Aug 14, 2009 08:30 PM
2404 Views
(Updated Aug 14, 2009 08:32 PM)
This month after I got my job the first thing that came to my mind was taking a new number, because I was shifting out from Mumbai, my Mumbai number was on roaming. As usual I went for a Post Paid number, so while deciding on the Service Provider.
I had thought of Vodafone and Idea (I've used both Vodafone and Idea). I went to both and found the schemes for Vodafone to be much cheaper, and since my previous number in Mumbai had been a Vodafone, and I had liked the service there, there are three services that Vodafone provides which also tilted things in its favor.
1) Over the Phone Bill Payment (Call the Call Center and use your credit card to make payment from anywhere)
2) Missed Call Alerts (Its kinda important now that I am working)
3) ISD without Deposit requirement (Hum vilayat nahi jaa sakte to kya hua, hamara baaki ka khandan to jaata hi rehta hai :P)
I decided to go for Vodafone. So far it doesn't seem to be encouraging…. I went and paid the deposit, signed the form submitted the documents on day 1. Nothing happened on that day, nothing happened on the next day either, on inquiring the person tells me that he had provided the documents to the head office at the end of day 1, and it took an entire day for the guys at the head office to process the documents, (which is ridiculous to say the least) but still I went along hoping the number would get verified and activated the next day itself.
The person did come for verification on day 3, he took my sign and told me that the number would be active on day 3 at 6 pm. So I was relieved... Nothing of that sort happened, the number did not get active even on day 4, and since I was in Pune, and the jack asses in the Pune administration suddenly had the bright idea that they should ask for a voluntary shut down the city, on grounds of Swine Flu, all Vodafone Stores were closed.
When I tried to call the person who sold me the SIM card he simply disconnected my call, at that time I did not know that the Vodafone Stores were shut for the day. It was after my call was disconnected twice by Mr. Sujit Jadhav (guy at Vodafone Store) that I called the customer care. I in all called them 8 times just to understand what had actually happened.
Call 1: The guy picks up and argues with me that the number I have provided is not in my name all together, on asking him in whose name it was he refused to provide the same. He also says all Vodafone Stores are closed.
Call 2: The guy picks up and says that the connection is active but the SIM card has not been activated. (God knows what that means). He further says that he can not access my information without the SIM card being activated. When I asked him to activate it, he says he can not, that it needs to be activated at the Vodafone Store. I told him that they are closed in Pune, he argues they are not, since there was no such update. I requested him to enquire with his seniors on the issue, but he was adamant.
Call 3: Still hopeful to get some answers I call again. The guy picks up and says that the connection is on this guy’s name who registered before me, the pre paid number and that this number has been deactivated. When I try to explain to him I have paid for the connection he has no clue. Again I asked him if the Vodafone Stores are open or closed and he says they are open. Again he did not bother to check despite my please for confirmation.
Call 4: I call again hoping the connection will self activate, I have no idea what is going on. The guy picks up and says that connection is not active. He thus manages to confuse me thoroughly. Again I ask him, if the Vodafone Stores are open in Pune, he says yes.
Call 5: I was so confused after the previous call, that I had to call again. This was by far the clearest conversation. The guy on the line said that the number was active but the SIM was not active, as the number was still linked to an old SIM card. He read out my plan, and confirmed my documentation was complete, and said that there is a slight updating that needed to be done, which could only be done in the Vodafone Store. On inquiring he also said that there were no updates about the stores being closed in Pune and as far as he knew they were open. I assumed that if 4 people say that the stores are open versus one who says it is closed, the stores should be open.
My experience in Mumbai has been completely different with the same service provider, but I got my connection when Vodafone was Hutch, the marketing guys came to you, you did not go to them, the verification was done within 2 days, and when he gave me the SIM card it was active within 1.5 hrs.
