Your refrigerator is in good condition. You have maintained it well. Since your annual maintenance contract (AMC) is going to expire shortly, you can write a cheque for Rs 4,000 plus GST so that your AMC for the fridge can be extended for two more years,” said the mechanic who had come for the annual check-up of the gadget. I gave him a cheque. He went away whistling a song.
“Why did you give the cheque to him in such a hurry? The AMC is still valid for two months,” questioned my wife. “I cannot go behind the company to renew my AMC after two months. Since the mechanic has come to our house, I have given him the cheque to renew the AMC,” I said.
My bank account got debited for the sum of the cheque the next day. But even after 15 days, there was no intimation from the company about extension of the AMC. After I made a few phone calls, I succeeded in reaching the correct person who could answer on the subject. He said the AMC would be renewed only when the existing contract ended, then I would be intimated.
After a few weeks, the wife complained that the milk kept in the fridge curdled and the gadget was not cooling the items kept inside. I said, “Now you realise my wisdom of renewing the AMC well in time,” and I registered a complaint with the company.
A mechanic came within 24 hours. He fiddled with the fridge and said, “I have changed a relay. It should be alright within a couple of hours.” My sceptical wife said, “I will not sign your ‘work done’ sheet unless I am satisfied with the cooling effect. Come tomorrow.” The confused mechanic offered to check again. After some more fiddling, he said, “Gas has leaked. That is why it is not cooling. Another mechanic will attend to the gas leak problem”.
Another specialist came later and pronounced, “To fix the gas leak, I will put a condenser outside. But, that will cost Rs 1,000, since consumables are not covered under the AMC”. I said it was unfair to ask for extra money now. He said I could exchange the fridge for a new one and get the AMC amount refunded. I had paid more than 50 per cent of the cost of a fridge as AMC for the last few years. The wife reprimanded me for being rash. And eventually, I had buy a new refrigerator.