HOW TO MANAGE CONSUMER PROBLEM

If you are having problem with goods or services, purchased by you, then you need to initiate following steps:

1. Make oral complaint to the local dealer and customer care contact number of the company, which is available on its website or with the local dealer. Note down name of person, date, time and complaint number.

2. If no satisfactory action is initiated in a week, lodge detailed written complaint with the company, by sending email/complaint with copy to the local dealer. Visit customer care or contact us link on the website of the company for address. In case of telephone, banks, insurance companies, address complaint to Nodal Officer at its H. O.

3. After 15 days, scale-up the complaint to Chairman of the Company with copy to local dealer and claim compensation for mental tension, agony in addition to refund of price of goods or services, with interest and expenses. Give him 15 days time for redressal. Invoke warranty/guarantee in complaint.

4. If the problem continues, write to national and local NGOs who are working for consumer protection and send copies to the Chairman of the company, its local dealer and consumer protection council which works under the District Collector at Collectorate Office.

5. Simultaneously post your complaint at www.corecentre.co.in or contact toll free No. 1800-11-4000 from bsnl/mtnl land line

6. If problem pertains to central govt department or public section undertaking, lodge complaint at www.pgportal.gov.in. If problem is pertaining to share or securities, email complaint to SEBI and NSE by visiting their websites.

7. Keep date-wise record of visit of technician or oral discussion with the dealer or customer care executive of service provider. In case if any paper is required to be signed by company representative, obtain a photocopy of the same, before signing.

8. If the problem still continues, you should file complaint with Ombudsman where-ever Ombudsman Scheme [banking, insurance, electricity etc] exists. For details visit websites of RBI, IRDA etc. This is fast, cost effective system.

9. If nothing works for a month, lodge a complaint with District Consumer Forum for claims upto Rs.20 lakhs. Claim amount as per notice stated in para 3 above. You can yourself plead your case if amount is not substantial, otherwise it is advisable to have services of an advocate practicing in consumer protection. In Consumer Forum fees are nominal, procedure is simple and comparatively fast.

10. If the supplier of goods or service provider is a govt. department or undertaking, follow-up your complaint with The Right to Information Act 2005. For this, visit my article “Any thing pending with Govt?” posted in RTI label at my blog www.jps50.blogspot.com and at jps50 blog at www.rtiindia.org

11.. Following are websites which are useful for consumer protection:

01. www.fcamin.nic.in 02. www.corecentre.co.in 03. www.ncdrc.nic.in 04. www.consumerhelpline.in 05. www.cgsiindia.org 06. www.consumeronline.org
07. www.icrpc.org 08. www.consumer-voice.org
09. www.cai-india.org 10. www.cercindia.org
11. www.cccindia.net 12. www.ngpnet.org
13. www.core.nic.in 14. www.watchoutinvestor.com
15. www.consumercom.nic.in 16. www.pgportal.gov.in
17. www.bankingombudsman-rbi.org.in
18. www.confonet.nic.in 19. www.cag.org.in
20. www.investorhelpline.in 21. www.iepf.gov.in
22. www.sebi.gov.in 23. www.nse-india.com

LET US CHANGE THE WAY CONSUMERS ARE TREATED IN INDIA. PERSISTENCE PAYS. KEEP ON KEEPING ON. YOUR ONE HOUR PER WEEK FOR CONSUMER PRTOTECTION WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN LONG RUN. GOOD LUCK.
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Authored by: J. P. SHAH, M.Com. LL.B. Ex-Bank Manager, RTI and Consumer Activist, Junagadh [Gujarat] Mobile: 09924106490
jps50@rediffmail.com,
18022009