GE incompetence strikes a nerve nationwide-by Eli

Earlier this week I posted an account of my experience with GE's dishwasher recall...a painful experience to say the least. I was finally able to get my dishwasher fixed but not without spending hours of my professional and personal time doing so. I figure GE owes me $5,000 for my time.

In the process of dealing with GE's incompetence, I did get the opportunity to talk with one of the company's (many) Vice Presidents...Richard Miller...who reluctantly spoke with me while he was surveying the "damage" at the expedited GE customer service call center somewhere in the Midwest.

After I explained the nightmare I had endured to get my unit fixed and my dissatisfaction with his company and most of the customer service staff all he could say was "what do you want me to do?"...it was a little to late for that comment. I gave him an outline of ten steps he could have taken that would have made the recall process more palatable for consumers...but I think my words fell on deaf ears.

What I did not expect is the outpouring of consumer response nationwide from my blog posting. The "hate" for GE is off the charts...in my nearly 30 years of brand management I have not encountered so much anger with one company, especially one that most consumers perceive to be pretty ok, until they have a problem.

One notable response I received was from Nancy Grogan who runs the website Bring Good Things to Life dot Org which chronicles the overwhelming number of consumer issues and lawsuits against GE....it was enlightening to read. I suggest you do as well. My experience is magnified many times over...and her data goes back for several years.

I was amazed how many legal cases are pending against GE for product problems and general incompetence. I was also surprised to learn that GE had not bought the "bring good things to life" dot org web domain address but only the dot com....how careless of them....but a godsend for Nancy and her noble efforts.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli