Lowe's “Extended Protection Plan”

When I called Lowe's warranty telephone number on the morning of Aug. 31^st, I eventually heard this recording after several minutes of recorded messages:  "The Mailbox Is Filled." I called again about 20 minutes later and received the same message.

Why did I call Lowe’s warranty number?

My washing machine (that is still under warranty) stopped working. No doubt, it is an essential appliance in everyone's home and needs to be fixed immediately. So, I called the manufacturer of the machine, which is Maytag.

Maytag scheduled a repair service for me. It was an outsourced company called Diamond Factory Service. When the service man arrived (on Sept. 2nd), I told him that the appliance was still under warranty through Lowe's. He asked me if I was sure I wanted him to do the work. I told him I couldn't wait until Lowe's warranty company answered my calls. 

He told me how much the repair would cost. The cost was eight dollars more than the original price of the washing machine. I told him I had no choice. It took him 10 minutes to replace the "Core Return" on the washing machine. 

That same day, I went to Lowe’s in Bolingbrook and spoke to one of the managers. His name was Sean. As expected, he blamed the lack of response to my calls on the "pandemic." He told me Lowe’s would not give me a refund either since I didn't receive Lowe's approval; however, he said he would reach out to the warranty service company and call me back. Of course, he never called back. 

I called Lowe's a few days later on Sept. 8th and was finally connected to someone. After explaining my situation, I was sent a claim form. I emailed it with the required attached documents.  I only requested the amount of money for the price of the "core return" and not for the service call, labor and taxes. This was the reply I received on Sept. 9th. 

Dear Glen,

Thank you for contacting Lowe’s Service Advantage regarding your reimbursement request. We regret to inform you that your claim does not qualify for reimbursement due to the following reason(s):

Per the Terms and Conditions of your Extended Protection Plans, Service Reimbursement is not an available benefit unless prior approval by the plan administrator is obtained.  According to our records, this is not an approved request. If you have any questions regarding your reimbursement request, please call 1-888-77LOWES.

Thank you,

Lowe’s Claims Administration and Processing Department

I received this reply on Sept. 10th:

Hello Glen,

Thank you for contacting Lowe's. I appreciate the opportunity to assist you. I apologize for your experience with your washing machine and that is stopped working. I understand your concerns.

Unfortunately, we do not have access to any information regarding repairs or the repair process in this department. The Service Advantage Team at 1-888-77-LOWES (1-888-775-6937) is in the best position to assist you with any inquiries or concerns you have regarding your protection plan. The Service Advantage Team is open from 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. EST, 7 days a week.

I am sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. I truly value you as a Lowe's customer and appreciate your business. I look forward to your reply, so I can assist you further. Our Lowe’s Store Support Center can also be reached at 1-800-445-6937. Our hours of operation are Monday – Sunday, 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. EST.

Thank you,                             

Sylvia D
Customer Experience Professional

So, I was back to square one. I then searched and found the name and contact information for Lowe's CEO. I sent the CEO the above information and asked for a fair and just response to my dilemma. Surprisingly, I received this email reply on Sept. 10th as well. It was from an executive customer relations officer.

Hello Glen Brown, 

Thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to my attention and allowing Lowe’s the opportunity to respond to your concern. 

The Lowe’s Public Relations Department received your email and asked that I reach out to you to address this matter.  I attempted to contact you at the number our office has on file, (630)... ...., however that contact attempt was unsuccessful. Please respond to this email with your preferred contact phone number, and the hours that are best to call. For your convenience, I’ve also included my direct contact information below. 

My office hours are Monday-Friday 9:30 am to 6:30 pm EST. and can be reached at (866) ... .... I look forward to speaking to you.   

Thank you,

Ricky Hall
Lowe’s Executive Customer Relations

I called Mr. Hall back, and I told him what had happened. He was polite, empathetic and professional. Mr. Hall said he would look further into the issue and call me back by Sept. 15; however, later that same afternoon, I received a call from Mr. Hall. He told me Lowe's will send me a complete refund check. 

I received a full refund check on Sept. 22, 2020.