Express Yourself - Airtel

Most of the brands & products have a tag line just for the sake of having one - simply a tag line.

But Airtel actually believes in its tagline - Express Yourself! And believe you me - as an Airtel subscriber, as many others will vouch for it, one gets to express himself/herself quite often - to Airtel's Customer Service Executives.

Whether its landline/broadband or its mobile customers, Airtel gives them many a opportunities to express themselves. In fact the process of expression starts from the day one - when you apply for a new connection. Let me share my experiences with them.

Considering the need for working from home for both - me & my wife, I decided  to get a broadband connection and the only one available was, if you excuse our deal old MTNL, Airtel.

So there they were - at my place, selling me their services. I was asked to choose the phone instrument and was informed that the basic one would cost X amount, while the cordless ones were of the range Y to Z.

What does one perceive of it? Isn't it that the cost of the instrument will vary on the basis of the instrument one chooses? That's exactly was my perception too.

So here am I - choosing an high-end cordless instrument for an amount Z.

Within 2 months of the installation, and many a "Express Myself", this higher-end cordless phone was repaired thrice and in the end, I got so sick of it, that I asked them to change it to the basic instrument costing Rs.X.

And from this time, my "Express Yourself" stint picked up steam. The Airtel guys came, changed the instrument to the basic one, and tool back the high-end cordless. After Expressing Myself again for more than 5 times over the phone & never-ending e-mails, I was told that they wouldn't refund the difference of the cost between high-end cordless & the basic one, as the amount they had charged me in the beginning was not for the telephone instrument, but behold, it was for installation.

Now where in this world can I find a wise man who can make me believe that the cordless phone requires a complicated kind of installation, which demands a higher price! Though, whatever I have seen of installation, I have 3 Airtel connections with the basic instrument in my office, it's the same for each instrument. The length of the cable remains same, as well as the number of connectors.

Since then, I swore never to earn any opportunity to "Express Myself" and stay away from Airtel, though how much I wish, I cant give-up the Airtel connection at my place till I get other options, or BETTER, move to a new place.

So People, keep "Expressing Yourself"! I can happily recommend you to Airtel when their DSAs call me selling me other connections or asking for references.

Till then, Ciao Ciao

Fight for Rights

My family members crib that most of the time they find me arguing with the customer care executives of banks, credit card companies, ISP, telephone/mobile companies or airlines. But they do appreciate my efforts, the efforts which have caused removal of many a hideous charges from various bills which we consumers are deluded to accept if not noticed, or by not reading "fine print" and "conditions apply".

Most of us dont go into details of the bills usually, only looking at the overview, and trusting these companies to be fair & ethical. Unfortunately, these companies are anything but that.

And unless you bring these issues to their notice, they wouldn't even bother and put the onus on the consumers to find out any problem with their bills. However, these same companies would go to any extent if you don't make their payment on time, sometimes perhaps by no fault of yours. You might even receive a call from one of their goons using the choicest of abuses and threatenings if you have defaulted in a payment. You might want not to pay some bills due to any dispute, but the companies would force you to pay first and then discuss how the dispute occured.

I am taking this fight to the street now. I refuse to lie down and take bull-shits from these companies. If that means taking them to various court of laws, spending my time & resources, and seeking support from other affected consumers - so be it.

My 1st effort is to create this blog and through it create a fraternity for Participation, Collaboration, Exchange of News & Views so that it adds value to any of the consumer who is in need of a help against the might of these companies.

I invite suggestions, comments, examples, and just about anything which can help me in fighting for my rights as a consumer.