I always had the habit of possessing the latest technology of the day. I started using computers in 1984 by running a computer training institute. In 1994 I started using Standard Chartered Credit cards. And... in 1997 I started using Mobile phone!!
This story is about a company called SkyCell Communications Ltd. which was subsequently bought by Airtel.
On 6th Jun 1997 I bought my first mobile instrument, a motorola handset M-D628 with Skycell Sim. The cost was Rs.12747 + Tax = Rs.14150/=
An Initial amount was paid by credit card and for the remaining I gave post dated cheques from two banks. There was an added complication where Skycell had sold this through Countrywide Finance a financing company of those years. For monthly bills I had authorized them to charge my Citibank Credit Card.
There were many problems with this supplier.
1. Inconsistent bills with insufficient details
2. Not presenting the instalment cheques.
3. Disconnecting my mobile as a punishment for not paying bill.
This story is about a company called SkyCell Communications Ltd. which was subsequently bought by Airtel.
On 6th Jun 1997 I bought my first mobile instrument, a motorola handset M-D628 with Skycell Sim. The cost was Rs.12747 + Tax = Rs.14150/=
An Initial amount was paid by credit card and for the remaining I gave post dated cheques from two banks. There was an added complication where Skycell had sold this through Countrywide Finance a financing company of those years. For monthly bills I had authorized them to charge my Citibank Credit Card.
There were many problems with this supplier.
1. Inconsistent bills with insufficient details
2. Not presenting the instalment cheques.
3. Disconnecting my mobile as a punishment for not paying bill.
The original invoice
At some point of time down the line, I had created a history XL sheet to keep track of my relation with Skycell. Attached below is the history sheet, so that when you continue reading the narration, you get a better idea of the sequence of events.
History of Relation
The mobile I bought on 6th June, totally stopped working from 25th July 1997 afternoon! I made a lot of calls to their office. As you can see from the history sheet above, I used to pester them like a pest over phone. On 7th June I made 4 calls. As is the present practice, then too, calls were attended by someone who is generally not very responsible. By 4 pm on 7th I got hold of a name from their company.
Then I sent a letter to them. I named the document "First.DOC" which is my usual practice. Also in the beginning of the file name I put the date in yyyy-mm-dd- so that in the directory it remains sorted. The letter is here.
You should observe some important things I do in the first written communication itself
1. Give a brief description of the sequence of events. If more matters are there, I use bulleted or numbered sequence.
2. Use words like 'deficiency of service' which is used in Consumer cases. But make sure that deficiency of service is proved with sufficient documented evidence.
3. Give a dead-line with date and time, to address the open issue.
4. Mark copies to all other involved parties.
Also note that I have said "I
understand that in any such sales contract the supplier is supposed to give the
service at the clients address" which is not true in all present day cases. It depends on whether the item is under "on site warranty". But am not sure if it was so clearly defined in those years.
Since I did not get any reply, I sent another letter on 14th. You can observe that this is just a repetition of what was communicated earlier. Here also I have given a dead-line. But the most important points here are:
1. Don't jump to the next step of escalation in terms of human hierarchy or issue hierarchy.
2. If at all we need to approach the consumer forum, we need to prove that we had exhausted all descent methods allowed by the law of the land.
3. Implicitly let them guess where you are proceeding to, the Consumer Forum!
Subsequently I got a call from their Assistant Manager Subscriber Care. I don't exactly remember what happened in the discussion, but part of the discussion is mentioned in my next letter!
Nothing happened. So I wrote a letter to this Assistant Manager. Observe the following in that.
1. I appreciated his good gesture of taking time to call me. Yes it is his duty to call me which he failed all the while. But remember they are in the firing line, and you are going to kill them. So explicitly mention whatever little goodies they give.
2. Say the good words first, if any are there, because towards the close you are going to give the real dead-line
3. Use all methods by which you can corner the company and its representatives who care a damn about you. That could include
a) Well structured logic
b) Good and descent language
c) Statistical analysis
d) evidence of history
4. Don't give them a chance to give excuses like, 'you were not there when I came', 'door was locked' etc. (I gave 3 of my colleagues to be met if I am not there.)
Hey Sujeet, are you reading this?
etc.
So this time I attached an MSP (Microsoft Project) sheet which gave clear analysis of non availability of service and proved that the instrument did not work for 72.5% length of duration it was with me!
NOTHING HAPPENED.
So I wrote the final letter to their MD Mr. Divakar Singh. See the large caption I gave there "very urgent." I asked him to reply me by that evening. That letter was attached with copies of all the previous communications with 'proof of delivery' (very important), history, and the project history!
I don't exactly remember the sequence of events after that, but have another letter in my folder which I sent thanking them for having delivered a new instrument as replacement at no cost at my home.
That is the end of Part One. :-)
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