I always stand up for what I believe in and what is right even if it means standing alone...In life standing up for your rights is never easy but it is very important to embark on this Long and difficult path to enforce and protect your individual and consumer rights.We all must be aware of our rights.In exercising our rights are we truly free individuals.

I have won many long customer battles against Banks,Phone Companies, Airlines, Electronics Companies etc. I have devoted time and energy to demand positive resolutions for myself and people around me. I hate it when one is denied what every customer has a right to...and that is when I find it important to address it and complain about it. I know it takes time to escalate matters but somehow I prefer to address it no matter what. Having lived in America for sometime, I give a lot of importance to Individual Rights.

It is my nephew who inspired me to write this blog. He felt the importance of his rights and the need to address this subject in a blog very early in age when he was unhappy with the services of a certain Airline. It was then that he suggested that I should write a blog concerning such matters too.

Everyone has certain rights but we are usually not informed about them or do not exercise them. We have a right to be heard...and we must never forget that. There is One Right for All and None should be discriminated. One has the right to question and a right to information. With growing middle class touch 400 million and consumerism, Indian Companies need to become responsive to Consumer complaints and grievances. Ignoring such complaints could lead to big financial losses for the company on consumer complaints being upheld by Consumer Courts.

In this blog, I would like us to share our knowledge about how best to address our complaints effectively as a customer or consumer. It is also important to inform people about the poor customer services provided by reputed brand names. But I would also like to hi-light the names of companies and brands who have co-operated with customers and given positive responses. Please do share your experiences too.

You do not win every battle in life but you learn lessons from it and hopefully live to win it some day. Through this blog ,I would like to inspire people to stand up for their rights and if needed fight for it but the fight for your rights has to be fair and honest. I aim to create a direction and awareness for people who are not given their due rights as an individual first and then as a consumer. There are always solutions and there are way to reach those solutions or alternatives as customers through proper channels.

Whenever you have been able to get your rights heard, you should generously share that knowledge as how best to achieve that so that others could follow that too. Pay it forward ! We should share knowledge and in doing so we will learn more from each other. Alone you can stand up for your rights but with people behind you and with you , there will be more force in it and consumers and customers will not be taken for granted. United we stand in getting value for our hard earned money...United we stand in ensuring we get good customer service.

When there is a will there is a way. When you stand up for your rights and for others , somebody will listen to you sooner or later. Your voice will be heard ! But for that you have to speak out ! Silence can sometimes be mistaken as weakness or indifference. Always know your rights and request for those rights to be implemented but if they are not then demand that justice be served.


Always stand up for your rights...

Consumer Rights Consumer Might !

" Sadaa Haq Aithe Rakh ! "

"Manzil mushkil to Kya... Humhe to us rah par chalna hi hai..."


Tuesday, January 4, 2022

The RM Story @ Banks like HDFC Bank and other Banks

HDFC's Imperia Banking has declined so much in recent years and quite many of their RMs are not as professional and refined as before! The same may apply to other banks like Citibank India or another depending upon your personal experiences. There are always some such RMs at any bank. Once can request a change of RM if you are not satisfied with the banking services you are receiving.

I feel that now internet banking or phone banking is much better than dealing with the staff at the bank or RMs but still one is required to visit the Bank once in a while specially where senior citizens are concerned who prefer traditional banking over internet banking and that is when one hopes for a good interaction but often do not get the professional banking service you hoped for. Earlier banks would build relationships with their customers specially the neighbourhood ones but now they have become quite careless in their dealings and particularly their managers.

The HDFC Imperia Banking RMs are never available if you have a query, concern or complaint. The only time they will give you time is when they think they could brainwash you into trusting them blindly to do your investments without any questions so that they can meet their targets! Your preferences or what works for you does not matter to them! In fact, during such times, they adopt quite an aggressive stance and a negative attitude in their interactions and dealings with you when they realize that you may decline their advice.

Very few actually give you the right advice and are patient in waiting for you to decide how you want to spread your funds on investments products. But remember this is your money and only you have the right to decide how you want to invest it and where you want to invest it! You have to see what works for you and not what suits them.

Of course, good investments advice and suggestions are always useful, but you must take a second opinion too from someone you know or research thoroughly about it before going for it or there may be regrets later.

Relationship Managers are supposed to guide, introduce and advise you patiently about investments or assist you professionally and smoothly with bank related services but definitely not allowed to coerce you into investing against your comfort zone. So don't be apologetic if you don't want to invest in any of the suggested investment products and don't feel cornered if any RM tries to force you to invest in something you don't want to.

RMs are supposed to manage the relationship of valued customers with the bank in a dignified and professional manner so that they enjoy pleasant interactions with the bank. They are meant to enhance your banking experience with the bank and certainly not alienate you from the bank! You have a right to hassle free banking without the domination of certain RMs who do not demonstrate professionalism or customer sensitivity in dealing with their clients/customers. Remember that there is always an option to take your money elsewhere if a certain bank repeatedly gives you bad customer service and where your escalated complaints are never resolved.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

Homesake India needs to address its customer service/follow up on complaints !

 Homesake India may have good products but their customer service is more than below average. They will not respond to any mails or resolve complaints once their products are sold!

They may make it appear that they have flexible exchange and return policies but in reality, they don't! They do not fulfill their orders completely. Think twice before ordering a gift from that website or pay extra for gift wrapping because they will not pack your gifts despite extra charges for gift packing and they will not replace defective products or ill matched pair of lamps.

I feel that this company lacks professionalism and does not know how to retain clients. No follow-up at all on telephonic & social media complaints. I think they don't care about their customers once they have sold their products! They don't realize that it is easy to get new customers but harder to retain existing ones. Each customer matters!

 

Celebrities should be selective about which products they endorse! They should carefully investigate them before supporting them because representing companies that mislead consumers could tarnish their image too!

Celebrities should stop endorsing companies that do not deliver what they promise by renouncing them even afterwards based on consumers' feedback and this can only happen if celebrities feel responsible about the products they endorse and demonstrate that through having a team dedicated to following up on responses of customers I see as a consumers rights blogger that almost all the feedbacks of different customers are negative and so based on that no celebrity should endorse or represent this company unless Livpure gets their act straight and starts valuing its customers ! The same goes for other celebrities endorsing other brands and companies.

RO Membrane Filter replacement deliberately ignored by Livpure for years!

 

Always ensure that the membrane filter of any RO is in working condition. Usually when serviced, the companies may replace the other filter but sometimes deliberately ignore the replacement of membrane.

Most of the consumers are not aware of this but membrane filters remove the contaminants of the water. The replacement of membrane depends on the water quality, water consumption or actual usage. It may need to be changed sooner or later after 2 years or so. There is no definitely established time but a responsible company should ensure that it is checked on maintenance visits!

Livpure naturally ignored that and when the water purity was tested recently was the shocking dangerous level of water quality revealed which had resulted affecting the health of the seniors. That is when the membrane was finally changed by Livpure after so many years of purchasing the water purifier and despite numerous maintenance visits where water quality was checked but the necessity of changing the membrane was not informed. In this case the senior citizen has pre-existing conditions and this carelessness by Livpure could have a seriously dangerous impact on the person's health since the water quality was extremely bad!

People please be careful and make sure that these companies replace the membrane filter of the ROs on time! After all your health is at stake! Know the product you are using and read all the intricate details of the product online for more knowledge so that you enjoy the benefits of that product and are aware of the necessary replacements that you are entitled to in the maintenance visits that you pay for.

Airlines criminally preying on passengers' miseries in times of pandemic !

 Airlines are criminally preying on passengers' miseries by outrageously raising the prices of the air tickets. The international tickets to India on well- known airlines started at around $2600 or so and went up as high as even $6000 during Thanksgiving holidays which was absolutely shocking! And these tickets continue to be expensive. 

Already one is isolated in times of pandemic and now the thought of such expensive travel makes one feel more isolated as now it has become far more challenging to visit family. People who have medical emergencies in the family have no choice but to pay such an exorbitant price to reach their families. 

The airlines are taking advantage of the pandemic situation when people are already going through financial difficulties due to loss of jobs or reduced hours. And they are making it so difficult for those who are trying to reach their families, and thus create even a wider and challenging distance between people.

 Instead of connecting countries and hearts, they are disconnecting people as many can't afford to spend that much right now. Nobody is asking the airlines to lower their air fares though that would be a nice thought but people are asking them to charge what could be considered normal fares even during busy season. One cannot expect airlines to demonstrate any sensitivity during world health crisis since they will only think from the business point of view but they have no right to raise the fares so much that they are abnormally high! There should be some checks on them!           

Monday, November 8, 2021

Breach of Contract by LIVPURE Noida- Think twice b4 signing maintenance contract with them !

Livpure promises free Preventive Maintenance Service as per Contract & then disappears !

You may contact them several times for scheduling appointments but they ignore ! This is the general feedback of almost all their customers including mine when I had to endure their pathetic customer service while in Noida.

Despite a Dozen requests LIVPURE NOIDA in particular as always never honours any of the given appointments when they learn that it is NOT A PAID VISIT but FREE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE visit.

LIVPURE REPUTATION AS RELIABLE FIRM IS AT STAKE HERE !!!
FURTHER ANY HEALTH DAMAGES SO OCCURING ,THE LEGAL LIABILITY WILL REST ON LIVPURE !

It is high time that the Livpure NOIDA staff is pulled up and ordered to provide the rightful service to its customers. 

Monday, November 1, 2021

LIVPURE - Die-hard unprofessional customer service continues as usual !!! :(

 

Some things actually never change like the pathetic customer service of Livpure ! One has to endure endless unprofessional service from Livpure every time one interacts with them. Perhaps it is time to move away from this company people as sooner or later you too will get tired of their careless attitude towards customers.

Their customer service is really below average. They never honour appointments or service their products on time despite taking an advance from customers ! There is one section in my blog committed to them which talks about their unprofessionalism ! They talk rudely to senior citizens and harass customers by continuously delaying and eventually denying timely service as discussed .

As already mentioned in my previous posts, they no longer give a reference number for service request. And they do not even send reminders as was the protocol for the due three months service even after taking Rs.8000 for maintenance contract.

Even after renewal of the maintenance contract their water purifier does not get serviced by them for months. One has to be so persistent and even that may not even get results for you with them. I wonder how the corporate office of Livpure can hire such unprofessional people who do not even know how to deal with customers leave alone give good timely service. Highly unreliable ! Highly unprofessional !