My experience at Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) at Gurgaon.
I had to get my mother’s and my passports renewed. First I tried to get online appointments at the ancient temple of passport building at Bhikaji Cama Place. I was trying on 18th March and the status for Bhikaji was, try after 22nd March and all appointments were already booked up to 4th April. But at PSK in Gurgaon, appointments were available right away for 26th March. So, I grabbed the ones at Gurgaon, even though it was more than 20 km from my place.
We had two appointments and our reporting time was 3 pm and 3.15 pm. We reached at 2.30 pm, were allowed to enter the building that had a very impressive infrastructure. Was asked for address proof copies, even though online document advisor only mentioned copies of old passport. Luckily I was prepared with all documents.
Finally we were allowed to enter the hall where tokens were to be issued. There, on a board on the wall, it was written:
“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.” by Mahatma Gandhi.
I was highly impressed with this high belief of TCS. Surely, we have come to the right place.
For the entire process, me and my mother together came across almost 8 staff members. And it looked like, only the first half had read the above message by Gandhi ji while as we came till the end, the last person issuing the receipt had certainly never ever read that message.
I had a mixed experience. Initial staff was friendly & helpful. Every counter took just 2-3 minutes. That was highly impressive.
We had been given documents in a file cover and we were to present the same at every counter. So, when we came to the last window and gave mother’s file, the employee (someone just came up & addressed him by the name Samir), returned one document from the file while printing the receipt and smiled. As soon as my mother’s work was done, the guard behind us started telling her to go out of the building. We had to tell him that we were together and she would certainly not leave the building without me. Being old aged, she needed me to be with her.
Amidst this confusion with the guard, I gave my file with the similar document to Mr. Samir. This time he yelled "Madam, I am returning that document and you are giving it again." I didn’t understand his problem and clarified that, 1st was for my mother and this is for me. His tone got worse, "So what, you will practice the same(mistake)?" I said sorry, still not understanding the problem and feeling insulted.
It was only later I realized that he was not signing or stamping that paper and just returning it. But how am I suppose to know that? I was there the first time while he was there forever. If any document had been left unsigned, I would have to drive again 40 km to & fro. How can a person who was grinning from ear to ear, hit the roof the next second? Mr. Samir, why raise your BP by screaming at confused visitors, the stress could give you heart attack.
It took full two hours for me and my mother for the entire process, which I believe is fantastic.
If only the last counter employee Mr. Samir was not utterly rude, I would have given 5 on 5 to this PSK. If I am suppose to understand their work load, then they should also know that for them it’s a daily routine while for people like us, it’s a big job and we are confused with the procedures. I had to do a lot of running between the counters as me and my mother were getting our formalities done simultaneously.
My experience here taught me that one just has to say yes to whatever the staff member says, even if one does not agree with them. Like someone else commented in his review, they behave as if they are the kings of the PSK. No matter how advanced technology these offices are given, staff attitude is yet to change.