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I’m getting calls almost daily from Indesit owners who’s machines have broken down just out of warranty. When customers phone their service call centre their staff are heartlessly reticent over their customers problem and offer no compassion or leaway as far as their call-out charges are concerned.
In just 2 examples on machines just 13 months old, one a condenser dryer where the belt had snapped, jammed and burnt out the motor. The other a dishwasher where the heater had blown and taken out the module in the process. In both cases the call centre staff merely quoted a £106* call-out fee OR they could take out an insurance policy for £140* (£14 per month for 10 months)…then and only then would they call and inspect these appliances……..
In both cases I have advised both to contact the suppling dealer by virtue of the fact that legally these 2 individuals have no other option but to take that route rather than having it out directly with the manufacturer.
The plus side for indies in cases like these is that they reject out of hand the ridiculous charging structure that Indesit administer and therefore seek local help. Local indies like myself then call, for a much more modest and realistic fee, check out the problem and price the job accordingly. So we have good reason to delight and benefit from the manufacturers hard line tactics. But nevertheless I really am at a loss as I can’t figure the logic behind their approach. They clearly haven’t thought this through and the end result puts the pressure and problem on the retailer to argue it out with them as to who pays. OFT and fair wear and tear, not of merchantable quality and such like are very much heads up topic whilst the manufacturer simple turns away and makes more useless widgets. :rolls:
* customer quotes by the way.
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Martin wrote:OR they could take out an insurance policy for £140* (£14 per month for 10 months)…
Nay, I think you’ll find that this is a maintenance plan and not an insurance policy and, if it is being represented as insurance it could be naughty as it is not insurance in many cases.
The difference is, I am led to be believe and can be corrected if required, is that an insurance policy requires backing financially and regulation by the FSA and, the agreement is regulated by FSA rules whereas these are not so.
Sorry, just had to make the point.
Carry on… 😉
K.
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Probably find the offer of “insurance” is because the customer is unwittingly talking to D&G (Inkfish) at Nottingham.
Happening with most manufacturers these days where likely chargeable calls are picked up by insurance sales staff. Therefore the chances of the manufacturer getting the chance to speak to the customer and perhaps be in a position to offer any assistance, the customer is diverted to a sales operation.
This whole business relating to the above leaves a bit to be desired.
Alex
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Dont forget the couple of boxes of descaler they are browbeaten to buy, was talking to another engineer today who had a call to and old man for a leak the old guy had used to much soap powder causing it to leak, he paid £160 over 10 months plus 2 years supply of descaler/detergent remover for another £25 we are in a soft water area, it all about how much they can fleece the customers.
Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Customers tell me it is almost impossible to get away without being pressured into signing up to Dom & Gen cover and a life time supply of formic acid. Mustn’t grumble, just pushes more customers my way.
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
rogue_element wrote:Yes agree with alex. they are talking to d & g.
I thought this was common knowledge.
If I refer any customers back to take advantage of the five year parts warranty I give them chapter & verse on what to expect on the phone, even down to the descaler selling scam. And scam it is, telling people that live in soft water areas that they actually have hard water. :rolls:
I tell them to stand their ground and insist on the labour only repair.
The people on the phones have ‘allegedly’ made it appear to one or two of my customers that the extra money for the maintenance contract is not an option but is part of the parts warranty deal. 😥In fact several have said that the first question they are asked when the phone up is ‘can you give us your credit card number’
Jim.
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Please don’t overlook my original point here guys. In that for any manufacturer to insist on charging (up front) over £100 to call and repair a faulty product that is only just out of warranty has to be way out of order. The mere fact they take such a hard line approach toward their product failing and ,in effect, not giving a monkeys even though it’s just gone out of guarantee is a nonsense. Owners then faced with such hard line tactics are then forced to take it up with the supplier. And,legally, the supplying supplier/dealer bears the brunt and is the only person legally obliged to deal with the situation.
In direct consequence dealers bear the cost of either replacing the product, discounting a replacement or at the very least fighting the case directly with the manufacturer and by spending hours on the phone in the process. It is hard to imagine that any corner shop retailer could afford the aggravation of selling any Indesit branded product. Especially so when it is common knowledge throughout the trade that the majority of their products are hardly likely to survive the first 12 months warranty anyway without some for of recourse in that time.
In the first example I gave, the lady with the burnt out tumble dryer had the intelligence to realise shelling out £106 on a machine that only cost £199 in the first place, was not an option. More fool anyone that would take that route but had she done so it would have been a win win situation on Indesit’s part and a coup on the back of it no doubt for D & G. She instead is giving the supplying dealer hell, Trading Standards have been notified and a letter to the Daily T. I’m out of the frame but nevertheless got 20 quid in cash for popping across the road and diagnosing its many faults. 8)
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
I can see the other side of that though Martin.
At what point is it no longer the manufacturer’s responsibility then?
Who decides that?
Do circumstances count, misuse, abuse and so on?
In all honesty it’s a can of worms.
The warranty is there on those products for five years on spares (in letter if not spirit) and therefore the customer is only expected (in letter) to pay for the labour element. Is it unfair?
I don’t think it is at all. In fact, I’d say it was very fair on the face of it.
The customer had the option to take an extended warranty and chose not to, they would have been offered it in-store and before the manufacturer warranty expired at least one time. They chose not to take that offer up and take a chance that the product wouldn’t break, it was their call.
Now, they may well think that it’s unfair but then, as above, define what fair is.
But, in the end, if they’d bought something decent rather than a bag of bolts from Indesit things might not have panned out that way. Or, indeed, even a manufacturer that gave a rat’s behind about their reputation and wanted to keep customers or even one actually made money from selling appliances and not service.
My point being, the customer isn’t always right and there is blame to be apportioned there as well and not just on the big bad manufacturer.
K.
Re: Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
kwatt wrote:My point being, the customer isn’t always right and there is blame to be apportioned there as well and not just on the big bad manufacturer.
Oh absolutely, without doubt and in equal proportion. But nevertheless it doesn’t excuse Indesit’s hard line approach toward products they have sold with inherent weaknesses. But better they apply a more rational concessionary attitude toward owners whose machines have failed so dramatically.
Electrolux for example do at least offer to meet owners half way on cost should their machine fail in this way. I’m sure that applies too with other makes but NOT something Indesit entertain, at least as far as I’m aware anyway….. :con:
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Oh no, there are others that take an equally hard line approach.
Whirlpool used to, don’t know what it’s like now.
Candy were hit and miss, probably more miss than hit now.
TBH, in some ways I can’t blame the manufacturer, especially those operating at the lower end of the market as there’s little to no margin to allow them to be generous to customers or dealers.
The cost of cheap rubbish eh? 😉
K.
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
The point is Martin, were the phones actually answered by those manufacturers, or by D&G who are under the guise of the maker of the product?
I suspect all calls were handled by D&G.
Alex
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Alex wrote:I suspect all calls were handled by D&G.
Who and, no harm to DAG as it wouldn’t matter who it was, aren’t exactly going to be exactly willing to give up on selling a maintenance plan over doing the same customer a favour who didn’t take up the offer of a warranty earlier.
What damage there might be to the brand is probably made up and more from commissions on the sales of the people that do take up the “get it done now, pay later” option.
It’s about the money, not the service.
K.
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Customer today with a noisy* Hotpoint TVM560 tumble dryer less than 3 years old. When she called Hotpoint they wanted £120 up front or £12 per month Direct Debit before calling.
(Replacement cost of a new dryer = £140 delivered from online suppliers).
Customer called me and got it fixed (next day) for half that….
Nice one Indesit… :tup:
*(rear bearing shaft replacement job + new belt)
Re: Indesit haven’t thought this through…
Martin, I hate to keep on re this, but I’m convinced the call is being intercepted up by D&G Inkfish in Talbot St Nottingham. This is what normally happens.
The consumer is not speaking to the manufacturer but an insurance sales person. Reading between your lines it seems pretty plain this is the case.
The only way Indesit (Merloni) could be blamed is because they like others have allowed this to happen.
Alex
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