Answer the phone, Maytag!
Some Maytag customers are even more irked following Tuesday’s recall of nearly 2 million refrigerators. As if finding out their fridge might ignite isn’t enough stress.
Customers calling the company’s published recall telephone number reported hold times of over 45 minutes. I decided to look into their complaints and figure out an alternative option for them.
I jumped on their Web site and immediatley encountered a system error that made me unable to glean any more information off of their site. An error message prompted me to call the recall hotline at Maytag.
I called the number and after listening to over 45 minutes of terrible hold music, a customer service agent answered the phone. She told me she couldn’t help because she used the same Web system to direct callers on how to proceed with their faulty fridges. She was seeing the same error message I did.
The customer service agent gave me a number to Maytag specialists and transferred my call. I waited on hold again for over 40 minutes. At this point, my ear had been stuck to the phone for over an hour and a half.
After calling customer service again and bothering their communcications department, the company finally asked everyone to try the number and Web site again. Apparently they are ready for the recall now:
Due to significantly higher than expected call volumes, we experienced system outages yesterday and today. This reduced the ability for customers to self-schedule our interactive voice response and Web tools. The Maytag recall team has been responding to the outages by increasing system capacity and adding additional live call agents. We sincerely regret any inconvenience these issues may have caused consumers. Consumers can contact the recall hotline again today (Wednesday) at (866) 533-9817 or visit the Web site at www.repair.maytag.com. Jill Saletta, director, external communications, Whirpool Corp.
Newton, Iowa-based Maytag and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the voluntary recall because of reports that an electrical component that regulates the compressor was overheating and igniting. Incidences of the component causing smoke and fire damage to kitchens was reported, according to Maytag.
(As of 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, the Web site is running again. Keep us posted on hold times.)
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You should realize that we can not take off all day just to have you fix your fault. You should buy parts made here in the good oh u.s.a. You need to have your appointments a little closer that 8 hours. This is unacceptable.