Happy Halloween!

The Repairman (With Apologies To Edgar Allen Poe)

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Once I was driving in traffic dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of service calls before.

While I nodded, nearly sleeping, suddenly there came a dinging,

As of my cell phone gently ringing, ringing with another chore.

"Tis some customer," I muttered, "or a dispatch from my store -

Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in that bleak October,

And the rain would keep on falling in a drippy wet downpour.

Eagerly I wished to fix things - plainly I had studied wirings

From my books of technical training - training so I knew the score.

I knew all about all the appliances in any showroom floor -

Nameless here forevermore.

And the sad uncertain questions when I would do repairs

Thrilled me - making me the hero like never felt before.

So that now, when asked what was wrong, I explained

"Tis just a a leaky seal on you refrigerator door -

Some warm air seeping into the refrigerator door -

This it is, and nothing more."

Presently I checked my stock; hesitating I stared in shock,

"Sir," said I, "and Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I am out of stock, I've double checked whats in my truck,

And so little is the air thats leaking, leaking at your refrigerator door,

And in order to make sure, I checked all around your refrigerator door; -

A tiny leak there, and nothing more.

Fearing I would be sent packing, because the needed part was lacking,

I calmly told the customer I would call up the parts store;

I assured my client all would be ok, because I deal with W.L. May,

The customer said the web they would explore,

Because they thought they'd seen a bargain online before

Merely this and nothing more.

Firing up the google searching, all over the internet they were lurching,

They said "I found it on some online site."

"Are you sure," said I, "what if they don't get it it right?

Let me see then, what page that is, and this mystery explore -

Whos is selling you the part? Is it coming from off shore?"

They said "What could go wrong? It's fine, I'm sure."

I had not even shared the price, but my clients no longer seemed so nice,

"We'll just get the part" they said, "then you can put it on the door".

I knew delivery time was longer, though they "just knew" that I was wronger

"W.L.May could have it to you tommorrow I did implore-

They stock all the parts for your refrigerator door"

They said "we will get it ourselves", and nothing more.

At first it looked like everything would work out well,

After just 10 days later, they called up my store,

Finally the part came in, Can you come out to put it in?

We scheduled the call to come do the chore -

Installing a gasket on their refrigerators door

Quoth the customer "I sure did score!"'

As I got there I looked a what they'd been sent,

It was so wrong that my jaw hit the floor;

I was used to W.L. May getting it right, but this time it was a different sight,

I opened the box that should have had a gasket for the door-

It looked like a part, but not for a door,

As into the packaging I tore

But the part, sitting lonely on the kitchen tile, was only

A washer pump, and not a seal for a refrigerator door.

Frustrated I grumbled - that website had fumbled -

This part is for a washer, I'd seen plenty before -

This isn't even close to a gasket for a door

Now how in the world could I do the chore?

Calling the customer, I stated dialing my phone,

I told them I was there ready to fix the door,

I'd have it done faster, but this order is a disaster

I'm up a creek without an oar -

You were sent a pump by that online store!

At that my client started to roar!

It was a problem that needed some fixing,

I knew I could count on my favorite part store;

I got on the phone with W.L. May, My part was in hand the very next day!

Happy I was dealing with such a good part store -

I hustled over to my clients house and I fixed that door

My customers were happy with me once more.

There's a more to tell, because it didn't end well.

When my customers emailed that online part store ;

They were promised a credit to make it all right, in 6 months it came-they were lucky alright!

Their trust had been shaken right down to the core,

In online sites that are run from off shore,

The customer said "We won't use them no more!"

With that I remembered the way, that my life was made easier by W.L. May

When I needed research help they did the chore.

They help so much I know I'm not on my own.

I get what I need very quickly and more,

They help me succeed on the road, in the store - 

I'm always prepared at the customers door.

Reviewing my options for parts and supplies

I've seen on the internet lots of parts stores,

They promise the moon the sun and the stars-

But then I remember the gasket for the door

The errors they made, and the customers roar,

Quoth this repairman, `Nevermore.'

Kelly's Korner - Happy Halloween!

To all my ghouls and ghosties,

Fall is definately in the air and it has been an absolutely gorgeous one!  The trees are so many different colours, the days sunny and nights have been crisp.  Very little rain here in the Portland area and the local pumpkin patches are doing a booming business.

Speaking of pumpkins, my baby sis is a HUGE pumpkin fan and I've been flooding her FB page and email with all kinds of recipes for all kinds of pumpkin goodies.  Personally, I can live without it - blech!  But I do have a very simple recipe for pumpkin cookies that even I like - and you can throw it together while you're cooking dinner and have fresh cookies for desert.



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Kelly's Super Simple Pumpkin Cookies

1 box spice cake mix
1 can pumpkin

Optional:

2 cups oatmeal and/or lots of raisins or chocolate chips or all three

Just mix together and drop on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes (time may vary due to different ovens and size of cookies.

You can't get much easier than this!  Hmmm, gonna have to stop at the store....YUM!

Have a spooktacular Halloween!

Monday Motivation

Friday Featured Clent: Scotts Trading Post

Name: 
Lelainia Walker

Company: 
Scotts Trading Post

Contact Info: 

3738 Main St

(NE corner of 37th & Main/next to GIANT BURGER)

Springfield, OR

ph: 541-746-1517

e-mail: scottstradingpost@hotmail.com 

Facebook: Scotts Trading Post

Where did you grow up:
Northern California/Portland Oregon area

How long in the trade:   
17 years

How long in your current company: 
New owner in the past 6 months (editors note: Congratulations and best wishes for success!)

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work: 
Camping, movies, and time with family

To what do you credit your success:   
The willingness to try and the helpful people around me.

What do you like about doing business with WL May: WL May is like family to me, I worked alongside of the best people in this industry for over 5 years & have continued to do business with them as an employee @ another shop here in the Springfield, Eugene area, before I bought Scotts Trading Post.  I will continue to do business with them.  They are my 1st go to supplier when I am in need!

Can you share one piece of advice for others in our industry: 
Stick to what you know, try not to go too far outside of your business model

Is there anything else you like to say:   
I am enjoying that I can be a part of a local economy & bring sensible service at a sensible price. I enjoy being able to provide top notch service & products at a reasonable price, realistic to anyone's expectations.


If you would like YOUR company profiled as a featured client send an email to: rob.m@wlmay.com

Appliance Tweets

This morning I was checking on Twitter for items related to the world of appliances. I found several things to share.

This first post is simply a declaration of appliance love:

You know your getting older when you love appliances! And I love my new dishwasher! ✨🍴
— αѕнℓєє ℓαωѕσи (@ashleelawson5) October 22, 2013

Then there is this tweet of a decidedly different nature:

Wife tried to show me how to do laundry before she left for work. I know how to do laundry, I just don't want to do laundry.
— A Man at a Desk (@guyinacubicle) October 22, 2013

Here is a tip I had not heard before:

Candles will burn longer and drip less if placed in the freezer a few hours before using.
— Facts Guide (@FactsGuide) October 18, 2013

There were several tips I had heard before, of course:

Clean the filter. If your dishwasher has a filter screen, clean it regularly. A clean appliance runs more efficiently.
— Busy Household (@BusyHousehold) October 19, 2013

Stinky Socks? Soak in color-safe bleach & detergent for about 15 min. Then place sock in the washer with chlorine or color-safe bleach.
— Inst of Home Science (@InstHomeScience) October 22, 2013

Want your clothes to dry faster in the dryer? Throw in a clean towel—it'll absorb extra water.
— Life Cheatings (@LifeCheates) October 22, 2013

Keep the lint filter clean in your dryer to maximize air circulation and energy efficiency. Keeping the lint filter clean also prevents fire
— Busy Household (@BusyHousehold) September 24, 2013

Don’t leave the refrigerator and oven doors open. Every time it’s opened, up to 30 percent of the air can escape #vegasgoesgreen
— City of Las Vegas (@CityOfLasVegas) October 12, 2013

And to close out this post, here is a tweet from a happy repair customer. We hope all of your customers feel this good about your work:

How much do I tip the washing machine repair man & how long do I hold our hug?
— lauren caltagirone (@MrsRupertPupkin) October 14, 2013

Appliance Cleaning Tips

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As we enter the holiday season, thoughts turn to good times, good eats, and homemade kitchen treats.We depend on the appliances in our kitchen to be there ready to serve us by safely storing and preserving our food, providing predictable even heat when cooking, and allowing us to clean up more efficiently so that we can spend more time with family and friends. With all that our appliances do for us, regular maintenance is the least we can do for them. Your appliances will last longer, your home will look nicer, and you repairman will have plenty of time to sleep in. Here are some suggestions the keep your appliances in top shape. When you are doing the cleaning be extra careful not to allow electronic controls to pick up moisture as that can lead to an expensive break down, which is what maintenance should be helping you avoid.

Refrigerator
* Clean the refrigerator door and drawer gaskets with a cloth soaked with warm water and dish detergent, and then dry them with a towel. Gaskets that get sticky with food can tear, which can be a surprisingly involved and expensive repair. Torn gaskets can also lead to other mechanical problems which can end up being costly.
* At least once a year, wash the drawers and racks in the refrigerator, and scrub the interior surfaces of the appliance with a solution of water and baking soda.
* Clean the condenser coils on the back or bottom of your refrigerator. These coils attract dust and when the get dirty they reduce the efficiency of your machine, causing it to work harder which leads to higher electrical bills. It also can lead to breakdowns which can be expensive as well. W.L. May stocks brushes created specifically for cleaning condenser coils, or the long attachment on your vacuum can also do the job.
* Wipe off cold containers before returning them to the refrigerator, says Whirlpool’s Institute of Kitchen Science. Wet containers require the unit to work harder to remove moisture from the air, and can also cause mold.
* If you have a stainless range, once again there are several products we stock to cleand the stainless steel. We also carry scratch repair kits that can help with the almost invetable scratching that can happen to stainless steel.

Dishwasher
* Check under the spray arm for a strainer filter that can be emptied and cleaned.
* Run a dishwasher cleaner through your dishwasher. There are several commercial products available that we stock at W.L.May and many home recipes for cleaners you could try as well. Regardless of how you do it, it should help eliminate mineral build ups and leave the interior of your dishwasher looking and smelling clean and germ free.
* As with your refrigerator and using the same techniques, clean the gaskets around the edge of the door.

Oven and Stove Top
* Wipe away spills right away, do not allow them to get baked onto the your range.
* Take advantage of the cleaning function on your oven, if it has one.
* If your oven lacks a cleaning cycle, a tip is to set a shallow pan of ammonia in the oven overnight. In the morning discard the ammonia, and wipe down oven with a damp cloth. Repeat as needed.
* As with your refrigerator, we have solutions available to help in cleaning stainless steel ranges.

Garbage Disposal
* Run the disposal when you send waste to it.It seems obvious, but sometimes people don't turn the disposal on right away. That waste can build up causing odor problems and increasing the workload the disposal will have when it finally gets turned on.
* Periodically run a half a lemon through the disposal. The citric acid in the lemon will help break down any lingering food particles and also will leave your disposal with a pleasant scent.

Microwave
*Combine a few cups of water with a squirt of lemon juice and heat until boiling in the microwave. You could alternately use a solution of vinegar and water or dish soap and water. The lemon juice in the steam cleans the inside of the appliance, letting you easily wipe away accumulated food.