While a company depends on its sales force (whether in field or in office) to help it gain more clients and launch new services, a salesman/team can also not only disrepute a company but also cause it and its clients, great loss, by their foolish act and selfish act.
Sadly, I am in the middle of such a scenario as a customer and on the other side is MTNL, a telephone and internet services PSU, I have been using as my primary internet provider for past several years!
All this began with a phone call last week from a supposedly MTNL telemarketer, calling into see whether or not I wanted to switch from our existing 999 Combo Plan (1mbps unlimited access, 200 free phone calls and no FUP) to their new “Freedom1295” Plan (2mbps till 30GB, 512kbps thereafter).
The burping telemarketer (yes, he burped multiple times during the call) tried to sell the plan in between the burps, which I promptly declined, since I am happy with my current plan.
However, yesterday I got a call from MTNL, telling me that the plan change I had requested had been implemented! When I said I had never requested any plan change, the person on the other line blurted something about internet and disconnected the call! Shortly thereafter, my internet connection stopped working and I had to lodge a complaint, which was promptly answered by our usual linesman, who couldn’t resolve the login issue and told me that he would get this rectified immediately.
I informed him about both the earlier calls, which he later confirmed with me over the phone, since the reason internet had stopped working was due to the fact that MTNL had indeed changed my internet plan (that too during the month, which is against their own policies) and thus port needed to be reassigned. Once again I told him that this plan change wasn’t requested by me and I need my old plan back and was informed, he would do what he can.
Soon thereafter my internet connection started working and I was able to get back online, after suffering a downtime of around 6 hours!
Then in the evening, everything seemed to grind to a halt and this was due to the fact that MTNL’s FUP had kicked in restricting my connection to 512kbps! On the account page I could see that my plan had been changed to Freedom1295, which that burping salesman of MTNL had tried to sell to me last week, to which I had disagreed!
When I called up MTNL’s Customer Service today, they too were not only taken aback by the fact that the plan had been changed without any request, but that too in the middle of the month, which is against their own stated policy!
Not only this, in front of plan change request, test was written instead of name!
Guess Mr. Burpalot wanted to either test how plan change works and did that by using our connection as a guinea pig or worse still, did it knowingly to either meet his targets or make a few extra bucks as commission!
Which now leaves me and MTNL at loggerheads and although I have been assured that I would get a call back from them by 2:30pm today, I am not really all that certain. What I am certain about, is the fact that I will not pay a single Rupee to them, unless and until my plan is changed back instantaneously and we aren’t charged any extra money for the plan we never wanted!
Of course all this is going to waste not only my precious time, resources and mental peace, but also that of MTNL support staff and officials. And I am willing to go to consumer court for this and forfeit a phone connection we have been using for over one and a half decade and an internet connection we have been using for past 6-7 years!
All this because of Mr. Burpalot, the MTNL salesman!
11 Comments
Keep us posted on how this works .. M not sure why they are promoting these plans … they are pathetic compared to the true one speed unlimited plans…
They are promoting these plans, because it means more revenue for them, since the plan is not only Rs. 296 more than 999 plan, but also saves bandwidth for them at the end of the day.
I too face the same situation. I was using 999 Plan. One telecaller called up , i think it was last week ( couln’t recollect). He says, ” hello sir, I am calling from mtnl to inform you about a new plan that mtnl has come up with”. He didn’t asked me about changing my plan. I enquire about the new plan, that was it. And today, 01 october 2011, i see changes in my internet speed. So, i called up 1504, and was told my plan has been changed to “FREEDOM 1295”. I was told to call 1500. And again I was told to speak to mtnl officer on monday. WELL, let’s see on monday, hope I can control my anger (don’t know, don’t know…….)
Hmm… well I did call back yesterday afternoon, since I didn’t any callbacks and from the sound of operator on the other side, it didn’t look like they could do much.
So logged in online and filled a complaint and also emailed Area Manager and General Manager West Zone, you can find their contact details here http://mtnldelhi.in/gm_dgm.htm
Have gotten three calls since the morning and as per the last call, my plan ought to be changed back to 999 combo soon.
Ps. did that telecaller burped while talking? 😀
glad to know things can be done online. Would really appreciate if you could post on how you file your complaint online , am lost here, thanks
For normal complaints, this works well http://203.94.244.173:7777/vcare/index.jsp
For longer complaints (still only about 100 characters), you will have to login here http://register.bol.net.in/htmlui_new/index.html and then under the customer care tab, chose customer query.
Hi Yogesh
Any update on te status of request of the change of plan which you’d not request in the first place. I have been wanting to try MTNLs internet for a long time but the crappy customer service attitude is preventing me from doing it. I use Airtel’s 1699 4 mbps and the FUP kicks in after 75gb.
I had a harrowing experience with their 3G (MTNL) mobile and had to search all over the net trying to get the settings for my handset HTC NEXUS due to the ignorance of the customer service guys.
Cheers
No updates after the 3 phone calls from them on Saturday, last of which assured me that my plan change request to revert to the original plan is pending and would implemented soon. Will wait and see what happens today, else will call them up tomorrow.
Strange you had a problem with MTNL 3G, as far as I know, you just need to enter the APN listed here http://mtnldelhi.in/dolphin/index.php/3g-settings and you can get online ASAP. This is what I did on my Sony Ericson Xperia Mini ST15i (Android 2.3.3) and I was able to go online without any hitch and even got 1.75mbps as download speed (tested with Speedtest app).
Did get another call from them during the day, asking once again what the issue was. Just logged in to the control panel and they have changed my plan back to 999 combo.
Happy with MTNL for doing this fast enough, however I will wait for my bill to arrive next month, before giving my final judgement of them.
Just noticed that my plan has been changed back to 999 combo. Still,not exactly happy with MTNl the way things work. Got a call on monday morning asking if my internet connection is working. NO other calls relating to my problem even after emails to [email protected], [email protected]. 1500 helpline guys told me to mail [email protected]. Got mailed back telling me it relates to change of plan dealing with [email protected]. On monday evening, a call telling me i have to go and give an application to the nearest center. Sent my brother to submit the application. He was asked many a times, if he had
1.requested a 1295 plan.
2.if not, how was the plan changed? (he was asked to give an answer to his own question!!)hee haw, hee haw.
Was not given an assurance but was sent back with “will do our best to solve this, plan will surely change if not this week , then by the end of this month”.
By the way , online complaints still confused me. On broadband complaints, there is no “OTHERS” on type of complaints.
THANKS YOGESH FOR POSTING, IT DO HELPS A LOT.
Good to know your plan has been changed back as well. Mine was changed, without needing to visit their office.