When the washing machine broke down!

The clothes had piled up for wash. I set the machine and started. But suddenly during the wash cycle water was gushing out through the door and only thing I could do was to switch off power.After much struggle I could find the contact number of the Electrolux call centre through the web . They were courteous and promised to send an engineer within 24 hours.

Within an hour I got a call from a local firm who are the service agents for the manufacturer and they repeated the same questions asked earlier by Electrolux. The dealer promised action in the next 2 days, with the information that I should pay Rs.500($10) as visiting fee.

It took another 2 days for the engineer to visit. He was a nice guy and could locate the problem fast.A rubber sensing hose had to be replaced.He promised to return within next 2 days. I was a bit alarmed as Diwali was fast approaching and these chaps go on leave for not less than a week. But the youngster was confident that he will visit on Friday a day prior to Diwali.

I was surprised to get a call on Friday morning from the dealer who repeated all the details of my complaint and finally said that I need to keep Rs.575 ready for parts and service. When I asked if the engineer would surely visit, pat came the reply that he would visit in the afternoon.Afternoon passed and evening came without any hurdle, but the engineer was nowhere to be seen.On checking up with the operator, I learnt that the engineer was somewhere in the vicinity and would surely visit before 6'O clock.

I was waiting in the house throughout day and night but the man didn't bother to turn up. Instead of getting upset I entered in to a battle field type of frame of mind. On Monday morning, I called the dealer and asked her politely but with lot of embedded venom what was happening.She immediately replied that Friday was not possible as there was a vehicle breakdown. I knew was from a standard set of excuses. Finally she promised that the engineer would surely call on Tuesday.

I was happy that he could visit the next day as these chaps normally would return to work only after a week.Tuesday dawned and I was promised that the visit would be between 2 and 3 in the afternoon. I was not hopeful on the time element, but kept my temper down for a final plunge if one was needed.The chap finally arrived around 4'O clock. It took him just 10 minutes to do the job. The process had lasted for a week with lot of heart burn and time wastage for me.

At the end of the episode, I was still happy rather than sad, as I found my experience better than others as I learnt from the net.

In India you should have pots of luck to get things done!