When I shifted from Delhi to Jaipur, first thing I did was apply for Airtel Broadband connection! With amazing efficiency, they accepted my application on 1st Oct 2008, and installed the telephone on 3rd Oct 2008 as 2nd Oct was Holiday!
I was sweet talked by Airtel Executive that if I book the broadband connection on the same day, make payment of Rs.500 by check and opt for the unlimited package, I would be given a Wireless Wifi Router free! Though I had Wifi Router with me, being an Indian, I took the deal!
Problem started when they sent the first bill! The bill came around 20th Oct 2008 with last payment date of 28th Oct 2008. But sadly it included the additional extra Rs. 1500/- for the WiFi router!
Sequence of Events followed :
1. I called up Airtel Customer care! After frustrating customary talking to machine called IVRS, finally I got to speak to human customer care executive! As soon as I explained, he told me, there was no such offer! Stumped, I gave him details about the Airtel Executive name, number etc.! Now he got stumped! He put me on hold and came back after 2/3 minutes, recorded my number for 3rd time and promised he would get back.
2. After 2 days, no call from Airtel. I called up the original Airtel Marketing Executive, he promised he would get back, and he surely got back!
3. Sadly, last date of payment was nearing. I shot another email, informing as the due date is nearing end and my problem not near any conclusion, I will not make the payment as and my services not to be deactivated! They did not.
4. After due date expired, 28th Nov 08 itself, one collection agent from Airtel came demanding payment. I explained him and he went back!
5. Finally, the marketing executive called and informed the issue fixed! By the time, my next bill came along with late payment for the last non-payment bill!
6. Another email, argument on phone! Finally I got waiver for late payment, but bill with waiver of the WiFi router has not arrived and I started getting calls informing my services likely get disconnected if I dont pay up the bill!
7. I again called up Airtel Customer care, shot of email.
8. Finally, in Dec 2008, I made payment after deducting all late payment charges, extra Rs.1500/- and peace returned to my life!
Moral Of The Story: I had to argue, work hard, make calls to save myself from paying extra amount to Airtel which was unjustified. Had I not fought, they would have made few hundred more completely illegally!
Sadly, this may be happening to everyone and we may not notice as it is a small amount! But just imagine, Airtel has 10lacs subscriber, they make this kind of mistake, over charging to all these subscribers, and only 10% of them like me, “nutcase”, fight with Airetl Customer care department, talk to Machines (IVR Ssystem), get justice! And Airtel gets payment from 90% that is 900,000 multiplied by Rs. 15000/- equal to Rs. 135,00,00,000/- that is Rs. 135 crores! Ring a bell ?
Contact Me for the complete Email Communication with Airtel. ( I made them private.)
Internet Service Provider, It Happened With Me
May 28th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Yup,
airtel is a very ****** up service. I had a BSNL Broadband which i got disconnected coz airtel ppl were after my life to take their connection. The moment i said yes, they came, took the money in advance and delayed the connection by 3 days from the promised date.
free calls promised by sales staff were not as per the call rates given by him. Later on when I shot emails in this regards, the sales guy asked me to take the complaint back as it might cost him his job, I did!!!
the installation was so poor that roadside vehicles used to hit the Airtel DP box and used to disconnect my lines. Airtel ppl used to take 2 days to come and repair it and despite repeated requests to install it carefully, it happened 4 times before I again shot an email to the head of customer service n network maintenance.
BAD THEY ARE….
at the time of bill payment, again…I was told that I can pay the bill in cash at Bani park where there is only a drop box (wasnt told this)…then they told me to go to subash nagar, where the executives said that they dont accept land line bills and I need to go to Apex mall, tonk road…8 kms from my place just to pay the bill…what nonsense
i finally went to ganpati plaza office and they told me they would accept the bill…i stood in the queue and when my turn came, I was told that the other queue is for landlines…
i lost my temper completely… 3 parkings in a summer afternoon… and then you finally get to know that the line u were standing in is not accepting ur bill… WHY THE HELL CANT THEY PUT SEPARATE BOARDS INFORMING CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE RIGHT QUEUE…
REALLY ****** UP SERVICE AND PEOPLE!!!
May 29th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Dear Rohit,
Thank you for sharing your experience! I totally agree with you. Airtel as well as other private companies are after you and at their best in sweet talking before you buy their product and once you buy the product, they become inaccessible as well as they start giving lot of trouble to customers.
January 6th, 2010 at 4:51 am
hi
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