I bought the IFB Digital washing (6kg) machine mid 2005.
They took more than 1 week to complete the installation.
The machine makes quite a lot olf noise compared to similar models by Samsung (my parents are using Samsung).
The installation person hardsold the trolley for it and came a week later and installed that. Then the problems started. There was a lot of vibration with the trolley, so I called them and had the trolley removed, so I’m not using it now but still had to pay for it.
A few weeks later the water drain started leaking. I called their helpline again to have that resolved. I requested them to inform me when they would be coming for service, and they asked me for a convenient time. I gave them at time after 5PM on a weekday (since everyone is out to work before that).I was there from 4.30PM till 7PM and then called them up to check. They said that they will inform their service executive (I thought the appointment was already fixed).
I had to explain, request, cajole them repeatedly and still could not get them to come at a convenient time to fix the washing machine. Eventually I had to threaten them that I’d be taking them to consumer court. I don’t know if that got them working or I just got plain lucky this time around but now they came and fixed it.
The same story repeated for all the problems that I had with this washing machine.
The only time they responded better (got the job done after the first reminder) was when they had to pack it up for transport to my new residence.
Re-installation at the new location was a nightmare. The guy did come on the appointed day and time but I had to pick him up at the nearest traffic signal as he could not figure out my address beyond that. Then he said that he won’t do any plumbing. After complaining to his supervisor, he promised to come the next day with some accessory that would allow me to connect without any plumbing. He came the next day at the appointed time and sold some accessory and said that he did not have the tools to fit the accessory and that I’d have to do that myself, he also promised that he would be back the next day to check if it was installed, and if not, he’d do the installation. Just as I had feared, it was not easy to install and the guy never came back.
Eventually I got myself a plumbing kit and did the plumbing myself. Thanks to IFB for making me learn that skill.
Now, it would have been ok if the guy had not done the plumbing but had done everything else required to get it running. Ofcourse not...he had not even unpacked the thing properly. So, I had to do the rest myself.
After this harrowing experience, I checked with a couple of colleagues who had an IFB washing machine, and they told me that it would have been better if I’d contact the street corner electrician-plumber and got the job done. It does void the warranty but gets the washing machine working.
I strongly recommend against buying this product because of the pathetic service.
Addendum:
14 July 2007
Have got another problem with the IFB washing machine.
This time I had the numbers of some customer service managers and called them after waiting for 2 days without any response.
They have promised me that they will get someone to look at it immediately. Let us see what immediately means to them.