Seldom do you come across such a day where your new-born opinions are killed by the end of the day. To me, that eventful day was 22nd May 2009.
As I opened my mail box early in the morning, I get this mail from IRCTC
“Dear Customer, Thank you for using IRCTC’s online rail ticket booking services. From 1st April?08 Railway has revised the passenger fares. As you have booked tickets prior to 1st-April?08 an amount of Rs.XX towards the difference of fare for the ticket booked vide PNR No XXXXXXX has been issued to electronic payment gateway on 22-May-2009 . Same shall appear in your account within three to four working days. You are requested to please check with concerned bank regarding the same. We regret the delay if any, in crediting back the refunds. We solicit your continued patronage to our services, Warm Regards, care@irctc “
How wonderful! For a change, government-run organizations are getting better at customer service – I thought! By the same evening, the status of the opinion changed from a “ its happening” to a“ hasty generalization”.
I was to travel to Bangalore the same evening. I booked a round-trip ticket on Garuda so that I could return the very next evening. The bus was to start at 7 PM from MGBS Hyderabad.
I was counting minutes and seconds as I was delayed. Reason- my auto rickshaw driver was not in a mood to catch up with the fast moving world. Hyderabad traffic made things worse. Somehow, I reached the station, just short of 5 min and was patting my back for making it (not that I was not sure of the punctuality with whichthese Bus services run!)
My bus (service number 1336) did not seem to be arriving even after 15 minutes of wait ( that’s my usual patience level – I start getting edgy after that). I ran to the enquiry counter keeping one eye on my platform. The clerk nonchalantly said “Wait…it will come”. The second time he just nodded horizontally, meaning the same. The third time he gave me a stare (whatever it might mean). Before I could snatch some words from him, other passengers pushed me aside – after all he is a busy man and every passenger tries to get a few minutes of his time.
After a while, when my patience was totally tested to the last bit, I went to see the station manager. Here is his nameplate (PRK Reddy and JM Raj) Hey, was I doing some investigative journalism there! He administered the usual dose of patience for the first time – and disappeared from the seat, by the time I went again.
I wanted to record this in the compliant book. But another official sitting there sweetly replied that only the station manager (SM) would give the book. Imagine! With an eye on the platform (lest I miss my bus) and another on my baggage ( there are thieves everywhere (Hello Mr.Security! whats up with you?), I was struggling to record a complaint. Yet, I was not allowed to do so because the book was with SM and he was not there in the seat.
What happened next was even more interesting!!! “Our bus has arrived” said a fellow passenger enthusiastically. By then it was 50 minutes late and so, I was eager to jump in rather than pursue the SM – only to find that I entered a dilapidated bus ,which by no remote sense of wildest imagination resembled the kind of bus I was promised for taking me to Bangalore.
I booked a Garuda ticket and this bus has Garuda title on the body – that’s all the resemblance. The interior sucked big time. The seats were hopeless, the curtains were lousy. The lighting inside was almost non-existent. The conductor was struggling to check the tickets in the minimal lighting that the interior had – adding to the delay. If any of the APSRTC bosses are checking this, the bus number is AP11Z4200.
APSRTC website says:
” These buses are provided with air suspension, 2×2 pull/push back (115 degrees) seats having a capacity of 45 seats, individual reading lamps to each seat besides audio and video entertainment. Interior panel is made up of soft carpet for roof, ribbed carpet for side panels, single glazing light, tinted glass windows, flooring with vinyl, over chequered plywood and large luggage space (9 Cu.Mts.) in 3 compartments. The Garuda buses can be operated with maximum speed of 115 KMPH and giving luxurious comfort to the customers. The following facilities were provided to the traveling public.
• Mineral water bottle free of cost ( Yes – Warm water in summer is really refreshing!)
• Blanket (for usage in journey and to return) free of cost ( A rug sack of sorts – I felt like a mendicant)
• News paper and magazines (for free Circulation in the buses) ( Where are they?
• Snacks & Cool drinks on payment basis.( No drinks – some junk called snacks)
• Cell phone facility on payment basis.( God knows !)
• Powerful air-suspension, no noise, no dust, no vibrations, no jerks.( This is a JOKE)
• Digital audio-video, attendant on board ( Neither Audio nor video. Attendant exists – what for?)
• High Speed vehicle with reduction in Journey time.( Wow! Another Joke)
• Space for commercial luggage of 6.5 Cu.mts. (Yes, this did exist, after all money is important to APSRTC) ”
After an hour of delay, the bus started like an old elephant struggling to walk (Garuda is the king of birds FYI – this seemed to be a senile Garuda) The conductor sheepishly said “Hope it does not rain – we would get drenched” – Apparently the bus is not rain proof too. He also added “Please bear with the noise – this bus is a replacement – the original bus has a failure from this morning”. While I was struggling to push-back my seat to recline and adjust with the dirty rug they gave me to cover up, I realized that the bus was traveling slower than my walking pace.
The story does not end here. I traveled back the next day to Hyderabad and the same bus was posted (service number 1339). I lost my patiencee -time and asked the conductor (by then he identified me as the unlucky round-trip passenger) for any contact number. He was reluctant to give initially and at last gave one number of Mr.Basha. at Bangalore. Mr.Basha started telling sorrys and stories but would not give me a chance to talk – as I called him. He was disowning the act of recklessness. Apparently the luxury bus failed again and this is a replacement (Whom are you trying to fool?). I asked for the numbers of his superiors or pals at Hyderabad Depot – but got nothing from him. It was a big effort to get the complaints book from the driver and lodge one (leaflet number 366850). Another wonderful fact is that this bus would not take passengers till the last destination (BHEL) because they were supposed to stop near KPHB (The driver says, their bus usually goes to KPHB. Even if he is substituting another service he would drive only till KPHB!!!, WOW!!)
So, I wrote a complaint and tried to sleep. Tried because I could not. I could not because the bus was making a hammering noise on my head (I have recorded the noise for a minute in my mobile (these mobiles are handy you see!). I wish I could have posted it here.
As I reached MGBS in the morning at 0730 AM, I went straight to the station manager ( the person on duty was Mr.Ayyappa) who tried his best to appease my anger and of course did not let me write anything in his complaint book. Reason – I was supposed to talk to the depot manager by name Mr. Suresh of Hyderabad-1 depot (Mobile 9959226248) after 3 hours to settle the matter. His highness would be available only after 10 AM.
So, I left the station leaving behind a very lousy experience with APSRTC. I wanted to pursue the matter with higher-ups, if only my motivation did not wane. I was also not sure whether the cost of persuasion is worth the returns, if any.
Observations:
1. APSRTC has no motivation to serve the customers (I am in losses, Private operators are eating into my profits – but I will not serve my customers better!)
2. APSRTC does not empower the frontline – The conductor/driver was so scared of giving the contact details of his boss (as if he is going to kill him if he did). He tells me “My superiors washed off their hands and now I need to face all of you”.
3. APSRTC does not want me to complain. Both the station manager as well as the driver were reluctant to give me the compliant book ( I was successful only with the driver, that too after a lot of argument)
4. APSRTC cares two hoots about ethics. Why the hell I should pay Garuda charges when I traveled in a dilapidated bus painted “Garuda” on its exterior. Did I not pay for Garuda comfort?
5. APSRTC is manned by a lousy bunch of reckless officials who neither can run buses in time, nor can manage the crowd, nor keep the stations clean. Forget they are not present when required and act like monarchs of the area ruling over the hapless passengers.
6. APSRTC thinks that a person, after reaching the destination, loses fire to complain or pursue the matter, because it is not worth the fight. The cost of persuasion is more than the reimbursement and so passengers are lame ducks.
Questions
1. Why can’t there be a simple grievance redressal mechanism? Why cant there is a helpline whom we can talk to in such events? Or a kiosk of sorts where people can write/type complaints into a computer or a mailbox of sorts?
2. Why can’t these Ayyappas and PRK Reddys and JM Raj s of APSRTC are more accessible and serve customers better? What prevented all these officials from coming into the bus and saying a simple “Sorry”
3. What prevented APSRTC to reimburse at least a part of my money proactively along with a sorry? Why can’t it take a leaf or two from IRCTC?
4. Why can’t there be one (at least one) spare Garuda in good condition?
5. Why can’t the mistake be corrected in the return-trip at least( so, you think no fool would travel back and forth in a day between Hyderabad-Bangalore, and the odds of getting caught on the mistake are low, right?)
6. How much time do you need to fix a failed bus? Is 36 hours not sufficient to either fix or find an alternative?)
7. And lastly, why can’t APSRTC learn from their Kannadiga pals (the KSRTC) who are faster, cleaner and more responsive? I admire the way KSRTC drivers improve occupancy by collecting passengers at the terminals.
To hell with you APSRTC. I hate to travel with you! You certainly deserve death in this competitive world, if your staff continue to be like this.