Monday, June 08, 2009

Mind your punchline!

Sometimes I just dont get company punchlines. They never seem to be aligned with their principles, and the value they provide to the customers.

Here are two examples from companies I have interacted with, and experienced:

Vodafone - 'Happy to help you'

WTF? None of my friends have ever agreed to that line. I mean - its not just a line right, there has to be more meaning to it. Dozens of times when I have called up Vodafone Customer Care, and have had long wait periods, calls being connected from one department to another etc etc. The last time I did it was last week - I had to cancel my Gurgaon connection (I am in Bangalore presently) - so I call up Vodafone (toll free 111). So they first tell me that this isnt the Postpaid Department, so they will connect me to the required one. I wait online for the same - then I get onto another agent. However he tells me that this is a Karnataka connection, and advises me to call an NCR Customer Care number.

I then call the new number, and await for the umpteenth time while the IVR finishes, then I explain to the new Service agent I find about the cancellation and whaddaya know - he again says this is not the Postpaid Department, so I will connect you across. I wait, wait and wait - no sign of the phone being picked up. Tired - I hang up. (Remember that the NCR number now isnt toll free for me). I call back after an hour or so - finally get an agent, convince him to do the job fast - but the problem aint done with rite - he tells me no one is available in the Postpaid Department - hence he will forward my request and I will get a call within 24 hours. A week passed by - there was no call from them. I gave them a call yesterday - went through more shit - finally he assured me that the connection would be terminated in two hours.

Wait - there is more - he also told me that in order to recover the security deposit of Rs 250 (which I paid 2 years back) - I will have to submit a written application to a Vodafone store, and go along with an address proof, ID proof blah blah. Oh hang on - not to a Karnatake store, but one in NCR. Hello - whatever happened to globalization!


HDFC Bank - 'We understand your world'

When you choose such a punchline - you have to see to it that you completely cater to the customer demands. Now I dont have any other problem with HDFC service - just that there is always one fear when you visit an HDFC ATM - that the card may remain stuck in the machine. Now if you did understand our world, you would have imbibed an ICICI or any other model - where you just have swipe the card, and not insert it in the machine. Thats definitely more easing for the customer. At times I have seen many customers complaining of cards getting stuck in the machine - especially when it happens to the neighbourhood old uncle - he does get worried! What about their world - you gotto understand that too - rite?


Well - the world would just be a better place if you companies either completely get onto what the customer wants - that aint easy for sure - so well just improve on your punchlines! :)


3 comments:

Kiran said...

Haha .. good post - agree totally. Either give the customer what he wants or change the punchline to a more realistic one!

Santosh Sadasivan said...

Vodafone- Happy to Help you
Motive is right, but practises are different..

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