With consumers preferring premium smartphones, one of the critical factors, according to experts, which influences purchase decision is the after-sales service by the brands. This includes the accessibility of service centres, time taken carry out repairs, and the cost of repairs for in-warranty as well as outside warranty.
Among the major brands in the market, currently Google Pixel lags on the after-sales service parameters like the time taken to repair phones compared to players like Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Apple, Vivo, and others, according to experts and data available on the websites of different brands.
With regard to in-warranty smartphones while companies like Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Apple, etc, take somewhere between a few hours to 2-3 days depending on the kind of repair and service requirement of devices, Pixel takes around 15-20 days for any kind of hardware issues in the phones.
However, the company has an active 24×7 support for minor troubleshooting problems in Pixel phones and has a tie-up with F1 Info Solutions for simple issues.
According to Google, the company is committed to enhancing the Pixel experience for its users in India. In collaboration with F1 Info Solutions, the company has walk-in support for Pixel devices currently available through 28 multi-brand stores across 27 cities in India. In comparison, market leader Samsung has about 3,000 service points of which over half provide support for smartphones, Oppo has over 500 authorised service centres, Vivo has close to 700 service centres in India, and Xiaomi has over 100 service centers across 23 states.
Detailed query sent to Google, Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, did not elicit any response till the press time.
Google introduced the Pixel smartphones in India in 2016 and currently has less than 1% market share, shipping around 50,000-60,000 smartphones in a quarter, according to data from analysts.
One of the reasons for taking a longer time to repair phones could be that Google currently does not manufacture Pixel phones in India and therefore does not have supply chain partners. This is not the case with brands like Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Vivo, Apple, which have established a strong foothold in the country.
“Today, when consumers are moving towards premiumisation they look for value for money and servicing is a critical aspect which brands cannot ignore,” said Faisal Kawoosa, chief analyst at Techarc. He added that if consumers buy devices because of the brand name Google, the company should offer better and speedier after-sales service as it is all about serving the customer better.
According to analysts, if repair takes longer time, companies concerned should provide consumers with an alternative device. As of today, very few smartphone makers provide an alternate device. Further, some experts said there should be a compliance requirement from the government side as well in terms of service centres, repair turnaround time, etc, for companies retailing their smartphones in India.
Lately, the government is working on framework for Right to Repair to empower consumers to prolong the lifespan of their electronic devices, such as phones and appliances, by getting access to repair services provided by the original equipment manufacturers or independent repair professionals. The core idea is to encourage repair as a sustainable alternative to frequent device replacements.
Another key objective of the Right to Repair movement is to establish a system of checks and balances on manufacturers to prevent anti-competitive practices. This includes prohibiting manufacturers from obstructing third-party repairs, restricting the disclosure of product information, and imposing limitations on who can repair their products.
