A very open letter to Mr Sunil Mittal

airtel CVNtN 17577
airtel1 NBVDO 17577
Sir,
I have always looked upon Airtel as a benchmark of great Indian entrepreneurship. These days it’s slipping and how. Maybe Sir, you’ve added African beads to your necklace and burnt holes in trouser pockets to pay for 3 G licenses, but your coverage in Pune is pathetic to say the least.
Ninety times out of hundred your billing servers are down and the kind of letters your customer service head Maharashtra and Goa sends faithful customers is even worse than your coverage sir.
Over the years since Airtel (You sir are my icon, I may add here!) introduced itself in Pune I have been using cell numbers 9890959999 and 9890087777, bills for which have never been delayed ever! In October 2006 I got another cell number 9890799991 to use as a Private Number, duly sanctioned by the Commissioner of Police, Pune.
I suddenly get a letter saying that I must submit fresh permission from the police with a letter from an MP, MLA or Govt Gazetted officer , and all these documents must reach Airtel by 28 July 2010. I get the letter on the 27th! It’s a different matter that given my status in Pune and India, I can get these permissions within minutes much less a day, is this the way to treat customers , like common thieves, and I am not even giving legitimacy to Mr Joydeep Chowdury’s choice of words by using the word terrorist!
He further adds, within 3 days of receipt, now what sort of a letter is this, either the date or three days! If I have misused my number 9890799991 even once for a call or even to play innocent mischief let Airtel prove that.
Furthermore, adding insult to injury is the attachment which reads that I should declare that I shall not use this “Private Number” facility to send obscene or harmful messages! That’s the limit, Sir, if a message (incidentally spelt, “MASSAGE” in your attachment) is sent through a private number, the number will be reflected in the message! How come a man of Mr Chowdhury’s status is not aware of such a simple technical point.
Agreed that the letter comes after amendment of rules related to CLIR, but shouldn’t legitimate, bonafide and loyal Airtel customers be given at least a week’s notice?
My reaction, cancellation of the SIM, Airtel’s reaction, three calls from BPO calling centers to find out why I cancelled my connection with suggestions to turn the number to prepaid.
Mr Mittal, Sir, one SIM card cancellation will certainly not affect Bharti’s stupendous bottom line, nor will it cause concern to the company’s share holders or promoters, but yes, emotionally and sentimentally, it causes great pain and hurt to someone whose business ideal was and in many ways still is , one of India’s all time great entrepreneurs, Sunil Bharati Mittal.

Jai Ho Sir!

PS See the letters.

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