Hello, I would like to add another chapter to my experience report with the IKEA refrigerator due to recent events 🙂
As some of you may remember, I had problems with my new Nutid bc 154 earlier this year.
In April, it was replaced by Bauknecht with a new unit, which was not much warmer either 🙁
Then, in mid-August, the refrigerator suddenly stopped working altogether.......
1. This time I called Ikea and spoke with a friendly lady (who unfortunately didn’t understand or speak German well).
They said the company would contact me within two business days to arrange an appointment (this was Thursday afternoon!).
However, I could also call them directly.
2. I called the company (the usual one :rolleyes 🙂 and got an appointment "just to take a look" in 10 days.
3. I called Bauknecht to ask if this was normal. The lady there said she would take care of it and get back to me.
She did call back an hour later, but only to say the company would contact me if a slot opened up.
She also said not to get my hopes up. She promised to forward the complaint anyway.
4. Friday morning at 8:10 a message on the answering machine said the company would come Monday at 12 pm, and that I should get in touch if that time didn’t work.
5. The punctual technician arrived. A small circuit board was broken and had to be ordered from Italy.
6. Only 11 days later, it arrived, which meant a new appointment.
7. The appointment went very quickly; the same technician came and fixed it in no time 🙂
Now the kicker… the fridge needs to be adjusted. Left on the previous setting "just about on," it was far too warm.
It took me a good day to find the right setting. I currently have it on level 2.
In practice, this means... pasta doesn’t freeze when ketchup is added, I can store cucumbers in the fridge without them freezing, and my margarine spreads easily 😀
I wonder (and ask you) how it can be that...
1. for once, a technician's service request was actually completed?
2. the refrigerator is suddenly adjustable, which was not possible with the faulty unit or the predecessor either.
Unfortunately, these questions will likely remain unanswered 😉
As some of you may remember, I had problems with my new Nutid bc 154 earlier this year.
In April, it was replaced by Bauknecht with a new unit, which was not much warmer either 🙁
Then, in mid-August, the refrigerator suddenly stopped working altogether.......
1. This time I called Ikea and spoke with a friendly lady (who unfortunately didn’t understand or speak German well).
They said the company would contact me within two business days to arrange an appointment (this was Thursday afternoon!).
However, I could also call them directly.
2. I called the company (the usual one :rolleyes 🙂 and got an appointment "just to take a look" in 10 days.
3. I called Bauknecht to ask if this was normal. The lady there said she would take care of it and get back to me.
She did call back an hour later, but only to say the company would contact me if a slot opened up.
She also said not to get my hopes up. She promised to forward the complaint anyway.
4. Friday morning at 8:10 a message on the answering machine said the company would come Monday at 12 pm, and that I should get in touch if that time didn’t work.
5. The punctual technician arrived. A small circuit board was broken and had to be ordered from Italy.
6. Only 11 days later, it arrived, which meant a new appointment.
7. The appointment went very quickly; the same technician came and fixed it in no time 🙂
Now the kicker… the fridge needs to be adjusted. Left on the previous setting "just about on," it was far too warm.
It took me a good day to find the right setting. I currently have it on level 2.
In practice, this means... pasta doesn’t freeze when ketchup is added, I can store cucumbers in the fridge without them freezing, and my margarine spreads easily 😀
I wonder (and ask you) how it can be that...
1. for once, a technician's service request was actually completed?
2. the refrigerator is suddenly adjustable, which was not possible with the faulty unit or the predecessor either.
Unfortunately, these questions will likely remain unanswered 😉
M
Maverick18546 Sep 2011 10:12More than telling you that I’m not an electrical appliance expert, I can’t really help.
Just this: I would go to IKEA and discuss compensation with them...
Just this: I would go to IKEA and discuss compensation with them...
Hello Maverick 1854,
I hadn’t even considered the idea of compensation before. I guess it’s because at first I was just annoyed by the unit, and now I’m simply glad that it’s adjustable. But you’re right, it might be worth a try. The question is whether it’s enough to say it was too cold or that the second unit broke down after four months. Who would be the best contact for this, the local branch or the head office? I’d appreciate any advice.
I hadn’t even considered the idea of compensation before. I guess it’s because at first I was just annoyed by the unit, and now I’m simply glad that it’s adjustable. But you’re right, it might be worth a try. The question is whether it’s enough to say it was too cold or that the second unit broke down after four months. Who would be the best contact for this, the local branch or the head office? I’d appreciate any advice.
M
Maverick18547 Sep 2011 06:48The best option would be a letter or an email detailing the entire process. Do you possibly have a case number or even two? If so, write them at the very top. This will make it easier for IKEA to assign your request.
How about offering a shopping voucher? That shows goodwill on your part since you are not asking for cash. Unless you insist on cash, but that usually doesn’t make much sense. What about travel expenses or phone charges for the customer service hotline? You will need to provide proof for these. However, nothing beyond that is usually covered.
How about offering a shopping voucher? That shows goodwill on your part since you are not asking for cash. Unless you insist on cash, but that usually doesn’t make much sense. What about travel expenses or phone charges for the customer service hotline? You will need to provide proof for these. However, nothing beyond that is usually covered.
Although this may sound inappropriate and overused, in the end, you don’t buy electrical appliances at Ikea. Sorry, but it’s all low-quality products from abroad, and – quote – "....order spare parts from Italy.." grin.
If you buy something decent, a spare part will usually arrive within 1-2 days, unless Murphy’s law strikes – rarely longer. And "decent" doesn’t mean Liebherr, but simply something "German." It doesn’t matter if these products are fully or partially produced abroad; the company is German (I’m referring to other brands), and they stand behind their appliances. (Miele also manufactures in China now! No joke!)
If you buy Poland-made AEG, Italy-made Electrolux, Turkey-made BEKO, Slovenia-made Gorenje, etc., then you have to live with that low quality 🙂
The most ridiculous are washing machines for 178 EUR (not a typo!) at some electronics stores. Huh? Production costs maybe 50, what could possibly be inside, and who keeps spare parts in stock for customers, and who pays for it? In the end, the customer doesn’t pay, because they got it for "nothing"...
Okay, I’ve also seen Candy appliances last a very long time, as well as Beko at my friend’s place, but I’ve had to fix the detergent drawer myself (which should really be replaced, but that’s not worth it with this junk). An 8-year-old Beko washing machine is pretty good, but leaks are not good 🙂 (Also, my clumsy repair with epoxy putty – haha – actually holds up, and I always recommend against ordering spare parts for this junk. Better get a Siemens or Bosch with AquaStop for 300-400 EUR and be done with it. Maybe 500 EUR. You can get spare parts very quickly (1-2 days or available immediately on site!)
But that doesn’t help anyone who has a malfunctioning appliance, as in this case.
The fact that the refrigerator is now adjustable, when it wasn’t before. grin... I’ll say nothing about that. hehe
And reliable customer service (not the "only 1-10 EUR call-out fee" rip-offs! And definitely not those who want to take your appliances away! (THAT IS DONE (almost) EXCLUSIVELY BY UNRELIABLE SERVICE PROVIDERS!)) arranges an appointment within 0-3 days, inspects the problem, identifies the defect, orders the part, has it within a FEW DAYS (or keeps it in stock!), installs it, and it's done. And there won’t be hundreds of euros in repair bills. Everyone also knows most locksmiths are rip-offs. You can always get a lock opened without damage. But they have to make a living; they don’t get many jobs, and, of course, charging 80 EUR for a call-out from Wuppertal to Münster and a new lock, night surcharge, and so on… oh, it gets me worked up again…
Anyway, the customer always has to wait a bit for a repair! The service technician is not waiting on call for the customer with nothing else to do.
And never let any service provider take your electrical appliances away! Everything can be repaired on site, except for bearing damage in Miele washing machines – for that, you need a crane 😕 And with refrigerators and refrigerant replacement, that is also very difficult to do at the customer's home (if it still happens, it’s mostly limited to commercial businesses).
For a layperson, all this is hard to grasp anyway. The customer thinks they paid money for something and now must be supported quickly with everything running smoothly. Ikea pays little to the manufacturer for this stuff, and the customer doesn’t pay much but rather too much (in my opinion) for it, and in the end, the customer service has to deal with the junk… So you really have to look at it from another perspective – that of the service technician.
Addendum:
You also have to differentiate between independent service technicians and manufacturer service centers. 1) Manufacturer services (e.g., Profectis for the catalog stuff) don’t work for the customer; they are employees and don’t care when the job gets done. 2) Independent service providers are obliged to help the customer quickly because otherwise, that’s a LOST CUSTOMER! 3) Only scammers pull all sorts of tricks, because they always find a sucker, and when a region is exhausted, they move to a new one with a new name… oh… Never trust those cheap offers in ads or flyers offering a low-cost "inspection"! There are also 20-40 EUR inspections including call-out fee, labor, and taxes. That is serious, and sometimes the fault is already fixed during the inspection… (A washing machine drain pump is usually kept in stock, but NOT in the car, grin. Most professional workshops have a V-belt in stock; otherwise, it takes 1-2 days. A refrigerator thermostat is either in stock or 1-2 days wait. (If necessary, temporarily bypass it: the compressor runs, the appliance cools; you just have to quickly pick up the thermostat…) Motor carbon brushes (a heavily worn part in washing machines) are usually stocked or ordered… and so on… A manufacturer service who doesn’t have it in the vehicle will try to take something along proactively based on the reported fault, and they generally carry a basic assortment. So, manufacturer services that only repair certain brands always have a certain stock of spare parts in their vehicles. For freelancers who repair everything, it looks very different. The phone call with the customer, the appliance’s electronic data, and the fault description are important. Specialists can usually already guess the problem and bring the right parts.
Don’t be surprised, but sometimes I think I should have become a priest or something… I’m just preaching here 😀
If you buy something decent, a spare part will usually arrive within 1-2 days, unless Murphy’s law strikes – rarely longer. And "decent" doesn’t mean Liebherr, but simply something "German." It doesn’t matter if these products are fully or partially produced abroad; the company is German (I’m referring to other brands), and they stand behind their appliances. (Miele also manufactures in China now! No joke!)
If you buy Poland-made AEG, Italy-made Electrolux, Turkey-made BEKO, Slovenia-made Gorenje, etc., then you have to live with that low quality 🙂
The most ridiculous are washing machines for 178 EUR (not a typo!) at some electronics stores. Huh? Production costs maybe 50, what could possibly be inside, and who keeps spare parts in stock for customers, and who pays for it? In the end, the customer doesn’t pay, because they got it for "nothing"...
Okay, I’ve also seen Candy appliances last a very long time, as well as Beko at my friend’s place, but I’ve had to fix the detergent drawer myself (which should really be replaced, but that’s not worth it with this junk). An 8-year-old Beko washing machine is pretty good, but leaks are not good 🙂 (Also, my clumsy repair with epoxy putty – haha – actually holds up, and I always recommend against ordering spare parts for this junk. Better get a Siemens or Bosch with AquaStop for 300-400 EUR and be done with it. Maybe 500 EUR. You can get spare parts very quickly (1-2 days or available immediately on site!)
But that doesn’t help anyone who has a malfunctioning appliance, as in this case.
The fact that the refrigerator is now adjustable, when it wasn’t before. grin... I’ll say nothing about that. hehe
And reliable customer service (not the "only 1-10 EUR call-out fee" rip-offs! And definitely not those who want to take your appliances away! (THAT IS DONE (almost) EXCLUSIVELY BY UNRELIABLE SERVICE PROVIDERS!)) arranges an appointment within 0-3 days, inspects the problem, identifies the defect, orders the part, has it within a FEW DAYS (or keeps it in stock!), installs it, and it's done. And there won’t be hundreds of euros in repair bills. Everyone also knows most locksmiths are rip-offs. You can always get a lock opened without damage. But they have to make a living; they don’t get many jobs, and, of course, charging 80 EUR for a call-out from Wuppertal to Münster and a new lock, night surcharge, and so on… oh, it gets me worked up again…
Anyway, the customer always has to wait a bit for a repair! The service technician is not waiting on call for the customer with nothing else to do.
And never let any service provider take your electrical appliances away! Everything can be repaired on site, except for bearing damage in Miele washing machines – for that, you need a crane 😕 And with refrigerators and refrigerant replacement, that is also very difficult to do at the customer's home (if it still happens, it’s mostly limited to commercial businesses).
For a layperson, all this is hard to grasp anyway. The customer thinks they paid money for something and now must be supported quickly with everything running smoothly. Ikea pays little to the manufacturer for this stuff, and the customer doesn’t pay much but rather too much (in my opinion) for it, and in the end, the customer service has to deal with the junk… So you really have to look at it from another perspective – that of the service technician.
Addendum:
You also have to differentiate between independent service technicians and manufacturer service centers. 1) Manufacturer services (e.g., Profectis for the catalog stuff) don’t work for the customer; they are employees and don’t care when the job gets done. 2) Independent service providers are obliged to help the customer quickly because otherwise, that’s a LOST CUSTOMER! 3) Only scammers pull all sorts of tricks, because they always find a sucker, and when a region is exhausted, they move to a new one with a new name… oh… Never trust those cheap offers in ads or flyers offering a low-cost "inspection"! There are also 20-40 EUR inspections including call-out fee, labor, and taxes. That is serious, and sometimes the fault is already fixed during the inspection… (A washing machine drain pump is usually kept in stock, but NOT in the car, grin. Most professional workshops have a V-belt in stock; otherwise, it takes 1-2 days. A refrigerator thermostat is either in stock or 1-2 days wait. (If necessary, temporarily bypass it: the compressor runs, the appliance cools; you just have to quickly pick up the thermostat…) Motor carbon brushes (a heavily worn part in washing machines) are usually stocked or ordered… and so on… A manufacturer service who doesn’t have it in the vehicle will try to take something along proactively based on the reported fault, and they generally carry a basic assortment. So, manufacturer services that only repair certain brands always have a certain stock of spare parts in their vehicles. For freelancers who repair everything, it looks very different. The phone call with the customer, the appliance’s electronic data, and the fault description are important. Specialists can usually already guess the problem and bring the right parts.
Don’t be surprised, but sometimes I think I should have become a priest or something… I’m just preaching here 😀
Oops, that turned out to be quite a long story 😉
I wasn't aware that one shouldn't buy Bauknecht/Whirlpool appliances......
I was dealing with the "local service center for Bauknecht" here....
The fridge is running, and I hope it stays that way...... as well as the Whirlpool oven!
I wasn't aware that one shouldn't buy Bauknecht/Whirlpool appliances......
I was dealing with the "local service center for Bauknecht" here....
The fridge is running, and I hope it stays that way...... as well as the Whirlpool oven!
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