This blog is dedicated to the dealings I have had with GE (General Electric) with regards to my refrigerator.
As most of you know.....I am not a complainer....I usually am the person to give folks a second, third or fourth chance...thinking that people always mean well and will eventually do the right thing.
In 2007, we remodeled our kitchen and Kelly decided she wanted to do all of our appliances with an American company....we selected GE and the Profile Series. We bought a refrigerator, gas stove and a dishwasher....all GE Profile Series.
In 2009, the fan in the refrigerator went out while we were gone for the weekend...and when we came home...all of the food was spoiled and we threw it out. Thinking this was an anomaly, we called GE and they came out and repaired (put in a new fan) the refrigerator. We are good to go.
In 2011, the fan in the refrigerator went out again.....food bad, thrown out...fan replaced...and we are good to go. Can't possibly happen again....right.
On August 24th.....refrigerator at 65 degrees....freezer at 10 degrees. We call GE repair...they come out....and the fan is broken...what a surprise. They order the part.....we get it on Saturday, August 30th.....and have an appointment for the 2nd of September for the install. Service man comes out....freezer is at 8 degrees...refrigerator at 74 degrees. New fan installed.....service man leaves...and says that the refrigerator is in "defrost" mode.....will cool up shortly. Four hours later......both are at 75 degrees. Service man comes back out....and now says that the compressor has failed...and we need a new one....and also that nothing he did caused this failure.....it was just coincidence.
Now....all this time...they are trying to sell the extended warranty package for all of our appliances.....even the folks at GE Consumer Relations, who we called. So our $1,500.00 dollar refrigerator has now cost us over $3,000.00...double..over a 7 year period of time. So what does GE offer....20% off of the service call, or we can buy a new refrigerator at a slightly discounted rate. I am thinking no way.
I send a reply email to consumer relations...and also send it to Jeffrey Immelt, Jeffrey Bornstein, Keith Sherin, John Rice and Beth Comstock...these are all officers of GE. I feel better.
Now I get a call from Bill Bower (not sure of the spelling of the last name)...and he wants to know the story. I tell him...and he offers me a new refrigerator at a discounted price....our refrigerator is only 7 years old....out previous one was 20 years old and we sold it still working when we got this GE Profile. Kelly and I talk about it...and no...we want the compressor, that was working before the serviceman put in the new fan, replaced by GE at no cost to us. Mr. Bower calls me back on Friday, September 5th...and advises me...they will not replace the compressor on their dime....so we are going to buy a new refrigerator.....BUT NOT FROM GE.
In looking at GE's Annual report.....I noticed that the category for Home and Business Solutions...which includes appliances....has been degrading in revenue,
2011 2010 2009 2008 2007
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Home & Business Solutions 8,465 8,648 8,443 10,117 11,026 (in millions)
This does not really surprise me...what with the service they provide. It must not surprise the C Level executives at GE either as they do not seem to try and take care of the consumer...when there is an obvious flaw in the design or the components of one of their appliances.
My bottom line here is, please do buy American....just not from GE as it seems that they do not back their products.
Jay Lang.
