My washing machine is starting to make an odd noise, and I'm pretty sure the bearings need to be replaced. I'm handy, so I think I can deal with it on my own, but I still needed the pieces. So, I figured I'd call Maytag and see about ordering the parts for the replacement. I'd rather buy the exact parts I need than attempt to find substitute parts on the Internet. I've found that working with original manufacturer parts is almost always the best way to extend the lifespan of my appliances.
However, I knew there would probably be a long wait to talk to someone and a complicated directory to navigate through first. Maytag makes a lot of appliances, so there's probably a lot of people calling their support line. My 20-minute wait proved that to be true, but in the end, I did get my bearings ordered. Sometimes, you just have to deal with the wait to get what you want, but at least I know the parts are exactly what I need and not some knock-off product.
When I first called, the automated assistant picked up and said, "Hello, welcome to the Maytag customer experience. For English, please stay on the line. If you are calling about service or product help, press 1. To order parts or for part order status, press 2. For assistance with an appliance order, press 3. To schedule service under an extended warranty or for questions about an extended warranty, press 4. To register a product, press 5. To hear these options again, press 0."
I pressed 2, since I wanted to order parts, and then the assistant stated, "If you would like to check the status of an existing order press 1. Otherwise, press 2." After I pressed 2, it said, "Do you need to order a water filter? Press 1 for yes, or 2 for no." It then followed up with the question, "Lastly, is your appliance more than 12 months old? Press 1 for yes, press 2 for no." Once I pressed no, the phone started to ring and I thought maybe I was going to talk to someone, but instead, it led me to another directory.
This time, a new automated assistant stated, "Hello, you have reached Maytag.com. We have a few options to choose from. If you need some help with your order status, please press 1. To place a new order, please press 2. To speak to a representative about an existing order, please press 3. For all other matters, please press 4." I pressed 2, and then the phone started ringing again until classical music started to play. This is where I sat for 20 minutes, but finally, I got through and was able to order my parts.