Have had good experience in the past with National kitchen appliances. so when the time came to change my microwave(after a good 7 yrs of Samsung MW+grill, with a solitary snag episode after 5 yrs, that was promptly and professionally handled by their call centre and service engineer), I decided to renew my loyalty with National(now Panasonic) and went in for NN-C784MF with inverter technology, turbo defrost, MW, convection and all the frills.
As the reviewer above states, the ***time settings for sensor reheat and auto modes are quite misleading***.Hence I ended up using only the manual settings. Also, the additional*** Chinese/ Taiwanese script and recipes and one touch menus*** are more of a nuisance than help for an Indian user
Nevertheless, All was "fine"(if it can be called so) until about a month ago ***(7 months after purchase, well within the warranty period***) when it stopped functioning totally except that the timer would go off repeatedly on switching on the MW.
***The Service centre numbers***(other than the toll free # for BSNL lines) were also ***misleading***. ***The email helpline is bogus***, draws no response.
Finally I called up the branch office and was given the number of a service centre.DTS electronics **(outsourcing?)**
The lady who took the call*** asked me*** only my details, but*** nothing about the model # of the MW or warranty status***, which I found quite wierd, . Anyway, she said the engineer would come the next day, which he did.
He spent less than a half a minute with the MW, rapidly pressed all the buttons and said there was a ***problem with the chip / panel / circuit board, ***which would need to be taken to the service centre for ***soldering / replacement of the panel, and would cost me***- I said "wait, it is within warranty period" . he seemed more disappointed than surprised, anyway he took the MW along and said it** would be** ready and **returned within 2-3 days*****
The entries in the job sheet made by the woman who took the call read "model #- unknown, out of warranty", preferred time of visit was left blank.***
** I had to call them back on the 4th day** to find out what was happening. the lady, as usual knew nothing. ***kept transferring the call ***from one man to another, and finally gave me the engineer’s mobile #(he had not reached the place even at 11:30 am) He told me that they were "checking it", **would call back** in 15 min. which obviously **never happened.**
I called back after an hour.Still checking. ***panel needs replacement***.**don’t have it in Bangalore(!) has been ordered
from Chennai**, should be ready by next evening
No news next evening. or the next day which was Sunday
**(6 days up already and they couldn’t get a panel from Chennai which was 5 hrs away by road?)
**
Next morning(Monday) I call the branch office and the person promises to look into the matter. calls back saying the MW is ready(that also sounded fishy. ready all of a sudden?) and will be delivered by evening
Evening turns to night.
Next morning I call him up again.
"It’s not been delivered yet? But they told me it was delivered last evening. I’ll follow it up" he says, calls back after 5 min saying there was a prob with the delivery vehicle, it’ll be delivered by 3pm.
My MW finally came by 3 pm, and was working. and I was relieved(albeit, with some paranoia)
but not for long.
***Exactly a week later, the same prob recurred.***.
Called up the service centre and told my old(recent) reference #. Was told it is a new book, and **will be taken as a fresh complaint****(!)** The guy wud come tomoro(saturday)
I get a **call on Saturay 4pm** saying someone wud come over to take the MW to the service centre.
I ask "The engineer is supposed to come and examine it isn’t it?"
She says **"engineer is on leave, will be back on Monday"**
I say "Then **whats the point taking it and keeping it in ur centre over the weekend and doing nothing about/ with it**? let him come on monday and see for himself first.
Monday comes and Monday goes
Today is Tuesday and I call back the Branch office. The guy is shocked again. says he’ll send the engineer.
This was 4hrs ago and ***i’m****** still waiting***, ***wondering if they really changed the panel last time***, or just sat over it and fiddled around and made it work somehow.
***or is the new(or is it really a new one?) panel of such poor quality ***that it conked off in a week?
Here I am. ***sitting for days together with a non functioning gadget thats suppposed to simplify life, ***my ***life made hell with the unprofessional, callous support and service***, by constantly having to call and wait for their calls with some short lived functionality, And constantly feeling paranoid whenever I try to switch it on, while(and if) it works
I fail to understand
***How a gadget can malfunction in less than a yr***(in my case, and within a few weeks in the earlier reviewer’s case) ***even though technology has advanced so much***
The ***quality and durability of National(Now called Panasonic) products(and spare parts) has dwindled*** so much?
**
I*****s there only one service engineer for Panasonic Microwaves for such a big city like B’lore?*** God save smaller cities and towns then
I’ve burnt my fingers badly by choosing Panasonic MW repenting for having chosen it over Samsung or LG which have a good distribution and prompt, efficient accountable support network throughout the country
So, people, if you want peace of mind, and a working gadget, and a good after sales support and service, **STAY AWAY **from** PANASONIC home Appliances
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***Contd. in Comments due to lack of space.Please do read.***
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