Vande Mataram

Friday, September 21, 2007

Hathway follows Horrible ways of service

Hathway internet connection is horrible by all standards. I had first purchased 3 months' subscription from them during May 2007. The first week was okay. Then started the trouble. I had to call their customer service every alternative day. They kind of invent reasons for the internet connexion not working.

Cable is weak, Sir. Signal is bleak, Sir. Car festival in temple, Sir. Cow is not milking, Sir. Heavy Rain damaged our cables, Sir. Our Server is down for maintenance, Sir. Our Field Engineers are held up in traffic jam, Sir. And you name it, they have it. All, but connection and service.

When you complain about a problem they would promise a call back in 15 minutes, but no one would call you even after 15 days. But their collection agent would come promptly to collect the subscription. I believe they don't pay the field service people properly as they do to their collection agent, because the field service is non existent, while the collection agent works dutifully prompt.

On 14th of September 2007, I called them for a problem with my connexion. I was told that a Service Engineer would be sent to fix the problem in their cable junction box. No one turned up. I called the next day and they told a person would come for sure on that day. I asked them to send a person before 12 noon or after 6PM, since I work during the night and I would sleep only during the day. A person came at 1.20PM and told he would fix the connexion in 45 minutes. I told him to come after 6 PM. That is the end of their visit.

I called on 17th of September about the non-service, I was told that there was a problem in the whole Mylapore area and it would be rectified within 24 hours. I waited for a day and called them on the evening of 19th of September. They told a person would come on 20th Morning. Today is 21st of September2007 and no one turned up. I called today and asked for a manager. They put me on mute and hung up. Then I called again and got a person who claimed his name is Saravanan and he was a floor supervisor. He promised me a call within 20 minutes at 1400 Hrs today and till this minute he had not called me.

When I called in the evening 1630 hours, a person told Saravanan was speaking on the other line. I told him I'd wait till he finished the other call and pickup mine. The person hung up. I again called and a person who answered my call told that Saravanan was out of office for some reason right after his lunch. The why did the other guy told me Saravanan was speaking on the other phone? Bluffing, cheating and deception with a method.

When I told them I would disconnect the modem and keep it out of my door, so that they could come and pick it up, the agent on phone told me that he would inform Saravanan about it and hung up.Till this minute no one from Hathway called me. Pathetic customer service is the word I can give to this nonsense. Do we have a kind of BBB here in India, as they have it in US? If any one knows about any agency of that sort, please get me the contact details.

My suggestion to the cyber fraternity is to stay away from this kind of company which has scant respect for its customers and for the profession they are in.