Good Construction, not there Customer Relations

Review On Olive Builders and Developers, Kochi

[01-MAY-2015]The Customer Relations Team used to be quite decent until around 3-4 months back. Wither they have  a new PR head or the current team has an attitude problem, but the treatment meted out to owners is self righteous and downright obnoxious. I own an apartment in Olive's Kalista complex. It is a well constructed and  OK designed property but their Customer Relation Management is getting from bad to worse.

Let me elaborate two recent experiences:

1. Due to their own planning issues they haven't yet received KSEB residential connection at this community. Nearby builders who launched their projects about the same time have all got connections.

Two months back when we approached Olive to provide electricity for doing interior work at my apartment they asked me for a payment of Rs. 5000 per month off the books(without receipt). To put it in perspective: the commercial rate of electricity in Kerala is Rs. 10 per unit. We told Olive to connect a meter outside our apartment and charge us per the unit consumed at commercial rates and they refused. They sprung the charge of Rs. 5000 only the day before we were to start work with all contractors and workers lined up.

To me it is not the amount to be paid, it is the stink of exploitation that is frustrating. And the fact that Olive is willing to do it shows their attitude to customer service

(They charged us for March, April they haven't raised the subject but now they have started raising the topic of making Rs. 5000 payment for April & May(Total - 10, 000) or they will turn off the power - which is the push I needed to make this post. I don't like posting negative comments on companies generally, especially when it is a case of cutting the branch I am sitting on:-(, but there are limits)

The maximum any other builder charges for such work is Rs. 1500 per month which is a fair amount. When we questioned the high rate, we got the response - Sir, nobody has complained about it so far. If you don't want to pay you can start the work 2-3 months later.

[15-JUN-2015]

1. We were trying to get the work completed before the June school opening and on May 1 we had some sub contractors scheduled to come to finish some work at our apartment. On 30 Apr evening we get a call from Olive saying we cant do any work at our apartment on May 1.  Now there is exactly one resident today in 20 floors of the building and considering work happens on Olive's other towers almost every other day, they cant claim disturbance to other residents. We cant find any legal or other right Olive has to refuse admission to the complex for workers at our apartment on May 1. The most irritating part of the whole experience was attitude of folks at Olive office when we called them up to inquire about arbitrary decisions like this.

[6-Sep-2015]: Call me a hypocrite, but my perspective on when interior work should/shouldn't happen have I changed after I have moved in. Now I toe Olive's line on late night - weekend constructions -:-) ]

[Update-8-Sep-2015]: Started recommending Olive to Friends again. Olive is in someways more  responsive and in some way better than other builders and you just cant beat the Location. But best deal - the ground water pumped into the apartments is very good. Olive has built this amazing Rain Water Harvesting system which forms the 48 meter deep lake in front of  the apartments and the water tested better than what comes from the Water Authority. If you  live near Kakkanad you will know 75% of the apartments here get their water pumped in by tankers. Some looking around the other apartments near Inforpark, Smartcity - Kalista shares a wall with Smartcity and is band opposite Info Park have convinced me as far as water goes this is the best place to buy.

But if you are buying from Olive, Negotiate upfront with them on when they are going to provide the Amenities, when the KSEB connection will be ready - I have detailed comments in other posts regarding the delays we encountered. If possible get it written into your agreement clause.

Updating status to Like. Still keeping the three stars, will change rating if there are more positive signs. Upped the Customer Service is bar by one to acknowledge the Olive Chariman's visit to meet the owners and the sponsored Onam celebration activity.

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