Author: ashokkarania

After a few more phone calls, the Airtel service has been restored. Though one day lost in between was not a nice feeling. Hiccups do arise. It may happen. But how and how quickly they have been resolved differentiates a great company from another company.

Anyway, All is well that ends well.

Airtel is selected as ‘The Company Of The Year’ by The Economic Times Awards for Excellence.

Congrats!

Today’s Experience with Airtel

I had gone to Airtel Gallery to convert my prepaid number to postpaid number on Monday. I was asked to bring certain documents. I went with the said documents on Wednesday and submitted the same to Ms Mrinalini at Airtel Customer Care Office at Ashram Road Income Tax Ahmedabad Office of Airtel.

I had submitted the following documents:
1. PAN Card Copy
2. Lease Deed for Residence Proof
3. Company Proof for Receiving Monthly Bills
4. Photo
5. Airtel Forms
6. Rs 300 Deposit

I was told that my number would be converted from prepaid to postpaid within 48 hours.

Suddenly today my prepaid number stopped working in the morning. I was busy and hence called up Airtel customer care in evening at 6:30 pm. The following happened :

1. I called 98980 98980 for 6 times and nobody answered the phone in English option. It was disconnected after being picked up.
2. I called 98980 98980 and selected Gujarati Option. Voila – Human being greeted me at the end. They told me that my number is no longer prepaid and I need to call on postpaid number.
3. I called 98980 12345. They told me that my number is still not postpaid and I need to call on 98980 98980. I told him about the whole story. They said sorry. They suggested excellent solution – visit Airtel office.

So today I am experiencing no phone call day. But also surprised at this level of functioning and customer service. And I was wondering that Magnet alone needs to improve its efficiencies to next level.

Airtel is now Top 10 Telecom Company and had a wonderful ad which I also liked. See the ad here.

But it is a challenge to fulfill brand promise. Marketing guys have done excellent job but guys at ground kill the brand promise or enhance the customer satisfaction. Or is it unique to Airtel as it has outsourced operations of customer service?

Ahmedabad has got several amazing restaurants and I am discovering them one by one. On Saturday evening, I visited Vishalla with Kunjal, Neha and Komal. I was excited about visiting one of the most famous restaurants of Ahmedabad.

Vishalla has the traditional village like look. Vishalla did not use few electric lights and relied more on Fanas Light and other traditional light sources. There were traditional CHARPAIS and other ethnic artefacts. There were village Julas, Machans etc.

As we entered, we were greeted and led to the Manoranjan area. We enjoyed wonderful songs including my favorite Gujarati Ghazal – Nayan Ne Band Rakhi Ne and Gujarati Garbo. We also saw Valambhai’s artistic skills as we drank Hajmahajam drink. We also enjoyed wonderful puppetry

Pictures here!

Then we were led to the dining area. We sat down on the floor. There was this huge wooden table. The following was the food that we relished:
1. Bajri No Rotla
2. Makai Na Rotla
3. Bhakri
4. Methi Na Thepla
5. Makhan
6. Khichdi
7. Kadhi
8. Batata Nu Saak
9. Kacha Kela Ane Karela Nu Shaak
10. Panner Mutter Shaak
11. Kabuli Chana
12. White Dhokla
13. Gulab Jamun
14. Sukhdi – Wonderful – The best ever Sukhdi
15. Supporting Items – Green Chutney, Garlic Chutney, Papads, Chaas, Salads, Pickles

We ate and ate. Kunjal, Neha, Komal and I had filled our stomachs but there was room in our hearts. Sukhdi was the best that we had tasted. After the food, we were served with fruits and then ice-cream. We ate paan and discussed books, friends, Ahmedabad etc. We lazily rested on the Charpai. We left at 11 after spending joyful moments for stomach and heart at Vishalla.

During my last visit, I had visited another famous ethnic joint Rajvadu near Nirma. The restaurant combined the love of books with wonderful traditional food. Food for soul and food for body – at the same place. There were lovely quotations and cut out of prominent Guajrati writers like Gunvant Shah, Chandrakant Bakshi etc. Books were also on sale. We enjoyed the evening there.

Ahmedabad has seen opening of more exciting restaurants and concepts especially on S G Highway. Agashiye, Aadhar, Grand Bhagwati, Flavor are next on my Radar. Now that I am here for a few days, I am doing my best to combine gastronomic adventures with commercial ventures.

So far, I have completed the following joints of Ahmedabad in last one year – Rajvadu, Vishala, Honest, Oshwal, Cinemasala, McDonalds, U S Pizza, Havmor, Tea Centre, Sankalp, Saffron, Saasuji, Swati Snacks, Guj Vidyapeeth Canteen, Sumangalam, Ahmedabad Railway Station Canteen, Kankaria Food Street, Law Garden Food Street, Vastrapur Lake Food Joint, TGB, Choice etc.

Ahmedabad has also seen opening of huge malls. Himalaya Mall, 10 Acres etc are the new additions. On Friday Evening, we visited the latest entrant – Iscon Mega Mall. It is Gujarat’s largest mall with 450,000 Sq Ft Area. Most of the shops are not yet open. The mall should be functional by Aug 15. Reliance Mart is setting up its herculean hypermarket operations here.