A&E Factory Service - Richmond
About us
A&E Factory Service is a nationwide leader in product repair service that provides a professional and enjoyable repair experience for our customers. We service all major brand appliances and you can depend on us for your in-home repair needs. Additional DBA - A&E Factory Service LLC.
Services we offer
Residential and commercial appliances repair & installation.
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings | 
|---|---|---|
| 50% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 8% | ||
| 17% | ||
| 25% | 
My repair was originally scheduled through American Home Shield. I was required to use Aand E even though there would be significant delays in getting a repair appointment. My washer first failed in mid-late July, and it wasn't properly repaired until September 11th. That's about 7 weeks after the first malfunction. Waiting nearly 2 weeks for an appointment, waiting another week for parts to be ordered and shipped, then having to go through the entire process a second time created significant inconvenience for me. Repeat visits to my home were also costly to Aand E.
ISSUE #1 -- WAS THE TECHNICIAN COURTEOUS AND HELPFUL? Technician #xxxx731 who conducted the survey (visit #5) did not enter the ratings I provided at the time. My original answers were #1 Extremely Satisfied; #2 Dissatisfied; #3 Not Likely, but he entered #1 Extremely Satisfied; #2 Extremely Satisfied; #3 Very Likely. I now change my answer for #1 to Extremely Dissatisfied because the integrity of the technician is called into question based on how the survey was handled.
The first (visit #1), second (visit #2), and fourth (visit #5) technicians were extremely courteous. The third (visit #3 and visit #4) technician was acceptably courteous.
ISSUE #2 -- ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE PROVIDED? After the first "repair", my washer (a 20 year old Whirlpool with a center tower agitator) began agitating before the tub was properly filled with water and then failed to stop at the end of each cycle. This created several problems -- Improper Washing (adequate water levels weren't reached until late in the wash cycle, so the clothes weren't washed in water long enough to get clean); Incomplete Rinsing (clothes weren't rinsed in water long enough to remove the soap since agitation began before the tub was filled with rinse water); Clothing Damage (lingerie, trousers, knit tops valued at about $125 were damaged (underwire broken, waistband torn, sleeve seam ripped loose, pants hem torn, holes in knit shirts); Wasted Resources (washer continued cycling around the entire dial, wasting water and requiring that I "babysit" each cycle and manually cut the machine off to prevent dry agitation from tearing clothing).
My Dissatisfied rating is partially due to the manipulation of the survey answers described above, but technician #xxxx718 (visits #3 and #4) also made questionable and/or confusing statements to me and to my mother, saying one thing during his visit and then later denying that the statements had ever been made. The contradictions involved three separate pieces of information (1 -- that visit #3 and visit #4 follow up repairs were covered under Aand E's failed parts warranty so I wouldn't have to contact AHS about the warranty repair information Aand E had apparently "lost" or pay for the follow up visits vs. I needed to call AHS and ask them to retransmit the information about my repair being covered by AHS warranty as his computer was telling him to collect payment at the time of repair; 2 -- I was told the washer's water pressure sensor may be failing and have a role in the problems I was experiencing vs. my mother was told there were two potential problems -- the water pressure sensor and center panel switches may be failing, and both should be checked out; the next technician said there was nothing wrong with either of these parts; 3 -- my mother contacted AHS while Aand E's visit #4 technician was still in the home (installing the 2nd cycle timer ordered), she had them retransmit the information about this being an AHS warranty repair (as well as an Aand E failed parts warranty repair), and she had AHS authorize and schedule another visit by Aand E to check the pressure switch and center panel as the visit #4 technician had suggested vs. when the visit #5 technician contacted the visit #4 technician about the pressure switch and center panel follow up, the visit #4 technician denied saying anything to my mother about the center panel. The end result was an unecessary visit made to check parts which were working, costing everyone time and money. It leaves the impression that working parts are being replaced when it may not be necessary. I won't speculate about possible motive. While this practice doesn't cost me money at the time of a repair visit, it does cost AHS, Aand E, and me when trip charges and premiums are increased as a result.
The first two technicians either ordered wrong parts/received defective parts (visit #1), installed parts incorrectly (visit #2), or both. The original timer and box for the replacement part were taken away, I was told to throw out the old lid switch, and I received no paperwork about the repair (visit #2). Bottom line -- after six weeks, my washer wasn't fixed and the "repairs" which were made had damaged my clothes. At minimum, I'd like AHS to refund the $75 payment made during visit #1 as compensation for this damage.
The only reason I've answered Dissatisfied instead of Extremely Dissatisfied for question #2 is that my washer does finally seem to be working although 7 weeks and 5 visits by Aand E were required to make that happen.
ISSUE #3 -- WILL YOU RECOMMEND US TO OTHERS? Extremely Unlikely due to: Excessive Delays (it took weeks getting a technician to the home in the first place); Must Use Aand E Only (AHS was unwilling to have another service to handle the repair promptly when their preferred provider could not); Cumbersome Procedures (week long delay between problem diagnosis and actual repair due to parts ordering timeframe; I was required to receive the parts and report their arrival to Aand E or my follow up appointment would be canceled; Aand E "lost" the info stating this was an AHS warranty repair and expected me to correct their error); Initial Repair Failed (washer not properly repaired resulted in clothing damage); Technician Competence and/or Integrity (mishandled answers to survey; miscommunications and contradictions; inconsistent handling of parts, paperwork, information about repair needed and repair process).
My overall experience calls into question the competence and/or integrity of the entire process, especially since one technician said lost information sent from AHS to Aand E "happens all the time." SEARS owns AHS, Aand E, and also sells parts and appliances. Their actions have made me uncomfortable enough that I want to find a replacement for AHS and also avoid using Aand E in the future, if at all possible.
Scheduled the repairman. I called on Monday, the earliest they could come was Friday between 1 and 5.
Around 5:30 on Friday, the repairman arrived. He was very friendly, apologized for running late.
Took apart the dryer, found the problem, looked in his truck for a while to see if he had the part, had to order it.
Took a personal phone call and chatted for about 20 minutes while I was waiting for him to finish up.
Told me that the part would arrive in the mail. Since it was already well after 6 PM he asked if we could wait until he came back to repair the dryer to go over the washer. I said fine. We scheduled the repair for yesterday (Monday after Thanksgiving) between 1 and 5 again.
Around 6 PM on the appointed day, a different repairman (Russ) showed up. No apology for running late. Fixed the dryer, told me if I really wanted the washer gone over he would do it, but he didn't see much point if I wasn't having trouble with it, and he would have to charge me $39.95. I told him that I understood I had paid for it already, and he said no, he would require payment. I really think he was running so late he didn't want to bother. I wasn't going to pay him, so he didn't do the washer maintenance. I figured I would take it up with Sears this morning (BTW the $199 I paid did NOT include the washer, so I was lied to by the Sears rep).
When Russ finished, he rattled off some questions about my repair experience. One of the questions was if I needed help with any other of my Sears appliances. I answered yes, and started to tell him about a small problem with a broken wheel on the vegetable bin in my refrigerator, but he talked right over me. I guess the questions were merely rhetorical.
THEN he asked me to take a survey, and asked me three times to give him all "5"'s so that he could keep his job.
He gave me the wrong web site, but I eventually found the correct one and completed the survey, not cruelly but honestly.
I will next use Angie's List to find a good appliance repairman, because i will NEVER use aand e again.
The warranty company looked up my location and selected Aand E Factory Service to do the repair. I was a little concerned because I couldn't find any online reviews of the Aand E Service Center here in Richmond. I later learned that Aand E is actually "Sears Parts and Repair Center" located on Tomlyn Street.
The technician arrived before the appointed time (he called first, to ensure that would be acceptable), and quickly diagnosed the problem. He was polite, dressed in a clean uniform, and arrived in a relatively new van, with the big, colorful "Aand E" logo on the side. Almost immediately, he explained that Aand E is really "Sears", but because they service things besides Sears products (and to keep warranty clients like Home Depot happy), they changed the name to "Aand E Factory Service".
The technician had impressive equipment, including a small laptop computer w/ separate small printer. He ordered the needed part (online), gave me a printout with the info, and told me he would be back the following week to install the ice maker valve.
As the date approached, I received a few phone automated calls from Aand E asking me to contact them when the part arrived (it was being delivered to my home). Once it arrived, I called the number provided and scheduled an appointment the following day for installation.
The same technician as before, arrived early (after calling), and quickly installed and tested the new valve. The ice maker is now working fine.
I was very impressed with Aand E professionalism and speed of service. The first time the technician was here less than 30 mins. The second time he was here less than 15 mins.
According to the receipt I was handed, if I would have had to pay for this repair, the valve would have cost $47 and the labor would have been $133.
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