We had booked a Meru cab for taking a train (on 23/12/2011) from Bangalore city station. The booking was done the previous day and we received a confirmatory message informing that the driver details would be sent 30 min before the arrival. Indeed, they sent a message and the driver called me asking for the directions. To his credit, the driver arrived dot on time. I had told him that we had just arrived from work and we needed some time. He called me around 10 min later asking me to make it fast. We came to board the cab a further five minutes later and lo! the guy was leaving without informing us.
As I had his phone number I called him and said that I had a train to take in another hour’s time and he can’t leave then. He said that he had already waited enough and can’t wait any longer. I also told him that if there were any waiting charges, he could levy. That also did not help matters. We did not have the time or intent to call the customer service as our priority then had to reach the station immediately (by some other means).
Later, when I called the customer service and informed them of the rude and inconsiderate attitude of the assigned driver, they said that they can’t wait for 20 min. They offered to arrange another one in the next 30 min time, for which we had no time. That we did not have the same of experience of seeing the tail lamp of the train (like it happened with Meru), as we made it to the station (courtesy: auto rickshaw) barely before the train was to leave is another matter.
The questions are simple. If they have a no-wait policy, why not inform the customer in advance? We arrange cabs because we think they are flexible to our needs. How do you expect a customer to make his own arrangement in the last moment?
Moral of the story: Do not go by brand names. Their (Unstated) No-wait policy leaves you High and Dry. If you have some local contact whom you think is more reliable, just go with him.