I am posting the issues I am facing to get my Hitachi Air conditioner installed through Hitachi Service. I am pasting the same email I wrote to some unknown email addresses as they do not provide any contact details for addressing customer grievances.

I have read reviews by others about same issue at complaintsboard.com and consumercourt.in but I though that those may be rare cases. But trust me – it is REAL and genuine problem with Hitachi Customer care. So please I would request to beware of buying any Hitachi product in India, unless you have lots of extra cash to shell out for servicing and repairing from private vendors.

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Hi,

I do not know who will be receiving this email and what is your responsibilities. But in last 7 days I came to know that this company is running automatically.

I have bought a HITACHI AC from ezone store at Shipra Mall, Indirapuram, after waiting for 18 days to get my product delivered. This delay was not a problem as I was pre informed and aware about is because they (ezone) does not had the required model in stock.

The actual problem began when I finally got it delivered at my doorstep. They told me that the installation will be done by Hitachi service centre and they have already registered an installation request. They also confirmed me that it will be installed within 48 hours as confirmed by the Hitachi customer service. I started waiting for 2 days to get a call from service personnel. Now the problem began…

After two days when I did not got a call for installation, I contacted eZone store and they gave me the reference number for the installation request and phone number of Hitachi customer care. So that I can follow up myself.

Installation request Registration number: 11033000910
Registration date: 30 March 2011.

So I contacted the customer care and they told me that it should have been done till now. And they will again remind the technicians and ask them to do this as soon as possible.

So far so good…

Now when I did not got a call till next day evening, then I again contacted the service centre and voila I got the same response again. They also assured me that it will be done today evening or tomorrow morning.

I again waited impatiently and when I again did not got a call till next day evening then I called the customer service again and to my surprise they again gave me same response – that they will contact the technicians and ask them to do my installation on urgent basis.

And at last today when My patience has started breaking I called them again and asked – If there is any responsible person who looks after this customer service division they did not gave me any numbers. Instead he gave me number of service centre at Noida, which is – 0120 3140071.

Now I again called up this number, first they do not know how to talk to a person. Then after telling them 3 times that I have already called the toll free and registered an installation request on 30 March. He told me to call back after some time so that he can check the status of the request.

So the current status is that I am waiting for last 5 days to get my AC installed which I bought after getting finance from Future money as I can not afford to buy expensive AC via full down payment. I was very happy that using the finance scheme finally I was able to buy a great AC like Hiatchi. But now I know that Voltas is much better then your International brand. God must have helped me when I decided to go for the second one I bought a Voltas and it got installed the next day without me making any phone calls and taking unnecessary tension.

I am contacting the eZone to take it back if possible. I will never ever recommend Hitachi to any one.

Unsatisfied Customer,
Rajendra

Updated at 04 April 2011: I am still waiting for my AC to get installed. Added to that when I called there corporate office in Okhla to lodge a complaint to some responsible person. Then the person who picked the phone again gave me the number of customer service centre in Noida and asked to call there. He was not ready to listen what problem I am facing and why I have called them. Pathetic.

I have three Hitachi brand ACs in my house. Two weeks back I noticed that one window AC, barely two years old developed gas leak. I therefore put in a service request (No 11040700267) on 7th Apr 2011. I was told that the request would be addressed within 4 days.
I reminded the Service Centre at Noida on 11th Apr and was told that my AC would be repaired on PRIORITY! However, no response from Hitachi. I called up on 13th Apr morning and was told that the technician had been allocated and would visit me shortly. In the evening I called up again to be told that on 14th morning it would be DEFINITELY taken care of. I was also told that I would be called back and told about the status. No one called!
On 16th Apr again I called them up and the same excuses were repeated and also told that I would definitely be called back and informed. No one called me as expected!
On 17th Apr (SUNDAY) I was given a call by the service technician that he would be reaching my home to carry out the necessary repairs. On being asked as to why a Sunday was chosen by him, I was told that most customers wanted the repairs to be done on a Sunday. However, I requested him to come the next day.
On 18th Apr the AC was checked and I was told that it would be picked up and repaired. I told the technician to take the AC only if he could get it repaired within 48 hrs. The AC was has not been picked up so far - 12 days since the original complaint!
On 19th Apr I received an SMS that my service request has been closed and I should call up Hitachi Customer Care if not satisfied. I called them up to find out why my AC has not yet been picked up for repairs. I was told that I would be called back within 15 minutes! I told the person concerned that I was sure he wouldn't call back..............and I am still waiting for his call after over an hour!
PATHETIC SERVICE HITACHI

Hi All,

Please never go for any product of Hitachi in India, the service is very bad and talk to customer care representative is just waste of time even there is no way to escalate your problem; nobody is there to look into your problem. If you will try to call service center in Noida at 0120-3140071/72 nobody will pick your phone, yes they can just give you one thing "False Commitments" only. So please beware of Hitachi.

Rajeev Shishodia
Noida

We ordered for a split AC 1.8 ton RAUO22HQD on 2nd MAY 2011 from Ne w Berco Electronics, sector 6 Dwarka New Delhi. Even after repeated calls we got the delivery of the machine one week later i.e on 9th May 2011. so we registered for an installation on the same day i.e on 9th may itself. we were already tired by the delay of the delivery but on top of the till date our machine has not been installed. since 9th every day we have been putting a reminder with the customer care but it has not been of any use. my complaint number is11050901304. its been 120 hrs since the registration and no one has come to install the ac. such a response from hitachi is disgusting. we would have never gone for hitachi if we knew such poor after sales service. it was a wrong decision to by not one but two acs from Hitachi which is a window AC which probably got installed because the dealer sent somebody for the installation. it was not installed by persons from hitachi. the two units of the split has been lying in my drawing room for the last 120 hrs. as a piece of show piece. yesterday i.e 12th May i got the number of the the technician who was to attend the call 9310181329. We yesterday after 10- 15 calls he did not pick the phone. today morning he picked and promised to come around 2 PM. but he did not turn up. we have been waiting for him since 2pm. now he is not even picking the phone. we feel cheated even after spending 80,000 rs for acs we have to bear the heat of Delhi and dont know till
On 14th May a technician named Irfan installed the AC but the same day water dripping problem started. We called him several time but he is not coming and fixing it. It has been 27 days that we have spend 45000 Rs on a split Ac but we are not able to use it. we are planning to go to the consumer court. On top of that a person called to find out whether the ac was installed properly , we told him the problem in spite of that we get a message next day that our service request was closed successfully. we have used several electronic items say IFB, whirlpool samsung but never ever we have seen such lousy way of dealing with customers.

Hitachi service is a big disappointment. I would actually say that they are cheating us. It seems that they simply don't function. What they only have is a “call centre” that takes calls and gives assurances.

My 09 ton A/C is on AMC. Had requested for a service on 30th Nov 2011 (Request No. 11113001249). I stay in Thane.

I then followed it up on 2nd. Still no technician comes to my house.

I call the “call centre” again on 3rd Dec 2011, and get the same reply, that they would send a reminder to the service centre and also check why there was a delay. I asked them to escalate it to someone who can do something. The operator informed me, for escalation I need to select the 2nd option after dialling the “call centre” no. I did. Same story. The operator pleaded saying that this time the technicians would definitely come to my place and provide the first service......i told them it would not happen and that I needed this to be escalated.....he kept repeating that this time it would be solved. I am forced to accept this as the operator would not escalate the issue.

After that, it’s the same. Today 10th Dec 2011 I again call them up and tell them to escalate it. After initial repeat story from the operator he finally tells me that he would escalate this issue by transferring me to a Manager called Mohan. After 5 mins of holding the line, I get a lady on the line called “Krupa”. She asks me how she can help me. I informed her that I was supposed to be transferred to a person called Mohan. She says that I can speak to her. WHAT? I asked her who she was, she informs me that she is a supervisor (the operators boss...I did not bargain for this....and I am already pissed). She keeps telling me that she would escalate it and find out. I would not listen again to them. However she said being Saturday the concerned person was not there. I asked if no seniors work on Saturday. She said it’s not so. I ask then who the senior person is. She says she is (now i would like to kill myself). Finally she agrees to give me the Mumbai service centre number and who all to speak....Vrushalli (cust. Relation) or Ganesh Lingam (service centre manager). But she did not know their mobile no.

Then I remember that I have Ganesh Lingam’s mobile no. I called him and in 10 mins I got a call from the technician. He would be here in half an hour.

The most irritating thing is that all this happened before as well. Few months back I had to renew my AMC, and I faced the same problems (ditto). I had even called Vrushalli .....however she too was of no use. Finally the call centre guy and me had a conference call with Ganesh Lingam and the same day I got my AMC. And thankfully got his mobile no.

I guess, all are sleeping in the service dept. And Mr. Ganesh Lingam is fighting a lone battle to provide support to the Hitachi customers.

I am surprised to know Hitachi can be so lazy with their customer service... have always heard good things about them. Anyways, next time please dont buy Hitachi products then. For ac you can go for Samsung, LG Daikin OR hAIER. For refrigerator- Whirlpool

Hi All,

Please never buy any product of Hitachi in India, the service is very poor and talk to customer care representative is just waste of time even there is no way to escalate your problem; nobody is there to look into your problem. If you will try to call service center, nobody will pick your phone, or else it will get transferred to wrong department even if you are selecting the correct option on call. I made a service request 4 days ago (6th April), and since then i have been calling them everyday to check why am i not getting any calls from Engineer. They claim to have the SLA of 72 hours, but till date nothing has been done. The only thing, they can just give you one thing "False Commitments" only. So please beware of Hitachi.

Thanks
Isha