GE completely inept at handing fire hazard dishwasher recall-by Eli

General Electric announced a recall of many of its dishwasher brands last week as a result of a fire hazard with the use of rinse aids. The company offered partial rebates on new appliance purchases or free repair of the existing unit.

My GE Profile dishwasher was among those recalled. The process to get it fixed has been a nightmare proving how companies like GE have NO interest in customer satisfaction. A great example of over promise and under deliver damaging the GE appliance brand significantly. I certainly will NOT buy another one of their products. Nor should you.

Let me highlight some of the "issues".

1) Upwards of 2 hour wait on the phone to set up appointment for repair after a 15 minute multi-menu choice selection process of over 10 steps.
1a) It may require up to ten attempts to get through to the recall hotline...renamed the "cold" line.
2) Many attempts to call in receive a "we have too much call volume" to handle your call, "please call back later" recorded messages.
3) The online repair appointment system does not work for all zip codes.
4) Many customers who made online repair appointments found out their appointments were not valid or the day scheduled by the computer was not the day stored in GE records.
5) Repairmen fail to show for more than 50% of appointments (as reported to me by another blogger). The solution, after waiting for nearly an entire day, you have to reschedule. Your time has NO value, you are just a lowly customer whose purchase pays their salaries.
6) Supervisors are not up to date on the status of the recall and apologize for not having the information you require because THEY do NOT have it either.
7) Customer Service for the recall will not allow customers do be in contact with Dispatch...that is a "private internal telephone number" against policy to release to customers. GE hiding behind incompetence.
8) Recall customer service agents have an arrogant "we are doing you a favor" attitude. If you do not like their attitude they tell you to recall and get back into the two hour or more call que.

One bright spot, an employee named Jessica reached through escalated problems customer service at 317-860-1152 has made the only sincere effort to assist in the five days I have been on this journey with GE. She should become President.

I still am waiting for service repair......this is a good example of what is wrong in this country. Fat paychecks for CEOs who have little or no interest in the people who buy their products. CEO pay should be tied to how they handle such crises/recalls and how satisfied consumers are with the company's follow up actions. Never happen.

No wonder GE ended the run of its famous slogan, "Brings good things to life", NOT!

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli

Comments

[Nancy Grogan]

Dear Eli,

You cannot begin to imagine the nerve you hit when you wrote "GE Completely Inept". My partner and I have been campaigning against GE for more than two years now, over their defective refrigerators, dishwashers, microwave ovens, and exploding glass oven doors. And you tickled me no end with your statement, "No wonder GE ended the run of its famous slogan, "Brings good things to life", NOT!".

You see, when we were starting out and wanted to create a website, we were flabbergasted that the only domain that GE owned was bringgoodthingstolife.com. The irony did not escape us - nor the opportunity. So Cathy and I own all the remaining bringgoodthingstolife domains. I invite you to explore our web presence and invite you to suggest or critique. In particular, we have given you a bit of an homage on our home page today. If you will review it to be certain you're comfortable with what we've written, I would appreciate it very much.

What began as a 'local issue' [SW Florida] has become international as we have consumers from all 50 states, Canada, UK, and Israel among our ranks. We were influential in bringing one successful refrigerator class action against GE. Two more are pending in Federal Court and two more - for defective microwave ovens and exploding glass oven doors - are in the research phase as a result of a pro bono offer from a large firm impressed with our chutzpah, research results, and ready-made plaintiff database.

Warm regards,

Nancy Grogan, Editor
www.bringgoodthingstolife.org