My airtel customer care story

November 17, 2011 (Time 6:30 pm)

Scene 1: My friend comes into my room and says that he can’t connect to my phone. I check my phone, and find that the postpaid sim I am using is displaying a “Invalid Sim” message where it previously said “airtel”.

Act 1: I take my friend’s post paid airtel connection and dial 121- the customer care number.

Irritating Computer Voice (ICV): For Hindi press 1, for Chattisgarhi press 2, for English press 3.

I press 3. So far so good!

ICV: Please enter your ten digit mobile number.

I enter my mobile number.

The computerized voice says, “You have exceeded your input limit, we are connecting you to our Customer care rep (CCR)”.

What the hell! It was you who asked me to enter the 10 digit mobile number. But I don’t care because they are connecting me to the CCR.

CCR: Namaskar, mera naam Lokesh hai

Me: (slightly surprised on the Hindi introduction as I chose option ‘3’ for English).

Well, I don’t have any problem with Hindi conversation, but why the hell then provide the option to choose the language at the first place, if it does not matter to airtel.

Me: Mera naam so and so hai aur mera number hai ......

 After these customary introductions I tell him my problem that my postpaid sim is not working. It stopped working suddenly without any warning.

CCR: Sir, aap hamare bahumulya customer h (or something similar shit)... aapke number se lag rha hai ki ye ek postpaid number hai.

Me: (thinking in my head) - Thank you, Einstein for reminding me.

Yes, says me.

CCR:Sir, again that random shit about me being their bahumulya customer... hum yeha per aapki koi madad nhi kar payenge. This is the prepaid CC. Please contact our post paid CC centre.

Me: !!!

Now I realize language option should have been least of my concern. These geniuses have the intelligence to separate pre-paid from post-paid CC. But not the intelligence to direct me to post paid CC when I am calling from a post paid number.

Well I just wanted my number to be activated, so I told him that I am calling from a post paid number then why the hell is my call connecting to a pre paid CC.

He again says the random shit about me being Bahumulya Customer and airtel being sorry for the inconvenience. None of which really matters to me really.

He provides me the number to post paid customer care- 9893012345. He informs me that it is again a toll free number like 121. He also takes the liberty to inform me that any call made at 121 will be redirected to the pre-paid CCR.

Act2: I disconnect the call, and dial 9893012345.

Well, well, well! What do we have here?

The computerized voice informs me in Chattisgarhi language: The number you have dialled does not exist. Please check the number and dial again.

Me: WTF! Your moronic lady behind that recorded computer voice. Do you realize it is your CCR that gave me that number?

I have to get my number activated, I realized. So again I decide to dial 121.

ICV: For Hindi press 1, for Chattisgarhi press 2, for English press 3

I press ‘3’, realizing the futility of the operation. But language is really not my concern at the moment.

The irritating Computer Voice (ICV): You have not chosen any option, please choose your option or wait for us to repeat.

Me: (checks on the screen if I pressed the option or not. Then I thought maybe the Blackberry costing nearly 21k might be malfunctioning and this moronic ICV is right.)

I again press 3.

ICV: You have not chosen any option, please choose your option or wait for us to repeat.

I again press 3.

ICV: (after some moments) - For Hindi press 1, for Chattisgarhi press 2, for English press 3

I again curse the useless 21k BB and press 3.

ICV: You have not chosen any option; please press your 10 digit mobile number.

Me: (thinking, what a useless handset, entered the 10 digit mobile number)

ICV: Thank you for calling Airtel, some random shit about me being important to Airtel.

Call Disconnects!!

Me: What just happened?

Act 4: I again call 121, expecting a request to choose the language option.

 I could not have been more wrong.

ICV: Thank you for calling Airtel, some random shit about me being important to Airtel.

Call Disconnects!!

Me: What! Please don’t take away the fun of choosing a language option from me. I really like to pass my time by calling the moronic Airtel CC.

Act 5: I Dial 121, expecting anything now.

I was expecting something new this time. Again I could not have been more wrong.  

ICV: Thank you for calling Airtel, some random shit about me being important to Airtel.

Call Disconnects!!

Act 6: repeat of Act 5. Only this time I was ready to be surprised.

Act 7: Repeat of Act 6 and Act 5.

.

.

.

Act n: Still trying to connect

Now I realize. What a moron I am. Calling CCR is for illiterate fools who don’t know to use the internet. The internet is all very powerful.

So I enter www.airtel.in

Click on the contact tab.

What do I find here!

Incase you are calling from airtel mobile, please contact us on 121.

Me: ____________________________________________ (it is the state of my mind right now)

I am not ready to give up yet now.

I turn to twitter. Search for Airtel and find the airtel official twitter page. There I see some tweets from airtel apologizing to some of its customer for the inconvenience and informing them of the next plan of action.

I feel happy. Oh! So the Airtel guys respond on twitter.

I send two tweets to them about my situation.

Not to take things lying down. I switch to FB. Find Airtel page.

There were so many unhappy customers on this page, I really felt sorry for Airtel and thought against saying anything on this page.

...

...

...

Instead of waiting I thought of writing this blog

For general information purpose, my sim is still not working. As for the grammar and sentence formation, please excuse me. As the things that come straight out of the heart don’t follow the boundaries set by the rules of grammar. What’s important are my emotions and my non functional Sim.

Airtel, please help me.

And as I was about to post this blog, I get a tweet from Airtel that says, “Hi, Our apologies for the unpleasant experience.please allow us some time to arrange a call back for you.Thanks”

I replied: “how will you call back, u didnt ask for my number!!”

I again got a tweet from Airtel this time asking me to DM (direct message) my contact details. For twitter illiterate people DM is sending a private message that will be visible to only the intended recipients as opposed to the general tweet.

Again a tweet from Airtel: “Thanks for sharing ur contact details, will arrange a call back for u.”

Well so far I am satisfied, apart from my non-functioning Sim card.

In the meanwhile if my issue is resolved I will get blog it back. 


Novermber 18, 2011 (3:30 pm)
Still waiting for Airtel to call me back. Meanwhile I have sent another twitter to twitter reminding them of their commitment. 


November 18, 2011 (6:00 pm)
I have mixed feelings. Got a call from Airtel, so I am happy, but there is some problem with my Sim card from my end. So I am unhappy. 
But atleast I was able to contact Airtel CCR and ask about my problems. Nothing beat that feeling... :D