This is recorded response you often get when you try PropCare landline -(2985) 6000.'The dialed number is busy', says a female voice. English isn't BSNL's strength, but this isn't their only weakness when it comes to customer service. BSNL subscribers at Mantri's, while reporting a complaint, go through a buck-passing procedure, involving PropCare, who refer you complaints regarding phone/broadband services to a private service provider, who, in turn, takes them up with BSNL Kelambakkam exchange. BSNL has outsourced equipment installation and upkeep, and the arrangement, it appears, absolves BSNL of its responsibility to ensure proper phone/Internet service to subscribers at Mantri Synergy.
The private service provider (read Aashik), who receives your fault reports and complaints, often pleads helplessness for he has no control on BSNL operating procedure. Customer complaints,routed through Aashik,(outsourced service provider), do not always get the attention or priority they deserve from BSNL employees.
If Mantri had a say in such BSNL franchise arrangement, they didn't have in mind the best interests of phone/Internet subscribers at Mantri Synergy. Incidentally, other developers such as L&T at Eden Park, and the Hiranandani's are reported to have gone in for BSNL service that provides for their franchisee setting up their own server for each residential complex.Under such arrangement customers can count on the private service provider to address customer complaints without having to rely on BSNL field staff.
The situation at Mantri Synergy is that Aashik is reduced to acting more as a post-office, than a trouble-shooter when it comes to customer service. And he is not always available on his cell. A neighbour in my block said she tried Aashik's number several times the other day, only to hear the response - 'this number doesn't exist'.
I checked with the Engineer of BSNL, about this. He says that the dedicated exchange for Mantri Synergy is capable of handling a number of calls at a time. This seems to bear out, due to the fact that when you ring up any local number, you get connected. The only exception is the help line number 6000.
ReplyDeleteThis phone is placed on the table of Balaji of propcare. He uses this phone for all the wheelings and dealings of propcare with the outside world. the telephone instrument is so battered and broken, which itself bears testimony to the kind of usage it is put to.
Unless propcare allocates another number exclusively for help desk, this problem will continue
The 'dedicated' exchange that AR talks about is not in question. And my point is not about inadequacy of infrastructure; it is about BSNL's functioning, and their outsourcing, which enables BSNL to insulate itself from phone/broadband subscribers, on the plea that customer service has been outsourced. I don't know which engineer AR refers to, but the one I had occasion to contact, when my phone was down, and when Mr Aashik was not available. I was advised by the BSNL official to contact Mr Aashik. When I asked what I was supposed to do when Mr Aashik went on leave, BSNL engineer quipped,'We have no report about Aashik going on leave'. Our exchange ended on a sore note. I had contacted BSNL in the first place, in the hope that my complaint would be attended to, by the concerned field staff, manning the 'dedicated' exchange for Mantri Synergy.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the snag is in the three-way arrangement - involving BSNL, private service provider, and PropCare - which needs to be re-visited at the appropriate level. Little purpose is served by naming and blaming individuals.
If I were AR, I would refrain from charging specified persons of 'wheeling and dealing', without being specific on instances of his W & D-ing. Incidentally, I have a positive take on Mr Balaji.
so do I. the worthy is a over worked soul, who is dumped with all sorts of responsibilities. Since I do ot know his official designation, and since he is the face, i see when visiting propcare office, i had to name him.
DeleteBSNL is a basket case. It is hurtling headlong into oblivion at a scorching pace, and even the UPA cant save it.
The outsourced customer care service , will invariably lead you to a dead end, after patiently opting the choice it gives you, by dialling, 1 or 2 or 3 . you cant have an option of talkig to a live person to get your problem solved.
Last week, my landline (along with the broadband service)went dead, in my adyar residence.
I registered a complaint with the automatic complaint receiving service, which gave me a complaint number and also confirmed the same by a sms message.
A day later, a linesman came, checked every thing and declared that it was a cable fault and would be attended to by another department.
1 hour later, i received a sms from BSNL stating that the complaint docket has been successfully closed.
The lie is yet to be reactivated.