Review : Thinking abt. the experience I had or am currently having being a so-called valuable customer for Reliance Infocomm, I really do not know where to start. Just to give everyone a brief, of where it all started, last year around March 2002 I was suggested to take Reliance Infocomm services under the pioneer scheme which included various benefits. But, talking abt. the experience I hv.been having for the past one year it has been more of a nightmare exprience and a liability than a means of communication. 1.) 1stly there were problems with the network itself, we were told that since it was just launched there were teething problems. Believe me those teething problems are still very much there for the net connectivity, I hv. given up on this feature totally. 2.) Billing: One of the most unorganised billing operations. Not a single bill received till date was correct, to make those corrections one has to wait like a patient waiting for a doctor to attend at one of the web worlds and one should hv. good one hour time to dedicate to this activity. If that is not enough, a customer service executive calls u up and says that why don’t u go and collect yr. bill for the month b’cas the co. is unable to send it to the postal address which has been verified by a million times now. Since collection and payment of bills is the customer’s priority. 3.) Talking abt. their help desk nos. pls. do not waste yr. time ever, even if u r not doing anything. U will land up getting high BP problem even if u r perfectly normal. They hv. beaten all service providers, even the MTNL’s on this. 4.) It is like a Chakravyu, once u hv. subscribed u can’t come out of it, unless u are prepared to let go of your good Rs.3, 000/- which u paid at the start of the scheme plus rs. 40/- for per month that u won’t use the cell. i.e. suppose of 36 months u hv. utilized the services for only 12 months u will hv. to pay Rs. 40*24 = Rs. 960/- more as damages. Isn’t it wonderful, to pay damages for srervices which were not upto your expectations. Even if u want to transfer it one someone else’s name the person will have to sheel out Rs. 1, 00/- more if he/she is not a Reliance shareholder. 5.) The pioneer subscribers were actually the ones who paid the most, b’cas now u can get better handsets without paying Rs. 3000/- at just Rs. 500/- So ultimately, it doesn’t turnout to be an advantage but a disadvantage to rely on repute of Reliance to give a better deal to its earliest subscribers. 6.) Quarterly payments of Rs. 1800/- are debited to your bank account before the quarter starts, so u are paying 3 months in advance for the great services. 7.) Talking about the Rs. 1 lakh value of coupons which they had provided at the beginning, pls. do not carry those coupons for redemption, u will land up being embarrased, as I did. it was the 1st time we thought we would make use of those coupons so the entire family went to Dosa Diner for dinner, and when when we offered the discount coupon for redemption, the manager disagreed to accept it saying that there is dispute between the two managements and hence we should speak to Reliance officials. Now after that bitter experience, who wanted to re-live it by again trying to conncet the ever ringing help desk number? I personally feel that Reliance has made a mockery of customers in case of Reliance Infocomm., n it would have been better if they didn’t venture in this business b’cas they have cheated millions of Indians in the name of service. I hope Mr. Ambani is listening?? Or is he busy being the adoration od the 3rd page Bombay Times?
deepa