After-sales service
After-sales service or after-sales service is a service offered by companies which ensures the start-up, maintenance and repair of goods or services sold by the company. After-sales service includes all services associated with a good or service after the sale outside the legal obligations in force.
What does after-sales service cover?
After-sales service can be directly included in the price of the product or service. It complements the other mandatory guarantees. The services offered by after-sales service may concern:
- Order and delivery tracking,
- Management of product returns with exchange, refund or credit,
- Managing problems accessing online services
- Maintenance and repair of a product
- Insurance concerning products or services
- Troubleshooting if necessary
Is it obligatory to have after-sales service?
Establishing an after-sales service is not a legal obligation, but it is essential in optimizing customer relations because it directly influences customer satisfaction and loyalty. In the long term, after-sales service (After-sales service) helps optimize the growth and profitability of the company.
Special case: After-sales service regulations on household appliances and electronic products
After-sales service (after-sales service) for household appliances and electronic products is regulated. The company is obliged to provide a document informing the consumer of their rights in terms of guarantees and after-sales service.
The different guarantees excluding after-sales service
When purchasing a product, the consumer has three types of mandatory guarantees apart from after-sales service.
The legal guarantee of conformity
The legal guarantee of conformity protects the consumer against possible product failures. The period available to the consumer to request application of the legal guarantee of conformity is 2 years for new and used products.
This guarantee allows the consumer to obtain repair of the product and to benefit from a six-month extension of the guarantee. The legal guarantee of conformity then increases from 24 months to 30 months.
The legal guarantee against hidden defects
Dictated by article 1641 of the Civil Code, the legal guarantee against hidden defects is in favor of the consumer. A hidden defect is a defect existing at the time of purchase which makes the purchased good unfit for the use for which it was intended. It must not be apparent when purchasing and greatly reduce the use of the product. The time limit for action to declare a hidden defect is two years from the discovery of the hidden defect. The customer must issue a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt or return the item to the seller. This guarantee obliges the company to provide a partial or total refund of the product.
The contractual or commercial guarantee
The contractual or commercial guarantee is an additional guarantee offered by the manufacturer or seller. It is optional. It can be free or paid and its duration is determined in the sales contract. Defined by article L.217-15 of the Consumer Code, this guarantee extends consumer protection in addition to the legal obligations aimed at guaranteeing the guarantee of conformity.