We were using IFB products more than 15 years including washing machine. As the previous IFB front loading machine was giving trouble continuously we went for IFB Digital Direct 7 KG from its direct showroom here in Thillai Nagar. It came with 5 years warranty and the price was nearly 35K. This show room is another pathetic, irresponsible one which never cares about after sales service including installation.
The machine was giving huge noise from the beginning, we complained several times. Each time some irresponsible service person will be coming from IFB franchise service center here in Trichy and they simply recommend buying a stand for it, buying cleaning chemicals, voltage cut-off switch and anything they can sell to make money. They never care about the complaint given about the machine.
This product is sure a defective product(a simple internet search will reveal it), which the company never cared to recall. During the rinse mode it gives such a grinding noise more than a jet engine or like 200 grinders running and when it is in spin mode(even at 400 rpm) it makes a huge thumping noises and literally the machine jumps on the floor scaring everyone to the hell out of them. If we do not notice it will move even 3-5 feet from its place.
Service is another pathetic and horrible one. At least the service center here sends irresponsible, arrogant, unqualified, dangerous thugs who literally abuse at the customer site and make fool of you. Unfortunately, the franchise service center seems to select service personal without any background verification, police verification or even technical qualification. Booking complaint is inviting huge danger and risk to ourselves. Calling the call center will simply give the service center manager number, which is just another diversion and washing off.
Just to show the quality of the service personnel, recently an arrogant thug came for servicing, we again explained the issue, after running it and seeing the problem he simply removed the upper cover, closed it again, removed the dirt from the dirt collector at the bottom and said the problem is fixed.
When questioned how the less than a gram of dirt at the bottom at dust collector makes the machine so noisy and make it to jump and move over, shockingly he was repeating the same: "It is fixed, sign and leave me."(reminded me of actor Ajit in a movie turning the rear view mirror of an auto and makes the engine starts fooling the driver) While the machine was still giving the same huge noise he started leaving, used filthy, abusive words when refused to sign and went to the extent of threatening us and shouted in front of the house(all the events were captured in our surveillance security cameras).
We are preparing a strong consumer complaint against IFB for selling such a worst defective product and intentionally making all smart movements to shy away from their responsibility and sending dangerous and irresponsible service personnel again only to sell consumables and other petty marketing products.
Once a prestigious and great IFB, because of short-sighted, irresponsible and pathetic after sales service is now in a most worst condition and becoming dangerous too. Buying this brand is sure buying a never ending trouble and losing your peace of mind and safety. Seems, gone are those good days of quality IFB. Sure, we will never ever go for this irresponsible brand anymore!
Update: 21 Feb 2014
Thanks to MouthShut for its great service helping consumers for their rights.
I am writing the following information to help everyone understand the issues a customer is facing at the root level. Actual names of pathetic service personnel are abbreviated to ensure their career is not affected but help them understand it for betterment.
In response to the escalation through MouthShut, IFB sent two person for fixing the issue of which one [PA] was exhibiting similar pathetic behavior filled with arrogance and totally irresponsible(seems they recruit similar profile), while fortunately the other service personnel Hariharan was amazingly great.
In spite of hearing the very loud rattling noise, [PA] pretended and pathetically said he wasn't hearing anything. He started arguing that everything is perfectly working and went to the extent of saying that the sound is inherent to the model and cannot be fixed. We thought the devil is again on the top of the tree and sucks again. When I offered decibel meter to check he went down on his decibel. Later it was shown that the noise was well over 95 db and after fixing dropped to around 70.
Luckily the other service person named Hariharan intervened him and pointed the rattling sound to him and said he is suspecting that the pump may be causing it. Hariharan was in fact very sincere and really wanted to find the cause and fix it. While the other guy was still with cheapish arguing, Hariharan firmly said he will come back after checking the spares availability and sure fix it.
He came back after an hour and assured us he understand the pain and inconvenience of the sound and sure will leave the place only after fixing it. He was trying various options and finally identified a loosened couple of screws behind the bottom bezel which was visibly seemed to be of a perfect fit. He fixed it with replacement screws and to the surprise his hard work and sincerity arrested the sound completely.
Most of the service personnel are irresponsible with no interest in their actual duty or enhancing their technical knowledge for fixing the issues for which the ticket is raised but are fully interested only in closing the ticket and behaving as if the service center employing them should be so fortunate to have them and focusing on selling petty things to make money and worried only on their target. Pathetic.
The situation and our course of action would have been completely different if just the irresponsible [PA] came to the service leading to so much of further complications. We really appreciate Hariharan who is completely different, though when his colleague [PA] was irresponsibly pushing him to close the ticket and move on to next, Hariharan firmly took it with sincerity and determination and fixed the issue. Hope IFB appreciates Hariharan for his sincerity and dedication. Thanks a lot to Hariharan!.
In the mean time we received calls from IFB office in Chennai and last call from IFB Goa to ensure the closure of the issue. They advised to call them for any future escalation. We appreciate their call!
QElectronics, which is the service franchise for IFB in Trichy never bothered to apologize or even enquire about the worst, irresponsible, filthy behavior exhibited by its service person [ST]. Though the issue was pretty simple we were made to suffer for nearly two years due to irresponsible, unprofessional support personnel who does not want to deliver their duty but selfishly find way to easily close the ticket and move on and additionally, cheapish way focus on selling petty things to make money fooling the customers in all possible unethical ways. Shameless! Worst of all we suffered abuse by a rogue thug for buying IFB product. What they do not understand is the very basics that their bread and butter is coming from the customers and not from the sky!
IFB, which was one of our most trusted brand though fixed the issue reacted only after so much of escalation and bad things happened. Whether IFB takes this feedback, implement close monitoring for each of its service at least through SMS and voice based customer feedback or just walkover this and get in to the regular business of reaching sales and closing service targets is totally up to them! At least our nightmare with IFB is over!
Though the current issue is fixed, our anguish and concern is, if a person at our level is made to suffer to this extent what would be the treatment a common customers who are simple, aged and or uneducated will be going through? Unimaginable and pathetic!
It is only customers who should do some homework verify with knowledge base like MouthShut before buying any product to have peace of mind. Voice of previous buyer will sure help others from falling in to traps. Like we use hazard warning light in the car when kids are crossing the road or on any mishap to warn other vehicles coming behind warning them of the danger let the buyers warn other future buyers through sharing their experiences!
Our sincere thanks once again to MouthShut, which like several other previous instances came to our rescue on this as well. Thanks again!
