How to Lose Customers Without Really Trying - American TV and Kennedy Hahn
Dishwashers. We can't live without them (at least some of us who hate to wash dishes can't).
In fact, when we first purchased our home 24+ years ago we prioritized improvements and #1 on the list was a dishwasher. At the time, the budget and the available kitchen space dictated that the dishwasher for us would be a portable one that you connected up to the sink when you wanted to use it. Since then we've expanded our house twice, including our most recent expansion (now about 9 years ago) that included a larger kitchen with the must have appliances available at that time - SubZero Refrigerator/freezer, Gaggenau oven, Bosch dishwasher, etc. Needless to say we spent over $10,000 for sharp, "cool" and trendy appliances. We purchased all of our appliances from Kennedy Hahn, at that time an independent dealer in Waunakee. Since then they expanded with additional outlets and as of this week announced that they've been acquired by American TV and Appliance. American TV and Appliance will be closing the four stores and consolidating their operations into their existing outlets.
In the midst of this acquisition, American TV and Kennedy Hahn seem to have lost track of their customer databases and the basics of customer service. I bring this up following my experience with them earlier today when I called to request service on our Bosch dishwasher. When I called up Kennedy Hahn, a member of their customer service staff asked for the address and let me know they didn't have any record of any of their appliances being installed here. She then asked for the serial number and repeated the same mantra, she then asked for our names and told me the same. I let her know that we had purchased $10,000+ in appliances, purchased supplies and replacement parts and had received service from them in the recent past, so there should be a record. She asked me whether I had any service records. As a matter of fact I did, for the Sub-Zero refrigerator to the tune of $308 performed on 2/17/2006. After all this she grudgingly agreed to try and scheudule service only to let me know that the soonest available date was October 5th. I wasn't happy with the interaction or with the final outcome and let her know this both on the phone and now through this posting.
I was quite frankly amazed that I was given this run around and let her know in no uncertain terms that it would be highly unlikely that any vestiges of Kennedy Hahn or American TV amd Appliances would be receiving our new purchase or service business in the future.
So how should this have been handled? First of all their database and customer relationship managment system should have reflected us as their customer and should have had a record of the original purchase, albeit it several years ago along with repair histories for any appliances along the way. Second of all, if a customer tells you they purchased from you and they aren't asking for warranty service, they just want post-purchase after warranty service, you should believe them and ask how can we help you. Third, you should have a large enough service staff at your disposal to provide service within a reasonable period of time.
The moral of the story for American TV and Appliance, is that if you are going to make what is reportedly your first acquisition of a premium appliance retailer, you need to have the customer information, processes and staff in place to serve customers as they interact with you during the acquisition.
It seems that in the acquisition, American TV and Appliance has dropped the ball.
