Feb 12, 2010 01:10 AM
4531 Views
(Updated Feb 12, 2010 01:45 AM)
I use to make lots of STD from Bangalore and when TATA DOCOMO came with all those fancy features, I was too eager and jumped to get the connection. Fooled by the brand of TATA and 1p/sec promise, Feature Safe custody (I travel a bit outside the country) I dumped my Airtel, which I was using for 5+ years and have no major complaints about it. The trouble started from the second I took the connection,
I asked for a specific number sequence, which was promised by the executive. But later they said that the number is not available and the exec is an external agent who cannot make promise like that.
They offered me a different number, which I accepted. They promised to activate my SIM within 48 hours, which never came up in next one week. The executive was always in a meeting and rather conveniently switched off his mobile after the second day.
After escalating to our company facility department (the connection was offered as Corporate connection), I got my connection activated after 10 days. (In between they came back asking for more documents, that was miniscule issue compared to what I faced and still facing)
When the SIM was activated, I had a horror to see as this was completely a different number to what I asked. (By now I’ve completely dumped my Airtel)
Again I had round of shouting the agency which issued me the connection and got hold of a Manager at Tata.
He listed to my story (by now I’ve prepared my sad speech and willing to repeat the lines whoever listens) and promised to give me a number I preferred. But the catch is, it’ll be a new SIM and I got to pay for the time I used my unwanted number (the only calls I made through that phone was to TATA.
In between, they’ve suspended the executive who sold me the number. Seems they got good number of scapegoats.
Finally after telling & retelling my sad story, I got the new connection.
Now I called the customer service to cancel the other number so I don’t have to pay the bills for a month. They wanted me to write a letter requesting to cancel the SIM. Goddamn guys, when you want to sell you went anywhere to do that but when we return, they had 1000’s of procedures.
I refused for that and retold my sad story (again) over the recorded line and asked them to contact the TATA Manager whom I interacted with all these days and cancel the connection. I assumed that TATA are already rich and they don’t want my petty money going to their coffers.
To my horror, I started receiving bill for that unused SIM every month right on the same day. (Exceptional efficiency).
I called that manager and reminded him of my pathetic story and asked him to stop this harassment. He asked me to send a mail and that is when my story went to print the first time.
By now it is 2 months since I started using DOCOMO and I’ve some insights into their quality of service.PATHETIC is the word if you don’t want to read any further. I’ll be bit more brief here as many seems sharing my sentiments.
Call any number after 6 PM, you’d sure be told that the TATA DOCOMO customer (whatever service prov the one you called you is using) is busy.
Let anyone call you after 6 PM or anytime when you are on roaming, one would surely get the same message “The TATA DOCOMO subscriber you are trying to reach is busy”.
Simply put, you can’t make calls or receive either. Basic question: is that why one need a mobile phone? What’s the point in having a mobile phone then? Call customer service, they’d say it’ll be fixed in next 48 hours. As far as I know that 48 hours never came.
Is that all? Absolutely no. We are only halfway.As I mentioned earlier, I took this connection not only for that 1 p/sec, but also for the ‘Feature Safe Custody’ option. I’m out of the country for past 4 months and I still couldn’t do that. I escalated this issue to their Nodal Officer & Appellate and no one bothered to respond back. Not to repeat too much, let me copy my emails to them.
to nodal.kk@tatadocomo.com
date Sun, Jan 31, 2010 subject Feature Safe Custody and Bills -
Dear Nodal Officer, This issue is with Mobile# and Relationship# 9048xx630.
I'm out of the country for past 3 months and requested to keep my mobile on safe custody till the time I return. When I initially tried to activate 'Feature Safe Custody' option in your website, I was alerted that I haven't completed 3 billing cycles and this option can be used only after such time. Even after paying all bills and repeatedly writing to the Service Centre, neither was I able to keep my SIM on safe nor I'm getting billed less (I'm paying in full even after all these days – please see my latest bill as .PDF attachment). All I got from the site when I persistently tried was different set of errors. Even today when I tried option, I got a new error that reads as (See the screen shot as image file as well):
This request is already raised and the service is pending. Track your request status, please Click here.
The 'Click Here' option takes me to a blank table – very inventive. One reason that I opted for Tata DOCOMO was the good will that Tata has created over decades in this country. When they aren't able to keep up features as promised all over the country, it makes an admirer like me to feel painful, dejected and cheated.
Kindly respond to me on the following queries within 3 working days of receipt of this mail, or let me know why I shouldn’t consider taking legal action against you.
Why was my request not responded properly after repeated mails to your customer service (kindly refer my earlier mails from your customer service mailbox)
Why was the ‘Safe Custody’ feature not enabled in my account
What do these error messages really mean
Why I’m billed in full even after repeated queries
Are you really serious when you offered the feature to market or is it some kind of marketing gimmick to fool people into signing into your service?
Why should I pay this bill or late payment fee (eventually – not right now) when my valid request wasn’t taken up
With regards to this escalation, I'm holding payment of my fees till we come to an amicable solution. I rest the responsibility of that on you.
to appellate.kk@tatadocomo.com Sun, Feb 7, 2010 at 6:52 PM subject Fwd: Feature Safe Custody and Bills -
Dear Tata Docomo Appellate & Ms. Sunitha, I’m having issues with the way how my feature safe custody was handled and on my billing as well. Earlier I exchanged few mails with the customer care and last week I escalated to the Nodal Office. It is very depressing to see that I haven’t got a solution, worse not even acknowledgement from either teams. May I kindly request you to look into the issues I’m facing
