Mahindra Rise — servicing of new generation scorpio by tvs mahindra at, ernakulam kerala. letter

Address:

Ernakulam, Kerala, 682020

Capt shinodh karthikeyan ins parundu
Executive officer naval air station
Ramnad
Uchipuli post
Ramanadhapuram

Do/242/skk/tvs most urgent

The chairman and managing director
Tvs and sons
7-b west veli street
Madurai
Tamilnadu-625001 01 oct 18
Fax +[protected]

Readdresses of grievances — lose of vehicle given
For repair/service at tvs &sons at kochi
New generation mahindra scorpio –py-05-a-6887

Introduction
1. The above car i had purchased from canteen stores department (Chennai) on aug 2016 under the defence scheme. On me posting to kochi i was giving the car for all its servicing at tvs mahindra service centre at maradu and all the services are really satisfactory till my last 10000km service. My association with mahindra started in 2008 when i purchased bolero slx and i am always proud to own a mahindra vehicle as mahindra is the only pure indian automobile manufacture who has its own r&d and we can call the car as “truly indian” and that is the reason for me to buy again a mahindra new generation scorpio. From 2008 onwards with my bolero, the servicing was done at tvs mahindra service centre at kochi as tvs being the authorised service centre for the mahindra vehicle and recommended by mahindra at every time. Except some minor complaints during my interaction with tvs (One was lose of fuel post servicing in the tank from the marked quantity in the tank for which the respond by the tvs authorities was a cold shoulder specially by mr giridhar where i was told that he don’t trust my complaint) normally i deal with the floor managers and i found they all were professionals and when i dealt with the management, i felt it is worst than a government office which always washes hand when the grievances are pointed out. However my requirement was only for the servicing of the car and as i had a good set of floor managers, never took the attitude of the management seriously and continued to be associated with tvs at kochi.

Background

2. My above said scorpio had done only 12400 km in the last two years and the car was well maintained and fitted with all mahindra recommended accessories on the purchase itself and fitted with osaram germany led bulbs for lesser load on battery. (Which are actually sourced from uk and uae) i must submit that my car was shown to many people due to its excellent maintenance without any scratch and was popular at the working staff at the workshop at tvs service centre at maradu kochi. On me travelling to ramanadapuram to take my new appointment at ins parundu on 21 jun 2018 in my car and on my return trip back to kochi on 22/23 jun night, near kumarakom, at kottayam, to save a car which was taking a wide turn, i had to take the car to the shoulder of the road and due to the loose gravel, on application of the brake, the car skidded and was stopped after touching an old pole on the road side. The car faced body damage on co passenger door side including the roof edge and i had got the vehicle back on to the road and driven back to the tvs mahindra service centre at maradu and handed over for repair with all the relevant document on 23 jun 2018 at 0900 hrs. Later i had received a system generated edc as 17 jul 2018 for completion of the work. I had full faith in the team at maradu while handing over at service centre as i have been dealing with them ever since the new car was purchased. I was not worried at all about the car as i believed that i had given my hard earned car to a responsible authorised service centre of tvs and sons. I had come back to ramnadapuram on 13 jul 2018 and i was updated by mr sherin at maradu (Who is an excellent floor manager and who truly take care of his customers) and my insurance company. I did not put too much of pressure on the service centre as i was sure that once the vehicle is ready i will get a call and with that confidence i was calm about the work that was done at kochi.

3. On 13 aug 18, i received a call from mr rakesh vijayan (Mob no [protected]) indicating that my car repair work is completed and he is taking the car for wheel balancing and alignment that day. As i was coming on an official visit to kochi and as rakesh told me that only a minor electronic indication at the cluster to be cleared, i was fully assured that the car will be ready at service centre at maradu as that is where the car was handed over for servicing. On 17 aug 18 when the flood situation started at kochi, i was involved in flying operation for rescue missions as i felt it is my call of duty. Even in my dreams i never thought that i am going to face hardships due to this flood as my place of residence was not flooded at all and tvs service station at maradu is also not flooded and as far as i felt, my car is at maradu as it is nearly ready for delivery. Any flood damage to my car was not even in my mind as kerala already had a small flood in 15 jul 18 and government of kerala had given a warning at that time to all the places that were likely to be flooded and a clear directive was given even at that time itself to move to safe place. Alwaye and alangadu also were listed at the flood warning chart and as i had a call indicating that the work completed on my car on 13 aug 18, i was sure that tvs has taken into consideration all the facts of flood warning to save the vehicles that are entrusted with them by the customers for repair and servicing from any such dangers. On 17 to 19th aug 18, i was flying for rescue operation at alwaye and alangadu area and had never even imagined that my car was also left neglected by tvs work shop at alangadu and was getting flooded. It was a trust that i had on tvs in this regard that the service station had responsibility towards customers. After 13 aug 18 as i did not received any call from the service station, on 19 aug 18 i called up mr sherin, the service manager, whom i was dealing with all my service requirements and who took my car booking on 23 jun 18 and asked about my car. He said it is at alangadu and when i asked with surprise that is it ok in the flood, his answer was as the vehicle was ready on 13 aug 18 with minor electrical defects it is safe. However he gave me the no of mr sajin (Mob no [protected]) who is at alangadu plant. Initially i tried mr rakesh’s number and as it was not reachable. Then i called mr sajin (Here the point to be noted is that, it is me who has been contacting the tvs service centre always and there were no calls originated from the so called responsible authorised service centre). He after a lot of hesitation accepted that my car is submerged. When i asked him how it happened and as the vehicle was ready on 13 aug 18 and there were already a flood warning excising at that place, why the cars were not shifted, his answer was they all were on a higher ground and only on 13 aug 18 the movable vehicles were taken back to workshop. He told that he will get back to me on the state of vehicle. But till 28 aug 18, there were no news from your organisation and again i had called and insisted mr rakesh for pictures of the car. I got the pictures from him which were shocking as my car had sustained cat a damage. At this point, i want to submit that the damage happened to my car was totally due to the negligence of your organisation of tvs and sons at alangadu and the following are the testimony to the above facts:-

A. Flood warning was issued by government of kerala in july 18 at different places of kerala due to opening of dam which included the location where your body workshop is situated.
B. The cars at your shop were stored at a school ground which is a high ground post declaration of warning till 13 aug 18.
C. My car was ready for wheel balancing and wheel alignment on 13 aug 18 which was confirmed telephonically by mr rakesh to the undersigned and the car was taken to global at alwaye for the same. The reason for, a car which had only electronic indication, which is a minor defect that need computer elimination, which is in full working condition, putting back in the work shop on 13 aug 18 from the earlier location of higher ground, when there was a flood warring issued at the workshop location by the government even at a month earlier not understood. The flooding started only on 16 aug night and the reason for not shifting the good cars to a safe place in the last 72 hours which was available with the staff, if they were responsible, is not understood.
D. There is a security guard at the workshop during night. Why he did not called the responsible staff for warning that the workshop may get flooded and cars may get submerged when he noticed the water rising.
E. Why the people like sajin and rakesh who are responsible for the safety of cars at the workshop, did not crosschecked with the security regarding the state of their workshop when there were enough warnings that were given in social media during that time, if they were responsible for the safety of cars that are entrusted to tvs by the customers.
I. As there were 72 hours available, since my car had finished wheel balancing and alignment, which is the indication that the car is fully driveable condition, why no action was taken to shift the working cars to a safe location, which was done by the other service centres who were responsible of new generation cars in the same locality.
F. Till date i got inputs from tvs only after i started checking the case. Otherwise there were no indications. Is it for hiding the facts and fooling the customers?

4. From the above it is evident that there was a gross negligence from the managerial staff of alangadu workshop where they had neglected all the warning issued by government and shown no care attitude towards the responsibility of safety of hard earned cars of customers which were given to the company for repair and the company is responsible for safe custody and return of the vehicle post repair. The most shocking was when my insurance company contacted me for assessment of my car as mr sajin had informed them that my vehicle is flooded and handed over to their service centre, which is a grave forgery. He tried to do this behind my back is by the directive of some higher formations of tvs and sons is also a doubt as the responsibility my car at the time of the flood is with tvs when the vehicle is handed over to then for repair and not on the head of the customer. Here i must submit that that act of mr sujin, without my permission to contact my insurance company shows how cunning the tvs group is in cheating the customers. Even after that there were no further communication from the workshop till i contacted them on 25 sep 18 to know what is the progress of my car repair. The earlier conversation on 1st week of sep assured me that the work shop is waiting for assessment by the insurance company. I had given two written letters on this regard to your company office at maradu in early sep 18. On 25 sep when i was speaking to mr sujin, as requested by mr sherin at maradu to check the status as the car is still at alangadu, he told me to speak to the surveyor of sundaram insurance (Which is again a family concern of tvs group) regarding my car. Before i could ask him about why should i speak to the surveyor, when i have nothing to do with him, the phone was handed over to the surveyor who was trying to teach me the insurance rules which i consider as an insult and crime in party by the tvs group as i felt that the organisation is trying to shy away from the neglect part of mr sujin who were actually responsible for the flooding of the car due negligence on his part as a responsible manager. I must submit that the conduct of the surveyor with me on phone was totally insulting and i finally cut the phone. Then i contacted mr joe jose who is the dgm at tvs workshop at maradu where he was also following the lines of insurance surveyor and during conversation i was made to understand that mr sajin had told him that they had moved all the movable cars to safety which is again a false information by the individual to fool his higher organisation as my car which was fully serviceable was not even moved. It indicate that there were no action from his side to protect the interest of the company and the valuable customers.

5. If my knowledge is correct an individual or a company take an insurance so as to reduce the risk burden on that particular individual or the company in case of any accident or damage. It only reduces the burdon to them, but not eliminating the burdon totally from them on whose name the insurance policy is taken and the final honours is with the company when the company is responsible for the damage if happened when the insured property is with them or the individual if the insured item is with him and the damage is happened when it is under his supervision. That is why the insurance is issued in the name of company or individual and not in any other way. Here what i was told by mr joe jose was that the company has no responsibility on the damage happened to the car and whatever is the decision of insurance i must be satisfied with that which is totally a violation of running of a authorised service centre of mahindra, where it was made me to feel that as a customer i have to bear everything irrespective of anything happens to my car by the negligence of the company when i give the car at so called authorised service centre or when i was using the car. This is actually making a fool of the customers and is totally a violation of rules in the court of law regarding consumer rights. Such a “washing the hands after a sin is committed” attitude is unpardonable and this makes me loose all the trust in so called tvs and sons in providing services on the behalf of mahindra. What i was made to understand by the attitude of the so called responsible office bearers of tvs and sons is that the company live on my money as i pay for every service as i have to give my car only to such a authorised service centres of mahindra due warranty close and when a mistake is committed by the company, the company just turn away their face from their responsibilities and try to fool the customers. It is my right to get my car which is just done 12400 km which as new as a brand new car in its full configuration as it was given to your service centre and no settlement less than that will be acceptable by me or by any other customer who too might have been fooled by your organisation in the similar manner.

6. It is concluded that the tvs and sons is trying to fool the customers and trying to hide away from their responsibilities and i submit that mahindra must investigate and reconsider designating tvs and sons as their authorised service centre in the light of such acts. It is further submitted that your office at the head office of tvs and sons may investigate and intervene in my case as it is my hard earned money i had entrusted you in the form of my car, which is a new car which is just done 12400km and a solution may be obtained at the earliest as for that last 90 days i am without a car. Also i must submit that i have the fear that your workshop at kochi may not do a thorough job on my car as the attitude is to fool the customer and if repair need to be done, it should be done from a independent authorised service centre of mahindra other than tvs as i am afraid that there will be a “hand in hand” game that will be played by tvs and sundaram insurance to cheat customers for their benefits. Also the car to be inspected by mahindra engineer as presently as at tvs, as a service centre not even done any protection to the car, as it is not their money is laying there with them, as most parts of the car including the shell must have surrendered to corrosion and which will be a burdon to me in the future. So the survey and repair estimate to be given by a third party service centre as decided by mahindra to eliminate any malpractices and mahindra to certify the car post repair. An early intervention is appreciated as i am already lost a lot of time due to the negligence of the company. Mahindra customer care by this letter is requested to intervene into this case as this is a violation of customer right as i had given the car which is under the full warranty period of mahindra, to tvs as they are so called authorised service centre for mahindra. I had approached your office as still i feel that i can trust your company as, i still believe that it is just the staff at tvs at alangadu at kochi defaulted and i believe that the management is just believing what the staff is briefing them regarding the condition. It is finally submitted that i should have my car problem free in the same condition as i maintained before handed over to your service centre and it is your responsibility to ensure the same as you are responsible for the safety of the vehicles that are taken over by your service centre.

Thanking you.
Yours faithfully,

Copy to:-
Chairman and managing director
Mahindra rise
Mahindra towers, media cube
G. M bhosale marg
Worli, mumbai-400018