The following is a common story which happens with most of us! This happened to me many times, so I thought to exchange my views as this pained me a lot this time than before! I’ve drawn some interesting analogy between IRCTC and other Websites offering same kind of services. May be this review interests most of us I suppose!
Booked 2 Tickets on 24th September to Vijayawada 3A one under General Quota and other under Senior Citizens quota Rs:1468.72/- deducted from Bank account later a fee of 11.25/- transaction. received confirmation under Waiting List 17, 18.
Booked Return ticket on 26th September Back to Hometown same 3A(1 Senior Citizen+ General Quota) Rs: 1468.72/- deducted from Bank account later a fee of 11.25/- transaction. received confirmation under Waiting List 18, 19.
Tickets NOT confirmed for both coincidentally both the times my waiting list moved till 3, 4 and remained unconfirmed! IRCTC automatically Refunded 1365+1365=2730/-. 11.25+11.25=22.50 NOT REFUNDED BY Bank!
Total Amount paid= 1468.72+1468.72+11.25+11.25= Rs: 2959.94/-
Finally Refunded Amount= 1365+1365=2730/-
LOST= 229.94 Approx Rs: 230/- per Trip or 7.7%
Instead I’d have tried my luck in a lottery!
My Analogy:
You buy products from Jabong/Myntra etc online websites try products, they didn’t suit you in color/size/price worthiness/Changed your mind etc you return them. For returns Jabong/Myntra refunds your Courier charges. Is this NOT a loss in their revenue? You may be a potential buyer BUT in this transaction did the company incur loss or not? Undisputably YES!
Customer Satisfaction Comparison:
Jabong, Myntra etc are private companies where their entire focus and sole intention is in earning money. They don’t need to bother much about the people and their pockets. So, dont you think, when a privately owned company is caring much about the customer satisfaction, a state Owned company, which has a reputation of having 3rd Largest Transporter network in the world, consistently topping as the highest carrier of passengers, 4th highest freight carrier, need to pay some heed for customer/ passenger satisfaction in this LARGEST DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY?! Is this NOT SHAMEFUL to squeeze common man’s money despite NOT using their service?!
Comparison of Charges:
Is Jabong or Myntra charging you for just trying their products and NOT buying their stuff?
Is your Bank Charging you EXCESS 11.25/- transaction or a transaction fee for buying products from any of the websites in India?
Why other state Owned transport operators like APSRTC, KSRTC etc don’t charge this kind of EXCESS for being on Waiting list and automatically refund due to unavailability of seats despite recurring losses every financial year!?
Then what is the need for Railways which has got profits amounting Rs:15800 Crores during financial year 2013 -2014 alone to slap with these kind of UNREASONABLE charges in the name of service which they never offered!
In what way it is justifiable to charge 11.25/- transaction by banks? Is this transaction very different from that of shopping on websites for products?! If those websites are serving for FREE why NOT a state owned company which is FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE squeezing common mans pockets!?
IRCTC may argue that they are running a call center and need to bear their expenses. Then every company runs call centers are they NOT bearing the expenses? On what grounds are these banks have right to loot people in these transactions? This is nothing short an organised looting!
When you were NOT OFFERED A BERTH till the last 2 hrs of train arrival keeping you waiting with fingers crossed, repeatedly toggling in and out of IRCTC checking for PNR Status, how fair it is to CHARGE YOU?
If a passenger cancels his/her ticket after confirmation of berth it seems reasonable to slap you a minimal charge for the loss of business. When NO SERVICE IS OFFERED(Just being in a waiting list) where from IRCTC incur a loss to charge a hefty fee of 8% of the total amount. Is it NOT true that IRCTC earns interest for all the days it holds passengers money which would roughly account to at least 20 days(from booking day till refunds into passengers account)?
Conclusion:
It seems like PASSENGERS LOSS IS RAILWAYS GAIN! Whether Railway gives you berth or not they earn money! A lossless business idea by Govt. of INDIA! Rather Govt better focuses in providing more effective HIGH Standard services than these kind of sly ideas!
P.S: Indian Railways suffers first ever drop in passenger traffic in last 12 years! Thanks to rising fares and poor service (JAN 2014)
Though there is ANY POTENTIAL LOSS of business as reviewed above IRCTC charges you. Then, Imagine if there is apparent loss incurred due to low passenger traffic! YOU ARE BOUND TO Get ready for another round of fare hike soon!