Abp Pvt Ltd — I owe an apology from abp group

Address:

Kolkata, West Bengal

This is about #thetelegraph (Abp group), an english daily newspaper in kolkata.

I had been chosen as a winner amongst a few for the #t2 gold contest which took place recently.

I went for the same, being so happy and excited to meet the stars of the movie - gold! We were told to come at sharp 9.00am, and yes i reached sharp at 9.00am! We were made to wait for 2-3 good hours (Which may not be in their control), without even being offered a glass of water. We met the stars and got the pictures clicked. The entire thing completed in 5 mins.
However we we’re barred from clicking any selfies, and were promised pictures clicked by their photographers. Fine! We obeyed them. This happened on the 9th of aug, 2018.

Today, 10th of september, 2018, i am writing this after making so many efforts to know the status about the pictures. Yes! I haven’t yet received the pictures.

The woman who called us telling us about our winning was supposed to provide the pictures (As said to us in their office). I have been messaging her times and often for the same, just to receive no response.

I texted them on facebook, instagram everywhere. No response! At last i took to call the #abp office.

1st day i called - they transferred the call, no body picked. Line got disconnected.
2nd day i called - the reception person told please call after half an hour because concerned person is not available.
3rd day i called - the call got transferred to the #t2 department, they said please disconnect this line and gave an extension number and asked to call back.
4th time i called - a gentleman spoke to me, asked me the concern, and said the concerned person is not here, and asked me to leave my number so that they would call back.

Till today - there isn’t any response, although its been 3-4 days since i last called.
Today, i finally took this issue to instagram and commented on their picture about the same. Firstly, they deleted my comment. I commented again. My sister also commented on the same.

After 30 mins i get a call from a lady from their office. (P. S. Unfortunately i do not have call recording provision in my phone otherwise i’d have put that too, but i’m sure #thetelegraph being such a huge english daily of kolkata must have had the provision.)

Anyway, the lady confirmed my name and said, -
Lady - i just noticed you are writing things about us on instagram.
Me - yes, and started explaining my concern.
Lady - please speak slowly.
Me - i am in a doctor’s chamber, i do not have much time, hence i am speaking fast.
Lady - oh wow you are in the doctor’s chamber and commenting and posting on instagram!
Me - sorry?
Lady - i thought usually people who are unwell visit the doctor.
Me - just to clarify your doubts, i have come up to show a report of my mother, so one doesn’t necessarily need to be unwell to visit a doctor.
After a long heated conversation she is telling me that there are three things-
1. *you were amongst the many we chose as winners and not the only one*
2. *we featured your picture in the t2 paper along with the stars!*
3. *your only concern is we haven’t yet given you the pictures.*
I replied, i am not concerned about the first two points or whether you people featured or not. Secondly, do you know why i got chosen? That’s because i am a t2 reader. I have subscribed to the newspaper and paid for it and trusted it.

Next, i told her about the number of messages i have sent on whatsapp, but no response being made even though the person has been online everytime. To this she says, do you even know she is hospitalised?! I said no. Of course how will i know! You people are supposed to inform me every time i tried reaching you people. She said “are you sick?” even we did not know.
I was like what!! Your employee is not giving attendance in the office and you people weren’t even concerned that where is he/she? You people did not even have a substitute? What kind of office is this. At last i had to disconnect the phone saying i am least interested in talking to you and least interested in the pictures too.

This is how #thetelegraph (#abp group) treats its readers. I was speechless after the entire incident.

Just a small advice for you guys - please raise your employee standards apart from everything else!

High time i shift to #timesofindia maybe!!

Just btw - they blocked me and my sister on instagram!!