Fight against Telecom service providers
Okay, so in my fight against pathetic services of Telecom service providers in India/Delhi/Noida, I think I’ve progressed to a new level. Today morning, I got a call from some advocate in Tees Hazari Courts informing me that Reliance has filed a case against me. So I should either settle it by paying the amount that Reliance is demanding (Rs 1011 odd) or face the court proceedings.
The background is as follows.
I subscribed to Reliance’s post paid high speed data card service (Account no 500000414339, HSD Number – 9310323412). However, the services were very pathetic and I would never get a signal. I complained many times but to no avail. Finally, I got so fed up that I requested for conversion of this number to a pre-paid number in January 2011. I have the copy of my acknowledgement slip that I’ve attached below. I was also made to pay bill for next month in advance.
However, they did not discontinue my services and I was made to pay bills for many more months.
I have made multiple other requests to their people to discontinue the services.
In spite of that, they continue to not only harass me but have also now threatened me with legal action. They followed it up with this phone from an advocate today morning.
So what should I do? Pay-up and get out of it or fight it out?
Update Aug 2, 2011
The issue has been resolved for now (hopefully). I received a call on Friday from Reliance Chairman’s office. The person apologized for all this. He also told me I was right and that I did not owe anything to the company. He further informed me that my services were already deactivated and usage was absolutely zero.
While I am happy and thankful, I do feel that if the chairman’s office has to intervene for such a small matter, there’s something wrong with the system. I already had proof (acknowledgement given by reliance for post paid to pre paid migration). I’d sent that proof via postal mail as well as by email to Reliance’s various teams including Nodal and Appellate Authorities. Instead of listening to me and resolving it themselves, they followed it up with a threat of legal case etc.
I also got some useful advice from the folks at Akosha (@myakosha) for which I’m grateful. In particular, what happens in such cases is as follows.
Service providers (such as telecom companies and credit card companies) sell off their “bad debts” to 3rd parties at a huge discounts. These third parties than try out different mechanisms to recover as much as they can. So they will call you and threaten you with police arrest, legal notice and what not. I’ve heard of people getting calls from police stations asking them to pay up or that they will be arrested. In the worst case scenario, you will get a Lok Adalat notice.
A Lok Adalat is an informal court and the idea is to usually settle cases based on mutual agreement. In such cases, you go to one of these lok adalats and both parties negotiate and agreement is reached. I have been told that if you are sure you have not done anything wrong, you can chose to ignore a Lok Adalat notice and nothing will happen. However, do remember that the other party does have a right to take the case to a higher court.
In any case, if you do get a call from such “Advocates” or “Lawyers”, remember they are usually collection agents. One of them calls from 011-64559262.
Apoorv, this is obviously pathetic and a result of the broken processes and system that these companies have – the customer service has neither clue nor control. While it’s obvious that the problems are passed on to the customer, I have not sat silently on the first instance of such lapses, hence probably avoided situations reaching to such levels – an advocate? C’mon guys!
I have always insisted to speak to someone senior/manager level – which that doesn’t guarantee anything, sometimes my refusal to talk to anyone at an intern or caller level sometimes does pay off. BTW, I don’t hang up until satisfies or keep pestering with the request for corrections when that happens. (Not fair on some authority-less employees, I know but they left no choice!)
I strongly support your quest for justice in this case. It’s not about that 1000 bucks, I’m sure you can easily shell it out to get out of this mess. Not sure if you’d end up doing that but it’s encouraging that someone’s really fighting on principles. With you, buddy!
Fight. Of course.
Reliance is the worst company I had experience with in terms of handling Customers and their genuine complaints. I never recommends Reliance Connections to any of my known ones.
Reliance as a company does not bothered about customer. So go and give them a fitting reply.
Dear Apoorv
if in todays busy world you have time to fight over for 1000 Rs , then go forward to the consuemr court etc.
better is to settle the acount than to fight, to curb the immediuate woes of notice hearing etc.
post you have done the settlement , file a complain with TRAI , and they will take reliance to task
mention clearly that they forced you to settle or else they were giving threats to you
thanks
Consumer court is your friend. Counter sue Reilance. And at then end of the case, ask for damages and lawyer fees.
Friends,
my advice is be always ready to settle if you are NOT WRONG,
if you have a grievance of say 5000, it would rather set down to 3000
and from that 3k paying to lawyer and and recovery agent leaves almost too short amount for them. and that is the reason many times matter is just dissolved into time…
stretch you fight every time they demand you with your own reason and chances do increase of getting the matter dissolved..
But i have my own principles, i have a strong belief that if you saved any money by any kind of cheating and in unethical way.. nature recovers almost double in it’s own way !!
i had several issues with idea where i fight with them on each and every point of the TRAI rules they have bypassed.. they left the matter. but still i paid the amount that i felt was at me really.
I have three reliance connections (CDMA/CSM) since several years but in the recent
months, they failed to provide the important services like forwarding of bills, not attending
customer complaint either on phone nor on mail, just replying sweet words and promising mails but no serious action atleast to satisfy the customer. But sending reminders for
payment and altering due dates for payment. Threating to disconect the line for non payment. No seriousnees of complaint of customer.
I have also data unlimitted, but connecting quickly without any speed nor opening. always
system error.. have forced to buy BSNL broadband serice which is very good working.
view have deciding to close all realtionship with reliance if they continue to fail serviec and collecting money without any use of serivces. Reliance Web World Centre are an Eyewash
and also threaten like “Gundas”.\
Reliance is the worst company I had experience with in terms of handling Customers and their genuine complaints. I never recommends Reliance Connections to any of my known ones.