I happened to read some reviews from Mouthshut members about their experience with Club Mahindra, and they thanked their stars that they were only potential customers, who woke up at the right time, and decided not to become membes.
My case is different. I have not been so lucky, and I happen to be a person who got cheated by Mahindra Holidays and Resorts after I had paid up a substantial portion of my Membership fee.
Two person - a Sales Executive and the Sales Manager - had come over to my residence in Pune on 5th July 2002 to give a presentation about the Club Mahindra scheme. After sitting through the presentation, my family liked what we had heard and we decided to take this further with the Sales Manager. In fact, we had already planned a week’s holiday in Singapore beginning from 26th July 2002, and mentioned this to the Sales team. The Sales Manager made a special offer to me. He said that if we could decide by the next day, (i.e, 6th July 2002), they could use their good offices with RCI, and organise our stay in Singapore in one of their afiliate resorts. On this basis, we ageed to sign up for the membership. The fee at that time was Rs 106, 000/- and I opted for a 2-year EMI payment, which meant I had to pay Rs 42, 000/- upfront, and the balance in 24 monthly installments. The payment was also made.
Three days later, when I called the Sales Manager about the confirmation for my accommodation in Singapore, he asked for 3 more days time. As expected, he did not call, and after my repeated attempts, I could manage to speak to him on 18th July. To my utter shock, he told us that they had made their best efforts, but were unable to get us accommodation at any of their international resorts. We were also told that we have to wait for around 3 months for getting our RCI membership, and it is only after three months that we could utilise international resorts. My question to them was "Why did the Sales Manager make a false promise?"
I felt badly cheated, getting such a reply after having paid the upfront amout of Rs 42, 000/-. I asked for cancellation of membership, and I was told that I have to forego the amount I had already paid, although I had not utilised their services at all.
In spite of follow-ups at dfferent levels, right upto the Chairman and Managing Director’s level, they refused to consider the case from the point of view of a cheated customer and I never received any proper reply or explanation as to why a fasle promise was made in the first place. In fact, if they had indicated their inability right in the beginning, I could have arranged my accommodation at nearly 30% discounte rates in Singapore. Thus I ended up spending an additional Rs 25, 000/ on my accommodation for one week(family of 4), compared to the cost I would have incurred if I had confirmed my booking on 5th July itself. Over and above this, the amount of Rs 42, 000/ paid to Mahindra Resorst was a total waste.
It is shocking that none of the senior executives in Mahindra Group could analyse the issue from a customer’s viewpoint, and it was disgusting to see a large corporate group trying to swallow Rs 42, 000/- from a customer, without providing any service, and having cheated him for no fault of his.
Never, never trust this Company or the Group of Companies.
R. Venkatraman(BraveHeart)
Email: venkat@raveltechnologies.com