People who have recently purchased washers or dryers from Kenmore may have bought a new feature they didn't even know existed: an appliance that can talk on the phone.
The new feature allows customers to hold a phone up to their washer/dryer and let the appliance tell a customer service rep on the other end what's wrong with it. The customer service rep can then relay fixes to the appliance owner, or suggest that a repairman come to take a closer look.
According to a video posted on the company's website, the appliances emit a high-pitched computer noise similar to the sounds emitted by dial-up modems from the Internet days of old.
A computer on the other end then deciphers the signal and displays diagnostic information for the customer service rep who can then walk consumers through the repair process.
Kenmore and Sears rolled out the feature quietly earlier this year, so some users may have bought the new feature and not even known it. Consumers who bought the new feature will be notified by mail starting next week, according to a company statement.
The new feature allows customers to hold a phone up to their washer/dryer and let the appliance tell a customer service rep on the other end what's wrong with it. The customer service rep can then relay fixes to the appliance owner, or suggest that a repairman come to take a closer look.
According to a video posted on the company's website, the appliances emit a high-pitched computer noise similar to the sounds emitted by dial-up modems from the Internet days of old.
A computer on the other end then deciphers the signal and displays diagnostic information for the customer service rep who can then walk consumers through the repair process.
Kenmore and Sears rolled out the feature quietly earlier this year, so some users may have bought the new feature and not even known it. Consumers who bought the new feature will be notified by mail starting next week, according to a company statement.
