I-know, now. Review on Eureka Forbes Aquaguard i-Nova Water Purifier

I have the misfortune of owning an Aquaguard ‘i-Nova’ in line water purifier, on which I have taken an extended AMC valid thru June 2014.

As per the terms of the AMC, they are supposed to service the unit every quarter, but I assure you, once you have paid up, nobody will even so much as bother to acknowledge your existence, forget sending periodic service.

After I paid up for 3-4 years in one shot, they allocated me a ‘customer code’ # 1003356439, with the premise that this one number would give them all details for my account without me having to repeat all info, each time I call. Far from that, whenever I call on their central helpdesk # 39883333 and share this number, they waste 5 minutes, parroting what I already know, instead of cutting to the chase and noting down what exactly I want, and working to address the same.

For general consumption, the deal is that the candle and carbon elements are replaced, once every year, FOC, under this AMC. I logged in a ‘plaint to get the same on June 25th ’13. Some joker came home after – 2/3 days without a clue on what needs to be done. Thereafter, I made several calls, and spoke to several female representatives on the helpline, getting the stock response “Sir, we’ll see that it is attended to by evening.” And the evening hasn’t come, so far. Saturday, around 3.35pm, I called again and managed to get a male rep on the line. Was already in a bad mood, so when he started saying, “Sir, I can see that you logged in a ‘plaint on July 2nd…” I cut him off and went ballistic including use of un-parliamentary words. I generally do not advocate this but, enough is enough. The customer is not to be taken for a ride by rogue entities, in such a blatant manner.

After 5 minutes, I called back the same line and asked to speak to a supervisor and one Sagar Pandey came on line. I told him of my experience and my outburst and he assured me that he would try and address my ‘plaint today.

It’s a really sad scene where a company, ostensibly from the stable of the illustrious “Shapoorji Pallonji’ group, takes consumers for a royal ride in this loutish manner.

This has been my experience, every quarter, without fail. Their business model of outsourcing service function to fly by night, trash vendors, sucks royally, but they simply lack the intent to get up and do something about it.

I will consider it worthwhile, if I can get even one reader to avoid buying this trash product.

Now I’m sure, the company will intervene and send the standard line ‘Eureka Forbes cares…. Yeah, cares a damn! My retort to that – the customer isn’t a fool to be given the run around in this manner. Woe betide the day, when all of us come together and blow you and other rogue companies out of the market.

Shame on you, Eureka Forbes, for betraying the customer trust.