Tata Indicom and its idiocies
If you thought that private operators have improved the availability of services, here is a personal blow-by-blow account of Tata Indicom and its idiocies. I had written a mail last year to the Customer Care centre enquiring about their Internet services in my city. At present, they have presence in the nearby city for which I would have had to pay heavy pulse charges in order to access the same since my usage is high.
I commented about the lack of digital access number for the same. I have a BSNL line, which restricts outgoing numbers only to 172xxx numbers under their promotional scheme to improve access to internet. This fact I brought to VSNL’s notice. However, the reply I got merely repeated the same issue I had raised. So much for their standard of comprehension. As the days change to weeks and weeks to months, I have a strong belief that standards of IQ are falling in the customer support across board.
Cut back to a couple of months. They tied up with a private service provider in my city for providing Internet access. However, the access to their number (172226) from BSNL was still barred. (Reflects BSNL s anti competitive policy, which denied me the right to choose).
Finally after all that happened, I chose to keep my mouth shut and waited for the assurances of their frontline staff (customer service what else) that access is being worked out. Fast-forward it to last month. VSNL had an agreement with the private operator, which was not renewed at the end of the year. The contract terminated, the existing subscribers were asked to access an alternative number, which entailed heavy pulse charges. All along the line, they promised to set up their servers that would give local access to 172226. In fact, there was an activity on the ground, but nothing came off it. The decision to set up the server never happened and they went back on their promises to provide connectivity leaving their existing customers high and dry. Last heard one of them even threatened legal action.
I was talking to the distributor concerned with the commotion, when I realized that how these people have repeatedly went on their promises. Not realizing the enormous costs to the person concerned but at the cost of the goodwill that he had earned in the market, they have almost duped him. Whatever account he gave me off VSNL was depressing to say the least. Of course, I cannot reveal my source of information in order to protect his privacy.
Tata has launched its mobile services in my city recently. I went and enquired about the Internet access. Howsoever smart these people are, it is clear that they presented themselves as sorry figures for disorganization. Heavy usage of internet is unheard off in their offices and there is no package for unlimited surfing as Reliance has. In fact, they were quite happy to deflect my queries to the same distributor for accessing the internet packs. In the course of discussion, they even did not bother to ask me about my requirements for the same. I do not expect to be pampered, but if one wants to sell a product, there is definitely a way around to do so.
The foregoing account gives me enough proof that Tata’s are best in making “Desh ka Namakâ€. I wish they stuck on the same. The after sales services are absolutely lousy. Despite the massive hoarding showing smiling Indian Cricket Captain, I wonder what good has it done to them. If they cannot take care of the existing customers and reneging on their commitments and promises, why would new customers ever sign up for the same?
The purpose of this post is not to trash the quality of the services because I have never used the same. Hence, I cannot comment on the same. This is something that I have experienced on a first hand basis and a personal account. I have a reason to believe that VSNL s infrastructure and the net telephony offer is excellent. A great product that is being marketed so blandly by the bosses in the saddle, it is hard to believe that they got their jobs in the first case. Or rather retained it in the first place.
VSNL is advertising itself as the pioneers in India who got Internet. It is an asinine claim because there was none other at the time. As a part of the government structure, it had to. How does this translate in being a pioneer is beyond my comprehension. If Tata after acquiring VSNL did not retrench the staff, it was their biggest mistake. I am sorry to say but they have their minds stuck in the cobwebs of inefficiency. Make the people accountable for their lapses. I am sure that despite the higher tariff structure of their plans, it is worth it to invest in the same; at least better than BSNL.
Let us hope!
Discuss on: Sify Broadband, Tata Indicom, Airtel Broadband, Reliance Broadband, MTNL – BSNL Broadband, Dial Up, Others
This post was submitted by Dr. Abhishek Puri on the Broadband Blog on Techwhack.
Airtel, BSNL, General Thoughts, MTNL, Reliance, Sify Broadband, Tata, Tata Indicom
Abhishek
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March 20th, 2005 at 07:05 am
I AM INTER USE AND BROD BAND WEN WIRTH USE & DISTRUBATE
March 20th, 2005 at 07:06 am
I AM INTER USE AND BROD BAND WEN WIRTH USE & DISTRUBATE
March 20th, 2005 at 06:35 pm
I AM INTER USE AND BROD BAND WEN WIRTH USE & DISTRUBATE
March 20th, 2005 at 06:36 pm
I AM INTER USE AND BROD BAND WEN WIRTH USE & DISTRUBATE
September 29th, 2005 at 06:30 pm
i want the details regarding the internet services in mumbai-malad
September 29th, 2005 at 08:00 am
i want the details regarding the internet services in mumbai-malad
March 6th, 2006 at 02:32 am
We are using Tata indicom broadbrand services and the user-id is comnrdip@eth.net. I am sorry to inform u that the services that we are getting is very bad
March 6th, 2006 at 02:02 pm
We are using Tata indicom broadbrand services and the user-id is comnrdip@eth.net. I am sorry to inform u that the services that we are getting is very bad
July 30th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
The best sentence was *TATAs are good at making indian namak – they should specialise in it*
I am one more unfortunate customer who is waging a running battle with TATAs to make them to comprehend my requirement. When I said I needed temporary disconnection
they did not disconnect. When I needed it., they disconected it. Fed us with their lack of understanding, dont care customer attitude, unreasonable billing, refusal to understand and address your problem,- You can never complain to anybody – only thing is you will have to report to customer service, who they say will forward the same to the concerned departments – When U ask for a reply, they will say they have forwarded to the department and our getting a reply or not is not their problem – U complain again and again they will do the same thing – U can”t complain to anybody else and you willnever be allowed to see anybody for a complaint – Even if you threaten them that U will represent to Ratan Lal Tata, pat comes the reply, even he will ask you to report to customer service – They will inform anything only orally -No reply to your email – nor anyform of any reply or even an acknowledgement – SHAME ON TATAs -
July 30th, 2006 at 11:31 am
The best sentence was *TATAs are good at making indian namak – they should specialise in it*
I am one more unfortunate customer who is waging a running battle with TATAs to make them to comprehend my requirement. When I said I needed temporary disconnection
they did not disconnect. When I needed it., they disconected it. Fed us with their lack of understanding, dont care customer attitude, unreasonable billing, refusal to understand and address your problem,- You can never complain to anybody – only thing is you will have to report to customer service, who they say will forward the same to the concerned departments – When U ask for a reply, they will say they have forwarded to the department and our getting a reply or not is not their problem – U complain again and again they will do the same thing – U can”t complain to anybody else and you willnever be allowed to see anybody for a complaint – Even if you threaten them that U will represent to Ratan Lal Tata, pat comes the reply, even he will ask you to report to customer service – They will inform anything only orally -No reply to your email – nor anyform of any reply or even an acknowledgement – SHAME ON TATAs -
October 5th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Hello i am an existing user of tata indicom services and was very happy with the services. Due to the nature of my work i had to go for a 256 kbp unlimited package and there began my woes since i started with this package i have not a full days of download, there browing facility keeps going downa nd i have to switch over to my back up mtnl which is definitey not up to the mark unfortunately i dont have airtel in my area otherwise i wouldnt have even thought about tataindicaom.
Anyway i am actually very happy with there service but the unfortuante part is that i rarely seem to be getting it.i hope this letter reaches some hihger up bosses and they decide to improve the service i am liste din there recorrds as deshsecurities@vsnl.net
October 4th, 2006 at 11:56 pm
Hello i am an existing user of tata indicom services and was very happy with the services. Due to the nature of my work i had to go for a 256 kbp unlimited package and there began my woes since i started with this package i have not a full days of download, there browing facility keeps going downa nd i have to switch over to my back up mtnl which is definitey not up to the mark unfortunately i dont have airtel in my area otherwise i wouldnt have even thought about tataindicaom.
Anyway i am actually very happy with there service but the unfortuante part is that i rarely seem to be getting it.i hope this letter reaches some hihger up bosses and they decide to improve the service i am liste din there recorrds as deshsecurities@vsnl.net
February 18th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Why do people still opt for tataindicon? Reading your post,i started thinking about it.I opted for it because they said it would get activated within 5 days.And Kajol looks so damn happy with her ‘high speed connection’in the ad..something i was hoping to experience when i paid,but am so far from that dream right now.
You know how they say that one shouldn’t argue with fools..they drag you down to their level,and then beat you with experience.That’s exactly what i’ve gone through since my association with tataindicom.They don’t do their work,and then insult your intelligence by saying stupid lies,which even a 5-year old can decipher the truth behind.I was actually told that the guy was in traffic and couldn’t hear me when i called him,on a landline number.This is after i called incessantly and he kept saying he would call back,and never did.So this is customer care.And,oh,the man who kept saying ‘take your money back’ deserves special mention.There i was,telling him how they’ve been squatting on my money,and how i’ve been asking for either the connection or a refund since a month,and he says “so what were you doing for a month? you should have taken your money back then only”.When i gave him an illustration of someone who i know who has been asking for his refund for a year,he says “If thats the case why did you come to Tataindicom in the first place,there must be something good about us”.These are the exact words of sunil shitole.Glad he has the word ’shit’ in his name.That’s all he is full of anyway.
The truth is,i met this person later..the waiting for refund for a year person.Oh,the price i’ve had to pay for my ignorance.
To be inefficient is one thing..to pretend like they have a right to inefficiency,as if its a Fundamental Right guaranteed by the Constitution,is another thing altogether.Never,in all my lives,have i met more confused,inefficient,intellectually incompetent,technically unsound,and arrogant people.Tataindicon seems FULL of such people.
But still,what to do?
February 18th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Why do people still opt for tataindicon? Reading your post,i started thinking about it.I opted for it because they said it would get activated within 5 days.And Kajol looks so damn happy with her ‘high speed connection’in the ad..something i was hoping to experience when i paid,but am so far from that dream right now.
You know how they say that one shouldn’t argue with fools..they drag you down to their level,and then beat you with experience.That’s exactly what i’ve gone through since my association with tataindicom.They don’t do their work,and then insult your intelligence by saying stupid lies,which even a 5-year old can decipher the truth behind.I was actually told that the guy was in traffic and couldn’t hear me when i called him,on a landline number.This is after i called incessantly and he kept saying he would call back,and never did.So this is customer care.And,oh,the man who kept saying ‘take your money back’ deserves special mention.There i was,telling him how they’ve been squatting on my money,and how i’ve been asking for either the connection or a refund since a month,and he says “so what were you doing for a month? you should have taken your money back then only”.When i gave him an illustration of someone who i know who has been asking for his refund for a year,he says “If thats the case why did you come to Tataindicom in the first place,there must be something good about us”.These are the exact words of sunil shitole.Glad he has the word ’shit’ in his name.That’s all he is full of anyway.
The truth is,i met this person later..the waiting for refund for a year person.Oh,the price i’ve had to pay for my ignorance.
To be inefficient is one thing..to pretend like they have a right to inefficiency,as if its a Fundamental Right guaranteed by the Constitution,is another thing altogether.Never,in all my lives,have i met more confused,inefficient,intellectually incompetent,technically unsound,and arrogant people.Tataindicon seems FULL of such people.
But still,what to do?