Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to lodge a complaint against Faber, as I recently purchased one of their ovens (Model FH6490DX), which is faulty, as the thermostat doesn't work. The heat measures 300 when the regulator knob is at 160, or 290. The flame doesn't alter.
I bought the oven in June 2010 from an electrical shop in Pondicherry called 'Vijaya Electric Co', and the reason I chose it, even though it was more expensive, was because the owner assured me that Faber was a reputed International Company offering excellent quality, and 'after sales', (customer care service and maintenance).
I based my decision on this, and felt the extra money was something of a guarantee, because I wanted to bake the cakes for our Cafe, in addition to using the oven at home for domestic purposes.
However, as soon as it was installed I realised there was something wrong with the thermostat, because it was burning every cake within 15 minutes, even at 160; it's lowest temperature. I went back to Vijaya Electricals and complained, and they gave me the number for Faber Customer Care Service. I called them repeatedly over the next couple of weeks and explained what the problem was, but got nowhere. They either didn't answer my calls, or they referred me onto somebody else. So, I went back to Vijaya Electricals, but the owner told me it was a company problem and not his problem and I had to pursue it with Faber.
I continued to call and send emails and logged onto the Faber website where I discovered there were many complaints regarding Faber in India, and that the temperature range for the particular model I had bought ranged from 200 - 275, even though the regulator knob read 160 - 290. It was obviously a factory fault, and the reason I wasn't able to bake any cakes successfully, as all the cakes I make for the Cafe bake at 160 or 180.
Finally, I managed to get the number for the Faber Area Manager in Chennai; a Mr GaneshKumar, and I told him what the problem was. He was very polite in the beginning, and assured me that he would contact the Head Office and do 'the needful'.
However, days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, as he just kept avoiding my calls. The only way I could reach him, was by using some one else's phone as he didn't recognise the number. Then he would just promise me that he would send a technician tomorrow to 'fix' the oven. Eventually, 6 months after I had bought the oven, (in December 2011), he came round with a technician to inspect the oven. The technician informed him that the thermostat wasn't working as it made no difference if the regulator knob was at 160 or 290, the flame/temperature didn't alter. I asked for my money back or a replacement, but Mr Ganeshkumar just kept telling me to be patient, and promising me he would sort the problem out - to my satisfaction. I continued to call both him and Vijaya Electricals every day, and they continued to ignore my calls, until last Wednesday when the technician called round again with a spare part that wasn't even anything to do with the thermostat. Apparently, Mr GaneshKumar had ordered him to do it and to tell me the oven was 'fixed' - even though he had measured the heat, and it was registering 300 even at 160.
So much for Faber, and it's quality, service, and 'aftercare'. I feel I have not only wasted my money, but have also inherited an oven that I can't use, and one that doesn't do what it's supposed to do. The only part that seems to work is the hob on the top.
What is the point of having an International company like Faber, in India, if it's standards and quality control cannot be maintained?
I have suffered so much stress over this, been lied to, fobbed off, and lost money because our Cafe has had to buy our cakes in for the last 7 months.
Please can you help me.
Mrs Jackie Allen