Thursday, October 26, 2006

Washing Maching Update

My e-mail was passed on to Excel Direct Logistics, the company that handles the deliveries for Bernie's TV & Appliances. Last Thursday I had a call from them, on my answering machine, when I returned home after work. After playing "telephone tag" for several days, we finally got to speak to each other today.

First, this was a new driver and he was being overly cautious. Apparently the drivers are held financially responsible for any damages, dents, scratches...etc, during deliveries. Ok, so now I understand why he was being way too cautious about getting through the tight spaces. If it was coming out of my pocket, I would be just as cautious. He needs to explain this to the customer and let the customer decide if they want to take chance.

Second, as for disconnecting the old hose, he will be spoken to about that problem. Reconnecting the old hose to the new machine, again goes back to the first issue of being held financially resposible.

Third, connecting to the drain pipe. On that issue, the driver had previously been told to not connect to any drain pipe that was more than 4 ft. high, from the floor. That isn't what the driver said to me but I let it slide. The reason for this (I had already made sure this wasn't an issue for me) some machines can not pump the water, out of the machine, up more than 4 ft. to the drain pipe. I had previously checked out washer specs to make sure my old machine and new machine, were capable of pumping the water up to drain pipe.

Anyway, it's a long story to say that it was happily resolved. The driver will be coached in how to properly explain things to the customer and I will be receiving a full refund on the delivery fees.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

New Washing Machine

I HAVE A NEW WASHING MACHINE!!! Yippee!!! Ok, I never thought I would be this excited to be able to do laundry but, my machine bit the dust about 2 weeks ago. While I love my new washer, if it had been left to the delivery people, I wouldn't be using the machine now. Here is a copy of the e-mail I sent to their customer service dept. after the horrendous delivery today.


"This the 4th major purchase I've made from Bernie's and to date, I've always been happy with the deliveries. Today's delivery started with the driver believing the washing machine would not fit through a narrow area in my kitchen or down my cellar stairs. I told him it's a tight squeeze but yes, it will fit. When he got down stairs, he tried to loosen the hoses. The cold water came off easily, the hot water was going to require a little muscle that he didn't bother to use. Instead he kept insisting that he couldn't disconnect the old washer but he would bring the new one to the celler and leave it there. It would be up to me (single female, living alone) to disconnect and remove the old washing machine. He didn't even attempt to disconnect the hose at the washing machine connection, only at the pipe.

When I suggested he disconnect the hose at the machine and reconnect the new machine using the same hose. He started about how the hose was old and bloated and couldn't be connected to the new machine because it would burst. Funny how there was nothing wrong with the actual hose until I made the request.

At that point is when the 2nd delivery person came downstairs. Surprisingly he was able to remove the old hose, at the pipe without ANY effort. They disconnected the old machine and saw that the drainage hose is not the typical connection. The water has to go up a PVC pipe, approximately 5 ft., to the drain pipe. I had rubber coupling and clamps but was told they wouldn't fit on the hose for the new machine. Finally, I just told them to remove the old machine and leave, I would do the installation myself. It was easier than trying to tell them it could be done. Within 15 minutes after they left, not only did I have the machine installed, I was doing laundry.

The impression the first person gave me, was that he just didn't want to do the work associated with the delivery & installation. I can appreciate that it's not an easy task but it IS his job. There are many people that aren't willing/capable of installing a washer. If I had a couple of guys and a truck available, I wouldn't have spent $60 to have the machine delivered and the old one taken away."


Needless to say, I was not happy with the delivery service. The 2nd person seemed to be ok, for the most part. As for the hose being larger than the coupling/clamp. I don't know that the 2nd person even looked. He just took the 1st guys word that the hose was larger than the coupling. If either had bothered to look, the hose for the new machine AND the old machine, were the same size!

Anyway, I'm just happy that I can do laundry again.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006


Fun At Work

Since I bitch alot about my job, I thought I would give a few minutes to the fun side of my job. We occassionally have cookouts where the company buys all the food and management does the cooking. Well tomorrow, our sales reps are cooking for the drivers. Our drvers are the people the customer deals with most of the time. They make the sales reps. job alot easier with they "take care" of the customer.

Today I designed a sign for the cookout. The office personnel were rolling with laughter. Even the boss asked for a copy and passed it around, laughing. You will notice the sign is complete with Bromo Seltze and name badges! This image has color but I printed it in black & white to give it more of a oldies feel.