Once upon a time, there was a city in the East, called Soul, where a firm named Singsong reached glorious sales of many hundred billions in Uncle Sam’s dollars.
It’s fame was worldwide, even offering goods in homeless depots with orange signs across the 48 states.
As nothing claims pure perfection, this giant of modern fable needs imaginary incident of failure, too. A sad tale follows, but could it be true?
Customer: My Singsong dishwasher is only five years old and this morning it started flashing an LC code. It just keeps beeping and won’t turn on.
Singsong: Have you used all the technical methods on our website to reset the device?
Customer: Yes, a dozen times, but nothing works.
After more phone calls, waiting, deciding whether to push one, three or four on the phone, an appointment is confirmed. The next day the tech arrives.
Service Tech: I can’t pull the dishwasher out from under the counter. The tile in front has to be removed by a contractor. We are not allowed to do that.
Customer: Okay, but how could it be originally installed if that tile was too high?
Service Tech: Most likely they laid the ceramic tile after they put in the dishwasher.
Customer: They installed the dishwasher in 2017, and the floor came with the house when it was built in 2004. How can this be a problem?
After some back and forth, the customer leaves kitchen, returning with a large screwdriver to smash away the tech-offending tile.
Many minutes follow with service person’s huffs and puffs. Suddenly, a loud click and the dishwasher is free for examination.
Service Tech: I see the problem. The pump gasket is leaking.
Customer: That’s good news. Gaskets for pumps only cost about six bucks online at a dozen stores. You just remove the bolts, slip it on and tighten the bolts.
Service Tech: We can’t do that. Our company requires that we only replace the entire assembly. We cannot repair parts of it. That’s our arrangement with the manufacturer.
Customer: Sounds like a way for Singsong to rip off the customer.
Service Tech: I can’t comment on that. Let me check the price of the part so I can give you an estimate.
Phone calls by the tech follow with many “okays” and a final “Yes, I understand.”
Service Tech: I have bad news. That part is out of stock and we checked suppliers all over. No idea when it will be available.
Customer: So basically I have a giant brick under the counter with the Singsong name on it. Just curious, what would be the price if that part was in stock.
Service Tech: Yes, the pump would be $240 and the installation another $170.
Customer: I can buy a new dishwasher for $300 at the local homeless store. $410 total! You got to be kidding.
There wasn’t much left to say, just four parting words from the tech as he passed through the front door and wished:
Have a nice day!
You can fool nearly all the people... 