Rattle, rattle… BOOM!
I hear a loud bang coming from my bathroom. That doesn’t sound good. Kippie the cat sometimes knocks things over, but this doesn’t sound like a bottle falling over, so I decide to check where the sound was coming from. When I open the door, I smell a waft of electricity. Does that have a smell? You’d think. Yes, you can smell electricity. I quickly unplug the washing machine. Luckily, the washing machine was already unlocked, so I could take out the wet laundry.
Time of Death: 2:47 PM.
Bummer! Now I have to buy a new one. I’m starting to lose track of the years I’ve been single. I’ve lived alone for over 22 years. In that time, I’ve had to buy a new refrigerator, washing machine, or other major purchases more than once. I search, I compare, and I have them delivered and installed. It has never been a problem. Until now.
I started my research again, I compared, and found a good, affordable washing machine. Or at least I thought they were good. It was on sale at Mediamarkt and Bol, two Dutch online shops. Mediamarkt still gives me that “meh” feeling, so I decided to go with Bol. I ordered the machine, which would be delivered in two days. Absolutely fantastic.
On Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. sharp, the delivery person rings the doorbell. I open the door with a smile. “Good morning!”
“Where can I put it?” the delivery guy grumbles.
“In the bathroom,” I say with a friendly smile, which is on the second floor.
“We don’t do that. We only deliver right up to the front door.”
Um… okay?
So why are you asking me where it should go? In all these years I have never met such a grumpy delivery guy.
I ask again if they can do anything for me, explaining I’m a single woman living by her self. I can’t just lug a washing machine upstairs on my back.
“Not my problem. Sign here.”
He takes some pictures of the box and leaves without saying goodbye. And me? I’m speechless. They didn’t take my old machine (which was in the deal I ordered). The new one is in the hallway, and I’m having a bit of a brain glitch. This man could have done so much more. He could have offered I could pay for the extra service on the spot, for example. We could try to find a solution together. But no, it’s not his problem.
Luckily, my daughter and her boyfriend came to the rescue later that day to carry the old machine downstairs and the new one upstairs in exchange for a hot meal. He also hooks up the washing machine for me. And it all seemed great. With the emphasis on “seemed”…
The next day I decided to do a load of laundry the next day. My “whisper-quiet” machine started working, until it started spinning.
O..M..G….
The whole house block is shaking. I run upstairs and see the washing machine dancing the Lambada through my bathroom while water is gushing out from underneath.
I send a video to my daughter, who can only respond with the familiar “WTF?!”
One thing is clear: this thing was the worst buy of the year, from start to finish. We’re letting customer service know I want to return it. They’re going to do whatever they can, but this isn’t my problem. I just want to get rid of that thing.
Disappointed with my washing machine adventure, I finally get to work. A few emails are coming in with corrections that actually don’t fit within the budget anymore. What if I react the same way? “It’s not my problem!” I’m afraid I would have to close my business within a few months. That’s why I answer every email with a smile and a solution to the problem.
And my customers? They’re still leaving five stars in return. Will I do the same for my washing machine adventure? I can only think of one response: “It’s not my problem.”