AO Smith — water purifier amc issue

Address:

New Delhi, Delhi, 110070

I own an AO Smith Puritee+ RO water purifier for few years and regularly had the annual maintenance contract (AMC) for service from the company, even though it used to cost about Rs.4500 to ensure the best quality water inn Delhi.
This time when I requested for AMC the company offered a new AMC scheme that cost Rs.6500 for one year, which changed the kit in the old machine with a "new" "improved" and "environment friendly" kit that reduced the water wastage during the process of purification by half from the existing machine as well as promised to replace the filters, as and when needed during the AMC period. It also promised to add two more filters as well as number of new features and good provisions for service.

The AO smith technician came home on 21/06/2019 and told me that I can pay in cheque and the installation will happen in ten days as the new kit has to be ordered from the company and the encashment of the cheque. He also promised me that the period of AMC will start from the day of installation as it is ten days away. I agreed to pay on the same day only on the promise that it will be installed ten days later and the AMC will start from the day of installation, as justified. It also suited me to wait for installation as I was travelling on work to Belgium from 23 rd June to 2nd July 2019. The technician promised to contact me by 3rd July 2019 to make the appointment for installation. Only on that assurance I paid as if I waited for me to come back and then place request for the new AMC it would have taken another ten days for installation of the new kit as it has to be procured from the parent company. Hence I paid the amount in cheque and it got encashed on 26/06/2019.

However, when the Technician Mr. Bablu finally arrived on the 3rd July for installation of the new kit I enquired if the AMC start date has been set as 3rd July 2019, he said it is the company policy to start the AMC on the day of the request made, even though they didn't have the kit to be installed and they can't change the company policy. I argued that it is grossly unfair and cheating since, it was company's fault that they did not have the kit to be installed and asked me to wait for a period of 10 days, when I was ready to install the kit on the very day I made the payment. I refused to install the new kit until this anomaly is corrected, as I was not getting the complete service I had paid for, through the clandestine method employed by company. I reminded the technician that according to the consumer protection laws of the land they are trying defrauding the customer by providing only 355 days of service when they have charged for 365 days (one year) of service. While the AMC should have been valid until 02/07/2020 according to their original promise the arbitrary unilateral revision of the period of AMC made it valid only until 20/06/2020 leading to a loss for me. Since the AMC was sold as a better contract and promised replacement of filters during the AMC period it was important for me to get the additional ten days of service as I would have to make another payment if any filter is needed to be changed in the period from 21/07/2020 to 02/07/2020.
in effect the company promises a one year (365 days ) of service but only provided about 350 days of service and replacement protection even though they are charging for one year of AMC almost 30% cost of a new machines' market price, which is about Rs.20, 000. This not just an over pricing of service where in the customer is tied through a contract but gross abuse of monopoly power that the company exerts on the consumers. One cam imagine how many unsuspecting customers the company will be cheating and in the process making huge amounts of money by employing unlawful methods.

I wrote to the company in their designated customer care email ID i.e. [protected]@aosmithindia.com on 03/07/2019 it self, pointing out the facts and ramifications of the case and asking them to change the AMC validity date from the date of installation as and when it happens. The AO Smith CS wrote back regretting the inconvenience caused and assured that their regional team will be getting back to me soon. However, no body contacted me in the next ten days despite repeated assurance over the mail on the 4th July 2019. So I mailed them again on 12/07/2019 with a warning and putting them on notice that if necessary corrective action is not taken according to my satisfaction I will resort to all available measures including consumer court complaints.

Today is the 18th July 2019 and no body from AO Smith didn't even contact me or gave me the service despite taking money for that from me almost one month back. This reeks of extreme unprofessionalism and disregard for consumer protection laws and established values.

I would want the company to correct its mistake and give me the services it promised while accepting money from me. I also want the company to issue a public apology stating the case and repeating not to continue the practice.