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| Fundamental learning, please |
| Abhilasha Ojha / New Delhi Sep 06, 2009, 00:10 IST |
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A call to Airtel IPTV’s helpline number turns out to be a weird experience
So, what’s IPTV?” I asked the rather confident voice on the other end of the phone line. “I’ll tell you ma’am,” said an overtly excited lady at least three times before proceeding with the conversation. This must have been while — I suspect — the computer screen in front of her was downloading the page from which she was supposed to rattle off the information. “So, IPTV gives you a lots of features, you can see your horoscope, you can order pizzas, even movie tickets,” she went on enthusiastically before I interrupted: “Er, I meant, what is the full form of IPTV? You know, I-P-T-V, what does it stand for?”
By this point, the eager voice fell silent. “Just a minute ma’am, hold the line,” said the girl very politely and then returned to give me the answer to my question.
In its enthusiasm to teach young kids to promote a brand new technology that’s supposed to take Indian television viewing by storm, Airtel, one thinks, has missed one tiny but imperative detail — that of telling call centre executives the basic meaning of IPTV or Internet Protocol Television.
To their credit, however, the call centre employees who pick up the phone to either receive your call, or to sell you the product, are fairly adept at — if not explaining — mouthing many of the features of the technology.
The girl who took my call tried her best to handle the show. She did continue to give me the spiel on some of the features of the technology that, according to many like her, is all set to revolutionise the way we watch television. She genuinely sounded interested in providing me with information and helping me out even as I continued to pose some very dumb questions to her. In fact, this was just an hour after another employee had answered my call to inform me about IPTV but was — as one could easily tell — losing his patience with me after 10-15 minutes of the conversation.
Many of us, I’m sure, have experienced nightmarish phone calls from call centre employees. Is it too taxing for big corporates to train young minds to give out simple factual details? That must be the reason for forgetting to provide those who have been entrusted to deal with consumers with the full form of IPTV. A classic example was the continuing conversation that I had with the lady in question. “Where are you calling from, ma’am?” she asked.
“Saket, Delhi.”
“Okay ma’am. Is it in New Delhi?”
Anyway, the fee structure discussed, some more time spent explaining and understanding terms like EPG — electronic page guide, if you must know — new features explained with zest, I asked her if the service was available in south Delhi’s Saket area?
“Oh, but how can I tell you that?”
“Why not?” “An executive from Airtel will call you within 48 hours and tell you about the availability.”
“But that’s basic information, no?”
“No, I can’t tell you,” she almost laughed at the idiocy of my suggestion. She gave me a special consumer number that I’m supposed to give once an Airtel executive calls.
The call to the Airtel number 01144441111 was just a trailer then. Poori picture abhi baaki hai mere dost!
Score: 5/10. The executives at the call centre need to be better trained. They know the complex details but not the basics
Note: Mystery Guest is a reality consumer survey in which reporters analyse a service anonymously. We welcome company responses as feedback and will be happy to carry rejoinders to any piece featured here
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