Cutting loose from Tata Indicom is hard...

TTML's emails and calls about overdue bills are always a nuisance. When it's my fault, that is justified irritation, I guess. But when I've not only paid them, but left a credit balance to boot, it's very upsetting to receive a nasty letter in the mail claiming that I have Rs. 959 owing to them and would I kindly pay it at once!

The reason my payment was overdue this time, was that I received my bill several days after the due date. I decided I might just as well wait for the next bill to come in, and go and pay both. Since I don't have Net banking enabled on my bank account, nor do I have a credit card, I need that paper bill to make my payment! TTML must have been on an economy kick recently, because I received several emails about opting for email-only bills (so they could save printing and postage cost, I guess). I ignored them since I want that paper bill to keep coming. Well, either they dispatched it late, or the P&T department delayed it - I don't know which. What I do know is that I couldn't pay the bill on time because I didn't have a printed copy of the bill. I wasn't about to waste MY inkjet ink (we all know it's more expensive than blood!) on printing a heavy page like the TI bill, replete with logos and all sorts of adornments. Why should I waste around Rs. 15 of my own cash because TTML or Tata Indicom is trying to be cheap? No, thank you - print the bill and send it to me... on time!

Anyway, I've had overdue bills in the past - not because of lack of funds, but simply because it's a PITA to go write a cheque, clip it to the payment slip, drive to town, find a parking space (THAT's usually the hard part!) and go drop the payment in a drop-box. In fact, it's such an irritation that I used to pay for several months in advance, just so I could avoid this rigmarole every month (and also the obnoxious calls from Tata Indicom, demanding to know why I hadn't paid my bill). TI/TTML are very happy to have your money in advance, I guess... and I was happy not to receive annoying phone calls from them!

So to continue my tale... the letter from TTML that I received on the 20th of May threw me into a tizzy, when I was already under pressure to finish up work in hand and send it back. After digging for my bills, I found that I not only had no outstanding amount, but had a credit balance of Rs. 278! Then I looked at the date of the letter: 27th March! That's right - sheer efficiency, I get their letter 53 days after it was printed!!

Now pretty pissed off, I decided to throw away some more time and strike while I was hot. I've been considering disconnecting this service for some time, because I hardly used it. Even on the 512 MB/ Rs. 425 plan, I have hardly done any data transfer on this for months! BSNL broadband has been a pretty good service overall, despite the glitches I've faced recently. With my mood as it was after this debacle, I decided I might as well do it right away. Like I said in an earlier post... I called the Tata Indicom help line with the request to terminate my account, but had a long unfruitful interaction, with the usual pleas of "you're a precious long-time customer" and "sorry, the accounts department is busy and I cannot transfer you there to place your termination request". I kept insisting on (and finally obtained) a docket number for my call. Despite the assurances that "the accounts department will call you back in 4 hours", I received no callback about my termination request. So I typed out a letter as a formal notice of termination, so I could get a copy signed and stamped by the local office (in Panjim). I'm pasting it here - I think this is going to be the longest post on my blog! :-)
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(address and some details omitted)

I called the Tata Indicom helpline on 20th of May 2010, at 3.40 p.m. My call was taken by a person who identified himself as Mr. Deep Shekhar Roy Choudhury. After answering “account security questions” to verify my ownership of the said account, I repeatedly requested termination of my postpaid account, only to be told that the concerned department was busy and unable to accept my call. I obtained the docket number 221068411 from Mr. Choudhury, for my request to terminate the account, along with his assurance that a representative of the concerned department would call me back on my mobile phone (I supplied the number) within 4 hours. (“It is now 3.51 p.m. and between now and 7.51 p.m. we will call you.”). I am unsurprised that I did not receive any call as promised; it only goes to confirm my opinion of the ever-decreasing “customer service standards” of TTML/Tata Indicom.

I am, therefore, explicitly stating, confirming, and reiterating, in this hand-delivered letter, that:

• I have given sufficient timely notice to a Tata Indicom representative on the 20th of May, one day before the end of my billing cycle, that I wished to terminate my account forthwith. The failure of Tata Indicom/TTML staff to uphold the representative's promise of calling me back is their lapse, not mine. I have done my best, and awaited a call as promised by the representative I spoke to.
  
• Having given timely notice of termination of my account to a representative of Tata Indicom, before the end of the billing period, I fully expect that the last bill I will receive from TTML/Tata Indicom with respect to the above-mentioned connection/account will be that for the period 21st April to 20th May 2010. Note that I will not entertain or pay any bill for any subsequent period.
  
• I have a credit balance of Rs. 278 as per my last bill, number 838383969. I expect this to be adjusted against the payable amount of my next and final bill for this account.
  

My address for postal correspondence is already on file with you, as is my email address, and my mobile phone number.

Kindly stamp, assign an inward number, and sign the copy of this letter, as proof of receipt.
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Upon finally getting to their office in Panjim, the representative proceeded to peck away at his computer keyboard for a few minutes. I asked if the termination request had been registered, and the answer was 'No'. Nice, eh? I suspect that the methodology is "keep the customer hanging on for a few days more, and sting him with a bill for another month" - all good fun, and means of earning revenue! Too bad I'm a suspicious what-not, and decided to put in a written termination notice too...

After stamping and signing the copy of my letter, the rep helpfully told me there would be a 'last bill' - to which I replied "Of course, for the billing cycle ending 20th May - as I have put in the letter, I'm not paying for any more than that." Then he told me something strange: No, there would be still another bill, for around Rs. 100. I told him I flatly refused to entertain an additional bill, since I had given notice before the end of the billing cycle. To which he tells me "It takes 4 days for the system to process closure of an account." !!! Hahahaha... I wonder what they are running their 'system' on - a PC-XT with an 8088 processor at 4.77 MHz??? How long does it take to click a button, and have an 'ignore this SIM' notification flashed to every switch and cell tower in India? Do they save the request onto floppies and scurry around updating each of the towers, to take four days to close an account?

To this I told him that was TI/TTML's problem, not mine, and that I would not pay for the inefficiencies of their system. I further asked whether such a fact was up on their website - or any requirement that I had to place a termination request more than 4 days before the end of the billing cycle. This was met with silence from him. I thanked him, and walked off, already late for my Linux Users' Group meeting.

At the LUG meet, I naturally wound up explaining why I arrived late, and we spent some time commiserating about TI/TTML's service. Another member, Mr. Shaha, came up with a hilarious and yet annoying anecdote: He went to pay his bill in cash at the TTML office. He didn't have a rupee with him, nor did the cashier have Rs. 9 of change for the odd amount, so the cashier suggested he pay a round amount, and the one rupee could go forward as unpaid, to next month's bill. Mr. Shaha agreed, only to find that from the next day onward, he began receiving SMSs telling him he had an outstanding amount of Rs. 1 !!! Hahahaha... this is from a TATA company?? We used to have high expectations of companies with the Tata name, but this is really pitiful...

Finally, I went Googling the Tata Indicom site (it's really difficult to find anything via their menus) and found http://www.tataindicom.com/download/customercare/mop-english.pdf in which they clearly state:
"Once the disconnection request is received, TTSL will process the same by first disabling the outgoing
service and the rentals for the customer. This will be done within 24 hours (subject to recovery/surrender of Hand set/CPE) of receiving the request"

So much for the 4 days' 'system' requirements. Way to go, TTML service people!