Smelly Washer?

[lee8]

Re: Smelly Washer?

LJDomestics wrote:

So i don’t get your point?
😕

I took out a experienced engineer who joined our company on a few shadow calls to orientate him into our ways.

Bosch condensor Dryer was the call, broken on/off button was the fault, fixed the fault, got completed call, nope.

The guy made the fatal mistake of checking the condensor, before I could tell him not to press the button, he`d already forced it and pop, breaks the button mechanism.

So no mechanism on van, no completed call, client pissed as they cannot now use there appliance.

All because Mr efficient wanted to be nice to the client and clean/inspect there condensor.

I guess what I`m saying is you learn by experience and mistakes.

Pulling an appliance tub apart will disturb the parts other engineers cannot reach 😆 and likely cause more hassle than manufacturers instructions to clean on a boil was every few months with a Biological detergent.

Cleaning the tub won`t kill the bacteria, it will only remove for a short period of time.

And once the client is aware of this they`ll want it done next time for free as you didn`t clean the problem away the first time. 😉 and they paid you for that and they have legal rights to your workmanship that you didn`t provide.

Our engineers are always told not to touch something you cannot cure. Once you`ve addressed the problem your committed to curing it, since you`ve charged and informed them you will remove the smell.

If your having recalls on appliances that apparently didn’t need work doing then why were u there in the first place?

LOL.

I keep my hands and brain committed to the repairing the fault the client requested.

Sure a quick check of the appliance etc visually just to be sure.

But if I`m changing a door seal I ain`t gonna drop the motor and check the carbs.

[LJDomestics]

Re: Smelly Washer?

Got a typical example for ya!

Went to a hoover washing machine 5 to 6 weeks ago, 8pm lastnite ( yes it was sunday ) she rang me, apparently since i fitted a new door seal 5 to 6 weeks ago, shes saying the machine has not took cold water since!!, so i said, so is it the first time you have used it in six weeks then? because if it wasnt taking in water it would not complete the cycle! but shes adamant it is since i changed the seal, although i didnt even pull the machine out or turn anything off apart from the power source on the fused spare above the worktop! some people just want to blame what u done before regardless, they think its gonna save them money! but due to kind of getting the blame for a new fault i guarantee its gonna cost them.

[lee8]

Re: Smelly Washer?

Which is why stripping a tub down is not a good idea.

I doubt many clients would pay much to have that done, I wouldn`t.

Especially if after you`ve stripped down the appliance, they happen to be speaking to a friend, who then tells them that there instructions tells them they just need to do a maintenance wash every few months.

Then you get a call and a bad rep for doin uneccesary work and charging for it.

Or

You remove tub and damage their floor, cupboards etc then your insurance gets a hit.

I rarely strip tubs in clients homes, I prefer to remove to a suitable location, either there garage, patio or our workshop.

I`m certainly not goin to charge less than £80.00 labour for the hassle, i`d rather get the callout charge and walk away.

I like the long term prospects, makin a fast buck today and losing it next month doesn`t interest me.

[LJDomestics]

Re: Smelly Washer?

Guess u don’t do bearing jobs then?

[LJDomestics]

Re: Smelly Washer?

QUOTING :I`m certainly not goin to charge less than £80.00 labour for the hassle, i`d rather get the callout charge and walk away.

I like the long term prospects, makin a fast buck today and losing it next month doesn`t interest me.

AINT U CONTRADICTING URSELF?

[lee8]

Re: Smelly Washer?

I do bearing jobs when there faulty. :rolls:

I replace Gas Taps when there faulty.

I change Compressor`s when there faulty.

Faulty being the key word. 😉

I just don`t strip tubs too clean some smell when there is an alternative that suits both I and the client.

[LJDomestics]

Re: Smelly Washer?

Please take a look at the drum off the hotpoint on this link.
http://www.freeindex.co.uk/profile(lj-domestics)_160439.htm

Now lets assume the call i got was for a smelling machine, not a noisy one.

So i call out, give them the service wash scenario etc chat, however i ain’t seen inside the machine just how bad it is!
I really don’t think anything but pure acid would clean that do you?

Yet i aint took a screw out to check! Do you think after 30 goes with half a tonne of cleaning agent and £100 on electric to TRY and clear it and it didn’t do u think the customer is gonna be happy iv’e took £30 call out money and gave them advice that “didn’t work this time”.

Just lost myself a customer!

All im saying here is “service” wash information does NOT work ALL of the time.

P.S Although i DO give them the service wash chat over the phone i cannot guarantee it’s going to work Yet i have faith in a re phone call and possibly future work because i didn’t book it in and go grab some quick cash. 😕

[LJDomestics]

Re: Smelly Washer?

I aint sure what your key word actually means.
As far as i was concerned domestic appliance white goods engineers covered “maintenance” as well as “faults”?

Or is that just me?

[lee8]

Re: Smelly Washer?

No don`t do maintenance on W/M & D/W.

Stopped doin that when they stopped making twin tubs and top loaders.

We do on boilers though.

I`ve yet to see a Spider on a w/m over a few yrs old that has no gundge on it.

Are you suggesting that every appliance over a certain age requires a full tub strip down and clean. 😳

South guys would have a field day.

Would your client, who you were cleaning the tub for, be happy that the £30 clean out turns into a £150 bearing and poss tub change now that you`ve removed the not noisy drum and noticed the crack.

You cannot reassemble the tub, as you no it`ll be noisy, the client ain`t happy that you`ve found added costs and you ain`t gonna pay for it.

What if you missed the crack and when you reassemble they client states “Thats louder than it was before, but you haven`t noticed it or taken decible reading to prove it was that loud b4. 😆

Or

If you worked for a manufacturer you may be aware that once the tub has been removed from the bearings there is a chance when returning it back that you could cause a premature failure of the original bearings.

I`d find it a lot easier to show a client damage to a spider when all i did was follow manufacturers instructions on maintenance washes, than if I`d missed that hair line crack on the support or caused a leak due to bearing seal failure after I`d stripped the tub and removed the inners.

Maybe it`s just me, but I`d find that senario much harder to explain than mine.

[LJDomestics]

Re: Smelly Washer?

lee8 I honestly do not think you have read these posts and this thread thoroughly.

I have NEVER ONCE specified that in these threads that i have EVER stripped a washing machine or any other appliance down for a SMELL complaint.

I HAVE specified that i give the “service wash” chat to customers over the phone!

I have not ONCE said i have “called out” to a smell complaint and took a call out fe for a chat i could of gave for free over the phone ( which u say u do call out to ).

However the “service wash” i remind the customer about is mainly when i install a new appliance for them.
Not too often i get calls from customers with regard to smelling machines, However when i do i give them the info over the phone, Happy future customer hopefully.

However if they re-call me in a week or so i will gladly go strip the machine down and charge accordingly for wether its a clean out and new bearings and seals etc OR wether it turns out BER, makes no difference.

A BER would be £30 charged and i will remove their machine to the tip.
A repair will be less than £100 so its half the price of a new one!

Simple as that.

[lee8]

Re: Smelly Washer?

I was replying to this statement you made on page 1

“Or ya could just let em run the cool washes and u get a job out of it down the line ( strip it down and some hard work ) cleaning it out manually!

Afterall its just a strip down job ( bit like a bearing job on the strip down and reassemble side? ) so a 45 minute job im guessing?

Rather than advising the customer about service washes and bleaches etc!

I see theres lots of posts on the “no work” topic!# “

Maybe I read it wrong. 😉

[LJDomestics]

Re: Smelly Washer?

Were in there does it SAY ….. “thats what i do/have done/will do” ?

[lee8]

Re: Smelly Washer?

My fault.

I assumed since you stated “its only a 45 minute job” that you actually knew what you were stating was factual and based on your workin practice.

[LJDomestics]

Re: Smelly Washer?

no worries, lets have a quick shifty over this line/sentence again…

Afterall its just a strip down job ( bit like a bearing job on the strip down and reassemble side? ) so a 45 minute job im guessing?

[lee8]

Re: Smelly Washer?

I assumed the “guessing” meant not on all makes and models.

As you maybe unaware there are various different methods of removal.

I also missed you were actually agreeing with me in all your responses. 😆

It helps to explain maintenance wash procedure as per manufacturers instructions and since they generally advise the procedure is to be carried out every few months or when a smell is noticed, then you can advise that since they haven`t done that, then your advice will help, but not in all circumstances as the amount of build up would be due to there failing to adhere to those instructions.

£35.00 callout for above advise.

Or £150.00 to remove drum and clean, on the understanding that the smell will return and the machine performance could be affected and additional cost could be involved.

Now I`m off to kwik Fit for some new tyres, I hope they don`t dismantle the clutch and clean it. :rolls:

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