It seems that the most dangerous conclusion I can make here is that brands whose names start with ‘H’ are the shittiest ones.
After reading Alok sir’s post on Honda first and then Hyundai in the last couple of months, I now present my problem as a close one of a distressed Hitachi consumer. I hope someone here would be able to help me out with this.
As all would know Hitachi is known to be one of the most premium brands when it comes to Air Conditioners and obviously one has to pay a premium over other brands to buy it. And of course, the buyer then expects a best quality, long lasting product and a superior customer service/care in case of problems. But the issue here is that it’s exactly the opposite on both fronts. ‘Unchi dukaan, Pheeke pakwaan‘. Now the story (as it happened with my sister)-
“I bought a Hitachi 1.5 Ton AC in April 2011 and it suddenly stopped working on 1st September 2012. I filed a complaint with their customer care and a person came when I was not at home and said that the motor has to be changed and the cost involved is Rs. 3,500. My grandmother was not aware of the issue and hence couldn’t take the decision at that time of whether to go ahead with it or not so she asked him to come at a time when I was present at home and probably care to call before dropping in. Nothing happened. No response for a couple of days. So, I called back the customer care to follow-up only to know that my complaint has already been closed. I mean wow! So, I filed another complaint and this time the guy called me and spoke to me in the ‘are you stupid?’ mode. First questioning me as to why did I lodge another complaint and then telling me that my AC cannot be repaired as they do not have the required motor in stock and before I could ask/say anything else he hung up the phone on me.” That’s a complaint case closed at Hitachi, it seems.
After which I did some internet research and found out the names and e-mail ids of some top guys and forwarded them the complaint yesterday. This included the Customer Service Head, Executive Director, Managing Director, Chief Administrative Officer and the likes. And the mails to all of them bounced except one to the Executive Director. And I am not really expecting a reply after seeing the scheme of things.
A point to note here is that Hitachi India doesn’t have a social media presence, in this day and age. Maybe they are just saving their ass by not being present only. Seeing this, the only thing that comes to my mind is ‘Na rahega baans na bajegi baansuri‘.
Having put my case in point here, I really wish brands like these stop making the customer a Kasht-a-mar (as one of my friends rightly puts it) and go back to the age-old philosophy of ‘Customer is King’.