Location/place: New Delhi
Name of company/service: Airtel DTH
MAHESH KUMAR SARAF – AIRTEL DTH ID 3011566053
It is quite unfortunate that service provider like Airtel is lagging in customer satisfaction and exploiting their helplessness to its advantage.
I got my Airtel DTH connection on 24.11.2012. I wanted the dish antenna to be installed on the front wall of my ground floor house as other’s had done, but the service engineer insisted on installing at the roof top stating that signal would be better. I didn’t object as they are professionals and know better than me. However, the cemented wall / bar on which they wanted to install the antenna was very thin and, therefore, not suitable for installation as 2 of the 3 nuts would have to be screwed on the edge of the wall, thus weakening its strength. When I objected, they assured me that it will remain intact and even if anything goes wrong they will reinstall. I had nothing to object then. However, while they were installing the cracks developed on the wall, as feared. Still, they insisted that nothing will happen and that they are there to set right the things. I accepted.
On 28.03.2013, there was a squall and the antenna got uprooted from the same two places where cracks had developed and was hanging on one nut/screw only. The signal was lost with error code – B001. Despite repeated efforts, I could not get their customer helpline numbers the same day as they were busy. On 29.03.2013, I spoke to the executive, Mr. Hassan who told me that Rs.250/- will be charged for reinstallation. When I narrated the whole installation story he transferred my call to his senior, Mohd. Tarif. Mr. Tarif lodged my complaint under ref. no.29428908 and said that I would get a call from their office within 4 hours. When I did not receive their call even for 10 hours, I called them up once again. This time Mr. Akhilesh was on the line. Again, I narrated the whole story including the installation part. I was told that I should have brought the matter into their notice then itself when the installation was taking place as those were the outsourced agency staff. I questioned as to how do I know that they were outsourced agency staff when they were wearing shirts inscribed “Airtel”. Mr. Akhilesh then told me that he would register my complaint and get the antenna installed at the same place as relocation would cost me Rs.250/-. I insisted installing at the same place won’t be tenable and I will have to call you again & again. Also, charging Rs.250/- is unethical on the part of the Airtel keeping in view the facts I have stated. However, finally I agreed to get the same installed at the same place. My complaint was registered under ref. no.29445435.
Next day i.e. 30.03.2013, I got a call from telephone no.43046026 that the man will come to attend to our complaint between 12.30 to 1.00 p.m. When no one turned up even up to 3.00 p.m. I called back on the number. A lady picked up the phone and told me that I had refused to get the antenna installed as I was not willing to pay Rs.250/-. I said, where is the question of paying Rs.250/- when antenna has to be installed at the same place and that it has not to be relocated. To my surprise, she mentioned installation at that place is not possible and that you will have to pay Rs.250/- for relocating the same. Without visiting the spot by any of their staff she mentioned that installation was not possible at the same place. It clearly implies that either they would have recollected the installation story on seeing my address as this is not a very old case or wanted to exploit the situation. I called back at the customer care without any positive results.
It is not a question of Rs.250/- as this is a very small sum. I am not willing to pay meager Rs.250/- because their demand is unjust as, instead of finding fault in me/customer, they should have deputed their own engineer to supervise the work done by outsourced agency staff. A customer is not a technical hand and, therefore, it becomes the duty of the service provider to ensure that the work done on its behalf is perfect. I had paid the amount to Airtel and, therefore, can hold Airtel only responsible. Outsourced agency staff fooled me. They never mentioned that Rs.250/- would be charged for relocating the antenna nor airtel staff mentioned to me. Had I been informed earlier, I would not have allowed them to install the antenna at that place.
To sum up, I can only say that Airtel is exploiting the situation knowing well that the subscriber has already paid for the set top box and monthly subscription and, therefore, won’t change to any other service provider. This is unethical business practices and won’t last for long. Persons like me won’t succumb to such extortion tactics and rather prefer switch to other service provider by shelling out another Rs.1500-Rs.1600. Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal must not forget that it takes years together to reach to the top and seconds only to touch the nadir.
MAHESH KUMAR SARAF
9818652642
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