Customer Service At Sears Canada

In this economy one would think that companies such as Sears Canada would offer fairly good to excellent customer service. I've always put my trust in Sears when it comes to household appliances because :

• When appliances break down parts are readily available
• Sears has always stood behind the products that they sell
• The customer service that I received in the past has always been excellent
• In most instances, anything I need from Sears is obtainable within a week of ordering it

We bought a Kenmore Stainless Ultra Wash dishwasher from Sears Canada eight or nine years ago. The dishwasher has not been working all that well, and so I had my husband have a look at it. He discovered that the heater element was broken and needed to be replaced.This is when the first of several phone calls to Sears started.

Upon calling Sears appliance parts we were told that the heater element we needed was no longer available. Our next question was "Is there anywhere else we can obtain this part?" The woman told us to go to Kenmore and see if they had it. "Would you happen to have Kenmore's phone number?"

"Go and Google it." was her reply.

I found this reply to be lazy on the part of the customer service representative. When I worked in Customer Service years ago, I would have been raked over the coals if I'd replied with an answer such as this.I would have looked up the phone number for the customer myself and given it to them. Why is it that most people today just assume everyone has a computer? Sears Canada sells Kenmore appliances, so would you not think that they would have Kenmore's phone number handy.

Because I was appalled at the Google it answer received I then decided to call the main phone number for Sears Canada Customer Service. I asked for the same part and was told that the cost of the part would be $152.99. I found this a little strange and asked if they had it in stock. I was then told that if it were in stock it would be this amount, but Sears no longer carries the part. I then asked her if she knew of anywhere that I could obtain the part and her reply was at Kenmore.

A quick email was then sent to Sears Customer Service telling them about how I felt regarding their customer service. I rec'd a reply stating that they would contact me within 3 business days. This was on the 14th ... ten days ago. Have I rec'd a reply back? No.

Yesterday I decided to do some research on this needed heater element dishwasher part. I found another parts phone number for Sears, and when I called it I actually got a helpful person. He told me that Sears does not carry this part but he gave me the part number and told me that the part is actually made by Whirlpool. He then gave me Whirlpools phone number. Part was in stock and would cost $196.00. I realized that I was speaking to someone in the U.S.A. and asked if there was a place in Canada that I could call. The man then transferred me to Whirlpool Canada.

Whirlpool Canada does not have the part in stock. It has been discontinued and is no longer available anywhere. I told them that I could obtain the part in the U.S.A. and thought that it was strange that Whirlpool Canada could not get this part for me.

This is what Sears Canada has on their Website:

• Build Customer Relationships (Interesting)
• Make More Money
• Improve Every Day (Not sure if I agree)
• Focus on the customer (This one is debatable)

I've done a bit of research online about Sears Canada, and it seems that I am not the only person that is frustrated with their customer service. There are pages and pages of complaints on Google alone. It's a shame that a large company such as this has deteriorated.

I understand that appliances are no longer made to last more than ten years now a days, which is pretty sad when you think of how many appliances one will go through in a life time. We try to get the most out of everything we buy. If it breaks down we do our darnedest to fix it. I've not given up hope on finding this part as we originally paid $900.00 for this dishwasher and I'd really like to get a few more years out of it.