[Resolved]  IFB Washing Machine — Faulty Repair and Irresponsible Post-Repair Behaviour

We recently had to report a problem with our IFB washing machine (Supreme range) to the call centre and the local service centre. They came after many reminders, told us that the drum needs replacement, charged us for the complete set of repairs and also convinced us to by a 2 year free-parts and labour AMC for about Rs. 4700 (excluding the Rs. 4500 or so they charged us for the current drum replacement and associated parts). Almost from the first time we used the machine post-repair, it started making even more noice than before the repair. We again had to follow up rigourously at Bangalore and locally here in NOIDA before they came again, admitted that they had put in the wrong drum, and then after a few days came with a new drum and installed it.

One would have thought this would be the end of our problems! No such luck! The machine now started leaking water and again could not be used. Then started another series of constant calls and assurances that someone would come and look at the problem. I just got off the phone with a gentleman called "Yusuf" in their Bangalore call centre, who AGAIN promised that he was going to ask his Manager to talk to the NOIDA branch service guys and have someone attend to us promptly! He refused to give the name of the person who would attend the call or by when he would come. Interestingly, the complaint number[protected] that we had been given a couple of weeks back was still showing as "Assigned" in their system! I asked Yusuf if such complaints that were not resolved within a specified time were not escalated to senior management - he had no answer to this.

The company bosses better wake up and smell the coffee! Their claims of adding 100 happy customers every minute (this is what I heard in their recorded message while waiting for someone to pick up the phone at the call centre!) ring hollow. We are very upset with this whole process of customer support and are recording our acute displeasure and frustration through this medium. We encourage other customers who are unhappy to come out and register their complaints. WE CAN NOT LET IFB GET AWAY WITH SUCH CALLOUS DISREGARD OF THEIR AFTER SALES RESPONSIBILITIES!

Pramod and Hemangini Joshi
NOIDA, India