I have a pre-paid mobile connection provided by Airtel and I am using it for last 6 yrs. Sometimes I have been charged wrongly but that dispute got settled. But recently I encountered a new approach of Airtel to cheat its customers.
On 21st Jan I received a message from Airtel stating, “Your Gyansagar Service will be renewed in 3 days. You will be charged Rs 30 for 30 Days. If you wish to deactivate this service please call customer care.” I was surprised looking at the message as(i) I was not at all aware about this service(ii) I had never subscribed this services so how could I be asked for renewal.
I immediately called Airtel Customer care and stated about the message and raised the same two concerns as stated above. After listening the concerns, I have been informed that there was no such services that I have requested so I will not be charged as well as Gyan Sagar service will not be activated. I was also suggested to put request for DND so I would not receive such SMS in future. After having a discussion with executive, I was sure that I will not be receiving any such SMS in future.
Today, 24th Jan, around 4:20 pm I received a message from AD-54321 stating “You have been renewed for GSR_30 subscription service from Airtel. You have been charged Rs. 30.0.” I was stunned looking at the message. It’s my hard earned money and Airtel robbed me and I couldn’t do anything. I called up PAID** customer care twice and every time call dropped while transferring the call to Manager as Customer care executive was not able to answer my queries. This might be a Copyright-Registered-Trademarked Airtel strategy of solving such customer queries- put the customer on hold and then drop the call. Customer will call once, twice, thrice and then will get tired of calling and then stop calling.
After thinking a lot why this has been happened, I came to a point that there might be a possibility that call/message rates are so low these days and Airtel might find problems in providing salaries to their employees so that they started doing such activities to earn money. But, I would like to suggest Airtel that please start begging rather than cheating people. Please get your management and executives equipped with ‘Katora’ and send them each and every locality and request people to give money so that Airtel has strong Business Continuity Management plan.
Airtel Subscribers, I would suggest if you receive any such message, immediately call customer care and request to deactivate the service despite the fact you have not subscribed the service. Please don’t do the mistake I have done- just getting confirmation that service has not been subscribed but did not put request for deactivation.
This forcibly activated Gyan Sagar service gave me lots of Insight of Airtel as well as its values along with customer orientation.