Know your Rights as Customers in dealing with Telecommunications Companies

Nice to have so many people from India, U.K and so many other countries come forward to support my petition against the Dishonest Business Tones of Vodafone...

For some this may be sheer wastage of time but for some such things matter ! Any telecommunications company could target you next and One has to stand up against such harassment as One to start with and then collectively as One  ! 

Vodafone may never respond positively ! Vodafone may never act responsibly ! But we as customers still still need to spread the word around about their dishonesty to create an awareness amongst others who may become their next victims. Customers must know their Rights ! Customers must be aware of how to deal with the unpleasant behaviour of any Telecommunications Company for that matter !

Just the other day a Vodafone customer I know was being bullied into paying for the 4G SIM card which is supposed to be delivered free at your residence on putting a request for it through their customer service number. Fortunately I intervened and talked to the Manager and as luck would have it that day the Manager agreed with me and ensured free delivery of the 4 G card. So it is important to know what you are entitled to and how...Know your Rights as Customers ! 

Thankful to All of you who supported my petition ! Started with one and now there are 32 supporters...Means a lot ! Please spread the word around !

A new Chapter - Good Customer Service at Marks & Spencer

In recent times, Marks & Spencer GIP Mall has undergone a huge transformation in it's customer service and attitude towards customers and I for one am certainly glad about seeing this positive change in their attitude. The credit goes to their Managers ( Mr. Anand and Mr. Rishab ) as well who it seems took my recent feedback seriously regarding the impatience and insensitivity demonstrated by a certain staff member in dealing with me and specially a senior citizen. So you see how important it is to bring forward your concerns so that they may be addressed if possible by the stores.

Since then I have experienced a visible change in their way of dealing with customers and I compliment them in taking my feedback seriously and implementing it right away to enhance their customer service. Henceforward shopping would be certainly a pleasant experience at their store hopefully. As it is I like their exchange policy whereby they give you a credit note for a long duration to shop later or refund the entire money. Just last week I was forced to return a very nice top as the piece was defective but I seemed to have misplaced the price tag as I took the piece back to the store much later since the day I was about to wear it. Fortunately the store manager accepted the defective piece to be returned in exchange for a credit note based on the bill I provided and I am truly grateful to him for that.

Their staff  members like Navneet and Amjad Khan are quite helpful, courteous and interactive. Their  knowledge of clothing contributes in selecting the right stuff for yourself as a customer.

Such good customer service extended to me and the pleasantness of their staff now will definitely make me want to keep going back there for more and more shopping !

We did it !!!

It  is always important to speak up ! It is important to do something ! If nothing else many customers feedback including mine made a difference and even though a very delayed response and not well timed in my case, Air India has agreed to extend miles of customers till 30th of June 2016 ! 

So we definitely made a difference if not for us then for others !

Air India may have initiated some flexibility in it's dealings with it's Flying Returns Members and that is a start but Lufthansa is still way behind...Miles and More should follow suit...

No pleasant returns from Air India's Flying Returns mileage programme

I think Air India's Flying Returns is the worst ever mileage programme that I have come across because one faces lots of hurdles and unpleasantness in simply redeeming miles leave alone upgrades. The entire interaction with their staff handling flying returns at their central contact centres is just not smooth as they just don't know much about their own mileage programme and every representative offers a different perspective about flying returns resulting in total confusion. The customer suffers because of their lack of accurate information and lack of real assistance to resolve any issues or complaints regarding redeeming miles. In fact they are very rigid in their approach and just do not know how to deal professionally with customers.

As for Air India's Flying Returns Service centre at Mumbai, they are just not responsive or interactive. They never really answer calls or reply to your mails even if you constantly send them reminders regarding mileage related queries . They are as good as not being there.

I have an old account with them and in all these years they never ever thought of  verifying my details. Suddenly AI wakes up and realises that they need to verify my details just when the miles are about to expire ! Naturally one cannot redeem miles till KYC is updated and verified according to them and one can't help but think that their timing is perfect in terms of making the customer lose their miles because the verification process takes time. I can't help but think that it would have only been fair had they informed me much earlier about the KYC updating, I would not be on the verge of losing my miles. It seems now because of them I may be about to lose an award flight since their back end team is just not in the mood to verify the documents I updated ( proof of address certificate by the Superintendent of Police, passport details, aadhar card etc.). And their lack of co-operation in the matter reveals their lack of interest in promoting their mileage programme. They were not willing to extend the miles so that the customer does not suffer by losing miles due to their delays in verification or even accept another alternative where the customer could provide the KYC documents in person at their office so that the miles could be redeemed right on time before the expiry date,

Emirates has a much better mileage programme compared to Air India or Lufthansa for that matter and have a very courteous and flexible attitude towards their customers. Emirates had once extended my mother's miles for a year  as they were having technical problems but Lufthansa never did anything like that and Air India too would not ever extend such courtesy to their customers in the same situation. Flying Returns definitely does not offer pleasant returns !

Costa Coffee Shop

Life is all about choices and the choices we make everyday affects are lives in so many ways...Some choices are easy and some difficult...but each good choice makes our lives worthwhile and getting value for the hard earned money we spend is one such choice. It is our right to get value for the money we spend on purchasing things or the services we use...

Recently I visited the newest mall in the neighbourhood and after a very long time for the first time around here did I actually enjoy a steaming hot and delicious cup of Hot Chocolate at Costa Coffee situated in the DLF Mall Noida...The ambience is great and a very courteous person responsible for this shop there by the name of Dinesh prepared the most delicious thick Hot Chocolate beverage for me and that made my evening. It is all about the right amount of mixing ! At the time of placing an order, I had shared with him the fact about Costa not really serving that good a Hot chocolate and that I was yet to come across a truly tasty Hot Chocolate drink here but he assured me that this time I would change my mind about Hot Chocolate drink at Costa's and he stood true to his word. I am already looking forward to my next visit there because of  the good service and the delicious Hot Chocolate drink served there. Cost may be high but it certainly is value for money there all thanks to Dinesh !

All Nippon Airways India

It is always a pleasure to interact with the ANA ground staff at the reservations office in India specially in the capital. They are courteous, helpful and flexible. They are always ready to offer alternative fares and alternative flights to make your travel experience with them as pleasant as possible. What I like the most about them is that they always give you sufficient time to re-confirm your booking with them before payment by putting the booking on hold for a few days because they are confident that their customers would always return to them and the new customers would choose them.

NH flights as well as their code share flights with United Airlines to U.S.A are quite convenient and affordable and more so if you are flexible with your dates. As it is they offer the best fares to Japan and a host of other amenities and discounts on your arrival there to enjoy their country to the fullest.

Somebody has to make an effort in trying to change things for the betterment of consumers !

I intend to wait as long as it takes...And the petition remains open ! Whatever people may say I choose to pursue this matter as far as possible and as long as possible. Vodafone has still not instructed the representatives named in this petition to send out a genuine apology letter. It seems that it has become a fashion for telecommunications companies like Vodafone and Reliance to treat their customers badly and easily get away with it. This has to stop ! We as consumers need to get together to ensure that we get pleasant customer service. 

From activation of a number till deactivation of a number and from buying their products to upgrading plans, customers face thorough harassment and this is not acceptable. Customers are forced to buy certain plans, forced to retain numbers or forced to give up numbers by these telecommunication companies through verbal and mental harassment. This should not be allowed as the customer has the right to decide or choose how long he/she wants to stay with a telecommunications company as long as the customers is paying bills on time and following rules. So customers should be entitled to valid answers and justification if a company wrongfully deactivates their numbers and services.

 Please stand with me and spread the word around to people to support this petition. Many a times I am discouraged by people to continue with this petition for my safety and peace of mind but I contradict that because someone has to become the voice of so many or things will never change around here. We can at least try to work towards changing things for the betterment of consumers.https://www.change.org/p/trai-department-of-telecommunications-vodafone-s-dishonest-business-tones