In 1991, India opened its gate to economic reforms. The ideal behind the Privatization, Liberalization and Globalization was that it will bring the best and modern practice into the Indian Market. The free-market economy will promote investment from private players. Through investment from foreign countries not only the investment to tap resource but also the best practices prevailing in the investor country will make its way into the Indian Market.
The growth of service sector have well done since the 1991 reforms. The development in IT sector was tremendous. While still people supporting 51% investments in retail market, traditional stigma still prevails over the modernization. Many business people, from small to big players in the market, harvested the fruits of reforms but the neglected one part altogether unlike a very few. Fulfilling the end-user. The satisfaction of the end user is neglected. For the business, people of an ordinary country are nothing but consumers. The high-end that was met by the reforms is tapping the Indian market.
The modernization has brought big multiplex shopping complex with varying ranges of products. But the after sale service and providing customer satisfaction are yet to be achieved. Here, we can't blame everybody but a few are exception. Still the traditional stigma of neglecting consumer welfare prevails. In order to get a quick profit out of the fruits of reforms, a few market players dump low quality service at the consumers.
The worst part was the event narrated by a shopper. She went into a multiplex shopping complex which sold all kind of things available in the market. The building was so appealing and the installation of escalators in the building made reaching each floor with ease despite her knee pain due to her age. She purchased few items and went to the billing section which was on the other side heavily guarded and separated from the shopping area of the building in each floor. When she got the items delivered to her, she decided to leave the shop. But the guards near the re-entry point to the shopping area denied entry to her as she had made the final purchase and the guards asked her to walk through the fire exist steps which was located adjacent to the billing section. But to the lady, the escalators were located on the shopping area. She pleaded that she can't use stairs to get down. Despite the plea, the guards and the in-charge of the floor were not moved by it. She have to make her way out through the seven floor using the stairs despite her knee pain.
The above incident might look like ordinary ordeal of an old lady who suffer knee pain out of her old age. As everybody might think that knee pain in the old age is normal but the point here must be made through keen observations. Despite the installation of escalators and lifts to get down, the lady was made to get down using stairs as she had finished shopping in that shop. This reminds me of the old days when shop owners flee their customers if they raise any complaints. Think of it, this is how people get treated by the vendors in the reformed market. For them, the people are not humans but a mere consumer who fetch them profit. To be simple, they exploited the lady and let her go the usual way. The traditional way of treating customers didn't see any major change.
Even the managers failed to realize that the indifferent attitude towards the customers would create bad impression over the shop. But who cares, the shop was one of the leading multiplex in the city. Even they provide good hospitality or not, they enjoy popularity among the locals. So despite these incidents, the shop will never see reduced crowd. None will question this system prevailing in that multiplex for good. The reforms has reformed the people of India to complacency. All the needs of the foreign investors will be full-filled ultimately by reforming the Indian Citizens to non-complaining consumers.
The above mentioned incident is just one among the many. There are various other problems for the consumers varying from after sales support to refunds. The tale will never end if they were to be discussed. But a tough and strict consumer welfare legislation be set in motion to promote welfare of the consumer. The legislation must be a step ahead than the traditional policy of consumer protection. Let's hope the situation will change in the future with new consumerization that to retain customers.
The growth of service sector have well done since the 1991 reforms. The development in IT sector was tremendous. While still people supporting 51% investments in retail market, traditional stigma still prevails over the modernization. Many business people, from small to big players in the market, harvested the fruits of reforms but the neglected one part altogether unlike a very few. Fulfilling the end-user. The satisfaction of the end user is neglected. For the business, people of an ordinary country are nothing but consumers. The high-end that was met by the reforms is tapping the Indian market.
The modernization has brought big multiplex shopping complex with varying ranges of products. But the after sale service and providing customer satisfaction are yet to be achieved. Here, we can't blame everybody but a few are exception. Still the traditional stigma of neglecting consumer welfare prevails. In order to get a quick profit out of the fruits of reforms, a few market players dump low quality service at the consumers.
The worst part was the event narrated by a shopper. She went into a multiplex shopping complex which sold all kind of things available in the market. The building was so appealing and the installation of escalators in the building made reaching each floor with ease despite her knee pain due to her age. She purchased few items and went to the billing section which was on the other side heavily guarded and separated from the shopping area of the building in each floor. When she got the items delivered to her, she decided to leave the shop. But the guards near the re-entry point to the shopping area denied entry to her as she had made the final purchase and the guards asked her to walk through the fire exist steps which was located adjacent to the billing section. But to the lady, the escalators were located on the shopping area. She pleaded that she can't use stairs to get down. Despite the plea, the guards and the in-charge of the floor were not moved by it. She have to make her way out through the seven floor using the stairs despite her knee pain.
The above incident might look like ordinary ordeal of an old lady who suffer knee pain out of her old age. As everybody might think that knee pain in the old age is normal but the point here must be made through keen observations. Despite the installation of escalators and lifts to get down, the lady was made to get down using stairs as she had finished shopping in that shop. This reminds me of the old days when shop owners flee their customers if they raise any complaints. Think of it, this is how people get treated by the vendors in the reformed market. For them, the people are not humans but a mere consumer who fetch them profit. To be simple, they exploited the lady and let her go the usual way. The traditional way of treating customers didn't see any major change.
Even the managers failed to realize that the indifferent attitude towards the customers would create bad impression over the shop. But who cares, the shop was one of the leading multiplex in the city. Even they provide good hospitality or not, they enjoy popularity among the locals. So despite these incidents, the shop will never see reduced crowd. None will question this system prevailing in that multiplex for good. The reforms has reformed the people of India to complacency. All the needs of the foreign investors will be full-filled ultimately by reforming the Indian Citizens to non-complaining consumers.
The above mentioned incident is just one among the many. There are various other problems for the consumers varying from after sales support to refunds. The tale will never end if they were to be discussed. But a tough and strict consumer welfare legislation be set in motion to promote welfare of the consumer. The legislation must be a step ahead than the traditional policy of consumer protection. Let's hope the situation will change in the future with new consumerization that to retain customers.
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