Aug 05, 2009 02:11 AM
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Rakhee is indeed a wonderful festival. It is a festival, which is eagerly awaited by all the sisters in India so that they can tie a festive cord around the wrists of their brothers and express their love and good wishes for them. For those who are away from their brothers (especially the married ones), often the only way to send rakhees to their brothers is through the medium of post.
I do not know for what reason, but most people prefer to send important items like rakhee through private courier rather than by regular post (registered or speed). Perhaps it is because of the misplaced belief that the private sector does a much better job than the government. At least, that was the impression of my wife when she used DESK TO DESK COURIER (DTDC) in order to send rakhees to her brothers in Bilaspur (district Rampur, UP). She went to this courier on the evening of Friday, 31st July, 2009.
The fellow who booked the packets at the counter of the Courier in Lucknow, Vikas Nagar assured my wife that the packets would be delivered at Bilaspur latest by evening of Monday, (3rd August, 2009). However, to her horror, she found that the rakhees sent by this courier (DTDC) had not reached their destination even by evening of Tuesday (4th August, 2009). When I came back from office, she requested me to accompany me to this office of DTDC in Vikas Nagar from where she had booked her rakhees.
When I reached there and complained about the undelivered rakhees, the fellow on the counter simply refused that he had made any such commitment to my wife. It was sheer chance that another lady was standing there who was also a victim of such a commitment by this agent of DTDC. When she also voiced her complaint, then with great reluctance the agent of DTDC accepted that he had indeed made such a commitment to both the ladies! When we further questioned him as to what he would do to ensure that the rakhees sent by both the ladies reached their destination at least on the day of the festival, he replied that he could not do anything other than lodge a complaint! Upon asking why he had made a commitment the fulfillment of which he could not ensure, he started misbehaving. Soon the owner of the agency came and he also misbehaved left and right with us saying “nahi pahunchegi raakhi. Jo bigarna hai bigaar lo” (the rakhee will not reach. Go to hell!).
In such a situation, we could not do much more than to return back to our house in shocked disbelief. The conduct of the agent of DTDC shows that this courier company will go to any extent and promise the moon to the unsuspecting customer at the time of soliciting business. However, after reneging on the promise, the same courier company will not hesitate to misbehave with the customer who comes to them with a perfectly valid complaint and a perfectly valid question. In our case apart from the loss of money and the loss of an important festival, it was also humiliation and injury to our dignity caused by the actions of the agents of DTDC in Vikas Nagar, Lucknow.
Friends, given the state of affairs all we can do is to warn fellow Indians and consumers to avoid this courier like the plague. Not only will they mess up your consignments, they will also misbehave with you when you go to enquire about the same after a long hard day at office. Our message to you? Use any courier but beware of DTDC because it is not Desk to Desk Courier. Actually it is Desk to Death Courier!!
