I saw this movie, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron. An excellent movie. The title reminds me of a typical Indian mentality. Let it be.
Consumer is king. Or, is he? How many of us have been taken for a ride by vendors of various goods, especially in the area of electronics or household items? I can see quite a few hands rising.
Many of us are even afraid to go back if the product fails within the warranty year. This is due to a lack of knowledge, and an apathy towards value. We speak of value for money, but this seems to be applicable only when we buy it. After that, the money is gone, and the product is of no value.
I will give you a few examples on some issues, not necessarily consumer related, but in general.
1) How many of us know that if a rickshaw refuses to take us to the place we demand without a valid reason (not something like I have to go the other side), we can take the guy to a traffic/police constable and lodge a complaint?
2) Do u know that a traffic constable has got no right to keep your driving license with him? Most of them just threaten to take our license and our hands start reaching for our wallets. They have to take us to the police station, give us a receipt and keep the license there. A traffic officer can, however, take the license.
3) How many of us know that we can ask Ticket Checkers in railways/buses to show us their ID cards if they are in plain clothes?
4) How many of care about the fact that if a certain product misleads us wilfully, we can take it to a consumer court and get our money plus our expenses back from them?
5) HOW MANY OF US KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED A ’’CONSUMER COURT’’?
6) HOW MANY OF US CARE?
If we don’t, we should. It’s about time anyway. We have been indulging for too long the whims and fancies of product sellers. It is now time to really prove that ’’Customer IS king’’.