LequidMetal
Newbie
Hi Guys,
Many people consider airtel broadband as the best ISP because of its good customer service. This was true until a while back, but not anymore. Airtel's customer service has changed .. for the worse. This post is to fore-warn people who intend to switch over to airtel based on their perception of it having better CC service. I will spare you the long Mahabaratha and will just write some of my experience, point wise.
I have had airtel for around 4 years now and until last year airtel lived up to its brand image of having very good CC. These are some of my experience with them this year. I have had multiple incidents this year, i ll post only 1 here to give you an idea of how poor their CC is
Situation: I called up to upgrade to a faster plan from my current plan.
-> They refused to let me change my broadband plan until i get an airtel fixedline (i have airtel broadband without airtel fixedline)
I put in a request for a fixedline
-> My first request (ticket) for fixedline phone was closed after two weeks without anybody contacting me. An automated SMS alerted me to this fraudulant closure. I was following up and had the ticket escalated twice . The reason given was downright absurd ('no coverage'). I already have broadband connection.
-> The second request has been kept open for around two months now. Twice the CC called me up and tried to brainwash me into agreeing to close the ticket ("Your current plan is enough for you" .. Thats exactly what they told me)
-> Finally they called me and told me that I, an existing airtel customer must apply for a new airtel broadband connection by submitting my ID documents all over again and paying for the installation charges. So i could get an airtel fixedline i did'nt need and after that i could upgrade my plan to a faster speed.
-> I still agreed and applied for a new connection ! I was told that a person would come to collect my documents and give me a new connection And guess what ? the same cycle of waiting and escalation followed. Finally i escalated it to Airtel South Nodal Authority.
-> A CC person immediately calls up apologizes for not sending anybody and asks me to visit the nearest airtel showroom and apply for a new connection !! He happily closes the ticket.
-> Last week i sent a mail to airtel. It was an ultimatum. Either change my plan or disconnect my connection.If i have to apply for a new connection by visiting an airtel showroom i would rather apply with a different ISP. They replied, apologized again and promised to send an 'engineer' to look at whether it was possible to change my plan without airtel fixedline (after all this mahabharatha) . They gave me an SLA of 2 days. It ends by today afternoon..nobody has contacted me yet.
I have decided to switch to Reliance. Their CC may be crap but atleast their plans dont cost a bomb. whats the point of paying a premium to airtel if their CC is as bad as any other ISP.
-> I suspect they wont let me disconnect my airtel bb easily and from the looks of it they intend to stall, but i intend to pursue it as far as the courts if need be.Their tactic is simple, apologize promise a solution, give you an SLA time and thats the last you will hear from them.
Many people consider airtel broadband as the best ISP because of its good customer service. This was true until a while back, but not anymore. Airtel's customer service has changed .. for the worse. This post is to fore-warn people who intend to switch over to airtel based on their perception of it having better CC service. I will spare you the long Mahabaratha and will just write some of my experience, point wise.
I have had airtel for around 4 years now and until last year airtel lived up to its brand image of having very good CC. These are some of my experience with them this year. I have had multiple incidents this year, i ll post only 1 here to give you an idea of how poor their CC is
Situation: I called up to upgrade to a faster plan from my current plan.
-> They refused to let me change my broadband plan until i get an airtel fixedline (i have airtel broadband without airtel fixedline)
I put in a request for a fixedline
-> My first request (ticket) for fixedline phone was closed after two weeks without anybody contacting me. An automated SMS alerted me to this fraudulant closure. I was following up and had the ticket escalated twice . The reason given was downright absurd ('no coverage'). I already have broadband connection.
-> The second request has been kept open for around two months now. Twice the CC called me up and tried to brainwash me into agreeing to close the ticket ("Your current plan is enough for you" .. Thats exactly what they told me)
-> Finally they called me and told me that I, an existing airtel customer must apply for a new airtel broadband connection by submitting my ID documents all over again and paying for the installation charges. So i could get an airtel fixedline i did'nt need and after that i could upgrade my plan to a faster speed.
-> I still agreed and applied for a new connection ! I was told that a person would come to collect my documents and give me a new connection And guess what ? the same cycle of waiting and escalation followed. Finally i escalated it to Airtel South Nodal Authority.
-> A CC person immediately calls up apologizes for not sending anybody and asks me to visit the nearest airtel showroom and apply for a new connection !! He happily closes the ticket.
-> Last week i sent a mail to airtel. It was an ultimatum. Either change my plan or disconnect my connection.If i have to apply for a new connection by visiting an airtel showroom i would rather apply with a different ISP. They replied, apologized again and promised to send an 'engineer' to look at whether it was possible to change my plan without airtel fixedline (after all this mahabharatha) . They gave me an SLA of 2 days. It ends by today afternoon..nobody has contacted me yet.
I have decided to switch to Reliance. Their CC may be crap but atleast their plans dont cost a bomb. whats the point of paying a premium to airtel if their CC is as bad as any other ISP.
-> I suspect they wont let me disconnect my airtel bb easily and from the looks of it they intend to stall, but i intend to pursue it as far as the courts if need be.Their tactic is simple, apologize promise a solution, give you an SLA time and thats the last you will hear from them.