Labor Day Weekend

Special Announcement: 

W.L.May will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2014 to celebrate Labor Day with our families. 

Shipping companies will also be closed for the holiday. 

W.L.May  will be operating on regular hours on both Saturday, August 30, 2014 and Tuesday September 2, 2014.

Time to Relax (Flickr/CC)

Twitter Tweets: Washing Machine Edition

While looking through our Twitter feed we found these washing machine related tweets to share with you.

Heading into the world of Twitter, it quickly becomes apparent that things are not normal.

Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine. -Whoopi Goldberg
— The Life Advisor (@tlifeadvisor) August 27, 2014

Washing machines are screaming...

My washing machine just made this terrifying noise like something out of The Exorcist.
— Felice Fawn (@felicefawn) August 27, 2014

Washing machines are flooding homes...

I started my day off with my washing machine leaking. Anyone wanna come over for a swim in my front entry? pic.twitter.com/AKoDoMNMwc
— Burnsy (@MinnesotaBurns) August 25, 2014

When these things start happening it kind of stops being a washing machine and becomes more of an irritation.

washing machine loses all identity when broken, becomes 'white metal box'
— village fetish (@botandy) August 21, 2014

In spite of the occasional irritation, we should consider ourselves lucky to have washing machines. 

In Kerala, my grandmother didn't have a washing machine. She washed her clothes in a river. The only Tide she used was from the ocean.
— paulvarghese (@paulvarghese) August 19, 2014

If you have a washing machine (or a dishwasher) this tweeter suggest you learn how to use yours.

When people are too lazy to learn how to clean, cook, tidy, sort out bins, use the dishwasher/washing machine. good luck living on your own👍
— fran (@buswxnker) August 18, 2014

When you know how to use your washing machine, running it might be music to your ears.

Music is music, I don't care how you come about it,Instruments, car blinkers, washing machine. All play a melody. Listen for it!
— T Dawn (@tdawn1) August 25, 2014

Speaking of music, this guy attended a concert and got agitated.

at the front for arctic monkeys last night, best way to describe it is that it was like being in a human washing machine, got destroyed...
— Daniel Wishart (@indietwat) August 25, 2014

If by destroyed he means drunk, well then, maybe he is responsible for this installation job. By the way, tweeter, that is a dryer that is hanging around in that laundry room.

I thought I was drunk, but no, the washing machine is hanging upside down from the ceiling 😳 pic.twitter.com/0twoJf5TIS
— Emelie Nordify (@EmelieNordify) August 17, 2014

Returning you to normal, the least we can do is leave you with some actual valid advice. 

Check your washing machine's hoses for leaks. It could be wasting water without you knowing it! #CADrought
— PrepareSoCal (@PrepareSoCal) August 15, 2014

Maybe your own washing machine is not acting "normal". If your appliance is screaming, spilling water, or just not making the kind of music it should, don't ignore the problem! Small problems can turn into bigger (and more expensive) problems when they are not dealt with quickly. If you need parts to do the job, give us a call here at W.L. May and we will do every thing we can to get your machine back to "normal".

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Watch This Wednesday: Rory vs The Robot

Since a lot of you have been running extra hard this week getting ready for a long weekend, here is a short diversion to keep you smiling. Golf, washing machines and a robot. Can a golf pro outshoot a robot? Watch to find out.



For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Kelly's Korner - When to replace an appliance

Hey, All,

I get a lot of calls from consumers about replacing appliances.  Whether remodeling and replacing all your appliances or you have one that has quit working, there are several factors to consider when you are thinking about replacing an appliance.

First of all, how much is repairing the appliance going to cost you compared to buying a new one?  There is a good article in Consumer Reports about the factors to consider.  But the basic rule of thumb is;  if the repair costs are over 50% of the cost of a new one, then replace.

Creative Commons license on image.

So you are looking for a new appliance?  What do you buy?  Are you brand driven?  Just looking at cost?  Or do you want all the bells and whistles?  What about repairs?  What is the warranty on what you are looking at?  Do the servicers in your area even work on the brand you are looking at?

With the influx of brands that are made outside the USA, there are a lot of servicers that won't work on them.  And getting someone out to your place to do any work and the availability of those parts might be more than you are willing to wait for.  Does the store you are buying the appliance from do service work?  Many of the "big box" stores do not - once it's out the door it's your problem.

So do your homework before you trot down to your local store to pick a new appliance.  Web crawl and get all the info on the brand(s) you are looking at.  Consumer Reports is a good source.  Also, if you have a favorite servicer, call and ask their opinion.  Better to be armed with information about the appliance you are buying than get surprised if you have issues with it.

Have a great week!

Monday Motivation

There is no labor a person does that is undignified; if they do it right. ~ Bill Cosby

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Friday Morning Videos: Simple Tips For Kitchen Appliances Avoid Costly Repairman

Don't let the title scare you away. This video has a lot of good appliance maintenance tips you can share with your customers.



For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Throwback Thursday: News Recap August 21, 2014

If you have been reading the W.L. May Blog but haven't checked us out on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you may not be getting the whole story. We use all of those social media outlets to share news stories that relate to our industry as well as appliance tips we have found from other sources. Here is a recap of some of the top stories we have seen lately. A lot has been happening so without further ado:

This week, we start by looking at appliance manufacturers who have been in the news recently:

• The big news in the appliance world since our last recap, was the announcement that GE was looking for buyers of its appliance division. LINK
• Quirky, an Internet startup that has existing ties to GE was reportedly in talks to buy their appliance business. LINK
• Electrolux is another possible buyer for the GE appliance division. LINK
• Some more background on Quirky and its founder. LINK
• The Washington Posts looks into WHY GE is trying to sell their appliance division. LINK
• In a non-GE story, a partnership between Proctor and Gamble and Whirlpool gives us the Swash, a home "clothes freshening" device. LINK
• Workers at the Roper factory have concerns about the possible sale of GE's appliance division. LINK

We found several articles that might be of interest to those of you who love all thing appliances:

• Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...From China, we give you, washing machine soup! (That's right, SOUP not SOAP) LINK
• A dorm fridge for the Star Trek fan. Don't expect parts for this little wonder. LINK

Sometimes, the links we post are related to technology, business or happenings on the Internet:

• Why does my motor have an inverter board? This article answers the question. Its from the Philippines, so prices are in pesos and the government regulations vary, but the technology is the same. LINK
• An entry in the Electrolux design competition introduced the idea of robot fish for cleaning laundry. LINK
• GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt spoke recently at a Christian leadership conference. This post lists many of the points he made in his presentation. Some good management and leadership insight, as well as look into the mind of the head (for now) of one of the largest American appliance makers. LINK

We close with a story that is just for fun:

• A washing machine breakdown drives this reporter to go shopping for a new model. in the words of Joni Mitchell, "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got til it's gone." LINK
• Even a cat wants the dishes to come out of the dishwasher clean-and it has advice on that! LINK

What do you think is the big story? Let us know in the comment section. And if we have missed any important appliance news, please share with us in the comments section as well.

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Portable Grilling with Traeger

Traeger Grills have been a popular item since W.L. May began stocking them several years ago. People love the convenience of being able to "set it and forget it". Pellets used in the Traeger Grill are cleaner than charcoal. The grills provide a great smoky flavor whether they are used as a grill or a smoker. They units are as easy on the eye as they are easy to use.

The Lil' Pig Grill (Part #BBQPIG) is a fun way to achieve tasty grilling.

The only real downside to the Traeger Grill is that they are large enough units to make transporting them tricky. Fortunately Traeger has a solution. The Portable Traeger Grill (Part # BBQ020), is great for picnics and camping. It would be a great addition to your tailgate party equipment this fall for football season.

Traeger Portable Grill (Part # BBQ020)

Weighing just 40 lbs with measurements of H13"xW21"xD17" this unit is small enough fit in most car trunks and easily fits into the back of your SUV. This grill can be used anywhere you with any standard 110v outlet. Just plus it in, and within minutes you can be cooking!

Come and Get it!

W.L. May has the Portable Traeger Grill in stock right now. Supplies are limited, so if you want to have one of these in time for Labor Day Weekend, call us now! We also supply a wide variety of flavors of wood pellets, spice rubs, and other Traeger accesories. 

What would you use your Traeger Portable Grill for first? Let us know in the comments. Bonus points if you share a great grill recipe there.

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Kelly's Korner - Back to School!

Hey, All!

Sorry about missing last week - I know you all missed it terribly lol.

Well, the air waves are full of back to school sales and specials, and if you have kids in that age range, I'm sure your life is a quiet (or maybe not) chaos.

Whether pre-school, grade school, high school or college, there are some things you can do to make your life a bit easier.

If your child(ren) do not eat the meals they can get at school because of either you want to control what they eat or on a special diet, preplanning those meals - breakfast, lunch and snacks - will take a lot of worry off your mind.

Grab a pen and paper and your child(ren) and plan a menu for the next week.  Then take your list and check your cupboards and refrigerator for what you have and what you need (weather might be a factor as to what to pack also, soup and warm foods that can go in a thermos are great to preplan and you can use leftovers and reheat in the morning before packing).

Get your kids to help form an assembly line and, if they are not squishy ingredients, go ahead and make up those sandwiches, sides and snacks.  There is a lot of different packaging out there for your goodies - snack sized zip bags, plastic containers, drink and hot food containers out there.  I would go inexpensive as alot of these containers won't make it home.  Otherwise, prepare the night before, making sure that the cold stuff goes back into the refrigerator.  Those little cold packs work really well for keeping things chilled.

Then, in the chaos of getting everyone up and out, that will be one less chore in the morning - just grab the respective bag or lunch box out of the fridge and send it on its way with your child (of course, planning you and your spouse's lunch and getting them ready is a great idea, too!)

If you have college bound kids, things get a bit trickier, as they may be a continent away.  But care packages of homemade goodies are a welcome for some of those homesick kids.  Use unbuttered, unsalted popcorn for packing cookies and goodies that won't spoil without refrigeration.  If they have chocolate in them you may want to devise a way to pack them just in case your shipment goes through a warm area and that chocolate melts and runs over everything.  Dry ice in a styrofoam container will work for a more perishable item, but you may have to shell out some bucks for 2nd or 3rd day delivery as it may take a week or more to get across country.  If your college kid is close enough to drive home for a weekend, making a batch of soup and freezing it in individual containers so they can just pop it into a microwave is great.  My cousin lived on my grandmother's garbage soup (everything but the kitchen sink lol) and homemade bread that he kept in the freezer when he was in college.

Great time to clean out that fridge and freezer, too!

Also, if you have extra homemade goodies, our Armed Service guys and gals really love them, too!  There are websites that you can find that will give you the info you need to pack and send them.

Have a great week!

Monday Motivation

Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out. ~ John Wooden

Friday Morning Videos: Jerry Clower and a Repairman Story

It's been a long week for many of us. Keep on smiling, it's almost the weekend. Here is a funny story about an appliance service call. Have a great day!



For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Thursday Trivia Challenge: Burnside Edition

In celebration  of our new home on NE Burnside, here is a short set of trivia questions to test your knowledge about our new neighborhood, known as Lower Burnside. Portland trivia buffs, can you keep up?

Questions
1.Possibly the most important street in understanding Portland geography, what does Burnside mean on a map of Portland?
2.Burnside was not always named Burnside, what was its prior name?
3.Who was Burnside named for?
4.Burnside shares its name with one of Portland's bridges that connects Burnside on the East and West sides of the Willamette River. When did that bridge open?
5.Lower Burnside has several buildings with an unusual feature. What is it?
6.The building feature in the last question had an unusual cause. Do you know why?
7.Lower Burnside is now a one way street heading East from the bridge past W.L. May. To approach W.L. May,and our parking lot (or the Burnside Bridge), from the East side of Portland, what street do you take?
8.Our new building most recently housed a paper warehouse. Prior to that Pacific Appliance parts (who merged with W.L.May) was located here. The building wasn't always a warehouse though. What business was the new W.L. May storefront built to house?

Answers
1.Officially divides the North and South Side of the city.

2.B St.

3.Not named for the Civil War general many suspect, the street was named for David W. Burnside, an early Portland merchant.

4.1926

5.Arcade sidewalks. (Sidewalk built under the overhang of a multi story building)

6.In 1931, the city determined that Burnside needed widening to accomodate growth in traffic. Two lanes were added, one each direction (Burnside was a two way street at the time) and the sidewalks were removed. Rather than demolishing the building to allow for new sidewalks, the lower storefonts were recessed and the older support pillars for the upper floors were left in place with the side walk behind the pillars, creating the arcade and space on the street for the new lanes.

7.Couch St. (Pronounced Kootch)

8.A bowling alley

Sources:
City of Portland/Portland Bureau of Transportation/Burnside Street History https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/295412
Cafe Unknown/Hung Over on Burnside
http://www.cafeunknown.com/2006/08/hung-over-on-burnside-they-were-called.html

Scoring
O-2 correct: You know a bit, but still have a lot to learn.
2-4 correct: You know a fair amount about Lower Burnside history.
4-6 correct: You know a lot about Lower Burnside history.
6-8 correct You are an Portland history star! Great job!

This is a monthly feature. To submit your own trivia questions (and answers) email: rob.m@wlmay.com with the subject line "trivia".

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Wednesday W.L.May Profile: Michael Ullman

This is the part of the blog where we share a little about ourselves. Today we would like to introduce you to one of the people that help provide you with our famously fast and accurate customer service.

Name? 
Michael Ullman

Job Title? 
Shipping/Receiving, Warehouse Person

Where did you grow up? 
Minnesota, Southern California, and Oregon

How long have you been with W.L. May? 
15 Years.

What did you do prior to joining W.L. May? 
Musician, Sawyer, and Government (USN) Relocations

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work? 
Music, art, sports, and reading

To what do you credit your success? 
Early upbringing, Motivation, and an attraction to integrity.

What do you like about working at W.L. May? 
Casual atmosphere, co-workers with similar interests, and bus line #70

Can you share one piece of advice for others in our industry? 
Accuracy, motivation, and focus

Can you share something most people do not know about you?
Drove my first solo tractor on the farm at age 3. Yikes!

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Monday Motivation

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. ~ Beverly Sills

How to Handle Angry Customers [Infographic]

One of the most challenging aspects of customer service is what do you do when a customer is unhappy. At some point, no matter how good your work is, someone will be unhappy. It may be a valid complaint, or it may be someone's bad day trying to pull you in. Regardless, it is crucial with today's means of communication among customers that you deal with the situation well. This infographic courtesy of the Provide Support Blog outlines tips on how to deal with that situation should it arise.

Full disclosure: I, personally, have been guilty in the past if letting my pride get in the way of good service, violating the third suggestion on the list. I was wrong at the time, and have experienced regret as a result. Don't make the same mistakes I have made!

From: www.providesupport.com

Throwback Thursday: News Recap August 7, 2014

If you have been reading the W.L. May Blog but haven't checked us out on Facebook, Twitter or Google+, you may not be getting the whole story. We use all of those social media outlets to share news stories that relate to our industry as well as appliance tips we have found from other sources. Here is a recap of some of the top stories we have seen lately. A lot has been happening so without further ado:

We start with some consumer friendly articles we feel would be great for sharing:

• A tale of a refrigerator that stops acting up when the repairman shows up, and how the repairman handles it. Great story until the close. Mr. Journalist, give Repairman Steve another chance...LINK
• If your customers like the convenience of laundry detergent packs, please encourage them to handle them safely. LINK

Next, we look at appliance manufacturers who have been in the news recently:

• Appliance manufacturers dispute Class-Action lawsuits over energy star ratings. LINK
• Whirlpool is reported to be shipping a heat pump clothes dryer late this year. LINK
• A look at the Kitchenaid mixer Factory in Greenville, OH (By the way-we stock parts for these mixers.) LINK

We found several articles that might be of interest to those of you who love all thing appliances:

• This N.Y.Times fashion writer judges men by the contents of their refrigerators. LINK
• Apparently, washing machines are used to make edible marijuana products. Also apparent: The health department in Denver says the machine needs to be kept clean. LINK

Sometimes, the links we post are related to technology, business or happenings on the internet:

• A look at a Las Vegas area laundromat. LINK
• The conflict of condominium owners wanting to install laundry equipment in a complex that already has a laundry room. LINK
• He may have won the battle, but he lost the war! This customer won't be coming back. LINK

We close with a story that is just for fun:

• The best cookies come fresh from the oven (by the way, we stock bake elements and other oven parts). But if you are eating packed cookies (like Oreos), you can still have some tasty fun! LINK
• Along the same lines, when I was kid, I was sometimes told not to play with my food. I wonder if they would have said that if I were this artistic about it...LINK

If we have missed any important appliance news, please share with us in the comments section.

For more from education and entertainment from W.L. May Company click...HERE

Preconceived Notions

This is a repost of a short post from March 17, 2013. It's as true today as it ever was. Consider it food for thought.

A few years ago the ASTI (Appliance Service Technical Institute) was being held, like this year, in Orlando. Being in Florida, our representatives Todd and Bradley expected warm weather-especially when compared to chilly and damp Portland in winter. As a result they packed a wardrobe that would have worked well for a sunny spring day. To their surprise, it was an extra cold week in Orlando and the weather here in Portland was warmer. As a result they spent the week shivering when they went outdoors. Why am I telling you this story? They could have been dressed for cool weather, as Portlanders they certainly had warm coats they could have taken. It was Florida. Florida is usually warm. Their preconceived notions were wrong.

If you do appliance repair for a living preconceived notions can take money right out of your pocket. For example, a lot of times I will hear a servicer saying, before consulting with the client, that their consumer likely won't have a job done because a pricey part was involved in the job. Yet time and again the consumer proves them wrong and has the job done. Other times a technician will assume that a part is no longer available because it is a piece for an older machine. This preconceived notion is also not always correct.

It is true that OFTEN Florida is warmer than Oregon. It is also true that OFTEN a pricey part will make a consumer consider replacement over repair or that an older machine may have a lot of discontinued parts. Experience can blind us into assuming that what is OFTEN true is what is ALWAYS true. So when you go to Florida take along a jacket. When you are looking at an expensive repair job offer your quote with confidence. And when you are dealing with an older appliance take the time to verify availability.

You might be surprised at the results if you can remove your preconceived notions and approach each service call with a positive attitude. Customers will surprise you - I promise. And like they like to say in the lottery ads-you can't win if you don't play!

Kelly's Korner - Keeping your cool.

Hey, All,

I don't know about you, but I live in the Pacific Northwest because I like the rain - weird, huh?  It seems that this summer has been hotter than ever and I can't wait for some cooler weather and some rain.  Air conditioning is not something standard in the homes here as it is in other parts of the country.

So what do you do to beat the heat?  Heading to the coast every night after work is not an option, and while there are plenty of rivers and lakes around, getting there after work leaves little time to enjoy before dark sets in.

Creative Commons license on image.

If  you have air conditiong of any kind - whole house, heat pump or window shakers - a few basics of maintenance will help keep your cool.  Check your filters - these being clogged by dust, hair and whatever will reduce the efficiency and make your unit run harder and head it towards failure.

If your unit is outside, remove any grass, weeds, leaves or anything that may be restricting air flow.  If you haven't already, scheduling a maintenance call might be in order.  The air conditioning companies are usually pretty booked during heat waves taking care of emergencies so you may have to wait several days.  Might be a good idea to schedule yearly checkups on your heating and cooling systems so you don't forget and run into trouble.  Ask your tech what basic things you can do to keep things running.

And if you don't have A/C?  Well, there are some ingenious ideas out there on the internet - I saw one the other day using a 5-gallon bucket, ice and a fan - hmmm...personally, I don't have A/C and I rely on a plastic wading pool, wet clothes and fans.  But, whatever your method is of keeping cool during the heat, have a great summer!

Have a great week!

PS:  Don't forget the pets!  Keep them in a cool location and make sure they have plenty of clean, cool water - throw a couple of ice cubes in when you are refilling your own beverage!

Monday Motivation

Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway. ~ John Wayne

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Friday Morning Videos: 1950's Whirlpool Assembly Line

Here is some classic footage of the Whirlpool assembly line in the 1950's.



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