My experiencies with Customer Service

I consider myself to be a simple customer with no demands, happy to pay due charges in time, even using ECS mandates to ensure that payments happen in time, and not compalining pointlessly over trivial service issues. Over the past couple of weeks, I have had a multiple interactions with various service providers. Its crazy sometimes, being a marketeer and in some way responsible for customer service, sitting on the other side and thinking and acting as a customer.

MTNL: These guys just blew me away with their promptness when I had trouble with my broadband connection. And the linesman repairing the fault in my broadband line called me every 30 minutes just to ensure that I was getting uninterrupted bradband connection. Small gesture, happy customer!

HSBC: The bank with whom I have been banking with for 10 years now has been the biggest let down. And I can’t even close the account how much ever hard I try. They are making me go in circles, there seems to be zero co-ordination between the branch and the call centre. I am caught in a vicious triangle of the call centre-branch-relationship manager. Global bank, hah!

Reliance Netconnect: Bad product, bad network and lousy customer service. This is one organisation where I believe no department talks to the other. The Retention Department can actually give you the moon when you want to discontinue your service. But thats that. What happens after that is one crazy whirlwind. Wonder if they even have a singular customer view.

Pop Tates: This small yet comfortable eating joint situated at 7 Bunglows, Andheri has been our favourite for years now. Smiling waiters, welcoming attitude and a plate of fries for my little daughter (on the house) while we wait for our food and drinks, makes this joint even endearing!

These experiences reinforce that customer delight are formed by the small gestures, not big promises. All organisations have policies. Very few, unfortunately, have heart.

Aman Ki Asha – WTF?

What does the Times of India really want to achieve through the “Aman ki Asha” initiative? Beats me. It is rather silly that the newspaper which claims to be India’s best and biggest, does not understand that getting a bunch of artists, cricketers and page 3 people will not solve any issue. Yes, we want peace, but one has to get realistic.

The issues do not lie with the people. The “aam” aadmi does not care about the peace with Pakistan, he worries about his next meal. He does not care about the ghazal singer from Karachi, he wonders about why is Ajmal Kasab still alive. The real issues are on the political front. No amount of people’s movement, if that ever happens, will serve any purpose towards peace. Yes, The “Times of India” can vie for another award (in journalism or social advertising), like they did with Lead India and the Teach India campaigns. But even the campaign looks unconvincing, defensive, and non committal in its targets.

Many issues remain unanswered. Should we forget and move on? What does TOI have to say about the firing across the border which occurs almost everyday? And what about the likes of Sarabjeet? And will it get the Jang Group to pressurise the Pakistani government to finally come clean and accept the attack on Mumbai?

Wet dreams, TOI. “Aman ki Asha” just feels good, doesn’t achieve anything. And yes, it soils you.