I'm raging mad. Here in our beloved country, producers just do not understand the concept of after sales services or sevices of any kind. Period.  

We have been trying to get the IFB guys to come and take a look at the washing machine since sunday - but what do we get - people hanging up on us, excuses and put offs. We explain. And reexplian - there's a baby that won't stop peeing cos of the rain and who needs clean nappies and undies. We are not home post 4 pm cos we are in the hospital. We have been loyal customers since we came to India- thats er, since 1993 - last century. And everytime we have a problem these guys take forever to get around to repairs. Complains don't work. Nothing does. We find ourselves hanging on to a dead line.

And the banks!!!! My didi and jiju have a home loan from ICICI. I get this rude, nasty wake up call from a ruder, nastier woman demanding to speak to my sister. When I ask her to ease up - and speak in english (ok so I can't argue in hindi - I always loose for lack of the right words) - she yells at me some more, she won't identify herself, won't tell me how she got my number - instead she demands to know who I am and how I'm related to the person she wants to speak to!!!! Last time they called- they left my sister close to tears. And ICICI is a reputable bank. And my didi and jiju aren't even defaulters - but this is how they call up for information. And that's not the end of the story. Then this rude woman calls up the person who gave her my number and demands to know my details!!!!!!

When the cable don't work and you call em - they respond just as rudely. If your net connection is down - expect the same sort of lack of manners when you ask for the repairman. You can have an AMC (annual maintainence contract) or you can still be legible for the garauntee period. Expect nothing lesser than absolute rudeness. Its pissing off. Its frustrating - especially when they let out these little laughs at your expense -amkes me wanna punch em so hard. So you log onto Google and key in the words "Indian Consumer Court" - you're rewarded with an endless stream of useless information - bottomline - it takes a minimum of a month's time to lodge a complain and then you reach the courts whenever the esteemable judicial system of the country has the time for you which is usually never before a few months pass (of course when it comes to banning or censoring anything - it takes less than a week - but thats another post altogether).

So what do Indian consumers do? What do we do? Where do we go? I have no idea - but posting this will make me feel better. Just like e-mailing ICICI and IFB makes me feel better - of course knowing that my emails will definitely be deleted before being read takes the edge off my relief a bit. Oh hell - where the fuck do I live?