Dec 19, 2007 02:05 AM
3264 Views
(Updated Dec 26, 2007 11:27 AM)
While choosing service provider for internet connectivity - I opted for the Airtel Datacard and services.The dealer for the servcies in Sector 18 NOIDA promised me the best services across the country .the seamless services was one of the consideration for subscribing the services.
However the nightmare started right from the word go. as I waited for initial formalities to be completed by the service provider.The promised 24hrs to activate services stretched to couple of days . for one excuse or the other .I had to do all the follow up . calling customer care .time and again till it got activated.**Yes something interesting to know was when I was contacting the data services people for activation requests .one of them very openly told me to contact the activation guys at the designated number but not to tell them that I am a data services subscriber( the mobile connectivity guys handle the total connectivity for airtel -& data services are not a part of their stated work - as I was informed by the concerned executive) - else it will be at their mercy to activate the card at their own sweet wish.(fantastic internal systems - Airtel)
The connection worked fine for few months . and then one day it all stopped. The customer care guys were helpful **( this is what I thought initially .) as they told me to do few things which will help me to get connected again. resetting my services.checking my sim in a mobile and connecting it manually .deleting the software and reloading it .however nothing worked. at the same time a complaint number was taken.which remained unattended for good 15 days .after that they gave me a new complaint number as old one was not getting attended by the tech team.
Hundreds of calls . and assurances of the customer support department . that this will work in next 4 hrs . we will give you a call in next four hrs. which never ever actually happened.
My requests to put me to higher up .escalate the call to senior guys in the team .nothing worked.
I struggled for a month to get it working .however it was not to be. thanks to the services of Airtel.
Fed up finally I reuested the customer care to take back the card and refund the amount of the card and discontinue the services .yes my request for discontinuance was immediately accepted .but I was informed that the data card was non refundable.Was I getting out of the services at my own sweet will . for the poor services of Air tel were forcing me to get out of their services ..what ever it was for getting out of the system I was made to pay 5000/- for the data card which will be of no use to me.
However this was not the end of my experience with Airtel data card services .after a month of complaining and talking to the service provider .I get the bill for the services which were never used.I can understand that Indian service standards have a long way to go .**but this kind of attitude by the largest service provider in the industry in unthinkable.I am sure not to use airtel ever again in future .& would surely recommend the users of their services to be careful .
One more interesting input.if you are putting a complaint at their web site . do not expect and answer .they normally do not respond .& if at all they respond they will come back with stupid questions for which they can find answers in their system( like I had given the complaint number -i got back a mail asking for my sim card number) which they could have easily figured out from their system.when I wrote back the same question? the mail stopped coming altogether.*
