HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL — Hvacr contractors may want to improve their websites by offering a scheduling service similar to the one announced recently by Sears, Roebuck and Co. By going to the company’s website (www.sears.com), consumers can immediately schedule appointments for appliance and heating-cooling system service with Sears HomeCentral® service technicians by placing requests directly into the real-time computer scheduling system.

Once at the website, customers can select from three pathways to reach the online scheduling form by clicking on:

1.The Appliances tab, then on Appliance Repair;

2.The Home Services tab, then on the Sears HomeCentral van; or

3. The Parts tab, then on Schedule Repair Service.

The online scheduling form offers a seven-day window from which customers can select a date and time for service, subject to availability. When scheduling an appointment, customers can provide an e-mail address, and a confirmation with the service order number will be e-mailed to them.

“Our customers want this convenience and we have the technology and trained professionals to make it happen,” said Kevin J. Callahan, vice president, sales, for Sears Product Repair Services. “Online scheduling offers customers real-time scheduling of services that not only meets their needs and lifestyle, but also helps organize their busy schedules.”

Sears introduced the service enhancement in a direct e-mail message to visitors to its website who signed up previously to receive weekly announcements from the company.

The online scheduling capability also lets web users access the scheduling network 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to reschedule or check the status of service appointments.

Publication date: 10/23/2000

Links

• Sears, Roebuck and Co.