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January 06, 2006
Kashtam-err care!
I was unable to upload my blog for the last three days, and the due credit goes to Sify Broadband (or as rightly said by one of the existing Sify employees as Sify Fraudband)! On January 2nd my internet connection got this problem of connecting for 5 minutes and then disconnecting for another 10 minutes. I was able to complete two online astro chats in this scenario – and I indeed need to thank the clients for the patience portrayed. I called Sify on the 3rd evening, and they acted promptly. Previously it was connecting for 5 minutes, and after the call was made it stopped connecting completely. And here is the chat transcript of ‘peaceful’ conversation, which took place between me and few customer care people…
I have stopped using my prepaid mobile phone to call them up. I lost Rs 10 making one single call the last time I called them up. The automated message was really kind enough to tell me that ‘kindly hold. Your call is important to us’!!! Huh, I said my money is more important than your kind words, and hung up. This time I went to a PCO to make the call…
Me - Dialing 22540868
Other Side – Welcome to Sify, press star to continue. (I really don’t know the technological reasoning behind this funny request. Why should I press ‘*’ to continue? Why can’t it go directly without me pressing the ‘*’ and also why on earth would I call them if I was not interested in continuing the conversation?)
Press ‘1’ to continue in English
Presse ‘2’ to continue in Hindi
(Why would any English speaking guy choose ‘2’ for help in Hindi? And if he is the person who doesn’t know English at all, then how can he understand the first two sentences that were spoken in English? i.e., press star to continue & press 1 to continue in English, press 2 to continue in Hindi)
Me – pressed ‘1’
Other Side – Existing users press ‘1’, new customers press ‘2’…..
Me – pressed ‘1’
Other Side – Dial up customers press ‘1’, broadband customers dial ‘2’
Me – pressed ‘2’
Other Side – Music
Me - holding
Other Side – Music, and suddenly I could hear someone
Me - hello..hello…yeah I am Kennedi…
Other Side – Kindly hold, your call is important to us (automated message)
Me – holding
Other Side – music
Me – looking at the lorry that passed by
Other Side – Skhkj Gkjjkj Mjkjkjkj, Hhkjh Ckkjkj I hkjkj Ykjjk (I guess he meant Sify Good Morning how can I help you?)
Me – hello!!
Other Side – yeah tell me sir
Me – I am Kennedi here, and I live in Velacherry, and my user ID is ******
Other Side – Silence
Me – Hello
Other Side – Yeah I can hear you sir (I never knew I was doing some kind of mike testing over the phone)
Me – yeah, so my internet has some problems, and the problem is BB 101
Other Side – what is your user ID sir? (I think that was what I told you in the very first sentence)
Me– I said *******
Other Side – I repeat sir ******
Me– yeah exactly
Other Side – it is a technical issue sir. (I would have never bothered to call you if my internet was not functioning because my girl friend refused to sleep with me)
Me – yeah I know
Other Side – I Wkjk Fkjkjkjkj Tkjkj Ckjkj Tlj Tkjkjk Tkjjkjkjjjkj Pkjjjkjk
Me – what?!!!!
Other Side – I will forward the case to our technical team sir
Me – when I can expect them? Or do I get any case number
Other Side – in another 24 hours sir. I could not give you the case number at present as our LAN is down!!!
Me – I said fine, and hung up
The bill came to Rs 6. Not a big amount but for Rs 10 I browse the internet for 1 hour!
On 3rd none turned up as expected. On 4th I made a call again, and went through the same conversation continue reading from first line, and 5th I made a call again, and finally on 5th evening someone came and rectified the problem.
I have been using Sify Broadband for 6 months now, and in these 6 months it had been down at least for 20 days - sometimes because of connectivity problems and sometimes due to rains. My sister is using BSNL broadband for the last 6 months and her net was down only for 4 hours so far! So, for the new users I would strongly recommend BSNL broadband and not Sify Broadband.
I am in fact trying to get control over my anger these days, because somewhere I read that shouting could affect your kidneys. I said My God, that would be last thing I could suffer from by shouting at these buggers, hence kept myself completely cool during whole of the conversation. Nor I am interested in suing the company for the mental stress. I have stopped that too when I learnt the processes involved in proving your case in the consumer court after my meeting with the advocate.
I have only one query on mind though. How do the internet companies compensate for the bad service they provide to the customers, when they are so perfect in collecting the money beforehand exactly on the day when it gets expired!
Let peace prevail, and let us pray for better connectivity!
Posted by Kenni at January 6, 2006 07:49 AM