Tuesday, October 19, 2010

So, what about other contracts (other than CWG)?

Poor CWG chaps! I think all govt contracts are full of bribery, favoritism and commissions. These guys just got caught because CWG was in the limelight. They were just doing their 'work' honestly. So, what about other contracts (other than CWG)? There are tons of other govt-funded projects!! Who should monitor them. The media is not interested in these because there is not much masala in them. 

Posted via email from Second Thoughts!

ICICI - Part 2

My blog actually helped me to get the mobile alerts on my account cancelled. They also reversed the charges for 2 months. Not bad. 

I also want to narrate how ICICI marketing people sell their products - In this case: current account. 

One fine day 2 ICICI people(from Vijayanagar branch) came to my place to get all the formalities done for the opening of the account. I told them of my concern that I have to come all the way to Vijayanagar to drop any cheque. There is an ATM near our place (near Ambedkar college) but there is no cheque-drop box. The guy confidently told that the drop-box has been installed recently and he actually uses this drop-box regularly as he lives nearby. As I had not been there recently, I thought that this was true. But later (after opening account), I saw that there is no drop-box in that ATM. It was just a plain marketing lie by the ICICI guy.

I don't know why they do that - lying to customers. I visited the Vijayanagar branch sometime after this and met the same guy ( supposedly the manager) and told him that there is no drop-box at that ATM. He smiled uncomfortably and told me that there will be a branch coming soon near my place and that should solve all these problems. Another lie. One on another. No signs of any branch here yet. (I think this guy should become a politician)

I think these people have sales targets and they just want to achieve that - by hook or crook.

I had also signed the application form without reading all the contents. Definitely these people must have ticked mobile alerts ON. 

Lesson learnt: Never sign any application form without reading it fully. 

 

 

Posted via email from Second Thoughts!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

e-Stamp charges in India - ridiculous

I had to renew my rental agreement and so went in search of getting an e-stamp paper.  I had to fill in an application form and gave 50/- : the value of the e-stamp. The guy told that there is a service charge of 10/-. Now thats 20%. Isn't this too high? The e-stamp that they give is just 1 printout on an ordinary sheet of paper. No pre-printed stuff. Definitely the govt is making a lot of money here. Amazing.

Posted via email from Second Thoughts!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Car service and hospitals - They just sell things which are not required to you

I left my car for a service today. I was very irritated by the way in which they tried to add unnecessary things-to-do to the service and increase the bill. I think, in the end, the guy was pretty sad that he did not reach the  target bill. 

I declined to get the following things done:

- Emission test - I already had it till Dec 2010

- Door rattling test - He said that he will check/fix if the doors will rattle and it costs money. (I will get it done if the doors rattle and not now)

- Wheel alignment/balancing - This is a usual thing that they do at every service. If there is any problem with the wheel alignment, you will immediately notice it, as the car will wobble at high speeds. (I will get this done when my car wobbles and not now)

These guys, I tell you, are not doing service. They just sell things which are not required to you. I even wonder whether you need a service for every 5000 Kms. 

 

One of friends' dad was admitted to a hospital for a particular illness. He was telling me the way in which the hospital people will add unnecessary tests daily, to send the bill sky-rocketing. If you have insurance cover, they will make sure that they will squeeze all of that within the shortest time possible.

They just sell things which are not required to you.

 

Posted via email from Second Thoughts!

Friday, October 8, 2010

They just punch holes and ask you for money

Car Mechanic:

One of the tyres of my car went flat this morning. I put a spare tyre on the car and went to a nearby mechanic shop to get it fixed. The mechanic took out the tyre and pulled the tube out. One of them was checking the tyre and showing me a screw which had pierced the tyre and caused the damage. The other went inside the shop with the tube and came after 1-2 minutes. He put some air into the tube and showed me 6-7 holes in the tube. He said that its of no use patching the tube and its better to go for a new tube. I haggled a little bit on the price and was not happy in the end. I just took the tyre and went in search of another shop.

This was the second time I was coming to this shop. It was very surprising that in the first instance also, the mechanic had persuaded me to go for a new tube rather than patching it up. I sat thinking on this for a while and then it struck me that he must have actually punched couple of holes on the tube when he had gone inside (Most probably). How stupid I am to have let this happen in front of me. I was so furious. I could have have gone back and shouted at this guy. But I had no proof that he had done this. I would have got a shout back. So, in a cowardly way I decided to cool myself and vowed never go to this guy again.

People will take you for a ride when they see that they can.

ICICI Bank:

I have a current account with ICICI bank and they were charging around Rs.50/- every month. 25 for hard copy statements and 25 for for mobile alerts + taxes extra. I was getting email statements and decided that hard copies were not necessary and told them to stop them (save some trees). They stopped these and the fees for this vanished. 

I also decided that mobile alerts were not necessary. I checked internet banking to see if there was any way to stop these mobile alerts online. None. I called them up to find out a way to do this. They said that the only way to do this is to go to the branch and submit an application, signed. This is ridiculous. They just make it harder for you to stop these mobile alerts. So, I went to the branch and submitted this application - 2 months back. I am still getting mobile alerts and I am still getting charged. The person in the branch said that she will look into this and raise a query. I don't think she has done anything. I dont know what to do now.

Now, I dont see any differnce between the mechanic and these ICICI people. They just punch holes and ask you for money.

Airtel:

 

I was at the airtel shop to cancel my postpaid internet connection. I was fed up with the connection as it was very very slow. It was an unlimited plan, but whats the use? I overheard a conversation between another guy who was there to cancel his mobile phone connection:

Guy - I would like to know how much the outstanding amoutn payble is, if I close the connection?

Other side - ........

Guy - Ok, so its 1092. But there is a deposit of 500 that you took earlier. So it should be 592. 

Other side - ........

Guy - What, whats this new charge? (They told him that there is something else)

Other side - ........

Guy - (fed up) where do you keep all the money!!?

 

Exactly... Where do these guys keep all the money?? 

That was the end of the conversation and the guy walked off. I cancelled my connection and asked if they will take the USB modem back. It had cost me 3500. It is as good as new. I understand that its used and they cannot probably give it to other customers. But is there no way!? Its not like a mobile phone which you can sell. I will probably try to sell it somewhere else!

Anyways, they told me that I will not be charged from today and that I will get my deposit - 1000 back within 60 days. 60 days?? Why cant you give me cash now?? I had paid in cash. Are they so poor that they cant give it now? I think they will just sit on my cash and earn interest. 

Now, I dont see any differnce between the mechanic, the ICICI people and these Airtel people. They just punch holes and ask you for money.

 

I have opted for a Tata Photon+ USB modem now. I did test it before chosing it. And its 100 times fast and for the same money. I hope the TATAs will not punch any holes!

Posted via email from Second Thoughts!

Google