The recession has truly set in...Not the obvious one in the economy...but the one in basic common sense.
Had picked up a small used car a couple of months earlier ( when the fuel prices made driving a larger car appear a criminal waste)
Unfortunately missed out on the insurance renewal date for the car...and was left looking for a new insurer and quickly. Having earlier worked with an Indian banking group, which also runs one of the largest insurance firms out here, called up an old colleague & friend and requested for some urgent assistance.
Thus commenced the comedy of errors...
a. The insurance premium quoted was about 10% higher than of the competition : Spoke with my ex colleague. He suggested I take the policy and assured me that the small premium was worth the high service levels
b. The surveyor arrived on a bright Saturday morning photographed the automobile extensively and left
c. The insurance chaps subsequently disappeared for a couple of days. After diligent follow ups and messages via several media, was informed that the policy had in fact been issued, but they had forgotten to send it across. Quite sweet of them considering that I had'nt even issued the cheque!
d. An email with the scanned copy of the policy arrives shortly thereafter.
e. A polite young manager, promising to carry the original copy, arrives the following weekend to pick up the check, but without the original. Am assured that the original certified copy would be forwarded via an express courier, which has not been received till date!
f. I realise to my horror, albeit a couple of days later, that the policy has been issued in the name of the previous owner, but with my residential address. God bless their verification processes!
g. Point this out to the young manager, who assures me of a prompt rectification. Not surprisingly he drops off the radar!
h. A discount cheque received a couple of weeks later, marked of course in the previous owner's name and to my address ( now this is salt on wounds!)
i. I catch hold of another chap ( not wanting to disturb my ex-colleague, to purely experience the joy of a privileged customer...) and plead resolution
j. Receive a call after another arduous week, and told that I need to pay a little more towards the premium amount as they had made an error in the calculation! Indicate to them that I have infact received a refund cheque, which of course they are not aware of! Silence for another fortnight
k. A delighted managerial call is received on a bright sunny morning, indicating that the breakthrough had been made! I would now have to pay a lesser incremental amount as he had fought with his senior management for the same! I suggested criminal and civil proceedings as a more civilised way of resolution. .....
l. Received a call that the policy would in fact now be modified, if only I could re-submit some of the earlier documents again...AND thus the story goes on.
The next time you're pitched premium service...you may like to reconsider the privileged life of ordinary citizens! I wonder when they are planning to launch a loyalty programme!
Had picked up a small used car a couple of months earlier ( when the fuel prices made driving a larger car appear a criminal waste)
Unfortunately missed out on the insurance renewal date for the car...and was left looking for a new insurer and quickly. Having earlier worked with an Indian banking group, which also runs one of the largest insurance firms out here, called up an old colleague & friend and requested for some urgent assistance.
Thus commenced the comedy of errors...
a. The insurance premium quoted was about 10% higher than of the competition : Spoke with my ex colleague. He suggested I take the policy and assured me that the small premium was worth the high service levels
b. The surveyor arrived on a bright Saturday morning photographed the automobile extensively and left
c. The insurance chaps subsequently disappeared for a couple of days. After diligent follow ups and messages via several media, was informed that the policy had in fact been issued, but they had forgotten to send it across. Quite sweet of them considering that I had'nt even issued the cheque!
d. An email with the scanned copy of the policy arrives shortly thereafter.
e. A polite young manager, promising to carry the original copy, arrives the following weekend to pick up the check, but without the original. Am assured that the original certified copy would be forwarded via an express courier, which has not been received till date!
f. I realise to my horror, albeit a couple of days later, that the policy has been issued in the name of the previous owner, but with my residential address. God bless their verification processes!
g. Point this out to the young manager, who assures me of a prompt rectification. Not surprisingly he drops off the radar!
h. A discount cheque received a couple of weeks later, marked of course in the previous owner's name and to my address ( now this is salt on wounds!)
i. I catch hold of another chap ( not wanting to disturb my ex-colleague, to purely experience the joy of a privileged customer...) and plead resolution
j. Receive a call after another arduous week, and told that I need to pay a little more towards the premium amount as they had made an error in the calculation! Indicate to them that I have infact received a refund cheque, which of course they are not aware of! Silence for another fortnight
k. A delighted managerial call is received on a bright sunny morning, indicating that the breakthrough had been made! I would now have to pay a lesser incremental amount as he had fought with his senior management for the same! I suggested criminal and civil proceedings as a more civilised way of resolution. .....
l. Received a call that the policy would in fact now be modified, if only I could re-submit some of the earlier documents again...AND thus the story goes on.
The next time you're pitched premium service...you may like to reconsider the privileged life of ordinary citizens! I wonder when they are planning to launch a loyalty programme!
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