All the families, above a certain economic threshold, possess variety of white goods. Households have at least one item each of refrigerator, washing machine, water purifier, air conditioner, geyser, etc.
All these white goods usually carry warranty of 12 to 24 months. I don’t recall any instance of benefit availed by me during the warranty period. After the warranty period is over, companies lure the consumers to buy annual maintenance contract (AMC). When the need arises, companies usually evade fulfilling their commitment to the consumers under the pretext that the desired service is not covered under AMC.
For lodging a service request/ complaint, you have to call on toll-free numbers involving cumbersome process. You are prompted to press a digit for selecting a language, then another digit to specify the product, and so on before your call is belatedly received. If the complaint is not redressed after the first call, you will have to repeat the entire story afresh to a new person on the line next time.
Recently my water purifier, covered under AMC, needed replacement of candle. A service request on company’s toll-free number was booked. We had to remind continuously for three-four days before the service guy finally dropped in with a new candle for replacing the worn out. As I mentioned to him that our water purifier was covered under AMC, he reacted vehemently to insist that replacement of candle will be charged. Sensing the aggression in his tone, I told him to replace the candle on payment basis subject to my right to protest to the company subsequently. Without attending to the water purifier, he left my house in a huff asking me to first sort out with the company.
Agitated, I immediately called the toll-free number and narrated what had transpired. Despite the promise that the water purifier would be attended to the same afternoon, nobody turned up. Next day I again called the call centre to be reciprocated with stereotype assurance. In the meantime, I mounted a social media onslaught tagging the company. All my posts evoked the same copy-paste reply assuring me that the matter was being looked into. By evening we received a call from the local vendor who bluntly told me that the spare part was at present not available immediately. It was only after another four days of intense follow up that finally the part was replaced, but on payment basis.
What I gathered during this ordeal was that companies outsource after-sales service, call centre service, and even social media handles to vendors, euphemistically called service partners. You can’t hope to speak to a company employee. Focused on marketing and selling, companies sell their products on the basis of lavish advertising campaigns endorsed by top-notch celebrities. ‘After-sales service’ is relegated to outsourced vendors who usually tell you, with ulterior motive, to call them directly the next time. Voices need to be raised to highlight the apathy and callousness that pervade after-sales service.
