When Ms Joshipura’s microwave started malfunctioning, she called the company’s service centre. A technician who came and examined the microwave told her that a part needed to be replaced and it would cost Rs 4,500. However, he, in his personal capacity could repair it too and replace the part for just Rs 2,500. The company is just overcharging you, he told her. Joshipura did not know how to proceed in the matter and whether to trust him.

Mr Bhargava had a more or less similar experience. When his refrigerator stopped cooling, he called the company’s service centre. The mechanic told him that the compressor had to be replaced and it would cost them much less to buy from him than from the company!

Similarly, the service centre representative who attended to S. Prakash’s television set, replaced several small parts and collected money from him. But Prakash felt that those were not new parts and that he was being short-changed. He was also not sure whether the parts needed to be replaced at all. His suspicions were confirmed when he kept back the parts and got them checked up — there was nothing wrong with them.

It seems like companies that franchise after-sales service do not monitor the quality of service provided. As a result, consumers who call the company’s service centres could well end up paying for parts that are not needed to be replaced at all. Or pay for a new part, but get in return, a repaired or a recycled part. In short, get deficient or poor after-sales service.

So here are a few tips to help you overcome such problems: First and foremost, when you buy a product, particularly white goods, find out about the after-sales service from friends and relatives who may have bought the product.

When you call the service centre, make sure that the mechanic comes at a time convenient to you and be present when he arrives.

If he wants to replace any part, ask him to first show the replacement. Make sure that the part is new and is in its original seal and that he is not using an old or a “duplicate” piece. Find out about the guarantee for the new part and if there is no warranty/ guarantee card with the part, get a commitment on that score in writing.

Always keep the replaced part with you. Dispose it yourself.

Do not fall for offers such as the ones made by the mechanics in the above mentioned cases. Most likely, you will end up with a recycled or a spurious part or a sub-standard product with a short shelf life. In fact, whenever you come across such offers, complain to the company in writing.

Always collect a receipt for all services rendered and parts changed. Let all details be specified on it. Write down the full name of the person who attended to the problem. Keep these safe.

Also keep a record of the date on which you called the service centre and the time taken by them to attend to the complaint. In short, be an alert consumer and do not allow any company or its service centre to take you lightly.