Eureka Forbes - Pre-sales experience and their attitude!

Eureka Forbes - India's leading provider of consumer Water purification treatment, Vacuum cleaning solutions and Air purifiers uses the old direct marketing / selling technique. ,For everything - right from demo, purchase and support, you interact with a proper sales guy. Well this is far better than interacting with a show room sales guy right? Yes it is. But sometimes it is awfully pathetic when dealing with Eureka Forbes people.

Let me give you my experience. I was interested in knowing the price of a newly launched Wet & Dry vacuum cleaner. Their website quoted - Rs.9990. Then, I wanted to check if there is any EMI options available for purchasing. Sadly, there was no details about that. Finally I resorted CONTACT EUREKA FORBES through the online form.

After submitting the form asking for EMI options and details, I received a call from their chennai office the next day, informing that a sales guy will meet me for giving a demo. I told the caller that I was not asking for a demo, but for some information about EMI options. She was taken back, and then replied "Sir, our sales people will give you the information you ask for". Knowing that she will not give any information further, I said - "Fine. Then ask you guy to meet me tomorrow".

Next day, promptly around 9.10am the sales guy met me, along with his partner. I told him that I am interested in the Euroclean Wet & Dry vacuum cleaner and wanted to know the complete price and EMI options available. He started by preparing for a demo. Then, I told him DEMO is not needed and I seek only the EMI details for now. He then opened his bag and produced a brochure of the product. I found that the Wet & Dry is not like the industrial cleaners which spray water and then suck it. Here, you need to spray water manually in the floor and this vacuum cleaner will suck it. Nothing really great anyway.

After reading the brochure, the sales rep gave me a scheme that runs for 6 months. Upfront I have to pay Rs.3480 and for the next 6 months I should pay Rs.1200 appx. Eureka Forbes does not offer any 0% loan. So at the end of 6 month, you will end up paying Rs.1000 extra. More or less similar to credit card billing. As a promo offer I am entitled to receive a suite of free products including life-time free AMC. The sales rep started asking if he can proceed with booking right away. I told him that I cannot proceed right away, but I need to consult with my wife before deciding. He tried to push me to book on the spot, so that the offers doesnt expire. I can sense that he is trying to get a deal closed as it was the end of the month, 31 August. Somehow, we both agreed that I will convey my decision by 5pm evening.

So what happened next? Once I told this, the rep took the brochure and put it back into his bag, and he didn't agree to give me the price calculation which he scribbled in his notebook (i wanted to show that to my wife and discuss with her). All I was given in my hand is - his visiting card. Wat an attitude? wow! That bothered me and made me think whether I will get a customer friendly after-sales service from Eureka Forbes? I am not sure. But judging a company by the action of their sales rep is not wise.

Today morning the sales rep gave me a follow-up call and I decided not to buy. I told him that I am not buying and he cut the call immediately. Now Eureka Forbes lost a sales deal, just because of their sales rep's attitude. It appears that Eureka Forbes's sales guys are focused only in achieving the target and doesnt care about Customer satisfaction during pre-sales.

A winning sales rep would have left the brochure in my hand, would have provided me the EMI calculation details and when I said I am not buying the cleaner, he would have asked me if he should contact me after a month or two, just in case if I have changed my mind. This guy needs a lot of training and Eureka Forbes should educate their sales force properly. Or else, they will start losing precious deals.

- Rajesh Sundaram