Tata sky is all set to go Tata Indicomm’s way. With a track record of broken promises and pathetic customer support and communication, this outfit from Tata is doomed to go into oblivion in the near future. I should say that they were one of the pioneers in DTH in India and did well in the initial days to get a pretty good customer base. But they let go of the first mover advantage through their arrogant and apathetic attitude towards customers.
I would like to narrate my experience with Tata Sky here and use it to discourage any one who is planning to have a long association with them. I had opted for a yearly contract with Tata Sky, after choosing a couple of regional packages. When this package was selected, Tata Sky folks are quick to highlight the ‘unique advantage’ that any channel which gets added during this one year will not result in any additional charges. And they comfortably ignore explaining the other extreme.
Can you believe that they removed 40% channels in the Malayalam Regional package in a matter of 3 weeks, without providing any suitable replacement channels in the same language? And when I call up, they are directing me to some ads they have given in this regard, in some newspapers..
- Point # 1: The so called ‘ads’ as well as the customer service folks just mention that these channels have been removed. They never explain the rational and the plans to reinstate any of these channels.
- Point # 2: Question to the customer care team on the deletion of any of these channels always have the answer that a “UTV” channel has been added to the offerings. Don’t ask which specific channel was replaced by UTV and how does it help a regional channel viewer !!
- Point # 3: A service request raised in this regard was duely closed by a generic statement that viewer patterns across the country has been considered in effecting the changes. When you are taking off some major channels to which clients have subscribed to, where is your consideration to the viewer patterns?
- Point # 4: The “Notifications” feature in Tata Sky will only be used to do marketing on some movies and games, but never for such a crucial piece of communication to the clients. Could never fathom this.
The only benefit I found in this, was the channel “CBeebies”, the BBC’s channel for kids, which was initially available only in Tata Sky. But not anymore. Airtel provides this these days. Unfortunately, I am in the trap of a yearly contract with these cheaters. The day it expires, I would embrace Airtel.
Tata Sky: I sincerely wish you a quick demise..