'Customer Care' by a PSU !

I got a nice New Year Day experience – thanks to our sarkari institution called BSNL. I had a ‘fruitful’ and ‘interactive’ session with BSNL JTE (Junior Telecom Engineer) and his bunch of telecom operators.
Last week, we had lodged compliant to BSNL as the broadband connection had stopped working. I had visited our nearest BSNL exchange to know the status of the complaint. I was shocked when the JTE asked me to bring our modem to the exchange so that they can check if it is working – apparently, they had set the rule of resolving complaints without ever visiting their customers! The JTE proudly explained: ‘All our customers come here and get their systems configured’! So much to what I learnt about ‘visiting customers, probing them, learning (!) from them’ in one of our MBA subjects!
Of course, the modem was working fine. Now he will send the operator, I thought. ‘You will receive a call from our operator’ – so says the JTE, ending his day’s efforts on resolving our complaint.
It would have been a surprise if I had received any call from their operator.
Hence, on New Year day, I again call the exchange to know status of the complaint. The JTE asks me to come there with the modem! As if the modem will behave differently in the new year! I remind him of his checking our modem last week. He persists. I have no option but to go there. This time, though, I do my homework – I read modem installation procedure and network-related stuff.
The JTE greets me with a smile. He connects our modem to his laptop, starts internet. It is working. That is it! ‘It’s working here’, he says. I remind him that that is exactly what I had said when he asked to bring modem.
I tell him that our PC is not correctly configured for the modem. Fortunately, he is generous enough to allow me to show why I think so. I insert the modem-CD and start to show how the installation procedure of the CD is faulty. Apparently, the JTE is computer-phobic, so calls his operator. I soon learn that the operator is not just computer-illiterate, but also does not have any operator under him to call and get rid of it all! So he tries his creativity:
Operator: What is this firewall?
Me: It has got nothing to do with this internet connection issue.
Operator: Since how long is internet not working?
Me: Since 6 months.
Operator: Then you must not have paid the bill for last 6 months.
Me: If you remember, last time I had brought our latest bill. You yourself saw the payment details.
Operator: But have you paid the previous months’ bills?
Me: The latest bill does not show any dues – you must have seen. That means we have paid 1500 Rs. in bill for no real purpose. You see, it is high time we get the internet connection back.
The JTE comes to his rescue.
JTE: Have you tried resetting the modem? It is not working for 6 months.
Me: Sir, I am a computer engineer. I have tried all these things before coming here. And the modem is working all the time, the problem is with settings.
The JTE brings another modem’s CD. The modem is of different make. I tell him the CD is only for corresponding modem. He says may be CD is faulty and we can get it done by his CD. Completely astonished with his ignorance, I explain him the CD is provided by makers of the modem; if modem is of different make, CDs are different. All this still eludes him. ‘It’s like you are suggesting opening your neighbour’s house with your house’s key; it will not open!’ I say, almost giving up.
A tall, daunting operator walks in. He is the one who had heard my complaint the last week. He is in an attacking mood. I am a bit frightened. Seems like it’s going to be a 2009 David versus Goliath.
Operator: I had told you the modem is working. Your telephone line is working, so we cannot do anything further.
Me: If a customer’s internet is not working, it’s your responsibility to provide timely service.
Operator: We cannot go to each and every customer and solve his problem.
Me: Yes, that’s why you ask customers to bring their modems to your office! I can see that.
Operator: But the problem is in your house’s computer!
Me: How can you be so sure without even coming and looking into our computer? (Looking at JTE): So please send one of your operators to my house to check why it’s not working on my PC.
Operator: You first call hardware engineer and check if your computer is working fine.
Me: Sir, I am computer engineer and I have already checked everything before coming here.
Operator: Going to customer requires transportation charges...
I am about to ask whether BSNL is a social organization to be unable to expend for transportation, when another operator reminds it’s time for lunch!
Me: Ok, I will provide for transportation, I will wait till your lunch gets over, but I am not moving without getting my net connection.
The JTE is back in action now.
JTE: See, had you got laptop, we could have shown you that your net works anywhere, not just here.
Me: I pay 250 Rs. per month which includes the maintenance fee. It’s your duty to come and give service at customer’s place.
Operator: That 250 Rs. covers only your rent.
Me: Ok, if I get my laptop, then you will do what is required?
JTE: Of course, that’s our duty!
Slowly, I pull my laptop out of my bag. JTE and the Goliath operator look at each other, as if betrayed. JTE must be repenting for bringing laptop into picture. Everyone there is stunned at the idea of being forced to work. With my camera, I bet I could have captured ‘the shocked faces’ of year 2009!
The JTE sits down to start his ‘duty’. The operator also joins him.
The operator starts doing the required settings: the proxy addresses, registering on BSNL, establishing the connection etc.
Not surprisingly, he is not adept at it. I grab the opportunity.
Me (looking at JTE): See, when your experts take so much time in setting it up, how can a common man do it on his own? And you say it’s not your responsibility...
Operator: Our responsibility is only to deliver hardware and ensure the line is working fine. This thing is none of our business.
Me: So please tell me what exactly is your business!
Seems like they have finally embraced the idea of working more, talking less.
By now, the operator looks cooled down. He is doing the settings. He is kind enough to tell me all that he is doing (I need this to repeat it on my PC back home). End of the battle is on the horizon.
Eventually, internet is working on my laptop.
Reluctantly, I thank the operator – just in case it still does not work on my PC, I have to come back.
It is almost an hour and half since I came here – it’s the time taken to get them to action!

To summarize, the actual work was a matter of just 10 minutes; but took 2 hours! I got a firsthand experience of the lethargy in PSUs. The irony of all this is, they had succeeded in resolving yet another complaint without visiting the customer!