AIRCEL SUCKS!!

Aircel sucks big time !! I shifted from mumbai to bangalore 3 months back. On coming here, i was searching for a cell connection (GSM) whose STD tariff would be the cheapest. After searching the websites of the various providers and also visit to the various retail shops thereby checking all the various tariffs plan, selected Aircell. All my friends advised against it but I went ahead as it had the best STD rates.

The problem started from day 1. I didn't have to call much locally, but wanted the phone to make STD to my parent and friends in Mumbai majorly. Initilally I could not get any network coverage in my room at HSR layout in Bangalore whereas all the other providers were even available at the remotest part of the building and the area. People started complaining that my cell was never reachable. I put up with it. Every time I had to call Mumbai I had to go to the balcony and position the cell at different places and hope to get a bit of connection. It continued like that for the first 2 months.

Even in my college, I never got a proper network coverage. I was still patient with the whole thing. Obviously got frustrated to the core at times, but i wanted to give them time and slowly they improved. Not to the extent as the other providers but yes, i started getting the network at places i did not get before. However, the call is to frequently drop off, by itself. Anyway, that still did not convince me enough to switch the service provider, purely due to the fact that I was getting a good rate on my STD calls.

However, one fine day, it so happened that i tried to call a vodafone number in mumbai and i could not get through. It was coming Network busy. I disregarded it and tried at least 12 times but with no result. I thought this was just a bad time. I again tried in the evening but the result was the same. I was getting frustrated. I tried calling up other numbers (vodafone) in mumbai, i could not get through. I called up their Call center (not customer care as they do not care at all), and spoke to guy who took down the details after transferring me to 2 different departments and making me wait for 10 min in the process. He told me that the problem will be rectified within 24 hrs.

After 24 hrs, i still faced the problem and i could not make any call to vodafone nos in mumbai. I complained again, and to my horror they tell me that no complain has been registered and there was a system failure in their setup so there was no record of my call. I took it and complained again and the response was the same. Within 24 hrs your problem will be rectified. RUBBISH..

24 Hrs past and there is no sign of any improvement in the system. I am really really pissed now. I can get through the nos i want to but do they care. I called them up and this guy from the call center puts me on hold for bloody 35 mins exactly and after that i disconnected the call. This is their CUSTOMER CARE, bloody Idiots!!!!

I got really fed up, irritiated and angered by their actions and their customer care and ability to resolve the problem. I switched to Airtel but I have kept the aircel sim card. I tried it after 5 days or so and still found that the same problem still persisted.

I conclude this by warning everyone and anyone who wants to go for Aircel that DO NOT GO FOR AIRCEL, HOWEVER ATTRACTIVE RATES THEY MAY BE OFFERING.

The Dilemma

WHAT SHOULD I DO? SHOULD I GO OR SHOULD I NOT GO?...what a quandry i have got myself into...DAMN IT why did i have to receive the call?..Bloody hell!

Well this were the thoughts which were continuously passing through my mind. As mentioned in the above post, i had a pretty decent and satisfactory job and to make matter worse they even gave me a promotion and a solid pay hike...never got one when i actually needed. damn!.

So what do i do?.....well thats the million dollar question...aint it...

Well this is what I did.....and I think everyone can do if at all faced with such a situation.

1. Ask yourself what do you want to do this MBA for? Mostly, you wont have a clue of what you are going to learn in a MBA and how it is going to add value to your life, I never did, but all you know is that every aunty have been teling your mother that you should have been doing your MBA and without it you cannot get higher in life, it might be that you are actually earning more than a MBA but still he or she will be a better shade of blue in the eye of the mother. It curdled the milk in my head.

The other thing I knew is I can get a better package than I am currently earning and can get into a organisation of my own. Will be able to earn lot of money which is going to be a pre-requisite for the beautiful sin called Marriage. Obviously the mother's play a huge part in this. At one point of time it seemed to me that I am born to do an MBA only.....then marriage. That's it.

I tried to find out from various sources, about the value add, but reaching a consensus was as tough as getting a world cup football held in India. Not that i am proud of it, but its difficult, and that's a fact.

2. OK so i moved on with a confused mind to find the answer. the next thing I did was to list down the pros and cons of the decision...to go or not to go.

MBA or Job?

Hi,
I wanted to write for a long time, have my own blog, and finally I am doing it. Feels good, and hopefully I will continue.

The title of the blog "Inquisitive Mind" is due to the fact that every one tells me (and probably you also) that to be successful you have to ask questions....I wonder why? Will just asking questions make me the most successful person....no it wont...but according to me asking the right questions to the right guy (note the right guy) will go a long way in helping me gain knowledge. Obviously, just asking the question will lead nowhere...frankly, if i don't get the answers then how am i going to go ahead. I still remember how much I used to struggle after solving a arithmetic question and finding that no answer is given below....ufff...
Alas, another thing to be noted is that the answer should come from a credible source, a trusted source a knowledgeable source. Otherwise, even the best of questions will lead me nowhere.....I hope you agree...

The title of this Post is "MBA or Job". believe me, to leave a satisfying job (monetarily and psychologically) and going into a MBA class is one of the hardest decision one has to ever make. I have gone through that grind, and intend to share it in this forum, hopefully might provide some guidelines to somebody faced with such a dilemma.

I have been working in a fairly new company known as "Netmagic Solutions Pvt ltd." in Mumbai. I had previous work experience in IBM, Zenith Computers, PCS and others equalling 5+ years of corporate experience. However, among all the companies (i have hopped companies to find the right job for myself, one which I will enjoy doing) Netmagic provided me with the best work place and growth plan. I had an excellent boss, and very cooperative colleagues. Though in all my previous organisations, I had been fortunate to earn good reviews from my Bosses, i enjoyed working with Netmagic Immensely. I had a very good remuneration, variable pay and as Account Manger- Enterprise Sales had lot of respect.

Academically I have not been very proficient in my life, at best, being an average student. Since completing my Engineering in Electronics and telecommunication, I have been trying too do an MBA. However, after 3 CAT's, 2 XAT's, 2 SNAP's, 2 NMAT's, 2 IIM Interview's, 4 XLRI/XIMB interview's, 4 SYMBI Interview's etc later i was still trying to do my MBA.

Finally, giving up all hope of doing a full time MBA, i was about to try and enroll for the part time MBA in NMiMS, Mumbai. There, i noticed the advertisement for the 15 months EPGDBM course. I went through the Tests, GD's, PI's and finally got selected. Yipeeeeeeeeeeee...

But this happiness was short lived, very short lived. I had to choose between my MBA and job. a job i like a lot. The Question was WHAT TO DO? CONTINUE IN MY JOB OR GO AHEAD AND DO THE COURSE?...

I will continue with the answer in the next part...

Thank you,