Apr 10, 2014 09:00 PM
8261 Views
We booked a compact cab on 8 Apr 2014 for Mum – Pune – Mumbai for travel on the 9th and specifically asked for a clean cab in good condition with a good driver. The Ola booking person promised us both. We received the CRN number by SMS with the driver details.(CRN: 5238438; driver Suresh(9867895787; car no: MH 01 AM 4760).
The driver came at 7:15 am and we left soon after. The car was not an OLA cab but a contract car. In the car we noticed that the seats were torn and the upholstery not in good condition. However, since we had to attend a meeting in Pune, we had no choice but to proceed. Within 5 minutes of starting our trip we found the driver driving very rashly. He almost ran into a speeding bus and we had a near escape. I told him that this was no way to drive. His reply was rude and said that this is the way it is. His driving did not improve even after that. We asked him to turn the air conditioning down which he did for some time and then again turned it up. This aggravated my wife’s sinus problems.
On reaching Pune we found that he did not know the roads in Pune. When asked he said he was a Mumbai driver and not supposed to know Pune roads – passengers are supposed to know how to go where they want to go. His job is to bring them to Pune only. His behavior was extremely rude again.
In Pune we called up OLA and spoke with the manager on duty (Mr. Sheikh). We complained about the condition of the car and the attitude and bad behavior of the driver (he was chewing paan all the way and spat out of the car on the way and dirtied the car window and also my wife’s trouser). All that he could say was sorry. We asked for the car and driver to be changed since this was not what OLA promised on booking. Again all he said was sorry and that he could not change the car and driver. He said he would talk to the driver and look into our grievances. He also mentioned that before a car is dispatched it is audited by OLA to ensure it complies to OLA standards. Obviously no audit was done or there are non-existing standards. Mr Sheikh said that no car was available in Pune and we will have to return by the same car. In that case I told him that we will not pay the driver the full fare as there was a breach of promise by OLA and that he should inform the driver accordingly. He did not inform the driver.
In Pune the driver demanded money for diesel which I refused. Imagine an OLA “audited” car starting a trip without proper fuel. So much for OLA quality control and efficiency. On the return trip the driving was even more rash with the driver almost running into the car in front at high speed when overtaking. Again no OLA quality audit of the driver.
On returning to Mumbai we paid him Rs 3000, and told him that we had informed OLA that we would not be paying the full fare as OLA did not did not help us in any way whatsoever to resolve our problems. We again called OLA and spoke to the Manager Mr. Kiran, who was as useless as the earlier Manager. Again all he could say was “very sorry”. No attempt was made for grievance redressal at all, at any stage. The driver demanded the full fare which we refused. He kept on hounding us so we took him to the police. The police told us to go to the consumer court and resolve our problem. We came out of the police station and again the driver did not let us leave. With great difficulty, we managed to walk away.
OLA in its website says:
“We are a young and energetic company based in Mumbai. Nothing excites us more than using technology to bring the same efficiency and customer experience to the car rental industry that you expect from flights!” We do not think so. It was the worst travel experience we had which was compounded by pathetic customer support.
