[Resolved]  LG India — Long pending complaints regarding malfunction in 2 LG Split AC (2 ton each)

Address:

Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

Hello,
I lodged 2 complaints on June 22, 2014 regarding malfunctioning/ no cooling in 2 of my split ACs (both 2 ton ACs), complaint nos RNA[protected] and RNA[protected]. LG engineer from Noida DSC, Murali visited us on June 23, 2014.

In one of the ACs, he found the problem with the motor in outdoor unit and after cleaning etc made it work there only (Complaint no RNA[protected]. He also suggested that we might have to change the motor in near future. On this, I requested him to keep this unit under observation for a day to see whether motor worked fine or not, hence not to close the complaint. But he was not willing to take any suggestion. He charged from us visit charges of Rs. 170/- and closed the complaint for the reasons best known to him. As expected, the motor stopped working the same evening. Hence we had to lodge a complaint again on the June 24 with your call center. (They didn't lodge another complaint but assured us to resend the old complaint only) Again your engineer, Iftikar from Noids DSC) visited us on June 26 (after 2 days) and told us that motor needed to be replaced. He also promised to change the motor the next day. After that I haven't heard anything on the same.

In another AC, (complaint no. RNA[protected], the engineer who visited us on June 23, 2014, found the problem with PCB which was required to be replaced. He told us that he would get the order for the part placed urgently and it would be replaced within couple of days. But since then I haven't heard anything on this too. I got a SMS from LG yesterday i.e on 01/07/2014, stating that this complaint has been closed for the reason "Duplicate registration"

I don't understand how the complaints can be closed by LG team at Noida DSC so arbitrarily. What is the monitoring mechanism? They have made mockery of the whole system. Both of my ACs are out of order/ not working till today and both the complaints stand closed by Noida DSC. What kind of service levels are these? They think themselves the lords who can do anything without having any fear which is because of the fact that there seems to be no escalation process/ system at LG which is available to their customers on their website or otherwise. Only available recourse with the customer is to approach LG call center or mail on their support ID.

My above 2 ACs are out of order for about 12 days now and about 11 days have lapsed since I lodged my complaints, but these have not been repaired till date. Knowing fully well that It's impossible to live in such harsh summer without ACs, no one at LG's Noida DSC has bothered to look into it. I have spoken to the supervisor at their DSC Noida- Mr. Jatin Sharma who promised to get back to me within 15 minutes (This was on June 28, 2014) but I am yet to hear from him even after lapse of 4 days. I also spoke to DSC Noida manager, Mr. Sameer Dhiman, telling him about my plight. Though he promised me to get it done urgently but no progress so far despite all their assurances. After that, he just doesn't pick up my phone at all. On approaching call center again and asking how to escalate this issue, I was provided with the cell no.. of CCO, Ghaziabad- Ms Kiran but that no. continuously comes as "Not reachable". I tried seeking their mail IDs so that I can send them the emails, but call center did not provide me any of the mail IDs.

Of late, these delays are becoming a norm rather than an exception at LG . In one of my earlier cases in recent past regarding DIOS 730 lts refrigerator too, a delay of about 2 months happened which had to be escalated through you and further. I understand that monitoring mechanism at LG is only up to the first visit. That is why engineer visits within 24 hrs of complaint but when any complaint is kept pending for parts/ gas, thereafter no one monitors the same whether this is being attended too or not. I would like to understand LG service levels in case some complaint is pending because of any part. Are there any timelines to procure these parts or this can go on and on?

Yesterday evening i.e 01/07/2014, I got a call from the engineer from Noida DSC, Mr. Murali, stating that both the above stated parts i.e PCB and the motor are not manufactured by LG anymore, hence these ACs can't be repaired. I asked him to send this in writing and also send me the parts nos in writing so that I can check myself from LG global, whether these can be made available from them. But I haven't received any response nor I expect to receive any as the same thing happened in recent past in case of my refrigerator too.

I am not only surprised but shocked to have such response from them because both of these ACs were under AMC till Oct. 17, 2013. These came out of AMC just 8 months back and now LG says part are not available. That means that LG product's life is only 6-7 years. If so they should state this in the beginning itself so that a person can take an informed decision while buying a consumer durable from them.

I have all my consumer durables e.g. ACs, LEDs, Refrigerators, washing machine and microwaves from LG only. I never expected this from a reputed company like LG. I am not sure how adversely such response affects the reputation of that company in the market but surely it has shaken my trust in LG.

Would request the personal intervention of the concerned higher authority to get the same repaired urgently as life is very difficult without ACs in today's sweltering weather.

Thanks,
Sanjay Chopra