Copy of email sent to Aircel, Mumbai

Dear Sir/Madam,

I’m writing to you after my patience being tested highly by your very efficient Customer Service Department and your System as a whole!… .Let me reiterate that I have been extremely patient with your Customer Service till now!

I received my first bill (which would make it very evident to you that I am a postpaid customer) on 27th May 2009, 2 days after I got a new Aircel Connection. Mr. Irshad at your Santracruz (W), Milan Subway outlet had handled my matter.

I was informed my Mr. Irshad that as a new postpaid customer, I would be entitled to a waiver of Rs.50/month on monthly rentals for 3 months for the ISD rate cutter plan and I had paid a deposit of Rs.500/- to include Local+STD+ISD.

Unfortunately my ISD was not activated and on 31st May 2009 when I went to pay the bill dt: 27th May 2009, I also filled a service request form for activating the ISD service instead of the National Roaming which got activated due a lapse at your Customer Service. That it took atleast 5 phone calls and hours and hours talking to your customer service to get the ISD activated, is a different story altogether.

I had also noticed a mistake in the bill details when I received the bill dt: 27/5/09 and I had promptly called your helpline on 30th May 2009 at 10:10pm and spoken with Mr. Sagar regarding the error in the Billing Address, which he assured me that within 24 hours it will be corrected. As a double measure, I also put in a request on 31st May 2009, with Mr. Irshad at the Milan Subway outlet when I had gone to make the bill payment.

I received my next bill on 27/6/09 and the address was still not changed (Talk about efficiency in customer service). Also I noticed that the ISD calls that I made to Boston, USA, was charged at the normal rate of Rs.6.40/min instead of Rs.1.75/min as is applicable under your ISD rate cutter plan.

So on 1/7/09, I made my first of the many phone calls to your helpdesk and spoke to Mr. Ahmed at 8:10pm and he registered the compaint under number 506308177. Mr. Ahmed was kind enough to assure me that the necessary action will be taken within 72 hours.

On 4/7/09, as I have now taken it for granted ever since the day i’ve bought an Aircel connection, NO action was taken and Mr. Homa with whom I had spoken to on 4/7/09 at 1pm, assured me that by the end of the day, necessary action will be taken.

So I patiently waited for 10 days (considering that Employees at Aircel cant count time and know only to make false promises).

On 14/7/09, I called Aircel helpdesk (AGAIN) to check on the status of the ISD charge, and I spoke to Mr. Shrikant, who, like I had expected, uttered the words “I’m sorry for the incovenience that had been caused to you, but I assure you that some action will be taken in the next 24 hours and I have already put in your complaint”. These words, if you are in my situation, would very well understand that it doesnt make sense after 14 days being passed from the day I was promised 72 hours!!!! (I would like to know here that in which part of the world, in mathematics does 72 hours equate to 14 days!!!!)

I insisted that I speak to a supervisor and Mr. Shrikant connected my call to Ms. Asha (your floor supervisor). She basically uttered the same words but didnt commit on anything (which is very sad to know that a person of responsibilitly answers so, to a customer who has been HARRASSED by your organisation so much).

Still, being very patient with Aircel, I called again on 15/7/09 and spoke to Mr. Kishor (floor supervisor) who came up with a new theory that the ISD rate cutter plan is not applicable to “post-paid customers” and as a post paid customer, I am entitled to a discount of Rs.50/month on talk time for the first three months! This brings up another situation. If we for one moment agree, that I was misinformed by Mr. Irshad at the milan subway outlet regarding the ISD rate cutter plan, (a) Why was i wrongly informed at the first place (b) where is the discount on my two bills?

Not believing Mr. Kishor (floor Supervisor), I demanded to be allowed to speak to someone more responsible (which is actually a BIG FARCE in Aircel). So he connected me with Mr. Kishor (Team Leader) who explained me the same logic that the ISD rate cutter plan is not applicable to post paid customers, etc. I tried to reason with him that (a) why did it take 15 days and so many phonecalls for someone in Aircel to inform a customer this logic (b) my Tariff enrolment form clearly states the ISD rate cutter plan being applicable to post paid customer so on what basis can Aircel deny this to me?

Mr. Kishor (Team leader) did ensure that he will personally have this matter solved and have the concerned person in your organisation call me by the end of the day. Today being 18th July, 3 days past the “end of the day” and I’ve still not received a call from the “concerned person”.

Now I will end my email with a simple question, is there any person in Aircel “man” enough to solve this issue? Or your organisation is just going to take a customer “for a ride” and let him waste his precious time making hundreds of calls to have a problem resolved that is a mistake from the side of Aircel? And, just how do you intend to compensate me for the “harrassment” caused by your Customer Service Team?

Jiten Patel
9768022012