The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs created the National Consumer Helpline as a project. The Helpline's main purpose is to provide telephonic counsel, critical information, and guidance to empower Indian consumers and urge businesses to change their management and operational systems. This would alleviate a consumer's issues and grievances by adopting world-class standards. The Consumer Helpline is discussed in depth in this article, as well as its different elements.

Overview

The National Consumer Helpline is a project run by the Indian government's Department of Consumer Affairs. It is carried out at the Indian Institute of Public Administration in New Delhi by the Central Government for Consumer Studies. It focuses on customers' demand for a telephonic hotline to deal with all of the difficulties that arise as a result of their daily interactions with a variety of businesses and service providers.

The Consumer Helpline provides the necessary advice, information, and assistance to empower every consumer and to encourage firms to reorient their policy and management processes in order to better address consumer concerns and grievances by embracing global standards. A customer can call the National Consumer Helpline at 1800-11-4000 from anywhere in the country, a nationwide toll-free hotline to get answers to their questions and complaints, as well as assistance and help. It provides assistance to consumers who are coping with defective products, inefficient services, or unfair commercial practices.

Functions

Consumers can get help from the National Consumer Helpline by:

• Consumers are guided and advised in finding answers to any difficulties relating to Products and Services

• Providing essential information about companies and regulatory agencies

• Assist consumers in filing complaints against Service Providers who are in default

• Providing every customer with the ability to access the Consumer Grievance Redress Mechanisms

• Increasing consumer understanding of their rights and duties

Sectors Covered

Airlines

Automobiles

Banking

Domestic Appliances

Electricity

Food Safety

Insurance

Legal

Legal Metrology

NBFCs

PDS

Postal

Petroleum/ LPG/ PNG

Real Estate

Telecom

INGRAM

The Department of Consumer Affairs launched the Integrated Grievance Redressal Mechanism as part of the National Consumer Helpline. It was established to raise consumer awareness, provide advice, and resolve consumer complaints and grievances. It serves as a central repository for consumer complaints. Despite all efforts to handle a customer's issues, not all requests and complaints will be resolved entirely or satisfactorily. As a result, this portal serves as an alternative dispute resolution option. If a customer is dissatisfied, he or she may file a consumer complaint with the appropriate Consumer Commission.

Consumers, State Government Agencies, Central Government Agencies, Private Companies,  Ombudsmen, Regulators, and Call Centres were all brought together on a single platform by the Integrated Grievance Redress Mechanism (INGRAM). This platform will also help consumers become more aware of their rights and duties by informing and protecting them. Consumers can use this online platform to register their consumer complaints

Guidance in a variety of languages

Various state governments have established State Consumer Helplines to assist and guide customers in their native language. This was started to meet the needs of the local population, particularly the rural masses. State Consumer Helplines (SCHs) advisors will provide pre-purchase and post-purchase information, as well as crucial guidance. They also provide assistance in Hindi, English, and other local languages for the next step in resolution and restitution.

The Indian Institute of Public Administration in New Delhi has put up a portal for State Consumer Helpline Knowledge Resource Management under the Central Government for Consumer Studies, which is run by the Department of Consumer Affairs. The portal connects several State Consumer Helplines (SCHs) across multiple states to a common IT platform and tracks the State Helplines' various activities. States can use the Portal's website to provide information and advice to their customers. 
 

Mobile Application for NCH

The National Consumer Helpline mobile software application's purpose is to provide consumers with services and support at the touch of a button. This also includes the following:

Consumers are guided and advised in finding answers to any difficulties relating to Products and Services.

• Providing essential information about companies and regulatory agencies
• Assist consumer in filing consumer complaint against non-compliant Service Providers and empowering them to use the Consumer Grievance Redress Mechanisms
• Increasing consumer understanding of their rights and duties

The National Consumer Helpline mobile app was created with the Indian consumer in mind, and it gives information on a variety of consumer durable products and services. These are typically products and services that a customer is considering purchasing. A customer can inquire about it using the Product and Services Information Software System, and the Consumer Complaint and Enquiry Handling and Management Software System provides consumers with the ability to file grievances against defaulting Service Providers. 

Installation Instructions

The user must follow the steps outlined below to install the National Consumer Helpline Mobile Application.

Step 1: On your smartphone, open the Google Play Store app.

Step 2: In the field provided for the same option, look for NCH or NCHMobiApp.

Step 3: An icon for the Jago Grahak Jago campaign will be shown on the NCHMobiApp.

Step 4: On the website, click the green Install icon.

Step 5: Use your Google account to access the Play Store.

Step 6: Download and install the app.

Step 7: If pre-installed, the previous version will be replaced with the most recent version.

Step 8: Log in using proper credentials to the NCH application.

Contact Information

Toll Free Number: 1800-11-4000

Short Code – 14404

Conclusion 

If you have any doubts regarding consumer complaints you can contact Online Legal India’s team of professionals. They can guide you through every step and assist you in an easy manner.