r2i forum

To all the folks who have R2Ied or been to India recently - I need your honest opinion on something. This is not my attempt to bash India or Indians, just my honest attempt to understand the things better to get myself better prepared for R2I. I was in India recently for about three weeks. And this time I did little more than an 'NRI's visit to India'. I recently bought an apartment (which even after being extremely expensive, looks like cheaply done apartment with problems with almost everything inside it) and needed to get some appliances and furniture so that my parents could live in that apartment. Here is my experience with some of the things I purchased...

1. Refrigerator - Bought Whirlpool. I think it is a very good product. Wont go in details but buying experienec was very good. It was delivered next day. No issues with delivery. Next day they sent 'engineer' to explain how to operate it. Now there were two of them. When they came in, there were still some tapes (original packing) stuck to the refrigerator and one of these guys asked other one to take them of. Other one took them off, rolled them into a ball and threw the ball on the floor right in the middle of the kitchen and didnt think there was anything wrong in throwing a trash in the middle of the customer's kitchen.

2. Bought water purifier - Again, buying experience was great. Took more time to deliver than was promised. I was OK with it. For some reason I thought it was used one. Anyways .. Guy came next day to install it. He left the mess in the kitchen after he was done installing it. Next day we realised that the purifier was leaking water. So went into the store and complained about it. The guy called comapny and opened a case for us. Never heard from either comapny or store since then.

3. Bought water heater - OK buying experience. Was delivered much later than we were told. Another guy was supposed to come in and install (as we had paid separate installation charges). Nobody showed up, nobody called back. I am back in US and its been almost 2 weeks since we bought the heater, my father is frusrated that it has not been installed yet even after calling them almost everyday and after being promised that it will be done 'tomorrow'. And he really loves his hot water.

So my question to all those who have been in India for a while, is this normal (about quality of products and services) and I better get used to it or I may have been unfortunate with these purchases or are people taking me for a ride and I am missing skills to get things done quickly and correctly?

I was happened to visit Bangalore for a short vacation some time early this year. Myself and my bro-in-law decided to buy some booze and visited a posh looking wine shop on Kanakapura road. The shop is looking good where the customer can walk free around and pick the interested drink. We picked up couple of drinks and walked to cashier sitting behind computer. He said the amount is Rs.xxx.
We paid the cash and waiting for receipt. But the cashier is not interested in giving us the receipt and started to look into other customers.

My BIL: bill please
cashier: (recklessly in kannada) wait maadi (do wait)

we waited for couple of mins.

my BIL again: bill please
cashier: I asked you to wait, computer will take time to save.

Finally after a while he reluctantly printed the bill and recklessly throwed towards us on the table.

Legally, he is supposed to print and give the bill to customer even without asking. But even after insisting on the same he is very much reluctant.

I am mentally preparing to these types of services for my r2I.

And you guys call these problems?? It looks like the extended stay in America has made us real soft!

R2I-2010;338647
So my question to all those who have been in India for a while, is this normal (about quality of products and services) and I better get used to it or I may have been unfortunate with these purchases or are people taking me for a ride and I am missing skills to get things done quickly and correctly?

Hold the money. If you pay everything upfront, you drop down in the priority of people to be served. Or pay by credit card and threaten to dispute the payment if the service is not completed.

I do not see them as problem. I see them more like a culture.

Refrigerator or water purifier person throwing waste right there? Well, thats how it is. It is assumed that the cleaning lady will come and clean the floor anyways.

Water heater guy not keeping up the promise? Well, it is assumed that you will pay only part of the money at store. You will pay the balance after it is installed at home..

OP, you lack skills to tackle the people in India. So do I.

I don't regret it however. If cheating me makes someone else happy. Then so be it..

But if you really hate being cheated and want to learn the skill, you will learn it fast. Live in India for a while and experience will teach you.

In the process of learning those skills, you should ensure that you do not loose the good skills you have learned here in USA (just my two cents).

Yes to OP, this is how it works, and no, it is not like they have cheated you blatantly. (To say that they cheated they should never have come for service). They will come eventually, your water heater will work eventually, and of course eventually it will also conk out. All these products do give service and it does happen finally.

You are lucky you got a working refrigerator. I R2Ied in May and bought a whirlpool. The refrigerator doors were squeaking, some tray was broken and I had to get it fixed with multiple repair visits. The customer service in India starts when a potential customer walks in the door and ends once he makes the payment. There is no customer service after the payment ( installation and so forth). They have a concept of "demo" . The guys who show up for demo have no formal training on the product they are demoing. They have never opened the user guide. I asked a few simple questions and the demo technician blinked. These questions were answered in the first few pages of the manual. So sooner you forget the service you get overseas, the faster you will like the life in India.

So my question to all those who have been in India for a while, is this normal (about quality of products and services) and I better get used to it or I may have been unfortunate with these purchases or are people taking me for a ride and I am missing skills to get things done quickly and correctly.

All the above is normal and chalta hai. Generally all people will get used to it and not feel a thing. Generally mechanics and such people may even smoke a cigarette or beedi and throw the butt on your floor.

You need to develop a thick skin and not think too much. Post r2I you may not even get time to ponder these things.
Also remember one sentence- Yeh America nahin hai. and keep repeating it to yourself.

mkngtrbl;338678Hold the money. If you pay everything upfront, you drop down in the priority of people to be served. Or pay by credit card and threaten to dispute the payment if the service is not completed.

^^^ Best Advice.

Hold as much money as possible for as long as possible. Never give more than a "token" advance for anything. Get a receipt for all advance, even if its a "parchi" (slip) on blank paper. Shout on people like crazy. Keep names of couple important people handy, and use them as much as you can. Get people's personal mobile phone number, and call them during odd hours (if you have unfinished business with them).

If people are taking you for a ride, you might as well enjoy all the swinging ;)

holding money is not an option for most part. The payment has to be before the delivery otherwise delivery is not done.
One of my friends got a modular kitchen made by Living Room. He had to pay before the delivery and then they came to install it. Got the work done shoddily, after repeated calls, came and fixed it (its a jugad).

Professionalism doesn't exist for most part. There is so much of demand that lossing a one/two customer doesn't hit their business atall.