Dryer #6. The appliance store doesn't have access to the other 4, they have been shipped to Ohio. Finally after 2 weeks of waiting, the appliance store gets word that they can get one of the ones from Ohio, so as soon as it gets back to MA, the can ship it to me. I am still not sure why it had to go back to Boston, but it did. The sales guy put signs all over it that said, "DO NOT DROP, DO NOT STACK!" and it made it here safely!

Flash forward to yesterday, I got my dryer! (They now deliver at Greg's office so he can inspect and they don't have to bring a semi up the hill.) It was scratch/dent/defective free and I finally, after three months have my Evergreen Maytags.

Don't they look so beautiful with my counters and cabinets! I am loving doing laundry! It is so much quieter and quicker than before.

And today the shipping company finally picked up, dryer #5 from my garage. Well, Greg and his dad drove it to the bottom of the hill and put it in the semi :)

The moral of the story:

1. Good customer service a long way, we love Kahians and the way the answered every call and email! Small appliances stores have far superior communication and customer service than large internet vendors.
2. Buy it now does not mean "I have it now"
3. Just because it is on the website IN STOCK does not mean the company actually has it. I think all the companies were fighting over the same few dryers at the distributors.
4. Being patient and persistent always pays off.
5. Everything is better in green.