Wataniya:- What is easier now?
First off this is not about what is technically better or what will be... this is ONLY about my experience...as a customer of wataniya...
EARLY AUGUST: - Made the switch in early August... waited in line like all guys do when they are getting a new gadget to play with...... heck i even got one for my sister while i was at it......always had the gut feeling that i should have waited for a while before making the switch.. but hey.. like i said..wanted to give them the chance to prove themselves... the very first day i started to use the number problems seems to popup... one being.. there was no proper coverage in villigili... i mean c'mon... i can live with the fact that it would be hard to setup wataniya antennas in remote parts of the country but not being able to properly cover villigili?? thats supposed to be a part of male'!!!
my call to 929... "they are terribly sorry abt whats happening" we'll get people to call u back... call me back they did... 3 times... but noooo no coverage in villigili....but seriously no one could tell me why this was happening... okey i forgave them... being their 1st week an all...
MID TO LATE AUGUST:- "Get thru the first time?".... not likely... okey to wataniya's credit most of my calls were to dhiraagu... but even for the ones to wataniya... it wasnt exactly impressive... i didn't notice such an impoved call quality... maybe my phone sucked? or phone of the person i was calling to sucked? well lets leave it at that...
The worst thing about my experinces with wataniya was their TXT system.... i thought they would have their txt system in place so that i could as usual txt whoever i wanted to txt.. internationally and locally... Not so it seems... my friends and releatives and business contacts abroad were not gettin my txts.... UK, Malaysia, New Zealand... nop.. none of those places...
so off i went to call 929... you would be surprised at the variety of responses i got...
Them: "We're in the process of setting up the international txt system. your txt might not be recived by the recipient!"
Me: " So do i get charged for that text coz, my phone said the txt was sent?"
Them: "Maybe.. if it reaches (wataniya) network"
WTF!!! why should i get charged for something they couldnt deliver? its their freaking problem not mine... and if they are testing it out they should announce it publicly.. that they are not ready with it.. an they should not charge for something they are testing... like dhiraagu did with MMS... at least with dhiraagu... they didn't owe us anythin when they were testing it out coz we got it for free...
okey so i call 929 later..
Me: "is it possible for me to get the bill information to date coz i wanna see if i was billed for those txts"
Them: " sorry we don't have bill details to tell you now...bill information can only be viewed when bill is run."
SO now what? i wait till THEY are well an ready? to see if i've been wrongly billed?or if it was a mistake on my side?
and days goes by with few more calls to 929... same type of responses.. some say i might be billed. others say i might not.. others don't really have a freaking clue what they are doing there at wataniya customer services prolly....
Thing is.. my work and my personal commitments require that i have to txt overseas... now everytime i wanna send a text.. i have to go thru the process of removing my wataniya sim.. inserting the dhiraagu one and sending it... and later re-insertin the dhiraagu sim to see if i can recieve the txts?... bloody hell... who's life is good now?.. who do i wanna share it with?
SEPTEMBER
last blow... my bill came... so naturally i wanted to check out those txts.. to see if i've been billed... for the non recipt ones... the bill is a summation so... i call 929....
ME: "i would like a detailed itemised bill for the last month"
THEM: " We charge MRF 15/-"
ME: " fine.. charge it i wanna see it"
THEM:"we can give u one for next month"
ME: (Thinking): how can they give me a detailed bill for next month when next month hasnt even run yet?"
ME: " i want an itemised bill for the bill u sent me.. thats all i want"
THEM: " well then, u come to our shop..talk to them.. they'll do something for you"
This is absurd.... i know wataniya is a startup an i know dhiraagu has the first mover advantage... an dhiraagu is the evil bloodsucking corporation.... but as a CUSTOMER i don't CARE how hard or easy it is for them to tweak their network...or agree on international texting arrangements... or provide real time billing information... as a CUSTOMER all i know is dhiraagu does this and wataniya dosent do that... an thats what counts... and as a customer the availablity and convinence is what matters.... an of coz.. wataniya is running me TWICE wat dhiraagu costs me... so another reason to go back...
Maybe wataniya launced too early for their own good.. maybe the date was forced on them.. whatever their resaons.....the customer is not going to CARE!!!
Tomorrow i'm off to wataniya... close down my account.... maybe i'll be lucky enuf if they give me an itemised bill.. lets see what happens.
Sure.. Wataniya will improve their services and products... they have to... but as a customer i'm not gonna hang around till they do with crippled services and products and support jus coz they are new...... gimme a holler when they are good an ready.!!!
There is some truth in the saying " first impressions last! "
posted by Anonymous @ 11:45 AM
6 comments
