Is this adbuthamina(wonderful) service?????

This is one of the rare incidents where customers are given importance and the necessary action is taken favoring the customer(Of course, my Never say die attitude and patience to type long emails were major contributors) . This was with Airtel where my ISD service was barred without any intimation. After fighting my way through many Customer Service Representatives without any result, I emailed to all the airtel email addresses I got over the website and it worked.

Unlike My worst customer service experience in my life with Reliance, which by the way still not fixed(even after 8 months and numerous visits to their showroom), this one has a happy ending and it came in just within one week.

My Email: Nodalofficer.andhra@airtel.in,appellate.andhra@airtel.in,121@airtelindia.com,
dateFeb 18, 2008 1:12 PMsubject9849131522 - Is this adbuthamina service?????????????????

Dear Airtel,
If any one of you gets time off your Adbutaimaina Service to read this email and care to respond, it will be appreciated.!!!!!!!!!!!

To brief it up, I guess my 4 or 5 year relationship with Airtel is going to end soon. Read on to know what lead to this decision:

I am user of Airtel from past few years and I was pretty much happy about the services. Yeah, one and two bitter experiences here and there ..ok I understand.

It all started with some one from Airtel calling me and telling me to consider some new bill plans. So I thought 399 super saver will be good for me and thought I will change to that plan. But the guy who called me told that as I was in CUG at that time they cannot change my bill plan over the phone and I would have to visit the showroom.

So, I visit the showroom(Splendid Towers) and a guy over there tells me that as I am in CUG from my earlier company, I would have to bring a letter from my previous company HR or Management saying that I left the company and they can take me out from CUG. I know that is meaningless and I tried to explain the same to the guy but he was not listening and was very eager to shoo me off. So, I left it off at that some point.

After a month or so, some one again from Airtel calls me to explain about the new plans and when I tell him that I was asked to bring letter from my previous company as I was in CUG, he said that that is not required and I can visit the showroom to change my bill plan.

So, one fine day I visited Splendid Towers showroom and saw Adbutaimana service posters and display cards all over and at that moment I could not realise what adbutamaina service was in store for me.

I completed the formalities of changing the bill plan and I specifically asked the lady who was processing the request regarding my ISD calls. I told her that I frequently will have to dail ISD calls and will that service be as it was and she said it will sure be. Being happy that my work is done I left the place.

Once the bill plan is changed, after few days I notice that my ISD calles were not going giving a message that I do not have the service. So I call 121 and explained the situation they guy asks me to send SMS to 121 ISD ACTIVE and my service will be restored in 3 hours.When I send the SMS as asked , I get an error saying some http error. So I call in again, and after explaining what all has been happened the guy tells me that he will put in a request from his side and the service will be activated within 3 hours.

I wait for another 3 to 4 hours and see that my service is not yet active. So again I call 121 and explain what all happened, I get an answer that I I have to pay 1500 deposit for ISD activation my service was not activated. I was told this at this point!!!!

The question I had for the guy was I am using this number from many years with ISD service and I never paid any deposit and I asked him to check my payment records in all these years and see. The guy said there might be some mistake during the bill plan change and will escalate the call.

I was transferred to Franklin and he said he needs 1 hour to research on what exactly might have happened. He said that he is sure that I will get a positive response.

After 1 hour or so I did get a call from Franklin and he said that ISD was activated on my number accidentally and it was noticed during the bill plan change and hence it was taken out. And it will be activated only if I pay 1500 deposit.

This freaked me out and I lost my cool. If any one cares to read this entire email, please check out my payment history and what all went on with me in past 2 days.

I am so pissed off with the embarrassment I had to go through without the ISD calls in past 1 week that if you guys are not doing anything about that I am thinking to file a law suite in consumer court against this incident and I have already talked to my lawyer regarding this.

To top it all, I call the nodal officer number on your website and some lady answers and says Nodal and when I start narrating she does not hear any thing or talk anything, however, I can hear all the background noises from her end. I waited for 2 mins and hung up. I called again and guess what, this time no answer!!!!!!! WoW.....is this waht you call adbuthaimaina service!?????

Also, at 9.37 am today I get a meaage that "dear customer your request for ISD activation will be processed within 4 working hours". I dont know what this means.......but certinally not adbutaimaina service!!!!

-- Thank you and regards,
Bharani Surineni

Reply I got: dateFeb 20, 2008 1:14 PMsubject9849131522 - Is this adbuthamina service?????????????????mailed-byairtel.in

Dear Ms. Bharani,

Thank you for contacting Airtel contact center.

With reference to your email dated 18/02/08 in regard to activation of ISD services on your number.

We at Airtel, use stringent measurement and control applications to ensure that the service you receive is error-free. On rare occasions, like experienced by you, we fully recognize the shortcomings and assure you of all measures to provide you with error free services.
We would like to inform you that, the ISD services on your number have been activated effective today.

It is our privilege to have you as our valued customer and thank you for your continued support. We look forward to a very warm and fruitful association with you.

Should you require any further clarifications or assistance, please reply to us via email at 121@airtelindia.com or fax us on 9849011848.

We value your association with Airtel.

"We are operational from Monday to Friday from 9.30 am to 6:30 pm. All mails coming to us after 6 pm or on weekends shall be addressed on the following working day. "

Warm Regards,
Nodal Officer.

So, as they say all is well which ends well!! I am happy as I got the service back!

P.S: little concerned when the wrote Ms. Bharani in their return email ;-)