Team-BHP - The Home Appliance thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by SchumiFan (Post 3870839)

I know a lot have been using Bosch Washing machines here. Can someone update me on the condition of the machine now and the time period for which they have been using the machine?

I have a LG Front Load Washing Machine which needs replacement due to its age and the load that it was put through. I am looking to get a 7KG model to help with the load.

I would like to know how the machine performs and if the service personnel are offering proper support when required.

I had no issues with the LG machine and the SC people also were prompt to attend when called upon.

I am open to suggestions about other models as well but German engineering thingy is pulling me towards it :)

Why not go for another LG. I had a Sumeet (Seimens) for 10 years then IFB (Bosch) for 12+ years. Now I have an LG for past 2 1/2 years. When control was electro-mechanical Western designs were good. With everything electronic the Japanese and Korean appliances are better. My son has bought the latest LG 6kg last moth and says it is even better than our one. I believe that if you want good service then go for a brand that sells a lot. Large sales will need large number of service centres, where as those who sell small numbers have less.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aroy (Post 3871474)

Why not go for another LG. I believe that if you want good service then go for a brand that sells a lot. Large sales will need large number of service centres, where as those who sell small numbers have less.

LG for some reason have made their Washing Machines inaccessible. I would want their DD motors but not with the inverters. More complex the machine is, the more it will cost to repair. It starts at 41K which is a bit too steep for me. Bosch has one at 30K and have an exchange offer as well running now. Hence the interest in it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nareshov (Post 3870985)

With a BOSCH washing machine for over a year now. It's a quiet, efficient piece of hardware. Support is not a problem (calls attended and person comes on-site to attend).

There're some positive comments about Panasonic front loaders too if you want to take a look at a Japanese option.

Thank you for the reassurance. That is nice to hear. I will look into Panasonic as well and having used a few of their products, I can only hope their Washing Machines are of the same quality as well. They stay true to their name and have had no nasty surprises.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SchumiFan (Post 3871680)

We exchanged our 9yr old LG washing machine and opted for Bosch.

We liked our LG machine's performance a lot and it performed well for 9yrs of heavy usage. The bearings were worn out and it was a repair or replace decision. We opted for replace as the model we had, was discontinued and some of the parts will not be available anymore.

Naturally LG was our choice when we looked for a new washing machine. Few things which made us opt for Bosch.
1. Price of LG - LG machines of similar configuration were about 15k pricier than Bosch
2. German engineering :P
3. Expensive spares - Repairing our old washing machine would have cost us 7k not including the technician charges. And no warranty is given for the work done
4. LG is discontinuing its models very quickly across its product range, some within 2-3 yrs of introducing the product, and spares are becoming an issue. Our LG AC was purchased 2+yrs ago when inverter technology was new in India. During recent servicing, the technician told us that the model was discontinued and gave us few spares for free as they will not be available anymore. Non availability of spares for a 2+yr old product didn't sit well with us and is the main reason for opting for Bosch.

Been using the Bosch machines for over a week now. Very impressive and super silent. But that might just be the excitement of having a new machine talking lol:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9 (Post 3872360)

Why isn't anyone speaking of IFB Washing Machine ?

IFB machines are good but their customer service is terrible in Bangalore. One of the main reason for us to sell our old dishwasher and opt for a Bosch one.

The issue wasn't resolved even after 6+ months and every technician who turns up wants to sell an AMC. If you are not inclined to buy it, they try to leave without even looking at the machine. For the past one month, even that isnt happening, they just dont respond to the complaint and the ticket raised is closed after a few days with "Issue Resolved" as the status.

If you raise this with the customer support, they raise a new ticket instead of reopening the old one and the cycle continues...

The situation is the same pretty much everywhere, good customer service being the exception rather than the norm.

Befriending a technician is the best way to get good customer service in India, unfortunate but largely true. Our IFB washing machine back home in Bhopal lasted us 13+ years just because we had a good rapport with the service folks, esp. their head technician. Just last month, we finally decided to get rid of it on his advice that part replacements/service won't extend its life much, and we're better off buying something new. He went as far as recommending another brand.:)

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Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao (Post 3872397)

Befriending a technician is the best way to get good customer service in India, unfortunate but largely true.

This wasn't the case with LG though we know the washing machine and AC techician by name. We atleast get a response that someone from LG will contact us within 24 hrs of raising the complaint.

IFB, the latest complaint took 4 days for it to be assigned to a technician, that too after a follow up call. The call center guy was ready to raise another call without my consent. I told him that I will post on IFB's FB page if he does anything of that sort.

We waited for a week after the ticket was assigned to a technician. The calls to the technician went unanswered but was busy if we try a second time. This is not the case with just us. From the umpteen complaints on IFB page, this seems to be the modus operandi of the service folks in Bangalore.

Insisting on AMC is another headache. The moment you inform them that you already have an AMC or not interested in paying for one, it is near impossible to get them to attend to the repairs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pallavi (Post 3872415)

This wasn't the case with LG though we know the washing machine and AC techician by name. We atleast get a response that someone from LG will contact us within 24 hrs of raising the complaint.....

IFB seems to have an inconsistent reputation in India, terrific in some places and horrific in other places. On similar lines, I've had a good experience with Samsung, they even replaced a newly bought TV for me due to a 'perceived' part fault without asking too many questions, when they could've easily refused. That being said, I have friends who swear Samsung service is the worst, so the inconsistency seems pervasive.

IMO, volumes have killed whatever customer service excellence that existed in India. Most brands today seem to stop caring for the customer the moment money changes hands, and premium brands are no better than the run-of-the-mill ones.

You'll need to take a 'least of all evils' choice. If you're comfortable with a particular brand, I'd say stick with it unless you have a really compelling reason to switch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pallavi (Post 3872268)

We exchanged our 9yr old LG washing machine and opted for Bosch.

We opted for replace as the model we had, was discontinued and some of the parts will not be available anymore.

Naturally LG was our choice when we looked for a new washing machine. Few things which made us opt for Bosch.
1. Price of LG - LG machines of similar configuration were about 15k pricier than Bosch
2. German engineering :P
3. Expensive spares - Repairing our old washing machine would have cost us 7k not including the technician charges. And no warranty is given for the work done
4. LG is discontinuing its models very quickly across its product range is the main reason for opting for Bosch.

Been using the Bosch machines for over a week now. Very impressive and super silent. But that might just be the excitement of having a new machine talking lol:

Points 1,2 are the reasons I am moving over as well. I think I am blessed to have not replaced any part in the machine till now, so I am unsure of that. And like you said, the products are being discontinued pretty quickly.

I need a 7Kg model to handle the load of our home. And to pay 11K more for a technology that sounds expensive to repair isn't making much sense to me.

Wish you many more happy years of using the machine with no worries about the product :) Thank you for the feedback.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgiitk (Post 3871833)

I think Inverter technology is integral in the DD design, so the two cannot be separated. DD will only work, if I am able to drive it from say 50rpm to 1200rpm. I only winder whether they are using BLDC motors (brushless D motors)?

Sorry sir. I think I am wrong. I checked the price for a 7Kg model and it was over 41K. Checked out the model and found it had something to do with inverter as well. So I assumed it was an addition and hence the increase in price for the machine. I checked the 5.5 Kg model and it was in the 30K range.

My sister uses a LG Direct Drive machine as well. Will take her opinion as well since the machine does the clothes of 4 in the family with 2 young kids as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao (Post 3872490)

IMO, volumes have killed whatever customer service excellence that existed in India. Most brands today seem to stop caring for the customer the moment money changes hands, and premium brands are no better than the run-of-the-mill ones.

Not with LG. I have experienced super consistent service from LG in 3 different cities for 10 years now. Nowadays, when I buying some new appliance, I don't even consider what brand to buy - the choice is only between different product models from LG.

We've had good experience with LG in Chennai; haven't needed service in Bangalore after we moved here 2.5 years ago.

We've had good service for our 9 year old Whirlpool washing machine in Chennai and Bangalore. The Bangalore guy, though he's the local Whirlpool authorized tech, we call on a personal basis. He's here promptly, is an expert - his diagnosis based on my verbal complaint is correct, uses genuine parts, and is very economical. We will need to replace it sometime in the future, and surprise, he suggested a different brand, saying everything is now made in China and meant to be thrown away. The only downside for me with that is that with a different brand, I will lose him as the service tech. In a world of mediocrity and incompetence, he's darn good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by carboy (Post 3872598)

I'd say you've been fortunate to an extent. LG does seem to be better than the rest out there, but consistency across the board is still a problem. No doubt there are competent technicians out there, but do companies these days really spend time/effort/money on being customer-focused after sales? Debatable if the general frustration with A.S.S. is anything to go by.