By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JUNE 17, 2017: NATIONAL Consumer Helpline (NCH) is to be opened in five new regional centers, announced Mr R C Chaudhury, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, at the Customer Award Obsession 2016 organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), powered by Microsoft at New Delhi yesterday.

The Minister said that the Digital India Mission of the Government of India has largely empowered customers who now have access to products and the right to provide their feedback more effectively to companies. In the extremely competitive market, companies should strive for achieving excellence in service. He informed the audience about the Consumer Protection Bill 2017, which seeks to protect consumers from misleading advertisements. The NCH, undertaken by CII and Microsoft, registers and resolves 80% complaint.

Customers make or break brands, said Mr Anant Maheshwari, Member, CII Customer Obsession Award Committee and President, Microsoft India, emphasizing the heightened role of customers in the digital era. He said that digital technologies should be non-intrusive and should help preserve the privacy of customers.