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Thank You, -Bob (the appliance guy) Lancaster Appliance Repair
When your appliances break down who do you call? Do you already have a company that you’ve used before and are happy with the service? Or do you feel you were ripped off the last time, and rather than go through that again, maybe you’ll just buy a new one? Unfortunatly there are dis-honest companies out there that only care about how much money they can get from you. There are also good honest companies that do the right thing, give you the right advice and charge a fair price for their service. How do you know which is which? Here are some key steps to finding the right Appliance Repair Service in your area.
1. Ask your friends for a referral. The very best way to find an Appliance Repair Service is by “Referral”. When someone you know recommends a company they were completely happy with(which includes service, price, professionalism, etc.)then you already know you’re getting a good company. Just be sure you trust this person’s opinion!
2. Look for license and insurance. The ad you’re looking at should say “Licensed & Insured” and should have the company’s state license.
3. Check to make sure their license number is valid and their insurance is current.
4. Check the length of time the company has been in business at the same location, under the same name. A company with a long local history is a better bet than a recent startup with no history in the area.
5. Look to see that they are in the major business internet directories.(yellowpages.com, superpages.com, google maps, yahoo local, etc.)
6. Be aware that companies who spend a lot of money on advertising have to get that money from somewhere… usually in the higher fees they charge you.
7. Weigh the benefits of the personal attention you will receive from a family-owned business vs the unknown technician a larger company will send. A local person has a reputation to uphold locally. A representative of a large national chain however, may or may not be concerned about giving you the best deals or service.
8. Ask the name of the technician they are sending and ask to speak to him/her. It’s ok to ask them how long they’ve been repairing appliances and see if they will talk to you about your problem. If they are honest, they will discuss your problem with you. If you explain the symtoms you are experiencing with your appliance, they should be able to give you some possibilities of what type of repairs you may need. If they won’t talk to you about it, you should consider that a red flag.
9. Ask a specific question. For example: “Hello, I have a Kenmore gas dryer that was working fine until today. It still runs fine but there is no heat at all. If all I needed was a new igniter replaced, which is part number 279311, how much would the total repair cost me? I understand that you may find other things wrong and the estimate you give me over the phone could change, but all I’m asking is how much would it cost me if all you had to do was replace the 279311 igniter?” If they won’t answer that question, it should be a red flag to you.
- Before replacing an appliance, it’s worth a service call to find out exactly what’s wrong. Many times people will buy a new appliance without even checking out what it would take to fix the one they have. They assume it’s going to cost too much when sometimes it’s a quick, minor, inexpensive repair. (providing you call an honest appliance repair service.
How do you feel about this? Do you agree or dis-agree? I would love to hear how other people and other appliance technicians feel about this.
-Bob Meadows
Owner/Technician
B&D Appliance Service/Palmdale, CA
Whirlpool appliance repair Lancaster, CA
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