Chris says:
Do you know that Home Depot sells G.E. Hot Water Tanks? Do you know that those tanks come with a 6 year warranty? And did you know that if you get a defective tank from Home Depot there is a sticker on the tank with a 1-800 number to call for warranty service rather than taking the tank back out and returning it to the store? And when you call the number they help diagnose your problem and set up a service call with a G.E. repair tech that covers your area?
This all happened over Easter Weekend at my parents' house. They are elderly and my dad is handicapped. The people at the 1-800 number were wonderful….until Monday afternoon. That's when my parents got a phone call telling them that while GE would happily overnight them a replacement thermostat to replace the defective one on the tank they had no G.E. service techs in the Western Massachusetts area. Instead they suggested that my parents find a plumber and have it fixed themselves. They said that if the plumber submitted the proper paperwork to G.E. that he would be reimbursed "up to $100" for his efforts. What plumber is going to come and do repairs to a tank that he didn't install for "up to $100" if he submits the proper paperwork to G.E. after the fact?
In other words, Home Depot sells hot water tanks from G.E. with a warranty that G.E. is unable to fulfill in the Western Massachusetts area. But consumers don't find that out until it is too late. Needless to say I am following The Consumerist's advice on how to escalate this as well as filing complaints with the appropriate Better Business Bureau office and the Massachusetts State Attorney General's office for warranty fraud.
We asked Chris to keep us informed, and a day later we got this:
Yesterday afternoon I received an arrogant, obnoxious call from someone in Alabama that makes the hot water tanks and also provides the service on the warranty for G.E. He insisted that by offering to reimburse my parents or a hired plumber (up to $100) that they were still offering warranty service. When I explained that it says nothing like that on the written warranty he had no response. He offered to call and speak with my parents. When he did so he told my mother that if she made multiple calls to multiple plumbers he was sure that she could find someone to do the job for under $100!! Needless to say we all found that unacceptable for something that was broken out-of-the-box.
About 30 minutes after that I was involved in a conference call with someone representing Frank Blake, CEO of Home Depot, the manager of the store in West Springfield, MA where the tank was purchased and also the person responsible for handling contracts between Home Depot and G.E. All three seemed genuinely shocked that G.E. would not honor their warranty in Western Massachusetts. None of them had ever heard of this happening. I was the first to bring this to anyone's attention at Home Depot and they were more than happy to help my parents resolve the issue. In other words, Home Depot was backing the warranty that G.E. wouldn't! From a business and legal perspective they weren't at all obligated and they could have told me that but didn't. As of this email, a plumber from Home Depot is scheduled to be at my parent's house today to fix or entirely replace the defective tank. They said that they would be dealing with G.E. when this was all taken care of.
I can honestly say that I was totally shocked by the positive customer service commitment from Home Depot. I never expected this response in a million years. Frank Blake and his people, especially Chris, the manager in West Springfield, have gone way above and beyond what was expected. As for G.E., I got exactly the response I expected; arrogance, ignorance and completely ignored by the higher-ups I emailed on par with Frank Blake.
Good job, Home Depot!
(Photo:mroach)
]]>It's made in Montgomery, Alabama. Rheem/Rudd makes them. Luckily I live close enough in case I ever have an issue.
]]>Otherwise a vendor can not refuse to replace or refund - your choice- not theirs (unless obviously its your fault!)
]]>(and I hope you can read my sarcasm into that remark)
]]>GE also hates washing machines. Well the spinning cycle at least.
]]>@1234tu: Actually, many trade jobs pay better than many professions that require a 4 year degree or even a doctorate. Think about all the costs associated. A trade worker that just graduated from trade school doesn't have student loans and can start working and saving right away (or may already have a job that is paying for schooling). A doctor or lawyer, for example, would typically have a huge debt load right out of school. So, while the doctor's paying student loans, the tradesperson is working and able to put money away. The tradesperson has the most valuable asset- time. Remember, you can always make more money, but you can never make more time.
]]>@docrice: 3. Require assembly with lots of little parts that sometimes go missing, and mailing the parts to the customer is cheaper than having to issue credit to the store for a defective item because of some 10 cent bolts.
Had that happen to me when I bought a TV stand. The parts bag had apparently gotten ripped open, and rather than pack everything back up for a return(huge hassle), I called.
3 days later I had the parts and finished building it.
]]>@1234tu: I think a pretty standard definition is 'you're paid for your work'. IE if people pay you to plumb, you're a professional plumber.
While I can, have, and do a lot of my own plumbing work, I'm fully aware that there are things that I'd call a plumber for - he's got the experience and tools to do it faster/better than I can.
]]>@Blinky987: Agreed. I've since started shopping there again. I was replacing the dryer ducts and needed a longer one than standard. Not only did the employee explain what I needed to do, but even went out of his way to crimp the piece of metal to make it easier for me to assemble.
]]>The joke got old fast. :P
]]>I was in an Osage Beach Home Depot over the weekend with a friend of mine who has a house down there.
My party and I barely walked past the cash registers when we were approached to see if we needed help finding something. I'm one who prefers to be left alone but I say that's impressive.
]]>@Nicole Duff: Our products are not sold at the box stores. Similar models, or the same brands may be, but they are of a different quality, manufactured specifically for the box stores. We have a large customer base, and most of them won't install anything from there. They get too many service calls and getting parts is difficult.
]]>Nardelli has gone on to be the head of Chrysler and help turn that company to garbage.
]]>By contrast, every time I've been in Lowe's it's like pulling teeth to get even the most basic service. After a particularly awful experience, my business partner called the district manager of Lowe's and was told, almost verbatim, "Sounds like Lowe's isn't able to make you happy, perhaps you should just shop elsewhere." Needless to say, we haven't shopped at Lowe's in ages.
Really nice to be able to see a big chain like Home Depot really "get" customer service and actually deliver it, rather than just paying lip service.
]]>BTW.... if HD sold the product and there isn't any disclaimers as to the return policy (there's none that I'm aware of for a stock product like this.) Then they ARE legally bound to fix the issue or take it back for a full refund. But kudos for them stepping up either way.
]]>@Cavinicus: I completely agree with that last statement.
A plumber not a professional? Let's see 1234tu fix his own piping next time it leaks then.
]]>At present I have a large amount of Respect for Home Depot.
]]>@1234tu: I have a law degree from a "Top Ten" law school. I have worked as an associate for an international firm with 2,000+ attorneys and am currently a full partner in a small firm in Chicago. If I had a time machine, I would gladly travel back to my high school-graduating self and drag him to a vocational school by his ear, and the majority of my law school classmates feel the same.
On an unrelated note, the tenor of your post (if you were, in fact, serious) indicates that you are an utter ass.
]]>@1234tu:
Well, if you go by the, you know, ACTUAL definition of "professional", it means someone who does a job in exchange for money as their primary means of income or livlihood. That livlihood dependance is what separates an amateur and a professional.
So if how you define a professional doesn't include a plumber, then your definition is simply wrong.
]]>@squablow: A plumber is not a professional? A trade job is not a profession?
No. I guess it is a matter of how you define a professional. Not in my book.
]]>@SJActress: None of the people I know with these degrees are anywhere near as interesting as those who majored in English Lit, Philosophy, etc.
I agree, with one or two exceptions. But that has no bearing on my point....
]]>@1234tu: "Even having a degree in somthing like social work, where the job you get may pay slightly less than some plumbers make... atleast you are a professional...."
A plumber is not a professional? A trade job is not a profession? You think plumbers install toilets and
"come into contact with another persons Poo" all day?
You have no idea what a plumber does. I know we're getting way off topic here but your ignorance is staggering.
]]>I drove past that particular HD today - TWICE!
So, um.. hooray for western mass!
That is all.
]]>@loueloui: Wasn't the ex Home Depot CEO Bob Nardelli from GE ? What a coincidence .
Well at least Home Depot is going after customer service issues a lot harder .
Sometimes I think they do things like mail-in warranties on small items or " factory authorized " service only to disuade people . Although you should provide service where you sell the product .
]]>So, you think a corporate, sit-at-a-desk all your damned life job is somehow more interesting than being a plumber?
Huh. I'd probably commit suicide if I had to sit behind a desk all day, wearing "purdy" clothes (which is effing pointless and a throwback to fitting in with the in-crowd in high school).
I'd rather be happy in a job with less money than living a life I think is impressive to other people with more money.
"None of the people I know with degrees in Computer Sci, Accounting, Engineering, Law, Medicine, nursing... would advise their kids to go into a trade."
None of the people I know with these degrees are anywhere near as interesting as those who majored in English Lit, Philosophy, etc.
]]>@pjorg:
LMAO
Want a real head scratcher? GE never made water heaters until a survey by Home Depot of a bunch of people said the best brand of water heater was a GE.
Home Depot then asked GE to make a water heater (or at least put their brand on one). This is why you can only find them at HD.
]]>GE itself actually doesn't make the water heaters...I got one about 2 years ago and while it is branded GE with a GE warranty, it says "Manufactured by Rheem Inc." or something like that.
]]>@Judge_Smails: WIN!
I'm laughing at my monitor, trying to pretend it's work-related!
Well there's your problem ... what's to be embarrassed about, driving around in a pickup full of job materials?
]]>I'm fairly surprised you would put some much blame on poor product for the big boxes. I would likely take a bet that what you carry, can be found, if not exact, at one of the big boxes.
]]>@Saboth: Trade school jobs pay better than most college degrees from what I've experienced from my 2 college degrees.
So your degrees are in somthing like Philosophy and English lit? (Don't get me wrong - great things to study - but you better have a trust fund)
I make a killing! And I don't have to do anything that may at any point involve coming into contact with another persons Poo. And I get to dress in "purdy" clothes, and I don't have to be embarassed by driving around in some pickup truck full of worker like odds and ends.
None of the people I know with degrees in Computer Sci, Accounting, Engineering, Law, Medicine, nursing... would advise their kids to go into a trade. Even having a degree in somthing like social work, where the job you get may pay slightly less than some plumbers make... atleast you are a professional.... the day to day work would be far more interesting than installing toilets...every day...for 40 years....
]]>Trade school jobs pay better than most college degrees from what I've experienced from my 2 college degrees.
]]>@SpongeSteveSquareDave_GitEmSteveDave:
OR: You are the plumber, then it's for free.
Much to my surprise, one of their employees (who had no connection to the installation) volunteered to stopped by our house on his way home and helped my husband get the dishwasher out. The guy was great.
The quality of HDs vary, but ours is really awesome.
]]>Normally it would be a flip of a coin go to either Lowes or HD in Lewisville, TX but lately I find myself going to HD a heckuva lot more. There is nothing wrong with the Lowes but Home Depot really has gotten A LOT better over the last few months.
]]>The "DO NOT RETURN THIS PRODUCT TO THE STORE" label is an attempt to reduce store returns... but we shouldn't let that stop us from returning a defective product to the place of purchase.
If you have a problem that someone might help over the phone, by all means it's OK to call the number first. If there's clearly a defective part, return the darn thing to the store.
]]>Oh, By the way, Home Depot did well by this man. I am really glad that they stepped up to the plate here. The GE water heater guy wouldn't probably return a single purdchasers phone call,but you can be damn sure that he would find the time to chat with the CEO of HD.
]]>@Eyebrows McGee (on Twitter: LPetelle): Only way I see anyone doing this for under 100 is if they are standing outside of home depot and you hae to drive them in the back of a truck to your home to do so.
Great job on home depot though.
]]>If I had bought that item with an AMEX card , you bet your boots that there would have been a chargeback a comin'.
]]>I adore my plumber. He's worth every penny ... and he makes more than I do and can't be outsourced.
]]>I also have noticed this
]]>I am a plumbing wholesaler, and this practice is industry standard. Warranty issues are always handled through the manufacturer, and not the distributor. This policy is a legal business practice, as the manufactuers do not have their own outlets. However, this is why I always recommend purchasing from a wholesaler. Wholesalers have tremendous product knowledge and respect their customers and will work hard with their manufacturer's representatives to get you the parts you need immediately. Filing a complaint with the BBB won't do anything- this is standard procedure. Home Depots get cheaply manufacturered versions of products, and this is why they break easier. $100 labor credits are standard as well, and plumbers who use a wholesale supplier are used to this and that should absolutely cover your labor. Most reputable plumbers will not install heaters purchased at Home Depot.
]]>@Michael John Szabo: Those stickers are generally on items that:
1. Require installation, so you don't try to get a few hundred bucks out of the retailer because you paid for labor to put in a bad part
2. Things people frequently return ok because they don't know how they work or mess up installations - ex., lots of electronics come that way because they are frequently returned and work fine, but were returned because the buyer didn't understand the operation of the product
I'm glad to see Home Depot step up like this. After a number of years of providing poor service, they've made a real effort in the last couple of years to be much more consumer-friendly. Kudos to them.
]]>I can agree with this. I went to Home Depot yesterday and every time I walked remotely near an employee, they offered to help me find something. They were trying to hard to be helpful that it was actually getting annoying.
]]>I've always found it good policy to completely ignore that "Do not return this merchandise and call 800-XXX instead". If Home Depot sells me a defective itemm they are responsible in my mind. I guess a water heater could be an exception in that it took some effort to install. But I see those stickers on a lot of items that don't require installation.
]]>Plumbing isn't that hard if you know how to weld.
]]>Thats awesome. It's definitely a good sign when someone learns from the mistakes of others and gives it a real world application. (learning from such geniuses as CC and Best Buy, and doing the opposite). I may become a loyal HD customer yet.
]]>GE. We bring good things to life. *
* Except for waterheaters. Fuck waterheaters.
]]>I have to say that with my family we always have a problem with Home Depot. Many things we purchase from them are defective or missing parts. But they are always very friendly and willing to exchange products without questions asked (even 6 months after the purchase).
]]>Good for HD.
GE has really went to crap since Sheinhardt bought them up.
]]>1971 - The last year any plumber anywhere did anything for under 100 dollars.
]]>