723 Appliance Repair

723 Appliance Repair

The Sears guy was here the other day to fix what turned out to be a leak in the washing machine's water pump. He had a replacement on the truck and made the repair perfectly and in short order. But not without some discussion. He was informed about a Bloomberg interview of some years ago in which a highly regarded retail analyst (whatever that is) said that when "...Eddie Lambert takes over a retailer, the competition cheers." Eddie is chairman of Sears Holdings, the company that now owns Sears Roebuck and K-Mart.

On his way out the door, the technician said "the company is likely to call you in a day or so to take a survey about the repair. Please remember they're asking about me and not their corporate stuff. He was assured of understanding and a good rating. Using Sears appliances for almost 50 years, 40 of them without a problem, makes you wonder what's happening in that company. The four year old washer and dryer are perfect examples of stuff that belongs in landfills.

So, the automated survey comes in and the technician gets the highest possible rating... except for the question "How likely are you to recommend Sears to someone buying an appliance? What are you, nuts? Who can recommend a company whose once proud name brand has become a bundle of computerized scrap metal designed not to be outlived by your grandma who just turned 99 and isn't in the best of health?

"May we call you back?" asks the machine on the phone? "Sure, go right ahead." Let's hope it's soon!

The local repair outfit won't fix stuff from this company. Why? Because they say they can't get shop manuals and some parts. So who ya gonna call? (Ghost Busters was unavailable.) You want the thing fixed? Lots of luck.

Shrapnel:

--Got a magnifying glass for Father's Day. Nice gesture, but it doesn't work even though it's good one. Little type is little type and it does not matter how strong the magnification. And at a certain time in one's life, an electron microscope will do little good.

--The local Hooter's has closed, to be replaced by another chain restaurant. Those of us with lascivious minds first went there to babe watch. But what we found was innocent looking young women trying to legitimately make a buck and embarrassingly under-clothed college girls learning to ward off the dirty old men (and women.) The food wasn't bad, the waiters were generally sweet ladies, and there's nothing sexy at all about this establishment.

--Many have serious reservations about walking through Central Park at night, though today's crime rate has fallen to near zero. But now fear of violence is focused not on roving gangs of thugs, but on falling tree limbs -- in broad daylight and good weather, yet. A six month old baby killed and the mother seriously injured -- and this is not the first incident of this kind in the last year or so.

I'm Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you're welcome to them.®

©WJR 2010