Readers!!!
I wish to warn you against ATSS Security Systems' Franchisees.
I am writing this only to ensure that unsuspecting customers don't fall pray to the kind of people who are just interested in money without bothering about delivering value for it, in return.
I had a need to have my home secured against burglary - predominantly due to increasing theft cases in the locality, given that my old parents stay alone at home. I called this "dealer" from Salem (Mr. Sampath Kumar - got his contact details from the net) who sent his team of men to my address. They studied the house and advised of the required equipments to be installed and gave me an estimate of around 40, 000/- approx. I was asked for an advance amount of Rs. 20, 000/- which I paid immediately, given that they were to return with the equipments in the next couple of days. This discussion and payment of advance happened in the first week of Feb. An order copy-cum-receipt was given and some items that they were carrying was left with me.
As committed, no one turned up on the said date. I called to follow up on the same, and I was told that the technicians were busy with other projects and that they will definitely make it in the following week. A date was fixed and again, no one turned up. This phenomenon of fixing up dates and no shows continued for the next 3 weeks - obviosly with no courtesy shown in terms of calling and letting us know that no one could come. I had no option but to continue thinking that they would turn up since I had paid the advance. Finally, one day, when I called up to follow up for the nth time, I was told that the technicians were already there in the town and that they will come to install the system at 10AM. Yet again no one turned up and as usual, no one bothered to call up informing the same either as late as 4 PM. When I called again, I was told that one of the technicians was down with high fever. Things just went on like that for another week or so.
Obviously, at this stage, I called up their head office in Chennai and the gentleman there (Mr. Nandakumar) tried assisting me with a fresh appointment with a committment that it will definitely get done this time around. This, when I said I wanted to cancel the order. Mr. Nandakumar requested me for one final chance and I agreed to go ahead with it - just once more. Unbelievable - on the morning when they were supposed to come over, I got a phone call from the person that I had booked this order with (Mr. Sampath Kumar from Salem). He clearly mentioned that he is incapable of carrying out the installation on the pretext that his technicians are 'missing' - he himself does not know where they were and that he will return my advance in 10 days from then. This conversation happened on 12th Mar. There obviously was no communication on 22nd Mar, neither the money was returned as promised. When I called again to follow up, I was told that my money will be returned in 3 days. Again, I had to call on 26 Mar - yet again, another deadline of 5th April was given. I am still to get my money, with the freshest deadline being 15th Apr.
It is a clear case of trying to dupe me of the money. Honestly, I am less worried about the money than the fact that the job is still not done, given the criticality of the requirement. Who compensates for the mental agony that I have been going through?? Who compensates for the loss of 3 whole months??
I have the last few conversations with Sampath Kumar recorded on my mobile & I plan to take this case to the consumer court if this lastest deadline of 15th Apr is missed. In fact, I have very little reason to believe that I will get it back at all...
I still have the equipments with me - they are of zilch use to me given that I can't install them myself, neither can I sell those out in the market. Also, I am not sure even if they are worth the money that I have paid.
Regards,
Raghavan.
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