Consumers Cite High Cost, Slow Service as Challenges to Get ACs Fixed by Brands; 55% Use Local Vendors: Survey

With record 46 degrees Celsius in many parts of Delhi, many are struggling to cope with the hot weather. Those with air conditioners are still better off. However, among those, some are still awaiting a technician to refill gas, clean filters or fix an electrical issue, according to a survey conducted by LocalCircles.

LocalCircles over the last 30 days, received hundreds of complaints from across the country about slow service of AC brands, broken complaint filing and resolution process and high charges.

When asked about getting AC service, 13% owners used brand service via maintenance contract and 7% used brand service on ad hoc basis; another 7% utilised service providers through the dealers, 38% used local service providers and 15% organised third party service providers.

While others said they haven’t got their ACs serviced as yet, 4% don’t intend to get the AC serviced “as they don’t need any service this year and are working fine”, and 10% are not “planning to use them or get them serviced this year”.

When asked why consumers were not using brands or manufacturers to get their ACs serviced, 54% respondents cited “high cost” as the main reason, while 54% indicated “complicated contact process”; 17% felt the manufacturers/ brand services are “time consuming”; 4% said the staff lack expertise; 4% cited other reasons. Only 19% of the respondents said they had used the services of the AC manufacturer/ brand’s service centre.

Those who got their ACs serviced by third party vendors complained that they were cutting corners by causing additional damages to the machine in order create more work for themselves.

Consumers have indicated how they were not happy with their air conditioner service, and why brands should pay more attention to their aftersales service or third party service providers.

The survey received over 23,000 responses from consumers located in 286 districts of India. 67% respondents were men while 33% respondents were women. 47% respondents were from tier 1, 36% from tier 2 and 17% respondents were from tier 3, 4 & rural districts.