May 02, 2013 08:12 AM
1279 Views
First I wish to thank Airtel Landline and broadband sales executive who was able to provide me with a working telephone and broadband within 72 hrs of raising the request.
But I have qualms with Airtel on a different note. Airtel’s process for “Technical Feasibility” for shifting of existing landlines combined with the flawed incentivisation of new customer acquisition, systemically seems to foster Wrong data on customer acquisition Frustration of Customer requesting to shift Overall poor trust factor of Airtel
These incidents put together lead me to mistrust Airtel’s system.
I was a happy customer of Airtel landline and broadband for 2 years. I had to shift my house to a new flat in the same locality. On 8th of March I placed a request for shifting (Ref: 29727114) but on 13th of March I was informed that it was not feasible to shift the line as there was no “port” available in the DP box. Even at that time I informed the airtel saying that there are many apartments surrounding mine and they should have ports free in at least one of them to make the shift.
Airtel insisted that they do not have ports free. I made couple of more requests to ensure that someone actually visits the site to see if port is available and I insisted that I should be around during the inspection so that I could ask the local field technical guy to check near by apartments. None of that happened. Every time I raised a request for check it was “automatically” closed claiming “No port in DP box”
After two months of frustration and very poor experience with 4G LTE (which I had to buy in the interim) I gave in to “Corruption” model fostered by Airtel and called a local sales executive. He told me ports are available but he would let me have that port only if I buy a new connection from him. It was perfectly understandable because the local sales executive was paid based only on new customer acquisition. So inspite of having an existing connection (which ofcourse was on safe hold because no port to shift) I applied for a new connection and vola I got it working in 72 hrs.
When I enquired more about this discrepancy with the sales executive as to why the Airtel customer care could not find the available port while he was able to provide one, he mentioned to me that the Airtel’s process for finding available free ports for shifting is based on Airtel’s technical team checking the availability of port in their systems and not physically visiting the site. Also Airtel’s system do not necessarily look for port availability next door or in near places (esp when you are in a flat and that flat has a DP box). Since this sales executive is not paid for identifying port to enable shifting of existing phone lines he is less inclined to support shifting and to keep his quota he requested me to file for new connection. I do not blame the sales executive but Airtel’s flawed system for this.
Because of Airtel’s flawed system and uncaring customer care, I have canceled my old phone number which was on safe custody and using my new landline.
In the reports of Airtel, I would be considered a “New customer acquisition”, while in reality, they have lost my trust and at the next first available option I’ll jump ship to You Broadband or ACT Broadband.
