Sep 08, 2006 09:04 PM
2617 Views
I was searching for a product which would help me surf the internet while I would be traveling. It became particularly necessary when I had to travel on a business trip for about ten days covering three cities within the country.
The incident is quite recent - end of July 2006. First I approached the MTNL, who said that there was no such product offered by them. Then I approached Tata Indicom, who said that there was a product they could offer. But they also added that they cannot satisfy my requirement of activating the service on the day of the purchase or by the next day. It would take at least four working day for that. Since I needed it very urgently I thought I would also check with Reliance India Mobile (RIM). RIM immediately said that they had a product and which could be activated by the day of the purchase. I felt happy and went on to urchased the product (a HUAWEI Mobile Connect Datacard) immediately for five thousand rupees and subscribed to a postpaid plan of my choice. But I was so naive in believing them.
At the time of purchase I inquired about the process of installation on my laptop. I was made to understand that the CD attached with the product would install the required software on my laptop automatically. I just had to click on the default "yes" or "finish" buttons that would be prompted on my computer screen. Very happy and satisfied, I bought it immediately providing all the details and documents related to address proof, personal identification etc.
Coming back home with the new purchase I immediately sat on my computer and inserted the CD on the CD ROM drive. As told, I just went on clicking the "yes" buttons and at the last step the "finish" button on my screen. But doing that a pop up window appeared on my computer screen informing me that the software being installed was not verified with Windows XP, hence advisible not to install it. I was confused and rechecked on the product documentation that it was to run on a Windows XP platform, which was there on my machine.
There started my trouble. I immediately called up the Reliance web world from where I bought the product. The guy told me that he will immediately send a person to my house, who will install it on my machine. He also gave me the mobile number of the person he intended to send. I spoke to that person also, who confirmed that he would come to install. After a gap of a few hours I was still waiting for the person to reach my place. Also I was getting tensed as I had to catch my flight next day afternoon for the business trip. As nobody arrived I tried to call both the persons, but none of them picked up the call. I tried to get in touch with any of them till 10:45 pm in the evening, but in vain. Nobody would pick up my call. At 11 pm the Webworld salesperson called up and told me that after the sales it was not their responsibilty to address any problem I might face, and it was entirely my business how I wanted to solve my problem. I argued that the product failed to install on my computer so he should take care of that. But his answer was flat and simple, "Its your business".
Frustrated, I called up the Reliance helpline. I was informed that the product I bought had not been registered in their system as of then, so RIM was not in a position to help me. Additionally they also told me that I could not expect to get it activated before 4 working days time from the date of purchase. Such a glaring contradiction in the statement of two persons of the same organisation !! Next morning again I called up the helpline and was told the same thing - It could not be activated before four working days.
Blatant Lies !!! Just to sell a high value product, false information was supplied to me. I had to move for the business trip without the aid aspired to have with me. Could not help it. I was furious. Coming back I immediately got in touch with the RIM webworld and asked for my money back as it had not served my purpose, which it was supposed to do. Also it was sold to me on false information. But I was flatly told that no refund would be given to me. On the helpline I was given a address of a particular webworld office where I had to visit for the refund processing. There also I was told that no refund can be given. When I argued that it was sold to me providing false information and at the same time the product was not put on service by activating it from RIM side even after fifteen days of purchase, a gentleman listned to my case patiently and assured me that the refund would be given. He gave me his e-mail id and asked me to send him an e-mail detailing everything. He was a Reliance Infocomm employee. He also gave me his mobile number.
On the next day first thing I did was to write that mail. But since then no action has been taken from RIM side. And I have been calling the helpline ot that gentleman, who now refuses to take my call. In the meantime RIM has started sending monthly bills to me.
It is more than three fortnights that I have bought the product and more than two fortnights since I wrote that e-mail claiming refund. But there is a chosen silence from Reliance side. I really don't know when I will get the refund. Or if I will get it at all !!
So my advice to all the readers of this piece of my experience - NEVER BUY A RIM PRODUCT. They will make sure that you are harassed to the utmost degree.
