It’s really disheartening for me that I have to write such a negative review for one of Tata group companies. However, Tata sky has disappointed me to the core every now & then and hence this review becomes imperative.
Almost 50% of channels in my package were not visible due to signal issues. I tried contacting customer care helpline of Tata Sky quite a few times but I was kept on hold for 20-25 minutes every time without being connected to any customer care rep. It was a never before test of patience for me. Ultimately, I raised the issue through email(Service Request Reference Number MNNCGN2 & MNXE3DI). I got a call from the service rep and he stated that their service engineer would visit my place & they would charge Rs. 170/- for the visit. Logically speaking, I should be entitled to get what I am paying for and its the service provider’s duty to ensure that.
Doesn’t make sense paying additional charges for service engineer visit if I am not able to view the channels which I have already paid for due to technical issue. Tata sky is bound to resolve the issue without any charge to ensure that I am getting services in a continuous manner. But, when I pushed for my case to the service rep, he said that since the set top box is more than 1 year old, engineer visit charges have to be paid.
Due to the above situation, I decided to cancel my subscription & opt for another service provider who is more conscious about rendering adequate customer satisfaction. So, I told the customer service rep to cancel the subscription & refund the balance in my account. On the next day, the services were blocked. However, I didn’t get any refund. I had to chase tata sky for the same(service request reference number MQ7874R, MVAUIY6 & N75NL0M). Ultimately, I was contacted & told that as per the company policy, there has to be a minimum amount of Rs. 500/- in the account to process the transfer. Firstly, this is absolutely absurd. If Tata sky deactivates my services immediately upon exhaustion of my account balance and doesn’t extend the services even for an hour, I also have all the rights to get refund of every single rupee available in my account. Secondly, if such a policy is there, it should have been communicated by the customer care rep when I requested for account deactivation. I would have continued my services till the balance was exhausted had I been aware of such a provision. I told the service rep that I would deposit another 320/- rupess to make it Rs. 500/- & then you refund the entire amount. He said you also need to surrender the set top box if you want to avail the refund as the set top box is given on lease. Logically, either the ownership of the set top box should be passed on to me or tata sky should ensure that the set top box is fully functional if it remains to be their property. However, as per the service rep, tata sky is not bound to do either of these which is absolutely absurd.
As an alternative, I was told that my account balance would remain for 90 days & I can give the set top box to any of my relatives. In this case also, tata sky would charge me(whatever Rs. 200 plus engineer visit charges) for relocating the set top box.
Overall, looking at the above situation, I have concluded(and any rational person in my opinion would agree to this conclusion) that tata sky is interested only in earning money for anything & everything they do without any commitment for customer satisfaction & service delivery.
If anyone from tata sky management happens to go through this issue, I would expect them to resolve my grievance & modulate their policies to ensure satisfaction of customers like me failing which they are bound to loose business to other players in the market in highly competitive environment. Any which ways, tata sky services are one of the costliest in the market & this kind of orientation to customer satisfaction is surely affecting the value for money factor adversely.