LA Appliance Repair

Frequently Asked Questions by A-Team Appliance Repair

• Why don’t you set specific appointments?

• What about nighttime or weekend service?

• Does it pay to fix the old machine or should we just purchase a new one?

• Can you provide us with an estimate (ball park figure) for the repair over the phone?

• Why doesn’t anybody want to repair our appliance because we bought the parts ourselves?

• Why have we been told that repair companies will not work on our appliance if we started taking it apart ourselves?

• What if the appliance breaks down or doesn’t work properly after you repair it?

• Is there preventative maintenance service available? 

• Why does it cost so much to fix my appliance?

• Your technician was only here a short period of time or he only used a small part. Why was I charged so much?

• What if I leave a check for the technicians and my minor children are home to let them in?

• What if you repair the apparent problem and then find additional problems that were not apparent?
   

Q1: Why don’t you set specific appointments?

A: We like to give all the time you deserve to diagnose the problem with your appliance properly. In order to do this, we must give you a “window” because we don’t know how long the appointment before yours will take. We hate to give you a specific time and then not be able to honor our commitment.

Q2: What about nighttime or weekend service?

A: Most of our technicians are family people and like to spend evenings and weekends with their families. These highly trained technicians work hard during normal business hours and do not want to make a mistake because they are tired. There is, however, evening and Saturday service available at a slight additional charge in order to provide an incentive to the technicians. If we are not opened when you call, please leave a voice mail, and our service will alert a manager on duty as to your request and you will get a call back.

Q3: Does it pay to fix the old machine or should we just purchase a new one?

A: This is a very good question, and is asked quite often. Unfortunately the answer is not clear cut. If your appliance is several years old, chances are it was made better than most of the new ones available (including major brands). In most cases, since you know it has been a good appliance, it pays to fix it; especially if a new appliance costs considerably more than a repair. Additionally, many times there are reasons why your appliance stopped working and our trained technicians can point these things out so that repairs will be required less frequently.

Q4: Can you provide us with an estimate (ball park figure) for the repair over the phone?

A: Unfortunately there are usually up to a dozen different reasons why the same symptoms occur. Without being able to diagnose the appliance, using our knowledge, experience and test equipment, all we can do is guess. Many companies will quote an approximate price over the phone (usually low enough to attract your attention) and when their people arrive you find out that the repair is far more based on what they find than you were told over the phone and you are still responsible for the service charge.

Q5: Why doesn’t anybody want to repair our appliance because we bought the parts ourselves?

A: Not very often, but often enough, a part is delivered (either to you or us) and although brand-new, it is defective. If we supply the part (which is approximately the same amount of money as you would pay) if it doesn’t work we are responsible for replacing that part with one that does work. If we install your part, we have done our job and if it doesn’t work we still require payment.

Q6: Why have we been told that repair companies will not work on our appliance if we started taking it apart ourselves?

A: That is a fair question, and the reason seems to escape most people. If you dismantle anything on your appliance and then find that you need professional help, we would have to put the appliance back together in order to diagnose the exact symptoms properly. Even if you put your own appliance back together, the technician has no roadmap in his mind of just how the appliance was put back together, and you could have done it incorrectly. This leads to a large amount of time to second-guess what is causing the problem and a larger bill for our customers because we end up doing twice the work.

Q7: What if the appliance breaks down or doesn’t work properly after you repair it?

A: Before our technicians leave your premises, they will attempt to go over all functions of the appliance to have you make sure that it is working properly. Even by doing that, occasionally the appliance will cease to work again. Rest assured that we will make our return visit to you a top priority and you will receive service before the next customers.
PLEASE NOTE, ALL REPAIRS (UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED ON YOUR RECEIPT) ARE FULLY WARRANTED, BOTH PARTS AND LABOR FOR A FULL 90 DAYS. Many other companies provide only 30 days labor and 90 days parts.

Q8 Is there preventative maintenance service available?

A: In most cases we can repair your appliance and provide a regularly scheduled maintenance plan. If preventative maintenance is relatively simple, as part of our repair services, our technicians will be glad to show you how to do it yourself.

Q9: Why does it cost so much to fix my appliance?

A: To begin, all of our technicians have been formally schooled in appliance repair. Anyone can keep changing parts (at your expense) if they do not know what they are doing or do not have the proper test equipment. Next there is the technicians amount of experience. Before our technicians are sent to your home by themselves, they must complete a satisfactory evaluation with one of our senior technicians. Additionally, your technician is paid a very good salary for his knowledge and experience while he is driving to your home and while he is diagnosing the problem. Also, they carry with them an extensive inventory of parts in order to repair your appliance with just the one visit. If your appliance requires parts that are not common, and have to be ordered, we will make every attempt to secure these parts as quickly as possible (we have many sources) and return to complete the repair promptly. A small deposit will be required and the balance due upon completion.

Q10: Your technician was only here a short period of time or he only used a small part. Why was I charged so much?

A: A repair to your appliance is calculated using the technicians knowledge and experience and (in most cases) immediate access to parts. Additionally, most requests for service are tended to the same day or the very next day. When a technician works on your appliance he gives you a price before starting the work. Neither the price of the part nor the amount of time spent is a major factor. You are paying for knowledge to repair your appliance properly and our ability to return if any work under warranty is necessary.

Q11: What if I leave a check for the technicians and my minor children are home to let them in?

A: Before we start any repair our technicians must obtain approval from the responsible party. Additionally, in today’s world, our technicians are not permitted to enter a home with only minor children in attendance. An adult must be present.

Q12: What if you repair the apparent problem and then find additional problems that were not apparent?  

A: In very few instances there is a secondary problem that cannot be detected until the primary problem is fixed. An example would be if a refrigerator/freezer is not cooling at all and after repair it cools perfectly but the icemaker doesn’t work. In these cases the secondary repair will be done for the price of the parts only or if a difficult additional repair is necessary it will be done at a nominal charge.