This is regarding disconnection and billing issues with Airtel Broadband. Tel No: 08041656369 Account No: 14751229. In this post I will not only talk about issues I have been facing but also highlight things about Airtel practices which everyone should be aware of. I got to know them only after burning my hands with this issue. I hope this post also helps other users deal with their Airtel issues
Issues & Sequence of events:
I had visited Airtel Outlet @ 100ft on 12 Nov 2011 to give a disconnection request. I duly filled in the form, returned the instrument to the executive. I also cleared whatever outstanding was there for that month since that is mandatory before they accept any disconnection request. I ask the representative do i need to do anything else as per their process and she said nothing else is required and it will get done in 7 working days. Despite following all their process my connection was not disconnected and I got a bill next month. I again went to the outlet submitted a complaint. Instead of complaint being resolved I was billed again and again and every time it happened I filed a complaint. Finally in Jan 2012 they disconnected the connection but the bill had accrued by then to 3k. Since then I have been getting calls endlessly to pay up. Infact they go to such indecent extent which has been reported by many in this forum. To me it happened a few days back wherein a very rude Airtel representative calls up and say you need to make the payment. I try to explain her the issue. She is no mood to listen, insteads threatens me with an ultimatum whether I will pay or no. I said No and then the foul language that started she said she would call up all my contacts and tell them about this. Next moment most of my friends and relatives get calls and this lady starts blasting them very rudely and threatened them that actions will be taken against them also if they don't ask me to pay the remaining amount.
Things that I did so far
I followed their disconnection process to the very end by visiting the relationship center, paying the outstanding amount and returning of instruments
I have submitted close to 9 complaints (Complaint Nos :7186048, 8681384, 9634060, 9990164, 10038694, 10073434, 10077082, 10436488, 11169974 )
I have visited the Airtel Relationship center 5 times in this past 3 months
Cant recollect the endless number of calls I got from various departments from Airtel
As per airtel website I even followed their process of escalation. First wrote to Nodal Officers at
[email protected] as I stay in Bangalore (Complaint Nos:11635734, 13324224)
Lastly after this indecent call which happened 2 days back I have wrote again to Nodal officers and to Appellate Officers which is the next level of escalation.
I have been a customer of Airtel since a decade and frankly I was very shocked with this entire experience. I really did have a very good opinion about Airtel. I intend to fight it out. Will update all on the outcome.
Lastly I leave with a list of points that you folks need to be aware of when facing issues with Airtel
When you give a disconnection request, Airtel doesnt give you any acknowledgement receipt. So you are screwed from day one as you dont get a proof that you actually did submit the request. In short you are at their mercy
Secondly always remember that once you give a complaint they will try your no. thrice which they do it as its mandatory Airtel process. They do but incase you dont pickup either because u were in traffic or in a meet, they will close the call
Whatever complaints you raise, irrespective of whether it is resolved or not by default it gets closed without your knowledge
Whether you place a complaint on phone or you visit the relationship center you will never get a copy of the complaint nor will they mark your email in cc with the complaint. All you get is just a complaint nos. If you look above i have plenty of those complaint nos.
There are broadly 4departments in Airtel which call you. First is customer care, backend team, billing team and Collection team. Believe me, none of this departments talk to each other on a particular issue. So for instance if you have raised a complaint on billing, your complaint would be registered but the collection dept will not know anything about it. They will just go by data and the data shows that you are a defaulter and thats it as days progress you will hounded like a wanted criminal. So be aware of this
There are two escallation bodies of Airtel viz, Nodal and Appellate Authority. I wasnt aware of these bodies until about a month back. Do reach out to them too.
The most important of all. I bet you would not know this. if you want to talk to customer care or nodal or appellate authority or for that matter any Airtel representative the IVR asks you for mobile no or account no. without which you can not get in touch with any representative on phone at all. No here is the surprise part. When your phone gets disconnected which is the case that I have, your phone no. and account gets deactivated. So if you key in these numbers in IVR it will state incorrect entry and promptly disconnect after 2 tries. So folks the message is that once you have initiated discontinuing a service you are screwed totally as there is no way to reach the helpline at all. Even today when I write emails to nodal and appellate I get a response wherein they also state you can reach us in the stated numbers but the fact is you cant. You just wont be able to get past the IVR. You can try this experiment. Try getting in touch with a customer care representative without keying in your telephone or account no. I bet you wont be able to do so
Lastly dont have the illusion that visiting the Airtel relationship center personally and give a piece of your mind will make things happens. All of their staff are all young folks out of college including their managers. All complaint you tell them, they will just log it into the system. You just dont know whom to escalate to when things are not getting resolved.
I hope everyone finds the post useful. As for me I still awaiting a response from Nodal guys which is expected next Tuesday. I like to thank the forum because as I searched, I realised i wasnt the only Airtel customer having this experience and lot many have faced or undergoing the same. Its really sad to see such a reputed company smashing all the goodwill it established over the years blow up in smoke.
Thanks
Sai
