Jun 18, 2009 12:30 PM
2485 Views
(Updated Jun 18, 2009 12:34 PM)
I hire radio taxi services regularly, almost 10 times a week, as I do not have a consistent driver. I had ben availaing services from Easy Cabs, although with a mixed satisfaction level. I had booked a taxi today at 8.15 am for the taxi to pick me up at 9.15 am, giving sufficient notice. I also got an SMS confirming the same with booking no.
However, no taxi arrived and I waited till 9.30. I called their call center and they told me that there was some mistake and the driver is on his way. They assured that the taxi will be there at my house sharp at 9.50. Again till 10 am no taxi turned up. I had to call them up 5 more times. They kept saying that the taxi is on its way and the driver will reach me in few minutes.
At around 10.30, after waiting for more than 1.30 hours, I called them and demanded to speak to their managing director. They put me on hold and then disconnected the call. I called them again and asked for the driver's no who was to reach me, but never did so. I got the number and when I called the driver, he said that he is in a different place waiting since 9.30, but for a different passenger. When I told him that the callcenter told me that he would be coming to pick me, he refused saying that he did not have such instructions from the callcenter.
Again I called the call center to get the contact no. of their CEO Rajiv Vij or COO Ashok Vashisht. Tey refused to give their number or email id. I demanded to talk to their supervisor and when I talked to him, he also refused to give the contact no. of the corporate office, but gave another mobile no (9731399300) saying that I could contact them on this easycabs no. I called this number multiple times, but with no one picking up the call.
In spite of messing up with my appointments and causing quite significant damage by not meeting the timelines, they even refuse to connect to the senior people. I can understand people making mistakes, but trying to cover up continuously and avoid escalations by not giving information demanded and giving wrong information is a sign of non-professional organization.
Couple of days back I had booked a cab from easycabs and subsequently cancelled as I was not well. The call center did not inform the driver and the driver had arrived. When I told the driver about the cancellation, he cribbed saying that he did not have any trip since morning and even the first trip is getting cancelled. He said that I need to pay a cancellation fee of Rs 100 and I paid and demanded a receipt. He gave a receipt of Rs 60, which is the minimum charge (for travel upto 4 km, although I did not travel and no waiting time was there for the driver). Subsequently when I checked their website, I could not find any information on any cancellation fee, anywhere in their site (terms & conditions, FAQ etc).
When EasyCabs charges fee (that too for their mistake of not informing their driver), they are not compensating for the undue inconveniences they cause by not coming/ not coming in time. They take their customers for granted . There should be a regulatory body to regulate the taxi operators and ensure that the consumers are protected.
