Airtel accordingly to me, has very bad service levels. They have consistently provided bad services. Sample this: I had a Postpaid number
2nd Nov 6 – I am unable to make the bill payment by credit card through Airtel website, as it down ( again). I calledup Customer Service, who asked to try later. Tried on 3rd Nov, 6, same problem. Called Customer Service and complained that this has happened last month also. Then I decided to convert to Prepaid as in Postpaid, as I had also faced problem of Airtel not converting to roaming, after confirmation, due to which I had faced lot of problems. Called Customer Service again and they informed they will send a person on 3rd to collect the outstanding Postpaid bill / Prepaid Sim well as to hand over Prepaid Sim. Their Person called and took appointment for 6th.Nov..
8th Nov – No Person has arrived and have made many calls to Customer Service to enquire. Also received calls/Sms from Airtel billing asking to pay my bill since Bill Payment date was due. Finally after much argument with Customer Service, they contacted their Agent and he turned up at my office. He collected Rs. 909/- from me against Outstanding Postpaid dues + New Prepaid Sim Card charge + 350 Rs. Refill and all the documents and gave me a new Prepaid Sim card and said card would be activated within 48 Hours.
10th Nov – Called up Customer Service at night, informing that it is not yet activated.
11th Nov – Made 4 calls during the day to Customer Service. Again reassured it will start soon
12th Nov - Called up Customer Service many times again. Get different solutions from different CSR’s. One says please contact Airtel Agent who collected. I informed I was not given any contact Number. Reply – “No Sir you have to contact the Agent only”. Second CSR – “Please call 121 from your mobile phone to complain”. I said I can’t dial 121 since my phone is not working, which is precisely my complaint. Reply – “Sorry Sir, but you have to dial 121”... Finally I asked a Friend of mine Mr. Mahata to call from his Airtel phone on 121 and put a complain.
13th Nov – A dim of light.. One Mr. Nilesh calls in the morning saying that problem will be solved within two hours.. After four hours, get a call again, problem will be solved in half an hour. Then no news…
14th Nov – Call up Customer Service again . This time got one more new solution – “Sir , please ask the Airtel Agent to send sms of recharge to Airtel”. And how am I going to do that since I don’t know the Agent.? Well, that’s not his problem..
Next Call to CSR – one more solution - “Sir please carry all you papers to the Airtel JB Nagar branch . Only they will be able to help you” Well let’s try that too. So I carry all my papers ( Ration Card, Passport, Driver’s Licence, Pan card ) . Hurray !! by the time I reach the Airtel office gate, my phone has started. I happily call up all my friends and inform them that I am alive again. They ask me for a party which I happily promise to.
15 Nov – 5:30 p.m. – Get an SMS from Airtel “Surf Internet for Rs. 49/-month. Activate Net on phone now and get surfing charges waived & 100 MMS free for 3 months. To subscribe send sms “NOP” to 250 (toll free)” Wow. Was Airtel trying to make up? TO make doubly sure call up their Customer Service. The lady confirms there is indeed no surfing charges. Okay. So I type NOP and send to 250 and get a reply from 250 “Thanks for your response. Your Service will be activated within 24 working hours.” That’s great.
16th Nov – 1:30 afternoon – Again get an sms “Dear customer, as per your request the promotional NOP & MMS services will be activated in your account within 24 hours”
Now that’s surprising. Has not some many hours already passed ? So I call up my new friend – the Airel Customer Service again. I am told “ System is down. Can you call after hour hours”
At 6:00 p.m call again and am informed “Sir, your GPRS needs to be activated bur our system is down. Could you pls. call after one hour”
At 11:00 p.m call up Customer Service again and check first whether their system is working, for which I get a “Yes” and guess what the Solution this time is !! “Sir, there is no such scheme given” I point out that that I have the sms’s but the guy at the other end is adamant. So I request him can he deactivate any such service to me. No Sir, when there is no service available, how can I deactivate it” Fine Point indeed. Can he reply the same to me in SMS ? “No Sir, System is down so I cannot do that” Fine. Could I get the same confirmed by your supervisor, I ask. After a lot of excuses, he finally says” Sir, My Supevisor will give you a call back within an hour”
Needless to say, I have not received any call from any person after that..
During all these interactions, some interesting titbits which Airtel Customer Service use are
a) While giving their name, they never give you the full name even if your specifically ask for, citing company policies.. But when you refer to your previous Telecon with a CSR Executive, they ask for the full name. When I mention the first name, they say they can’t track by the first name alone..
b) When you insist to talk to a serious person, answer is always “they are not around/ not on the seat/ they are too busy / calls cannot be forwarded to them..
c) When you insist on speaking to a senior, they say, “Okay we are passing the line” and simply cut of the phone. By the time you call again, you will have to give your whole story to an other CSR, go into an argument again etc.etc.. I have tried going to this process continuously thrice and all three times my line was disconnected.. how’s that for convenience !!