[Resolved]  Domino's Pizza — deficiency of services

Address:

New Delhi, Delhi

SUB: LACK OF SERVICE, ASSURANCE TO PROVIDE EXTRA PIZZA TO COMPENSATE LACK OF SERVICE & THREAT BY MIS-USING POLICE MACHINERY - RESULTING IN HUNGER AGONY, SERIOUS THREATENING CALLS AT NIGHT It is to submit that yesterday, i.e, 22.10.2014 at 10:08 PM I ordered 5 (Five) dominos pizza Large size Veg. telephonic by Order no.335. at Dominos Bhikaji Cama Place (bill indicating the time of order enclosed). As per the delivery terms of Dominos, the order was supposed to be delivered within half-an-hour (30 minutes) from time of placing the order, as is advertised everywhere by Dominos through its “30 minutes guarantee”. As I understand, the printing of "DELIVERY EXPERT GUARANTEE - 30 MINUTES OR FREE" highlighted and printed on their menu pamphlets and delivery bags is meant clearly for CUSTOMER SATISFACTION OF DOMINOS PRODUCT, and THEIR EFFICIENT TIMELY DELIVERY SERVICE, QUALITY SERVICE AT CUSTOMER'S DOOR-STEP. I personally appreciate dominos initiative and sincere effort on this front, i.e, Customer satisfaction, efficient & timely delivery service, quality service at customers’ door-step. However, to my utter dismay, children’s hunger agony and embarrassment in front my guests, dominos failed to honour its own commitment and T&Cs yesterday. I did not receive any calls from either Dominos or its delivery boy about the delivery till 10:45 PM. So, at my own initiative, I called dominos at Bhikaji cama place and enquired about the delivery of pizzas since my family members, guests and children were eagerly awaiting for having a sumptuous dinner from dominos that too on a festive occasion like diwali. Telephonically at 10:45 pm, I was told that the delivery boy is on his way and will come within another 10 minutes. But nobody turned up for delivery. At 10:51 pm I received call from delivery boy that I am standing behind House no. 1072, Sector-3 R.K.Puram but there is nobody at that House. How is that possible? I explained the exact location of my house, which is a prominent place near Balaji Mandir or Venkateswara Mandir. I and my son checked in and around the vicinity and found no one from Dominos. There is only one House with the no. 1072, at Sector-3 R.K.Puram and that is a fact and nobody can deny it or pretend to deny that fact. The factual question is: Q.1 WHERE WAS THE DELIVERY BOY IDLING HIS TIME – WHETHER FOR DELIVERY OF PIZZAS OR ELSE SOME OTHER PURPOSE? I tried hard to contact and guide him about my location but his mobile was switched off. On asking about the cause of this INORDINATE/UNREASONABLE DELAY At 11.05 pm, I was informed that the delivery person has returned back to the Dominos outlet and they are sending another delivery personnel instead since the previous one did not have any idea of the area and house location. I was standing in one of the gates to the colony, my son was standing on the alternate gate and another family friend in front of the house not to miss out the delivery personnel. When contacted again, the pretext taken by the dominos was- THAT OUR ORDER NO. 335 WAS A BULK ORDER, AND ANY ORDER OF MORE THAN 4 PIZZAS OR MORE IS NOT COVERED BY SERVICE GUARANTEE OF 30 MINUTES OR FREE. This fact was not communicated at the time of placing the order. The Dominos mentions everywhere about its “HOT ‘n’ fresh 30 Minutes Guarantee” and yesterday I realised that this is mentioned for its sales promotion and revenue generation only like any such other pizza business player. It is probably immaterial for the Dominos whether or not the pizza is timely delivered, hot ‘n’ fresh, or suitable for human consumption. Be that as it may, it is so amazing how a company like dominos can fool around public, its pizza-lovers, only for the reason of placing bulk orders through which its generating bulk revenue. It is highly questionable that whereas the Dominos is interested only in generating bulk revenues/income through bulk orders placed with it but whereas it showing scanty, meagre or no interest in honouring its commitment of quality, timely delivery of fresh pizza suitable and, of course, enjoyable to human consumption. I personally take this action of dominos as purely irresponsible and profit-oriented Now again the factual question: Q.2 WHY THIS ACTION OF SENDING ANOTHER BOY NOT TAKEN EARLIER SO AS TO ENSURE TIMELY DELIVERY OF PIZZAS TO CUSTOMER DOORSTEP? MOREOVER, ANOTHER FACTUAL QUESTION ARISES – Q.3 DOMINOS IS NOT EMPLOYING TRAINED AND SKILLED PERSONNEL FOR ITS DELIVERY OF PIZZAS? OR HAS FAILED TO IMPART THEM THE NECESSARY TRAINING? Finally, around 11.35 pm or so the second delivery boy arrived, delivered the cold, stale pizzas after suffering so much of mental agony, torture, hunger agony, harassment, lack of customer service, irresponsible attitude and behaviour on the part of dominos personnel. By that time some of my guests had already left without having food. NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION, COROLLARY TO ABOVE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IS – Q.4 WHAT WILL BE QUALITY OF PIZZA DELIVERED TO THE CUSTOMER AFTER SO MUCH DELAY? ALL THE ABOVE POINTS CLEARLY POINTS OUT LACK OF CUSTOMER ORIENTED SERVICE ON THE PART OF DOMINOS OR, ITS LACK OF INTEREST TO PROVIDE REQUIRED, NECESSARY SERVICE IN ENSURING TIMELY AND QUALITY DELIVERY OF PIZZA TO ITS VALUED CUSTOMERS HENCE NOT CARING FOR ITS OWN CUSTOMER PATRONAGE. Now the delivery personnel had his own defence that the menu card says that there are certain terms and conditions that apply in certain cases irrespective of the ‘all pervasive’ guarantee and full payment should be made. The point raised by me was that I was not reading from the menu card. From home I called the outlet and enquired about the variety of pizzas available under the large category and placed the order and that no exemptions were communicated at that time. If no exemption terms or conditions were stated at that time and accepted by me, then they are not applicable on me. I said that someone should be liable for the delay, for the delivery of hard cold pizzas and false statements that the delivery man is standing in the vicinity while nobody was there. His statement was that he is not responsible and hence it was told to him that he should talk to the responsible person and tell us about what is the remedy for this deficiency in services. He went away and after some time came another two people stated that the menu card of Dominoes clearly states that the limit of the liability is Rs. 300/- and that amount will be deducted from the bill amount for their admitted deficiency of services. I asked if this limit has a range or is it applicable for all orders whether it costs Rs.500/- or Rs.5000/- and the reply was that it is the maximum whatever may be the amount. Since it was a Wednesday I remembered, I asked if the ‘one plus one’ offer is there as advertised. They replied that such offer is only in the ‘green park outlet’ and not at their outlet. The discussion on the poor service, differential offers and the unreasonable cap on the liability continued wherein Dominoes personnel made statements such as- (a) pizza delivery personnel does not have the phone number of the customer and hence he could not call. I replied that the number through which the customer places the order is mentioned in the bill itself for which they replied that the Dominoes people are very mindful of the traffic rules and hence they don’t talk while driving. (b) they have the recording of mine refusing to pay and they will take action accordingly. (c) I should return the pizzas back. These illogical lies, unnecessary statements and threats really irritated me as they were unreasonable representations of the Dominoes representatives. Since it was almost midnight, I said that the matter can be discussed next day with some responsible Dominoes personnel as I found it as a futile argument. The persons from Dominoes discussed something over phone and were standing in front of my house. Then the next thing I knew was that they had fetched a PCR van to my residence stating that there is a fight going on. This really infuriated me and I told the police that there is a dispute on the quality of services rendered by Dominoes and that will be dealt as a service provider and service recipient and there was no fight. Few of my guests who were still at my house at this point also intervened and stated that the matter is clearly in the stage of discussion over the pizza delivery and this can be mutually resolved. The PCR went away and then one of our guests talked with the Dominoes personnel and then they said that since the bill amount cannot be reduced, they will deliver a free pizza tomorrow and this settled the matter. They had a telephonic conversation with someone and instead of coming to the house and they stated that they have instructions now to escalate the matter and they will not accept anything. When I received a phone from the RK Puram Thana at around 1.30 to 1.40 AM, I realised that the Dominoes people have gone to the police station for this matter. This unpleasant development is highly unexpected of Dominoes’ repute and I strongly object the decision of Dominoes to go the police instead of interacting with the customer over an admitted deficiency of services. It was quite defaming that police had to visit my house or call me at midnight for a dispute of bad pizza delivery. My major problem is that the Dominoes personnel call me over phone they do not respond at all to my complaints on services. Obviously, the calls are being recorded at your end. So, instead of interacting with the customer and to address the complaints genuinely, they are not responding at all for such statements. They instead repeatedly say over the phone that the dispute is the bill amount and threaten that they have my recording stating that I refuse to pay. The selected response of the Dominoes personnel to cover up the main dispute and to escalate another over phone is not in good taste and this will not resolve the issue. The last thing I get to hear from Mr. Bhushan Kumar (Bhikaji Kama outlet) on the day of Diwali is that the matter has been further escalated to the Legal team and that they will further sent recovery agents to my house. One thing I understand now is that the recordings done by the service provider like this are not conducive to the dispute resolution and that the attending Dominoes people do not address the real issue just to avoid the liability and premeditatedly ask only such questions that will enable the “ESCALATIONS”. Hence, I have decided not attend the calls of the Dominoes which will be conveniently recorded and deleted at your end and which is against the customer rights to complaint about the product or services. By threats such as “we have your recording” or that “we will send recovery agents” etc from Dominoes personnel, I am constantly reminded of my legal rights to quality service, privacy and against harassment of any sort. Q.5 WHY ARE THE PERSONNELS ENCOURAGED TO ESCALATE THE ISSUE BY TAKING UNREASONABLE MEASURES INSTEAD OF INTERACTING WITH THE CUSTOMER My reasonable expectation is that as a business concern aiming to provide the best customer services, you send a responsible person to communicate openly in this regard AND resolve the issue. Giridharan M