Sure is
Catch VSNL
Below is an reasonably faithful reproduction of my engagement with the VSNL customer support. You will note that the excert starts with DAY 2. Their support software had hanged on DAY1. So they could not take the complaint.
DAY 2
VSNL: Hello this is Blah blah - how may I help you.
Karthik: My net has gone down. You guys took five days to get it sorted out the last time around. Please get it up quickly this time.
VSNL: We are sorry for the blah blah blah. Have you switched on the modem sir?
Karthik: Yes
VSNL: How many lights are on sir?
Karthik: Only two of them - Blah blah and blah blah are not on.
VSNL: Is the Blah blah on sir? Please switch off and switch on your modem sir.
Karthik: Look here, I have enough experience with you. I know from memory that canned speech you are reading from your terminal. I have done everything that needs to be done. My connection is DOWN. In fact its been down from yesterday, but you guys could not take the complaint because your system had hanged.
VSNL: Sorry sir, we need to ask you those questions. We are forwarding your complaint to our technical department. Please take down your complaint number sir - 4597632
Five hours later .
Karthik: My net has been down for the last five hours. Complaint number 4597632.
VSNL: Is this blah blah from blah blah sir?
Karthik: Yes.
VSNL: Yes sir. We have forwarded your complaint to our technical department. They are working on it.
Karthik: I know they have been working on it for five hours now. So whats the update?
VSNL: There seems to be a cable cut sir. Thats the only information that we have.
Three hours later .
(Skipping the niceties and the probing questions - like "have you switched on the modem", "have you switched on the computer etc" for lack of space - and cutting directly to the meat of the conversation)
VSNL: Yes sir. Complaint number 4597632. There was a cable cut sir. Its been rectified now.
Karthik: But then why didn't you guys tell me that. Anyway let me check.(Checking). NO, Its not working yet.
VSNL: Sorry sir, we shall get back to our technical department. Take down your complaint number sir.
Karthik: I already have it written down. Just get the job done quickly.
VSNL: But thats the old complaint number sir. Please take down your new complaint number.
Karthik: Hey look, solve my first problem first.
VSNL: But thats already solved sir. Please take down your complaint number sir.
(Karthik is too stressed out to argue. Takes down the new complaint number)
DAY 3+ 3 hours .
(Skipping the mandatory 3 mins preamble, apologies and probing questions)
VSNL: Yes sir. Complaint number 4599918. Its a problem with our software sir. The technical team is working on it.
Karthik: Hey look, you told me that there was a cable cut yesterday.
VSNL: No sir there is a sofware problem. Let me check. Can I put you on hold?(Hold .) Yes sir, there was a cable cut yesterday. But thats resolved.
Karthik: Oh come on. If it is a software problem, everyone at least in THAT area should not have connection. I have checked with my friends and no one else has a problem.
VSNL:(Pause) - Sir our technical team is working on it sir. I am escalating this to high priority.
DAY 3+ 8 hours .
VSNL: Yes sir. Complaint number 4599918. There was a sofware problem sir. Its been resolved. Your connection is working now.
Karthik: Thats something that I HAVE TO TELL YOU. Let me check.(Checking) - NO ITS NOT WORKING.
VSNL:(Very smoothly) - Sorry sir, we shall get it rectified ASAP. Please take down your complaint number.
Karthik: No I won't. You have not solved my earlier problem. Reopen the old complaint number.
VSNL: Sorry sir. We can't do that. Its been closed by the technical department. We cannot reopen it.
Karthik: Hold on. Are you telling me that you technical department can close the complaint as solved without doing ANYTHING and you can't do a thing about it? Hey thats like taking an examination and marking it yourself!:(
VSNL: Sorry sir. I can only raise a new complaint.
Karthik: Hey look. They are not just taking me for a ride. They are taking your management for a ride too. They have not solved even one problem, but have taken credit for solving three already. Its not just bad service, its unethical. Can't you escalate this issue?
VSNL: Sir. I can put you to my supervisor.
(Karthik shudders. His previous experience with the "supervisor" tells him that the supervisor is best avoided. After phases of anger and frustration he falls back to that comfort zone of passive accepatance)
DAY 4+ 3 hours
Karthik: My net is down.
VSNL: For how many days sir?
Karthik: DAYS?! Are you picking on me, or is that your standard line!? Its been down for three days now.
VSNL: Am sorry sir, our systems are down. I won't be able to take your complaint for another two hours sir.
Karthik: I have already raised a complaint. In fact many complaints.
VSNL: Am sorry sir. I won't be able to view your complaint until after 2 hours.
DAY 4+ 5 hours
Karthik: My net is down.
VSNL: We regret blah blah blah. Did you raise a complaint sir?
Karthik: I have raised so many complaints I have lost track of them.
VSNL: Let me check sir . Yes sir. You have raised a complaint yesterday evening.
Karthik: No I raised it . Oh. Fine, I raised it yesterday. Now tell me what are you doing about it.
VSNL: We have already solved it sir. There was a cable cut and the technical team rejoined it.
Karthik: Maam, I just checked my net connection. Its NOT working.
VSNL: I am extremely sorry sir. We shall resolve er work on it ASAP sir. I am putting this on high priority sir.
Karthik: No, I don't want to know when you will start "working on it". I want to know when you will resolve it.
VSNL: All complaints are resolved within 24 hours sir.
Karthik: WOW - finally a clear commitment from you:) So this problem should be resolved withing 24 hours, right?
VSNL: Definitely sir, please take down your complaint number .
Karthik: HEY!
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P.S. - Dear Mr.Tata. I hear your run a very beeg consulting company with lots of people with beeg brains. But it looks like they are all too busy serving the white man that they don't have time to make good software for you. So heres my offer to you. I shall give you software that does not hang everytime you sneeze and have gaping holes in it. But PLEEEEEAAAAAAAASEEEEEEE ensure that I do not have to speak to your customer support executives.
