Customer Care Service Redefined by Nokia

In the world of customer care, Nokia has set up a new standard. A new bench mark. Nokia customer care centre at Infantry Road, Bangalore stands tall amidst the other customer care centres. And you ask me why? Read on....

To start with Nokia has only one customer care centre in the whole of Bangalore! Bangalore, though small in size, is one of the fastest growing cities in India if not in the whole world. The average population increase in Bangalore has doubled in over 3-4 yrs. With most of them being IT pros. All of these IT pros buy mobiles &, obviously, Nokia being the number 1 in India, all these **BAKRAS** purchase Nokia fones. But still there is only ONE customer care centre. Can you believe it? Only One!!! So much for logistics, yeah?

The Services. Wow! Nothing to speak about it. The best description about their care is **BullShit**. Lemme explain my experience with them and I guess that suffice to know more about them...

On the 17-oct (monday), the ill-fated day, I get properly drenched till the second layer of my skin while driving back to my home from office. I reach home and find my mobile kinda wet but apparently still functional. I continue using the mobile just to find it not working, suddenly. I rushed to the nearest dealer to find I need to go the service centre in Infantry Road, Bangalore.

On the 18-oct (tuesday), I gave my mobile for servicing at about 10:30am and was promised a fully funcitonal mobile on 19-oct (wednesday). I was glad and return to office.

On the 19-oct (wednesday), I tried as many times as I can to connect to the Nokia care centre to find out the status of my mobile. Finally, when I got myself hooked on their phone connection, I am told that mobile is not yet ready. I was not surprised bcoz after all there is only one service centre.

On the 20-oct (thursday), history repeats itself. Same as Wednesday and I find my mobile not yet ready. I am kinda irritated bcoz of the delay.

On the 21-oct (friday), I call up just to find that my mobile has lost its warranty and Nokia care can not repair. I requested them to continue repairing and I would pay how much ever. But I need the mobile by evening. After few hours, they call back with an estimate of over Rs. 661/- (!!) for the damage. I agree but they cannot give my mobile before tomorrow. I am irritated but its a hopson's choice situation.

On the 22-oct (saturday), I inquire them about 10 in the morning regarding the status of my mobile and was surprised to find out that my mobile cannot be repaired!!! I agreed to pick up my non-functional mobile. I reach Nokia office at 3pm and request them to return my mobile. I was requested to wait. Reason? Wanna hear? My mobile has not yet been repaired!!! I was surprised! Earlier I was told it cannot be repaired but here they are requesting me to wait till they complete the repair. Why would I complain? I began my wait without knowing that it would last for ever....

2 hours rolled by before I even got an opportunity to inquire, again, about the status. And guess what they say? Plz wait for 5 more minutes The best part of the show is that I have been hearing the same for over 2hours!!! I was getting irritated. But thanks to countless lectures & discourses that I have heard through my life that I managed to control my temper. Another period of wait continued....

After I-dont-know-how-much time, I inquire just to recieve the same response. Now my temper was uncontrollable. I gave a piece of my mind to the (ironically named) customer care executive. Guess this worked bcoz she promises me a functional mobile by 6pm. I returned by 6pm to find my mobile working but I gotta pay the charges for the damage: liquid clog. I have to go to the cashier pay the cash & return to the despatch section & pick my mobile! And I was really surprised to find that cashier counter is on the other floor from the despatch section!! Oh My! Why would their be a cashier unless the you need to pay to take your mobile from despatch section? But still cashier is faaaaaaaaaaaaar way from the despatch section. Pathetic design.

Upon reaching cashier, I was not surprised to find that nobody existed there. Well, Nokia has given me enough surprises to last a life time. Again, upon giving the nearest executive my piece of mind the cashier was found. She goes through the 'repair form' for over 10minutes just to tell me that this sheet is not closed. And I gotta go to the next floor to get it closed! Oh My!!! By this time, I was too tired, pissed off to even protest. I tamely & obidiently climbed the endless steps to the other floor and waited for over few minutes before even I saw an caring executive to hand over the form. The only best part of the full day was this executive who is really really cute & chubby. I was slightly energized to even see her & was completely back to form once she gave me that smile. I requested her with all my charm to finish this job for me. And, ofcourse, she did it for me.

Yeah, hold on. The ordeal is not yet over.....

I go to the cashier, again, to pay for the damages caused and guess what? My bill turns out to Rs. 165/-. Far below the estimate. Ofcourse, I did not complain. Why would I? I paid and took the fully funcional mobile back home. I was kinda happy bcoz I got repaired a mobile which was rejected by the same mechanics. And, believe me, I was the only guy in the history of 'Nokia Care' centre who has gotten out of the office within 5hrs!!! You might ask me how do I know? Bcoz there was....
....this lady who had been standing (*like a punished school gal*) near the executive for over 5hrs....
....this guy over there had been holding his laptop & his Nokia N90 mobile from before I came in....
....this fatty out here has been waiting to find out where has here mobile battery vanished...
....this hunk next to me had been having trouble in finding out atleast some entity to hear his complaint...

In short, Nokia Care sucks.....