Feb 18, 2013 03:24 PM
15633 Views
(Updated Feb 18, 2013 03:40 PM)
Water Purifiers – something we all need in our homes. It is usually a simple system where once bought, it never creates problem. We had Aquaguard for years but it was old and we thought of replacing it with a Reverse osmosis system. We were impressed by the marketing and advertising of KENT, and thinking it to be a good brand opted for it. It is the most expensive product in its category. I am one miserable consumer, who trusted on this company and would never ever think or recommend it to anyone.
My Misery Story!!
We bought Kent Grand on 10.09.2011 from Aquair Service Point, Lucknow.
We browsed the number on net and were attended immediately by the Sales Personnel. He came to our house. He explained us different systems but insisted us to buy the Kent Grand, as it was the best model Kent was having. We asked him for any discounts or offers. He gave us one year extended warranty assurance and gave us the same in writing on the bill. We asked for the company stamp on the bill or the extended warranty. He assured that these are the company papers and don’t need any stamps. We bought the system.
For first year our system worked perfectly.
We had to shift our location in August 2012. We called up KENT RO service, Gujarat for the re-installation of the machine. They came but the machine was not working. Since it was in warranty period they had to repair it for free. It took them almost a month to rectify the problem. When the machine finally started working, we complained the Service Engineer who was attending our problem about the taste of water.
He checked the TDS of water, which was more than 200 that time, whereas normal range we asked them to have was 60-70. He convinced us that since the parts have recently been replaced we have to change the water 2-3 times and the taste would be back. We did the procedure he asked us to but it didn’t change. We called him back. He came, said that he was not having the gauge with which he could check the TDS and would be back in a day or two.
Since our machine finally was working, we patiently waited for him to revert. We tried to call him up once or twice but he didn’t attend our call.
We again placed our complaint at the local service centre in mid-November, hoping that they would now revert back. But no one came.
We again filed the same complaint in Feb. The same engineer came. He changed a part and charged us 480/- for the same. Since now we had no trust left on the KENT RO, we asked him to show us the TDS between 60-70. He took the reading. It was still 230. He asked us to refill and do the same. We asked him to stay and check but he refused simply saying he was not going to stand there for that much time. Since we refused to pay him, he came back next day and still the TDS was more than 200. He changed another part and charged us 3000/-. We spoke to the Service Head Mr James, and he bluntly told us that we have to pay because now the machine was not in warranty. When we quoted him that this problem was never rectified, he refused to acknowledge any complaints or pending problems at their end. When we talked about the extended warranty that was given to us, they gave us the impression that Lucknow was a different KENT RO company than Gujarat KENT RO company. So they would not acknowledge any promises written by them.
So just after a year of throwing 14,500/- we are on the verge of throwing this piece of junk. My experience with KENT RO is :
- Cheats :
They can give you the benefits in writing and then will simply refuse to acknowledge them. The complaint will not be completely attended and they will force you to complaint again so that they could mint more and more money from you. You don’t know whether the part they have replaced was really damaged or just another way from them to put another cut in your pocket.
- Non-competent :
If we are buying a machine worth 15 K and then also we have to depend on the bisleri bottles for almost a month as they were not able to make the machine work. They never gave us any substitute machine for the mean while.
The service engineer simply refused to check the TDS as he knew that it was not right. He confessed it to Mr James, that the TDS never came down to 60-70 since the first complaint. But yet they refused to change it unless we pay them the money.
- Delicate and vulnerable Machine : After one shifting if the machine can shut down, I won’t recommend it to anyone who has to relocate for whatsoever reason.
As per the service engineer and Mr James, the service head, since we have the groundwater supply in our society, they asked us to install another gadget to neutralize the variation. The machine can’t handle the variations – no one told us this when we were buying it. I think most of the consumers use KENT RO when the water quality is not good in their area and it always keeps varying!
The customer care is a fluke : We registered the complaints but the Service Head Mr James admitted he never got any and blamed us for being so slow in registering the complaint. The feedback on Facebook gives the attached picture!
Expensive : If a machine fails to work for more than a year, Rs.14,500 is a big amount that pinches badly!
So think twice before throwing your money in water.
