TRAI's directive to improve customer service

Customer service provided by mobile service providers in the country hasn't been the best, to say the least. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India took notice of this and now it has decided to do something about it. Times of India reports that TRAI issued certain directives, yesterday, following which customer service in the country should see a major facelift. Among the most primary things, TRAI has directed all telcos operational in the country to set up a complaint centre, compulsorily. This complaint centre will have a toll free, customer care number of its own, too. This customer care number, according to TRAI guidelines will be accessible from any service provider's network.

Hoping for better services (Image credit: Getty Images)

In addition to this, TRAI has also directed operators to set up, what they refer to as a web-based complaint monitoring system, using which users will be able to keep a track of their complaints. Earlier, we would always have to pay up for the calls we made to the customer care number of our respective service providers. Now,  however, that is set to change, since the TRAI directive makes it clear that calls to customer care units of any service provider will be free. Now, when a user registers a complaint by calling up the common complaint centre, he/she will be provided with a docket number, which will be unique to only that user. Along with the docket number, the user will also receive date and time of the registration and the time limit of the same. The complaint thus filed, will remain in the systems of the telcos for a period of three months, at least. Interestingly, once the complaint is successfully addressed to, the user wil be notified about it through a text message.

Several changes to the existing heirarchy has been suggested, too. According to the report, these include, "... to do away with the nodal officer-the middle layer between the call center and appellate authority--making the complaint redressal system of only two layers." The report further stated that, "It has also mandated service providers to create a two-member advisory committee in each service area comprising a member from Trai-registered consumer organization and the other from the mobile operator. The committee will advise on all appeals placed before it to the appellate authority."

These changes seem promising, and there is no doubt in the fact that if these changes are implemented then the entire user community will be one happy bunch.