By Dr AK Srivastava
“A Customer is the most important visitor in our premises. He is not dependent on us; we depend on him. He is not an interruption in our work, he is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business, he is part of it. We are not doing any favour by serving him; he is giving us an opportunity to serve him.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Every individual is a consumer in this world as everyone buys many things in his or her day-to-day life. When we pay money to someone or a company, in exchange for goods and services rendered to us, we are called consumers. Consumers have certain rights and responsibilities. We must be informed or made aware of these rights and responsibilities by the company or businessperson who sells us anything right from eatables to cosmetics. But it is strange that very few consumers bother about these rights and responsibilities partially because of ignorance and partially because of their careless attitude. Consumers should be provided ample opportunity and an appropriate forum for quick remedy of their loss or injury.
The Government of India introduced the Consumer Protection Act in 1986 which was modified and updated in 2019. The purpose of this act is to provide appropriate and adequate protection to the rights of consumers. UNO also took this issue seriously and declared 15 March ‘World Consumer Rights Day’. Every year, UNO selects a theme for “World Consumers Day”. Last year, the theme was “Fair and Responsible AI for Consumers”. This year the theme is “A just transition to sustainable lifestyles”. Former President of USA, John F Kennedy also raised this issue on the international forum, and he was instrumental in making this awareness campaign successful.
The business world is changing faster than we imagined. Marketing and business skills have become extremely challenging around the world. Business companies or manufacturers cannot afford to ignore the interests of consumers. The first and foremost duty of manufacturers is to furnish complete and relevant information to consumers about their products. The list of ingredients, manufacturing date, expiry date, weight, and price (MRP) should be displayed on the products. No information should be hidden or concealed. Companies need to observe complete transparency as the use of sub-standard or duplicate ingredients can be fatal for sellers in the long run.
Companies or business houses should refrain from circulating dubious or misleading advertisements. It is the consumers’ right to protest if he/she is cheated by such advertisements or any other marketing strategy. It is the moral and social responsibility of producers or manufacturers to provide high quality and durable products to the public.
It is in the interest of business companies to maintain high standards and complete transparency as we are living in an age where social, electronic and print media are very active and news travels very fast about sub-standard or inferior products. This can harm their business prospects in the future.
Black marketing or hoarding is another type of malpractice adopted by some companies. This creates shortage of goods or products in market and consequently the prices of products go high or beyond the reach of the common person. The government agencies must be very vigilant in such matters and take initiatives to stop it.
Today, several organisations and NGOs are working actively to protect the interests of consumers. Consumers can register their complaints in writing against any malpractices of companies which have sold them any products or provided services on payment. Such complaints can be registered at the District Commission, State Commission and National Commission. The District Commission’s jurisdiction is appeals for loss up to Rs 50 lakhs. The State Commission can entertain an appeal where the value of the goods or services paid exceedsg Rs 50 lakhs but is less than Rs 2 crores and, finally, the National Commission’s jurisdiction is to listen to complaints where the value of loss is more than Rs 2 crores. If someone is not satisfied with the judgment of commissions, they can approach the Supreme Court for relief. The complaint can be against sub-standard products, or any loss or damage or injury caused by inferior or fake and defective products.
If the District, State and National Commissions (as the case may be) are satisfied with the complaints, they can issue orders in the matter. The company that sold the products may be asked to repair the products or refund the money or replace the products. In case of injury or damage caused by faulty products, the commission may order payment of compensation. The Commission may also ask the company or manufacturer to withdraw unsold items from the market. Sometimes, disputes are also settled through mutual understanding or mediation.
Many times it is observed that consumers don’t make any complaints and just ignore the matter because they don’t wish to indulge in any disputes or legal complications. This attitude is to be changed. Awareness of consumers’ rights is important. It is often seen that ignorance, especially in rural areas, is the main reason for exploitation of consumers.
Consumers also have many responsibilities. No one should buy substandard products simply because they are cheap. One should always buy branded items from standard companies. Never buy anything simply because it is cheap. There are many choices available in the market. Branded goods with ISI, Hall Mark and FPO marks should be preferred. It is important to do a proper survey of the market before buying a costly item because the price may vary from company to company. It is also necessary to take all documents when buying expensive items. All rules regarding guarantees of repair, refund or replacement of products should be asked about and understood. The receipt and other documents should be kept carefully so that they can be produced or shown when things go wrong. The business company should also explain all risk factors associated with the products.
In conclusion, we can say that consumers must be organised and well aware of their rights. They should approach the right forum for relief. It is in the interest of business houses to be honest and transparent in their dealings. The business flourishes when the consumers find dealings of manufacturers straightforward and free from any malpractice. Fair and truthful dealings are welcomed in, both, online and offline marketing. Trust is earned in years, but it is lost in a few days. Finally, the government should exercise constant vigil and defaulters should be awarded suitable punishment.
Always remember, “The quality of service is remembered long after the price is paid.”
And, “A satisfied customer is your best publicity.”
(Dr AK Srivastava is Principal, DAV Inter College, Dehradun)
