I realized that I got fooled immediately after I took a Spice mobile 1.5 years back-it was the only company offering dual SIM handsets at that time.I had told the shopkeeper that I wanted the mobile for using as a modem for internet connection.I also told him that I had Tata indicom and BSNL SIM and I will be using them for internet.He told me that the mobile will connect with all service providers.The mobile booklet did not give any information on the same.My first shock came when I found that Spice mobile cannot be used for accessing internet via modem/GPRS in both Tata indicom and BSNL.The vendor told that to find out whether its a mobile issue or not,the mobile will have to be sent to Delhi.As Spice has limited own service centers in India and none in Nagpur.After using all my sources it was not a issue with handset but of Spice's tie up with service providers.
Before the warranty got over the keypad of the mobile got stuck.That is I could not not use any of the keys.Luckily the problem resolved on its own in 24 hours.
I was in Jamshedpur this time.While I tried to use my dual SIM for the first time in six months,I found the phone not registering the GSM SIM.I finally found the service center of Spice. .The service center of Spice in Jamshedpur is "Care Point" which is a combined service center of Sony Ericssion and Spice.
Filthy staircase & stinking corridor to center
The service center is on the first floor of a old building.The stairs leading to it are dingy and foul smell greets you.I could have thought of it as a norm in mobile service centers in Jamshedpur had I not visited Nokia service center which is just 500 mts from the Spice service center.While the Nokia one is spacious,clean and has adequate space for customer along with mobile charging point and water facility..the Spice one has three chairs and has 80 Sq feet for both customers and staff.There is just a fan which cannot even circulate air there.The technician works in a area which is 20 sq feet in area without a fan.You can actually see then working on your priced phones while clearing the sweat on their brow simultaneously.As soon as I showed the phone to the technician he told me that it was a software problem and will take 100 Rs to fix it.While I was apprehensive about the fact that he was telling me the solution before opening the phone,he assured me that he has seen enough of Spice phones to know their problems.However it comes only with a one month guarantee.My second shock came when the dealer did not even make an attempt to give me any bill.Seeing the rush of customers I too did not bother to obtain it.
Little did I knew that I would have to visit the same dis-service center again.Luckily or unluckily it was for a different problem.My mobile key pad had got stuck again.I cursed myself for not rectifying it under warranty.The scene at the service center was of utter coarse.Customers were on top of each other in an attempt to deposit the handset.The service center was making manual bills taking more than extra time.The reception team had little idea of the instrument problems and kept calling the technicians to explain the same to customers.After 45 min of my handing over the mobile,the technician informed that the keypad needs to be changed and the warranty on the new keypad will be for one month.In an age when all mobile phone manufacturer gives warranty of at least six months(on even battery) post the limited warranty period,one month's warranty is like cheating the customer.This causes doubts on the quality of Spice mobiles. The third shock came when the service center refused to give me the old keypad. I was told that they need to deposit the old keypad back to the company.I have my concerns that the old keypad(if it was actually replaced) could find its way in some other customers mobile.
Unorganized reception / Insufficient waiting area
Nokia is quite concerned about electronic waste.So they have bins in their service center urging customers to put their E-waste in locked boxes(which can be opened by company reps) in the service center.They do not keep the customers replaced part with them.As usual,this time too the service center was reclusive in handing over the bill.But I finally took it ,to protect me for at least a month.
In an era when even the likes of Nokia are fighting Chinese and now Indian mobile players like Lava mobile,Spice seems to have lost the story.Even in the dual SIM technology it pioneered,new mobile manufacturer are beating it.Talking about service P's-the concepts of Physical evidence,Process,product....has no meaning for the company.Spice probably thinks that a customer's life time value is the cost of the one mobile handset he brought of Spice.The power of Word of mouth and the benefits of valuing the customer's life time seems useless to the company.It's about time,Indian companies start treating the customers with more respect.
