Jul 22, 2009 07:04 PM
6709 Views
(Updated Jul 28, 2009 10:30 PM)
I have been a Eureka Forbes customer since a very long time - nearly 17 years now in Kolkata and have experienced good after-sales service and don't have major complaints about that. We have the water purifier, vacuum cleaner from them and they are working fine.
Now after shifting to a new apartment in Bangalore, I thought of continuing the same brand as we have been doing for the past decade and a half. This has turned out to be my undoing.
Last week, I called up the Eureka Forbes customer care and told them about my wish of purchasing a water purification system for my home at Tavarekere, Bangalore. They promptly responded and assured that the required person would get in touch with me. Within a day, their customer service person called me up and told me that he'd be coming down to my apartment for making the booking.
That he came in 3 hours late from the fixed time, didn't bother me much given the traffic conditions and the laxity of some customer service representatives. I, actually, should have taken that itself as a warning signal - an omen. This was on 18th July, 2009.
This person then comes and explains the Aquaguard purification process in detail, gives me his business card - takes a cheque for Rs.14, 500/- for the booking of the Aquaguard Total RO systemand promises to deliver the same to me by 20th July (Monday) morning 10:00AM - since Sunday is a holiday. "Cool" - I said and looked forward to the installation.
Monday - till evening there isn't any word from the folks at Eureka Forbes. I gave the customer service guy a call on his cell and asked him about the installation. He mentioned that he had asked some installation guy to talk to me (which nobody did) to inform me that the 'unit' is not available with them and that they are waiting for the same from the warehouse by Tuesday evening. 'Fine' - I said, this logistical issues might occur.
Tuesday (22nd July) - nothing happens till evening 6:00 PM after which I call up this guy again - and he promises me (yet again) that the product hasn't arrived and by Wednesday afternoon he'd deliver it and install it. This time it's starting to get on my nerves as I am spending a fortune buying 2 litre packaged water bottles for my family for the interim.
Wednesday (23rd July) - anticipating something might go wrong, I give a call to EF again around 11:00 AM asking them if the installation would take place today. They tell me to give 5 minutes after which they'd call me back (this is one trait of these sales office - they never call back, customer be damned!)
Around 1:00 PM, the 'unit' arrives with two people and they ask me where to install it. 'Finally' - I said and said a silent thanks. I told him to install it on the kitchen wall. 'Technical problem sir' - he mentions, 'the technician is not with us and we won't be able to install it without him'. He promises to get it done by 4:00 PM. I bunk office and wait till 5:30 PM for them to come and install the unit.
Nothing happens. I call up customer service and ask him about the issue. Reply - '5 minutes sir, I shall get back to you'.
At 8:00PM, the guy turns up with the technician in tow and tells to call the apartment plumber and switch off the main water supply. What a joke this is - the maintenance guys stay around from 10 to 6 and these folks turn up precisely after that.
'Will come tomorrow at 10:00 AM sir' - the standard reply is again stated and the wait begins once more. Will have to go down to the local store and buy couple more 2 litre bottles of water.
Meanwhile, I am still waiting for this transaction to end. Thinking of doing a stop payment of cheque and asking them to take their 'unit' back - and go for the Wave RO or Kent RO which offer far better service. If only I had listened to my colleagues at work and avoided Eureka Forbes.
Before taking this step - thought of sharing my plight with you folks. Never go for any Eureka Forbes product in Bangalore. They have one of the worst customer services. Better go for Kent RO or Wave RO. They are far better.
Update:
Thursday (23rd July) - The technician does turn up around 11:00 AM and I am pleasantly surprised. He installs the unit and tells me that he'd tell the sales guy to provide me with a cleaning solution for cleaning of the unit from time to time.
Anyways, the installation is done and let's see now if the sales guy turns up or not.
All of these has left me with mixed feelings - the product is really good and I'd recommend everyone. But with the kind of after-sales service they provide, there is a big question mark.
Further update:
Tuesday (28th July) - The sales guy does turn up with the cleaning solution and asks for Rs.155 for it. But I thought that one solution was supposed to come with the unit which wasn't there, so we should be getting this solution for free.
Called up the sales office from whom I had purchased the unit, and they spoke to the guy with the solution and finally I didn't have to pay anything. So, now I have all there's to be had for this unit to function properly. Hoping that I have negotiated all the bumpers and the remaining journey would be smoother.
Parting note:
I wanted to buy the Aquaguard Total RO purifier and the folks sold me the Total NF saying that the TDS levels at my location didn't warrant a Total RO and that if I shift to an area with a higher TDS, then they would simply insert in another membrane (as simple as inserting a SIM card in a cellphone) and it would serve me well there.
I haven't verified this - but if this is true then I am very happy as using non-matching water purifier could be detrimental.Meanwhile, anyone wanting to comment on this would be helpful to me and all others looking to buy this product.
