On 7th May, I had a flight back from Jaipur to Bangalore at 2 pm in afternoon. As I am not a regular cab user in Jaipur. Hence I Googled for cab services in Jaipur and I found
"Metro Cabs -- https://metrocabs.in/ "
I liked their website and called on there mentioned phone number - 0141-4244444 at around 9:30 am in morning; as I wasn’t sure if online booking will work. Anyways I called them up and a customer service Rep picked the call and took all details viz. name/phone number/address rather than telling me if there is any cab for airport, which I wanted to know of.
Nevertheless, after all formalities I asked that I need the cab at sharp 12:30 max as my flight is at 2 pm and now due to new regulations on smaller airports as well which require the departure gates to close 45 mins prior rather than earlier practice of closing only 25 mins prior.
The Rep confirmed me that Cab will reach by 12:30 pm sharp; however when I asked to provide me a confirmation SMS message or vehicle number or vehicle ID or driver’s phone number; Rep replied that they will send SMS only 20 mins prior to my journey time i.e. at 12:10 pm only. I got confused as if I get the sms so late, how can I be sure that vehicle will come and it is on time and the remaining time is not enough to make other arrangements as well. However, having no other options for comfortable travel, I agreed.
Come 12:10pm and I am waiting impatiently for the SMS. Nothing happened and No SMS received, I called up the Metrocabs number again and the Rep replied that she will be sending the SMS and vehicle is on time; however no driver number or vehicle number provided again.
I got the SMS at around 12:22pm as following "Thax for choosing Metro Cabs.Your booking id is A188207. Status of cab shall be informed, via sms 20 mnts prior to the requested time.Condition apply."
No spell check done before SMS was sent out.
Well then time became 12:28 pm and no sign of Taxi or any other SMS with driver number etc, and I was getting impatient as the place of my stay in Jaipur is around 25 mins travel distance from Airport and without cab it was cutting too close for comfort and the huge luggage I have had to carry. I called up again and the rep again repeated same thing that cab is coming, however No driver number or vehicle number; this time I asked the rep how she knows cab is coming and she said as it is showing in her systems, There I guessed that cabs are mapped via GPS and hence I asked to tell me the exact location of cab and how much time it will take to reach my location. The rep said that system is having some problem and cant tell me exact location and don’t know the ETA as well. Voila what a cab service....
Finally I saw the time and it was 12:38 pm and I gave them a last call to ask if the cab is coming or not. No answer. No ne picked my call et al....
Without any delay, I hired a rick in the hottest time of day at 12:42 pm or so and asked him to take me to airport as fast as he can and I will pay him what I would have paid to the cab. thankfully rick guy was good and he managed to drop me at airport by 1:12 pm just 3 mins prior to closure of departure gates.
While I was in rick, I again called them to cancel my booking and to tell them I have left on my own without their Cab; however Strangely they didnt picked my call again in one go and I redialed and someone picked and I told them to cancel my booking as I left on my own. Useless Service attitude.
Their fancy website and call center are useless without the service which they want to deliver; Word of advice never believe the fancy outlining of any company :). Metro cabs Jaipur can increase your phone bill only and that too on roaming :) and might make you to miss your flight. stay away from them and believe in only good old auto-rickshaws for now.