I bought a Bosh Washing Machine two years back. The machine working is good and there is nothing to complain on the machine quality or workmanship. I had chosen BOSCH over IFB, based on trusted German engineering.Iam fully satisfied with the functioning of the machine.
This blog is being written to caution the Buyers on the AFTER SALES SERVICE looting which BOSCH is following in India, particularly AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD.
Coming to the reality, recently during April 2016, there was a minor problem. When we turn the machine ON, the water was not reaching the washing powder tray and was filling up the drum completely with water over flowing from the drum. So I called up BOSH toll free service number to ask for a service, since I did not want to go with any local service provider. I was briefed by the person who answered my service call that Rs.800/- will have to be compulsorily paid for teh servicing persons visit to inspect the machine and identify the problem. Please note that this money has to be paid whether the problem has been solved by the visiting service agent or not, and after the visit any spares replacement is additional cost which we have to pay. I did agree to pay for the visit cost as my aim was to get the machine back into operation ASAP.
The services engineer who inspected my machine said that the valve inlet valve has to be replaced and recommended for a new valve replacement. I did agree for the replacement and when I asked what would be the cost of the valve, I was told that the service handling head office will be informing me the cost details of spares / service cost details etc. over phone. I was quite amazed with the professional way in which BOSCH was handling service calls. After the first visit of BOSCH service engineer, I got a call from BOSCH informing me that the cost of - spare valve will be Rs.3000 or 3200/- and the filter for the valve about Rs.500 more. I was shocked at these prices of spares and instantly said to the BOSCH service caller to hold my service as Iam not convinced with the spares prices. It is note that this spare valve price is almost 10% of the cost of a full washing machine purchased two years back. Had I known BOSCH's spares parts pricing policy it makes more sense to buy one full washing machine as a spare, as that might be more economical, rather than ordering spares at a later date.
From this point of time, I decided that either I will look out for a local servicing guy to attend my machine or I will buy out a new machine if that calls for. I was fortunate to locate a service engineer in my own locality, who was sincere enough to say that BOSCH spares will not be available in open market and he said that he cannot supply a spare valve if thats the only remedy. He opened the machine, took out the valve and just cleaned up the valve serviced it by removing the dust particles which were clogged in the filter and put the same valve back(which was recommended by BOSCH for replacement). The valve is functioning and the machine is working satisfactorily till now. If a local service engineer can rectify the problem why not a qualified BOSCH service engineer do this simple thing, rather than looting a customer by recommending a new valve replacement. BOSCH have ensured that their machine spares are not available in the market and have to be purchased exclusively from BOSCH only. And that's why we get looted easily, as we don't have an option to get spares outside.
It is very evident, that BOSCH follows such a price looting strategy for spares and hence I strongly recommend that, before you decide to buy BOSCH machines, please give a double thought. Its better to for a brand whose spares are easily available in the market. This the same strategy that FIAT followed for its cars and this was not successful and finally the spares had to be made available in open market.
So be a cautious BUYER before you choose BOSCH.
BOSCH, this is not an Europe or American market, where you loot customers like this. Please price your spare parts pricing to Indian market conditions and not as per European / American market conditions. You may be global company, but be an Indian company when you operate in India.
Antony Raj
email ID: kia@LNVT.com
Mob No.98408-70046
