The Hindu Business Line : Customer service

This is with reference to "Call Centres" (Business Line, May 12). The author has highlighted the problems faced by a majority of Indians today in dealing with the services offered by call centres of private sector banks, depository participants, telecom companies, and so on.

Companies are using call centres to stonewall questions raised by their customers. Apart from giving the telephone numbers or e-mail addresses of call centres, the management does not disclose details of the higher-ups in case the customer decides to take up the matter with them.

Call centre employees normally only give instructions and most of the time you are put in queue. And the interminable wait makes you decide to drop the call and send an e-mail.

The situation is no better with e-mails. There is normally an auto answer from the system, which is followed up by a reply asking for more details.

On giving the requisite details, you are told that the matter will take four days. At the end of that time, you get a reply, though not to your satisfaction.

You have no further recourse, as there is no way of reaching the person concerned.

It is time that companies and private sector banks gave the addresses of personnel who can handle customer complaints, with speed and clarity.

S. Iyaswamy

Nagercoil

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