THE WASHING MACHINE DEBACLE

I purchased a Westinghouse stack washer-dryer several years ago. These were the second such machines I bought. With the first ones, I never had any problems. Unfortunately, with the current washer, I had nothing but problems. The dryer was fine.

From the very beginning, the washer malfunctioned. I spoke to Mr. XXXX in the repair department and suggested that the machine was a lemon and should be replaced. He stated that he could not do that and sent a repairman. It was obvious over the first year that this machine was going to be a constant pain in the ass since at least twenty repairmen tried to fix it with no success. Therefore, at the end of the first year warrantee, I bought a service contract.

To make an interminably lengthy story short, over the past two years there must have been fifty visits from the repairmen. When one thing was fixed, something else broke. I am quite certain that all these service calls cost Westinghouse far more than the cost of the machine. Last week, Mr. XXXX finally agreed to replace the machine for a special discount price to which I agreed.

I simultaneously had sent a letter to the president of Westinghouse. What the heck. It couldn’t hurt.  The following week, a lovely lady called.

“Mrs. Casper?”

“Yes, this is she.”

“This is Ms. Smith at Mr. Gray’s office.” (All names are fictitious.) That was The President.

“I have your letter before me and a print-out of the history of your repairs. Mrs. Casper, you have the worst repair history I have ever seen.”

No surprise to me.

“I understand a new machine is being delivered next week.Do not pay them anything.”

Music to my ears and totally unexpected. I graciously thanked her and just as the machine was being rolled into the apartment the following week, she called again.

“Mrs. Casper, has the new washer arrived yet?”

“It’s coming through the front door now,” I responded

“Remember, don’t pay them anything.” And, of course, I didn’t.

Would I argue about that? Would you? It was two years of agita but it ultimately came out even better than I had expected. I should have written that letter the first month. Lesson one: Do not delay when you’re stuck with a lemon. The wonderful word of mouth from me to everyone I knew of a company standing behind its product was worth a lot more than the cost of that Westinghouse machine. Smart company justifiably elected to our Non-Bitch Hall of Fame.