Finally!

Nineteen days.

One. Nine.

That's how long I have been without a washing machine. Since the night of June 13.

This is not to say we did not purchase a washer (and dryer since mine was as old as the washer and not long for this world). That was done on Day 2. Delivery scheduled for Day 7.

• Day 5 - they called to reschedule. The dryer had arrived at the warehouse damaged in transit. They will call when the new one arrives. And no, they won't deliver the washer by itself. (In hindsight, a good thing!)
• Day 10 - I call since I haven't heard anything. It just arrived at the warehouse. They will deliver on day 12, between 12:00 and 4:00 pm.
• Day 12, 4:40 p.m. Truck finally arrives. They remove old washer and dryer. Take new dryer off truck (it has to go in first). Take out of box. Discover it is broken from manufacturer - bolts are not in the right place. Assure my man someone will call him "first thing tomorrow." (I'm in Houston)
• Day 13 - Of course no one calls, in spite of my man waiting at home for two hours. He finally goes to work and calls from there. They assure him they will be able to deliver it on Day 17 (this past Tuesday).
• Day 16 - Verification call received - delivery scheduled between 8:00 and 12:00 noon Tuesday.
• Day 17 - Rainy morning. I give them extra time. Finally at 1:30 I call. "I don't know why they scheduled that - I'm showing no dryers are available until July 11." I ask for the supervisor, who is at GE, not the warehouse. "Yes, they are now back-ordered until July 11, but yours should have arrived at the warehouse yesterday." Puts me on hold. "Well, it didn't get there yesterday, but it just arrived today. They are booked for tomorrow but they can deliver it Thursday. They'll call to let you know what time." EXCUSE ME?!?! There have been THREE botched attempts to deliver my order, and you're just putting me back in the regular line? (I'm thinking, why is the supervisor not borrowing a truck and personally driving it to my house?!) "Once you have the items, you can call me back and we'll discuss compensation for your trouble." (I can predict how that will go!) So I thanked her, hung up, went to the store and canceled the order and got my money back. It took a little time and another phone call from the store to the warehouse (mostly because they were confused why my old appliances had been taken without new ones left) but the supervisor in the store was understanding and helpful.
• After dinner we went to Sears and bought a Whirlpool. "We can deliver them this Thursday. We'll give you a 2-hour window." YES!!
• Last night the automated call came and the washer and dryer are to be delivered between 8:30 and 10:30 this morning.
• 10:10 a.m. The Sears truck pulled up to my driveway. A pristine, working washer and dryer were installed and tested in a mere 20 minutes. The delivery guys were efficient and cordial.

Conclusions:

• Customer Service is a foreign concept to many folks today.
• Don't buy anything that requires delivery from the big box store with "Depot" in the name. I have subsequently seen online reviews where other folks all across the country have had horrific experiences with them.
• Sears still is king of appliances in my book. They did what they said, when they said they would.
• I have never been so excited about a day of doing laundry as I am today!