The Importance of After-Sales Service in a Company

What is the after-sales service?

Definition of after-sales service

Within a company, the after-sales service is responsible for monitoring goods following their purchase by a customer.

Mission du SAV

The mission of the after-sales service varies according to the sector of activity of the company concerned, it can include:

• A delivery service.
• Un service d’installation.
• A maintenance service.
• A home assistance service.
• A breakdown and repair service.
• A hotline.
• A consulting service.
• A training service.

After-sales service can be provided by a service specific to and internal to the company distributing the goods or by a service of the manufacturer or producer. After-sales service is a service offered by a professional to a customer following the sale of goods.

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Is after-sales service mandatory in a company?

After-sales service is not mandatory

After-sales service is not mandatory within a company. Customers are protected by a legal guarantee against hidden defects and a legal guarantee of conformity for goods, which are mandatory in all sales contracts.

Guarantees and services offered by the seller

In addition to these mandatory warranties, a company may offer additional warranties or services provided for in an after-sales service contract. But it is in no way an obligation. The company is free to do so or not.

If it decides to offer these additional guarantees, the company must set up services intended to:

• replace,
• fix,
• refund the goods.

After-sales service warranty price

The after-sales service guarantee can be free or paid. If the services are chargeable, they must be provided for in an after-sales service warranty contract. The price of this contract may be included in the sale price of the goods or paid separately.

The after-sales service contract must also indicate the areas covered by the warranty and the procedures for implementing the after-sales service. It thus clearly specifies the reasons for triggering the after-sales service guarantee.

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What can the customer claim from the after-sales service?

To find out what can be claimed from the after-sales service, refer to the after-sales service contract to find out the different reasons for intervention by the after-sales service.

It could thus be:

• A request for replacement or refund of a defective product.
• A repair request for defective goods.
• A maintenance request for a device that requires regular maintenance.
• A delivery and/or installation request.
• A training request relating to a product.
• A request for advice on a commodity.
• A request for home assistance.

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What to do in case of non-intervention of the after-sales service?

If the after-sales service does not intervene following a service request which is included in the after-sales service contract, it is recommended to attempt an amicable settlement before filing a complaint. To do this, it is advisable to send a complaint to the company and then a formal notice, if necessary.

If despite these attempts, the dispute is not resolved, it is possible to take legal action in court.