Handy Appliance Center — Attraction in Sun Prairie

In June I called Handy Appliance because our washing machine stopped running after a certain point in the cycle. They were able to get a technician over fairly quickly to diagnose the problem. The technician told me he thought it was an electronic filter and explained how that worked and what typically caused it to fail. He also said the cost wouldn't be very expensive and that it would be about 2-3 days to get the part since it was a Friday. After a week of not hearing anything, I contacted them and they said they weren't sure why it wasn't there yet and that it should arrive in a few days.

After a few days we called again and said they could be out on Friday morning. We were out of town and made arrangements for someone to be there to meet the tech. However, the tech never showed up for the appointment and we didn't hear anything from Handy.

After contacting them again we were told that the part wasn't on the truck. They didn't think to call and let us know so we could communicate this to the people that were waiting at our house.

Another service time was scheduled and the technician arrived and spent a few minutes in the basement and returned upstairs and said "right part number, wrong part" and that they'd overnight the correct part.

A few days later and the part arrived and was installed quickly and the washing machine was working again. This process took roughly three weeks.

By August we realized that we never received an invoice and emailed Handy let them know. They never replied, instead an invoice arrived a few days later and was dated late June. The invoice didn't explain anything about the parts that were replaced except a part number and an amount that was a lot higher than I was lead to believe it would be.

I spoke to Ron at Handy to get an explanation of the invoice and was told at that time that the issue wasn't the filter, but the main control board, which was a much greater cost. I don't mind paying for the part that fixes the machine, but I expect to be informed about these changes so I can make an informed decision about making the repair or purchasing a new machine.

Overall, they got the work done and the washing machine is still working, but they were disorganized and not communicative about the work they were doing. I've only worked with Handy this one time, so I'm aware this could have been an isolated experience. I hope others don't have the same issues and that Handy can learn from this to improve their customer relationships.

My advice: Communicate with your clients. Nobody can look inside a machine and know for certain what is wrong with it - we understand this is your best guess and years of experience at work. If you are wrong, that's fine - just let us know about it - especially when there is going to be a significant cost increase. Have an option to send invoices by email, it saves a stamp and the time it takes you to print and stuff an envelope. Update the description of service. Yes, this might take a few extra minutes but we would all appreciate the details about what work...

I am actually shocked this company is in business. The communication on their end is non-existent. I called and placed an order for a part for my friderator and was told it was ordered and if it didn't fit my fridge that I couldn't get a refund. I never heard back from anyone and ended up calling three weeks later and they had lost my order and didn't know who took the order. I replaced the order and was told they would be willing to ship me the item instead of me driving to pick it up to make up for it but they would have to wait to ask their shipping person that coming Thursday and to call then. I called Thursday and they said they didn't know where their shipping guy was but they would talk to the boss and get back to me. They never called. I called and got the owner on the phone and explained the situation and he apologized and said they could just have one of their guys drop it off and took my card information (third time I gave this info to them) and address. I call a week later and one of the workers asks for my address to ship it to me and needed my credit card info again. At this point I was completely exasperated and told the person the boss said it would be dropped off and not shipped and to please charge my card only after letting me know when or if this was actually taking place. That was a week and a half ago and I've gotten no call or product. I called and left a voicemail saying I needed a manager to call me back and either needed a concrete date on the shipping/drop off or I was going to cancel the whole thing. Guess what? Nobody has called me back haha! I actually have to laugh because this level of service and miscommunication is comical. I will definitely never do business with this...

BEWARE! We called Handy Appliance Center in March 2015 for service to our Samsung Refrigerator ice maker, that was the beginning of a five month nightmare!!! Initially we thought the repair price quoted very high but had them send a repair man anyway. What we were not told in the beginning was that there were additional charges for each additional 15 minutes spent in your home. OUTRAGEOUS! What can be done in 15 minutes??? Finally at the end of July we had ice! This after four visits to our home and an installation of a new control board each time and the final time required installation of a new ice maker as well as control panel board. Each time HAC blamed Samsung for sending wrong parts, defective parts etc., however they continued to send a monthly invoice requiring me to call and question why we were being invoiced when we still did not have a working ice maker. At the end of July once the ice maker worked I paid an invoice that was not itemized went on vacation only to return home to another invoice almost twice the amount of the one I paid. Along the way each time I questioned invoices the billing department nicely claimed an innocent mistake. The final time I wanted explanation and again give vague explanations. I still do not know what all I have paid for and it was certainly much more than initially told to us over the telephone not to mention 5 months of aggravation and no ice! The service men themselves were caring and kind, one in particular named Curtis. So my real complaint here is with their vague & sloppy billing practices that can frustrate or confuse someone into paying whatever this company wants to charge. We feel duped & cheated. ...