AirTel Digital TV experience

[akd]

I have a Tata Sky HD connection, till now my experience have been pretty good, they respond promptly or within reasonable time. Now I need a second connection. This time I want a DVR. I don't want to add Tata Sky multiroom connection as they have 10 HD channels. I want something which does give what is not available in TSKY. I shortlisted Viideocon and AirTel. After calling came to know videocon doesn't have DVR in stoock and can't predict the waiting time. So it boils down to Airtel. Now the time line

16th Evening - I called up and booked Airtel HD recorder. Within minutes money deducted from CC. I was promised installation will be done in 48 hrs.

18th Noon - called up whether they are coming, had to explain from scratch, I was promised installation will be done by that evening, nothing happened.

19th Noon - called them up 5/6 times and every time new representative and I have to explain the same thing again and again, I think by that time I've spend close to an hour talking in phone which I dislike. Finally I was promised at 13:30 hrs that I will receive a call in next two hours, no one called, I again called up at 16:00 hrs, again I had to explain the same thing. I was promised it will be done by today/tomorrow. I have lodged a complaint regarding this.

Summary: within minutes of booking money deducted, in next 72 hrs no one called me up, I made at least 10/12 calls, wasted more than an hour for repeating the same thing and still don't know whom to talk and what to do. I have called the numbers given in Airtel website.

Can't believe this is a leading DTH service provider. I have heard good things about them, but now got a first hand experience how irresponsible they can be

I guess in almost every aspect we customers are at the mercy of these service providers. I am disgusted and dejected beyond my control. Still can't believe I almost wasted half of a day typing "1", "2", listening to computerized voices/music and talking with reps.

This is purely my personal experience and it may be a stray incidence but this is what can happen to any one.

 

[aakashr]

Its sad to see the state of affairs...........they want to introduce world class technology but lack the essential infrastructure to execute!!!

 

[technobhatt]

Airtel has pioneered in providing such horrible experiences to its customers !
Sad to hear, you had a tough time.
I could have added more bad words for Airtel shithead managers and their pathetic services.
but currently you should do the followings to get the matter escalated:
- Write down to Airtel's offcial facebook page with your customer ID (you might have got a 10 digit number after making payment). Hope they will call you back soon.
- Register a complain at Airtel's Nodal Office - 011-44985547

Also, I have sent you a PM with Airtel Presence guy's number. Try to call that as well. He can help.

HTH.

 

[baijuxavior]

Airtel is known for their notorious customer care. There are lots of threads on this subject in many online forums incluf=ding HFV.

 

[akd]

Airtel has pioneered in providing such horrible experiences to its customers !
Sad to hear, you had a tough time.
I could have added more bad words for Airtel shithead managers and their pathetic services.
but currently you should do the followings to get the matter escalated:
- Write down to Airtel's offcial facebook page with your customer ID (you might have got a 10 digit number after making payment). Hope they will call you back soon.
- Register a complain at Airtel's Nodal Office - 011-44985547

Also, I have sent you a PM with Airtel Presence guy's number. Try to call that as well. He can help.

HTH.

I hardly know about facebook, it may sound unusual but thats true, nevertheless will try to get across my point there too

I have already launched a complaint through AirTel website. Will try the number tomorrow you have given. Who is this fellow? without any reason I have no rights to call him at his personal number.

I have done all this with TataSky and it was quite reasonable, I missed out UEFA first day match in TEN HD, this is the only channel for which I have decided against TSky

 

[yuvaraki]

sad but true!

I am an airtel postpaid mobile customer for more than 4 years now and had only few bad instances of customer care not being helpful. Otherwise Mobile services are excellent.

Coming to the STB, i never had to deal with them much but from the little i interacted with them, it leaves a lot to be desired.

After the 3rd Month, Service rep had to come home to check something and he charged 100 rs. saying its service charge. I wasn't home and my Mom just paid him off. I was wondering if we were fooled or if its a standard charge.

One of my biggest gripe with Airtel is their pathetic website. Although it has been improved a lot off-late, it still isnt in league with the likes of Uninor or Docomo.

Also one more negative when it comes Airtel is that they enforce the Fair Usage Policy more stringent than any other ISP. Infact from what i observed for past few years Airtel seems to have inspired other ISP to enforce FUP. Although regulatory stipulation was there, only Airtel was the first to enforce it stringently than any other ISP.

One MOST irritating thing that I'm noticing off-late is that they have become ludicrous about email marketing. I see more emails than earlier and this come across very cheap for a co. like Bharti to resort to. And all of these are regarding some offer on STB packages.

I'm not sure if any other service provider allows this but i hate having to search for channels everytime i want to watch some channel. I watch TV rarely and almost everytime i have to go to Menu and categories to select the channel i want. I would like to order channels the way i want.

I know i talked few lines off the topic but I'm only trying to point out negatives that i didnt like from Airtel on the whole.

 

[sabarishm]

You are not alone Akd, I have been a happy airtel bb service customer for almost 5 years and 6 months before I disconnected it because they do not have service at my new house. They keep generating bills and till last week I have been getting calls/mails, even threats to clear the bill for the service I have never used.

 

[akd]

I hope if we continue we'll get to see many such examples of their service. I have talked with many who just pay and wait and remain at the mercy of them. One of my friend's STB went wrong and he let them know, finally it was done after 40 days and my friend was only slightly irritated. If a customer doesn't value himself who will???

Sense of responsibility, self assessment, keeping things clear and upright, talk for own rights are a few virtues which are grossly missing in our country and we're everyday paying for this.

BTW I've already written in their facebook page. I will complain in their nodal office. I've done everything a common person without any official power can do, and I just don't have time or taste to rise in court so that I get a DTH connection. This has been a bitter lesson for me.

 

[curious]

I recently upgraded from airtel SD connection to airtel HD recorder. I had read about the problems, such as these, people are facing when they book connection online or through airtel customer care. So I booked it through a dealer at 11:30 AM on condition that it should be installed by 4:00 PM the same day as we were going out. The dealer kept his promise and the installation was complete by the promised time. I guess, the dealers are more reliable than airtel customer care.

I'm using airtel digital TV for years and haven't faced any major problem with their customer care, atleast for requests like changing packages, adding/removing topups, relocation etc.

 

[AtheK]

I am one happy AirTel customer, i have broadband, prepaid and post paid mobile and DTH from them, and service for me has been top notch on all of them.

But above experience shows falling Customer Service, which is not good. Only higher number of HD channels won't win you more customers. TS is doing a great job atleast on this end. True, i don't see a reason for calling CC too much when it comes to DTH, but if you beging in a wrong foot you have lost half the battle.

I hope things get sorted you for soon.

 

[akd]

but if you beging in a wrong foot you have lost half the battle.

pls let us know
who is begging?
whose foot are you referring to?

 

[shailenderb]

pls let us know
who is begging?
whose foot are you referring to?

AKD, he is talking of beginning on the wrong foot (I'm sure a typo) and not begging.

Regds

 

[akd]

AKD, he is talking of beginning on the wrong foot (I'm sure a typo) and not begging.

Regds

thanks for the clarification, still don't understand what was wrong with my decision or my actions. I already have a TSKY HD, want a second connection, multiroom TSKY doesn't make much of a sense to me, Videocon didn't have DVR in stock, dish TV website doesn't open (don't know why) in my browser, took Airtel and paid immediately and put trust on them, called them up 10/12 times in almost 90 hours, wrote complaint in their website, wrote in their facebook page, only got promises after promises and none of them ever fulfilled, may be I am too straight forward or unsmart to get it done

 

[AtheK]

Ya sorry i meant Begin, stupid autocorrect on phones

And i meant on Airtel side, that they have begin on wrong side, they have already lost half the trust of the customer before even entering his house, nothing against you mate.

 

[curious]

@akd

I can understand your anxiety friend.

If contacting customer care is not working for you, I would recommend to contact airtel nodal officer instead of their customer care.

The airtel dth nodal officer for Guwahati is Biddyut Bikash Goswami mobile: 9678216305 email: [email protected]

Try contacting him to see if he can help you. All the best!

 

[akd]

In this part of the country (where I stay) at this time of the year onset of evening is around 5 p.m and I stay far from city (at least 1.5 hr drive)

Now I received a call in the afternoon from local Airtel fellow - "today is bandh, how can I go? moreover if I start now by the time I reach it will be near dark, so I will come tomorrow 10-10:30". I can bet he will not come before 12 and he will make me wait for at least 3 hrs because of famous Indian traffic

what can you say? as I have said I have started believing I, as a customer and unimportant common person, is meant to suffer one way or the other.

The whole India, every state functions almost in this manner, its a first hand experience - I have stayed in 5 different states (covering north,south,east)

My wisdom:

Human created difficulties will never go away in India, only you don't know in which form it will reappear

 

[mathan]

In this part of the country (where I stay) at this time of the year onset of evening is around 5 p.m and I stay far from city (at least 1.5 hr drive)

Now I received a call in the afternoon from local Airtel fellow - "today is bandh, how can I go? moreover if I start now by the time I reach it will be near dark, so I will come tomorrow 10-10:30". I can bet he will not come before 12 and he will make me wait for at least 3 hrs because of famous Indian traffic

what can you say? as I have said I have started believing I, as a customer and unimportant common person, is meant to suffer one way or the other.

The whole India, every state functions almost in this manner, its a first hand experience - I have stayed in 5 different states (covering north,south,east)

My wisdom:

Human created difficulties will never go away in India, only you don't know in which form it will reappear

Seems like they have different service level for different region. Not only Airtel but most of the service providers like them. When I recently installed Airtel DTH and had a audio problem in couple of days time, I logged the complaint through phone and was told that service person would visit me in 48 hrs but I got a call within one hour and the service person came and rectified it immediately.

 

[GVRAVI]

I had similar experience with Airtel, horrible service. I booked on 16th August,intalled it on 23rd august (after several remainders), and partially got activated the plan. After several remainders regional channels were activated on 29/08/2012. No option for giving complaint in customercare.

I do not know how to claim the offers that they were offering thru internet.

 

[EthenHunt]

may be problem with dealers in specific area. i have ordered the airtel hd dth through website, payed through cc. and got it installed next day afternoon by 3. first they activated wrong language top up. just gave a call to local dealer and changed the package in few mins.

 

[yuvaraki]

Seems like they have different service level for different region. Not only Airtel but most of the service providers like them. When I recently installed Airtel DTH and had a audio problem in couple of days time, I logged the complaint through phone and was told that service person would visit me in 48 hrs but I got a call within one hour and the service person came and rectified it immediately.

only thing i see how this was possible that the area dealer(for our area this is a private agency representing Airtel) will receive the case/ticket/WO almost immediately and after that it solely depends on the efficiency of the agency. The rep. who visited your place must be close by to your place at that moment and dealer must have asked him to take care of yours too to save another trip to your area. Otherwise they will most probably only address issues on first-come-first-served basis unless until their backs are on fire probabaly.