Dear Sir/Madam,
Please understand that I am at my wits end and your company is leaving me very few options left.
My name is Adrian Cavinder. I have lived in Bangalore for almost 20 years and am currently a Principal of a learning centre here for international students. In all my years of interaction with companies for various personal requirements, I have never, repeat never, been treated so uncaringly.
On the 21st September I applied for an Airtel broadband connection; I did this because your company was recommended. I paid rs. 4297 by cheque. You processed it within 2 days! Unfortunately, you found out AFTER you had processed it, that your company could not supply a connection in my particular area. Why this was not checked prior to cashing the cheque is beyond me. However, I was told that the full refund would be processed immediately. I hope you will agree that considering your company was at fault, it would have behooved you company to act promptly and efficiently to ensure that a potential customer remain so. Instead, by your negligent and almost farcical attitude, you have managed to alienate a customer to the point where I will not hesitate to express my opinion to those within my sphere of influence.
From the 24th September to the 20th October, your company made no attempt to contact me at all. I had to contact your company at least 4 to 5 times to find out what was happening to my refund. I was led through Lewis’ wardrobe into a land of make-believe. I was informed by very polite, very sincere, but very deluded call operatives that my refund would be despatched in 2 days, 10 days, 15 days. Each one, mind you, being quoted AFTER the other ‘promised’ timeframe had elapsed. In other words, it was just stretched and stretched until it became impossible to believe Airtel employees anymore. It would benefit your company immensely if more of your employees were to live on the right side of the wardrobe.
On the 22nd of October, I again called your company and spoke to the next level up from the call operative. He assured me that the refund would be sent within 2 days (another 2 days!). At the precise moment I was talking to this person, a courier arrived from Airtel with, lo and behold! A refund cheque for rs. 1,000!!!! Such audacity! Such impudence! Well, it is either extreme audacity or extreme ineptness. For a company of Airtel's stature, either should be condemning.
On the 22nd evening, on my way home, your company called again and told me that my refund would be processed within the next 45 days!!!!!!!!!!! This is absolutely absurd! And this is why I am at the point of having few options left to me. Your company made a mistake and I am being mentally harassed because of it.
When I first came here over 25 years ago, I learned very quickly that a 'process' could and would take at least 45 days, due to the bureaucratic monster that was in place at the time. A paper had to go from pillar to post, and back again; get lost in between and only see the light of day after a multitude of totally unnecessary signatures. It is inconceivable that a supposedly 'modern' company in 2009 is still 'processing' in 45 days! What is your problem? Too many people sleeping? Not enough computers? Too much bureaucracy still? Or has the witch’s wand turn most of you into stone?
Congratulations! You have managed to turn a would-be grateful customer into a customer who will not be vindictive, but who will not hesitate to share my experience of Airtel’s pathetic customer care.
Oh, my complaint number was 24788360 in case you wish to attempt to rectify an awful situation. If I do not receive my refund immediately (now it's been one whole month), you leave me no option but to seek further counsel. You seem to take a somewhat sadistic pleasure in having people suffer. So be it, if I am to suffer, I shall ensure that the pain is evenly distributed. Are you the lion or the witch?
Yours disappointedly,
Adrian Cavinder
![Indian Institute of Natural Resources Management [IINREM]](/thumb.php?bname=1&src=indian-institute-of-natural-resources-management-iinrem.jpg&wmax=182&hmax=300&quality=90&nocrop=1)
its also requested that the way in which your are forcing on IVRS to press 1 or 2 to continue and than charging for adding TEN is in- correct and falls under cheating way to deal with the customer. pl refund my unwanted charge as it is clear that i donot use TEN and option on IVRS as per rule after taking cofirmation only suscriber should be add on VAS.
J P Saini
DE(Mob) BSNL Bhavani peth Pune
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