Your feedback matters!

Kamal Baruah

(kamal.baruah@yahoo.com)

The origin of NPS dates back to December 2003, according to the Harvard Business Review article “The one number you need to grow” by Frederick F. Reichheld. NPS (Net Promoter Score) is a way of measuring customers’ satisfaction and loyalty by asking how likely they’re to recommend a brand to others. However, companies spend lots of time and money on complex tools to assess customers’ satisfaction. The best predictor of top-line growth can usually be captured in a single survey question by Frederick. “Would you recommend this company to a friend?” And many of us (customers) deal with it now and then. Customers always consider reviews before making a purchase decision, and a feedback SMS message follows to capture customers’ insights.

I witnessed a harsh incident the other day when I was asked to respond to feedback from one SMS. The tales of suffering put us in great distress. Soon after boarding the chartered bus, our daughter experienced the unavailability of mobile networks. Alas! It seemed to be a network glitch from the outset. It was later confirmed through the helpline that the SIM was blocked by the network provider for lack of KYC. It was a shock to face such hostile attitudes from a leading mobile network provider, albeit the SIM issued at my name after verification of OVD eight long years ago and being used by our daughter.

Imagine a day without a cellular phone when we’re totally dependent on a mobile network supporting digital wallet service. Little could anybody at the time see that your only SIM is no longer active when every financial transaction and social media post is linked to a mobile number? Facing such a kind of military action all of a sudden was insane. We rushed to the store the very next day to air our grievances against the operator and found the tiny store was crowded by hundreds of aggrieved users. While waiting for our turn at E-Token, our minds were beginning to wander. A tiny bench offered little help to accommodate all, and many senior citizens stood tirelessly in the doorway for hours.

Our queries went unanswered, and our arguments went unheard. It was shocking that nothing is possible before 45 days, at least for further notification, as the network provider is required to abide by the telecom regulatory authority. We made one last desperate attempt to retrieve it by issuing another SIM for instant access to her phone, but the original number was still blocked. There was a long pause during which we all wondered what would happen without that one and only mobile number that she possesses and get linked with every activity in day-to-day work and study.

After a month, I was jubilant over a call to visit the store. Capturing my fingerprint biometric data from Aadhaar was really tough. Finally, the SIM was retrieved, and a request from the store representative came by surprise to respond with a feedback SMS for the overall experience. Definitely, feedback matters for them while purchasing a product, which is crucial for the success of their marketing efforts.

Should I tick Five-Star for NPS? Probably negative, while facing after that juncture. I spared a moment to share my thoughts about the harrowing story of how they treated us. They don’t deserve happy feedback from customers. We had had a harsh experience. The mobile operator didn’t even bother to convey anything other than sending SMS for KYC. We had suffered a great deal since blocking the SIM. We can’t praise them enough; they did a senseless job by deactivating a cellular mobile in haste and failed to elevate our satisfaction. After all, your valuable feedback counts.