Complain about a product or service

Black & Decker Insiders

Beverly of Valley AL (12/04/07)
I was using the Black and Decker Quick and Easy Food Processor to grate cheese. The middle of the top where the pin holds the lid on just broke out and flew across the room. Then the lid came off and broke the plastic part that holds the lid on. The blade was still running because the part that cuts it off was still in the slot. I unplugged it quickly, but it could have turned into a disaster. I contacted Black and Decker about a replacement lid; I thought maybe it was just a bad part. They said they are out of stock. But, I may just throw it away and consider myself lucky I was not hurt.

I had just bought the food processor about a month before this happened and had used it twice. Of course I had a big mess to cleanup, but it could have been worse with the blade still turning and the lid gone.

Massimo of Santa Fe OTHER (11/26/07)
I bought one Black & Decker Vacuum Cleaner model VC2000 because I was thinking it was good product. I was wrong! After 3 months it was broken, and I went to service. Two weeks later the vacuum was broken again, and I went one more time to service. Now I've been waiting since 8/10/2007 because they are waiting for one part from Buenos Aires. It will be my last product that I buy with this name: BLACK & DECKER.

Cory of Austin TX (06/05/06)
I worked Customer Service for Black and Decker. It was a good job, but after working there for a little while, it became apparent that the once great Black and Decker name, was going down the drain.

I would often get calls from older folks who had old model Black & Decker products for 20-30 years, and wonder why the new models were breaking after a few months. The new fangled battery operated String Trimmers, and hedgers only last an average of 15-30 minutes between charges. This information is not well advertized. On the box it will say something like Charges up to 16 hours so people will be surprized when they call in, and wonder why their string trimmer only ran 15 minutes.

The philosophy of our call center, was to try to help Black and Decker Customers, regardless of cost, and time. Thats what i was told by the Big Boss. The reality was much different. I found that the general policies of my immediate supervisors were such that the average customers (usually elderly folks) were givin a complete run-around, and treated poorly.

There was no level of communication. There was no outlet for customers to complain. We were to tell them that their complaints were being recorded, but they were not.

Many of the products were down right Dangerous. In the very short amount of time i was employed, i had at least half a dozen calls, where products would Spontaneously Combust. Thats just what the calls I recieved. Imagine that, every month, times 40 customer service reps, and you have an epidemic.

Thats right. LawnMowers, Dustbusters, all sourts of products, sometimes while not even plugged in. The internal parts would light on fire.

Now the greatest injustice was that Black and Deckers only concern was to avoid a law suit. If there was bodily harm, or property damage, we were to notify the legal department so they could prepare for any impending law suits. If nothing got hurt, than the person was treated like anybody else.

One lady said that she had finished mowing her lawn, and placed it unplugged in her garage, nearly burning her house down, with her children inside. She was only a few weeks out of Warranty. When a supervisor was consulted, i was told to tell her to buy another lawn mower.

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