Whirlpool Refrigerator

I was on a lookout for a new refrigerator as my old one was proving to be too small. So we decided to purchase a bigger model and promptly decided to make use of Onam season discount sales that we have here in Kerala.

Since Whirlpool is a highly advertsied brand  and we liked the looks and the price so we brought it home.

It was working very nicely for a week then suddenly one day the door hinge broke. I mean the DOOR HINGE, not anything even remotely high tech such as a compressor or the condensor. I would have felt better had some technology gone phut on me. No here was a measly door hinge.

Anyway I promptly called up the service franchisee here in Kottayam and they promptly sent a person to check up who promptly informed me that the spare hinge is not available and it will take 20 days to recieve it. I blew my top but since I am inept in Malayalam abuses I could not convey my true feelings. In present age of overnight couriers it is funny that a spare part should take 20 days to come from anywhere.

I decided to send a feedback directly to Whirlpool India and called up their Gurgaon numbers mentioned on the warranty card. I got sick of calling but I could not even manage to get an operator. I went high-tech and opened their website and lo and behold, they had a consumer feedback and complaints form, which I filled up and submitted with a lot of anxiety. As was expected I did not recieve any reply and am still waiting.

Anyway I was now totally on edge and decided to take up the matters locally and called up the service franchisee and poured all the venom I could manage in English and Hindi. He understood that if nothing is done he will face a court case and will get beaten up.

Next day the service fellow sent the spare, but which he did not fix properly, so that cool air was leaking between door and body. Again after some bouts of shouting, the fellow came again and refixed it, this time correctly.

So after suffering 4 days with a broken Refrigerator, I had my peace of mind.

Not attending to complaints and giving all sorts of excuses may be an indian trait, where consumer rights movement is not very active. But an american multi-national ignoring such a thing is a bit too much. They would have had to probably pay compensation to the customer for causing injury in US or Europe. I should have filed the case but I decided to save my 500 Rs. and some court time, the lazy bum that I am.

Probably they spend so much money on advertisements, branding  and salaries of their fat executives that nothing is left after that to do customer service.

Conclusion : Do not buy a whirlpool Refrigerator. At least if you are in India.

You can also read the second part of the experience here

UpDate : Inbetween the same door hinge broke again. And on 23.08.2008 the same door hinge broke again for a third time.