Heartbreaking tale of crashing hard-drives
Tadka Take
Technology is a boon. Hell yeah! Ask a couple of us who had been struggling with this godforsaken technology thing for what seems like ages. The ones who belong to this creed are professedly technologically handicapped and hopelessly stuck in a world which refuses to budge an inch without the required technological commands and jargons.
My motherboard seriously hurts!
And imagine, horror of horrors, when that enigmatic things called laptop crashes! It is almost like our entire world comes crashing down. It was as if just now we had figured how that damn thing functioned and before we could even celebrate, it crashed.
Of course, that is an exaggeration. But only a teeny weeny one. I am still figuring how n number of things in the scary cyber space work and I am still not sure if motherboard would be the right synonym for brains in the human world.
No wonder, following consumer’s story got me all emotional. So many us can relate to the horror of a crashing hard-drive, that too when we were no really at fault.
Consumer Speak
I had a simple problem of my Laptop display not functioning. I had called Just Dial Kolkata for name of Service provider from which i got no of- Combine-I. On 11th May they have collected the laptop from my residence since I am working and said that the same will be returned to me within 3-4 days post detection of error. I had clearly mentioned to the customer care representative-Miss Priyanka that my data in the laptop should remain intact and no damage should happen to the confidential data. I was assured that the data would be intact. .I was told that there is some problem in the graphics card in the motherboard. As layman I am not suppose to know technical terms and issues that my laptop is facing.
After few days I was called by Ms Priyanka and told that there are some further issues and they would take another 2-3 days to repair the same. I agreed to the same. Hearing no news from them my mother had called them up and we had told them that they cannot be delaying delivery of laptop in this manner and to deliver the same as already 10 days have already gone and if there was any further delay, I shall not be making any payment to them because of such harassment. To my surprise on 22nd I was told by Priyanka that delivery boy is in Howrah and would not be able to deliver it on Tuesday. They had already tested my patience and I was compelled to use harsh language. However nothing affected them and delivery did not happen on 23rd May also. On 24th May, morning the lady very casually called me to tell me that the laptop would be delivered by 12.30 and all my data is lost as my hard-disk has crashed.
I was shocked and asked her why backup was not taken in spite of me repeatedly telling them that I had very important data. My point as a layman and customer is that why I was not informed before that my hard disk crashed and all my financial data was lost. Did my hard-disk crash on 24th morning itself? No. It had happened earlier as I was casually told at the time of delivery. This is a limit to lack of service to a customer. They could have warned me earlier that I may lose the data. When I wanted to talk to the Proprietor of the company I was not provided any number. Finally, I called up Just Dial and posted a complaint with them. They helped me talk to proprietor Saha who clearly went on denying that there has been any service deficiency on their part. Why should customers be harassed like this by service providers? Don’t they have any turn around time for delivery of electronics or they can just take their own sweet time. I have still paid them the entire money demanded by them (Rs 3000) for providing me such disastrous service. Necessary action should be taken against such service providers who have no care for their customers and are just interested in getting their service fees by any means. I am thankful to Just dial Kolkata who have acknowledged my complaint and helped me in at least contacting the proprietor. Today out of sheer frustration and disappointment I am putting this story in this forum hoping that such negligence and lapse in service should not be faced by any other customer.
The details are sketchy and to be fair to the unnamed brand of the laptop, the consumer in question most probably did not approach an authorised service center. And there is where the moral of this story lies-never, NEVER, approach an unauthorized service center with your laptop or any such device. As seen in this case, there really is no accountability and no redressal whatsoever.
The take away-Beware of the random service providers. Especially if you don’t understand the jargon!
All Ye Consumers! We know you have many stories to tell and we can’t wait to hear from you. Do write to us with your stories, opinions and experiences at editor@akosha.com.