Over the last two decades, our lives have been slowly taken over by technology. Take a moment to look around you. How many electronic devices do you see and operate in your daily life?
We are not here to discuss the role of electronics in our daily life. We all know that very well. What I want to bring to you notice is that the companies manufacturing these electronic Gadgets / Appliances, are they trying to trap us by putting forward innovative features or are they compelled to do so ? Lets discuss!
I buy a Refrigerator / Air Conditioner / Washing Machine / Dish Washer / Water Purifier or any electronic appliance for my day–to–day use. Lets talk about all of them together. They have one thing in common i.e they have electronics in them, they are all automated; they control everything on the press of a button 'automatically'.
The trouble starts when the company warranty expires ! Usually it is 1 Year from the date of Sale (with lots of hidden cond-itions). One fine day when the warranty is over, the appliance, I rely on, goes bad. I call the company's service centre for repa-irs and help. They quote handsome visiting charges. I agree for the same and the technician visits and checks for the prob-lem….. He quotes” Sir, the Circuit-Board / Motherboard is faulty and will have to be replaced. The cost will be Rs ……” The cost of the replacement is 1/4th or even more, the cost of the appliance. Should I get it replaced or buy a new product. The service technician offers a value against an excha-nge with the latest model, the value is just 5% of the total amount I paid for the product, in some cases its even less. “Can't you get the part repaired ! I quote”? “No sir, the company does not support repairs.” He leaves with his visiting charges …and I am all confused.
I contact a local technician for repairs. He che-cks the appliance and quotes the same phrase,” Mother board / Circuit board kharab hai, change karna padega”, quoting a little lesser than the company's technician. He also happily walks with the service charges.
Is it my fault that I buy a sophisticated electronic device from a very well reputed company and later run for service and repairs? Should the company be held responsible for compelling the customer to get a part replaced at more than 500 times the manufacturing cost or buy a new product in exchange with the old one?
I remember in the 1980s and 1990s, our televisions were often the height of our home technology; the tape recorders, VCR's all had sophi-sticated electronics and we could get it repaired from a local technician. The product used to last for ages before we thought of buying a new one ! Strange isn't it !
Was it because those were Japanese products and now we mostly use Chinese / American or products from other parts of the world? Was the replacement components commonly available at that time and are in scarce in the open market now? Or the technicians were better qualified then as compared to today's technicians?
The answer to above questions is only one. The companys do not want us to get products repaired.
If you wish to get them repaired, it will be from the authorised service centre, which directly benefits the company.
The Japanese companys then were very intelligent to provide a manual that explained the problem and the guidance to repair. Today with the advancement of electronics, the company's have the power to fool the customer and compel them buy a new product within 3-5 years.
In my openion there should be a proper law that protects the right of a customer, even after warranty. The company should be compelled to either release a service manual to help product repair at local level and to provide all basic com-ponents in the local market. Use and throw and buy new is good for company but is terrible for a common man who wants to buy the best product, his pocket allows, and throw the same after few years of use.
India being a startup in electronic manufacturing, research and development, should focus on reusable and quality technology rather than use-and-throw concept.
I being an Electronics Engineer and into research and development since many years observed and conceptualized the above points. I would like to receive your inputs in the matter.
The main reason of such large quantities of Electronic trash is the use and throw concept going around in the market.
I come from a generation where even books were reused and the promoted students could get them from some elder or even buy them from the market.
The companies in my opinion are creating a bad name for themselves after the consumer goes through an unnecessary harassment and financial squeeze.