Familiarity breeding contempt?. Review on BSNL

If you are an old and loyal customer, you would think that the supplier or service provider would repose more trust in you, and value your long association. He will try to demonstrate his trust and do his best to retain your custom. While this may be an almost universal principle, for BSNL it does not hold good. For them a new and unknown subscriber is more trustworthy than an old customer. Surprised? If so, read on.

If you are a subscriber to the BSNL Phone, and do not have an ISD facility, try to apply for the provision of this facility. What does BSNL do? It gives you a nice looking yellow form. It requires you to be “introduced” by two other persons with phone connections in the same locality, with two years’ standing, though you yourself have been their customer for 20 years. You need to furnish your Income Tax Number, Passport details and two passport size photographs duly attested by a Gazetted Officer.

It hardly matters that you have been its customer for the past 20 years. It is immaterial that your track record for paying the Bills has been very good. BSNL still insists that it does not know you, and needs you to prove your bona fides afresh, and that you should be “introduced” to it.

In contrast, if you are a new subscriber wanting a phone connection, you don’t have so many hassles. You just have to fill in your form, tick the appropriate box saying that you need ISD connection, and pay the deposit. BSNL will repose absolute faith in you, and give you the connection. It doesn’t matter if you are an absolute stranger with whom BSNL had no relationship whatsoever.

Hats off to BSNL for treatment it metes out to its regular customers who are supposed to be a “Kings.” Or is it a classic case of familiarity breeding contempt?!

To be fair to BSNL, however, it must be said that the quality of service provided them has improved considerably over the past few years after the advent of private operators. However, if the organization hopes to retain its pre-eminent position in the market and retain its customers, , it has to shed its legacy of red tape and bureaucracy. Hitherto customers had no choice, since BSNL was a monopoly. If the attitude persists, there is likely to be an exodus to other operators, once a viable alternative is found. Surely, the top brass of BSNL cannot be unaware of this.