Introduction? Is it needed? Well, this is the first time I am publishing something on net, so please bear with me. The reason behind writing this blog is an incident that took place today on 19th November 2010. I was completely shocked when I was asked this question. Now, this blog post covers two topics and these are 1. Customer Service and 2. Discrimination.
I have been riding a 2003 model Pulsar 180, which is not mine obviously but of a friends who went to his place in the east and gave it to me for some time. He will be coming back in a short while and I will return his bike to him once again after riding it for almost 1.5 years. The point is, I visited Bajaj and Hero Honda as I was confused between the new Pulsar 220 Street Fighter and older Karizma. No doubt the service offered by Bajaj was a Zillion times better than Hero Honda.
As soon as I entered the Pro-Biking showroom, within 5 seconds an executive was there to assist me and my friend. He explained us the technicalities and everything and at the same time within 5 minutes gave us a quotation as well. I asked how much time do I need to wait for the delivery, if I book the bike and came to know that at the max it will be 15 days.
Now, when we visited the Hero Honda showroom, it took them 10-15 minutes (or may be more than that) to arrange for an executive who can actually show us the bike. When we reached in the cellar, this guy showed us the bike, however, when asked some simple questions about it, was speechless. We came up again in the showroom once again and then asked how much time do I need to wait for the delivery, if I book the bike and the answer was indeed shocking. They said it will take about 2-3 months after I book it. This is not the only point where Hero Honda is lacking. The other points are the way their executives behaved. There was no uniform, in comparison to the Bajaj Guy, No Courtesy to attend the customer, it seemed as if they are not interested in selling the bike or are not paid enough to care to attend and answer a few questions to a customer who wants to buy their product.
Well, then we asked about finance options available at Hero Honda and we were asked to meet a thin, pale faced guy who was to explain us the options. At first, we sat besides him and for the first 5-7 mins he did not pay any attention to us and continued talking to a friend of his. Well, we took a great pain at first in making him understand that we want to inquire about the older model of Karizma and not the newer one, Karizma ZMR, while he kept on repeating that the older model has been discontinued. We told him twice that we have been shown the older model just now in there go-down by one of his colleagues and he then realized that he had made a blunder. He informed us about the price and told us that it will take 2-3 months if we book it today. When we asked once again for finance options available at first he refused. Later, he informed us about the options and me and my friend left the showroom discussing it.
Now, comes the point which has truly inspired me to write a blog and post it on the net. What all I want to do here is express my thoughts and if you agree to it, you got some gray matter and if you don't, it really doesn't bother me. Remember, the guy at Hero Honda denied us that there is no finance options available, he later asked me that "Am I a Hindu?" and I replied "Yes". After listening to my answer, he started laughing. My friend and I asked, "Why, does that make a difference?" and he said "Yeah, because we don't give finance options to the "M" class". I was completely shocked after hearing this (Later my friend told that it was normal as he has faced this previously as well). Now, "M" Class here means Muslims and yes my friend is a Muslim.
My point is "How does the religion that I follow makes a difference when it comes to purchasing a bike on finance or getting a loan?". I never knew that finance companies or institutions gave loans only to a certain people following a specified religion. The basis of this, I came to know later, was because a few Muslims had taken loans from them and did not repay. I mean this is utterly disturbing that a bunch of people following Islam did this and finance companies deny giving a loan to the entire community. There must be Lacs and Crores of Hindus or people from some other religion who have done this. Why aren't they banned by these companies or institutions? Why do they still give a loan to them if that is the case?
What all I want to say is, there should not be a discrimination based upon the religion that you follow. Let's not do this. I want to follow only one religion and that is MANKIND. I don't know how you will react after reading this but this is what I feel and it is wrong.
Regards,
The White Tiger
(Devesh Shukla)
I have been riding a 2003 model Pulsar 180, which is not mine obviously but of a friends who went to his place in the east and gave it to me for some time. He will be coming back in a short while and I will return his bike to him once again after riding it for almost 1.5 years. The point is, I visited Bajaj and Hero Honda as I was confused between the new Pulsar 220 Street Fighter and older Karizma. No doubt the service offered by Bajaj was a Zillion times better than Hero Honda.
As soon as I entered the Pro-Biking showroom, within 5 seconds an executive was there to assist me and my friend. He explained us the technicalities and everything and at the same time within 5 minutes gave us a quotation as well. I asked how much time do I need to wait for the delivery, if I book the bike and came to know that at the max it will be 15 days.
Now, when we visited the Hero Honda showroom, it took them 10-15 minutes (or may be more than that) to arrange for an executive who can actually show us the bike. When we reached in the cellar, this guy showed us the bike, however, when asked some simple questions about it, was speechless. We came up again in the showroom once again and then asked how much time do I need to wait for the delivery, if I book the bike and the answer was indeed shocking. They said it will take about 2-3 months after I book it. This is not the only point where Hero Honda is lacking. The other points are the way their executives behaved. There was no uniform, in comparison to the Bajaj Guy, No Courtesy to attend the customer, it seemed as if they are not interested in selling the bike or are not paid enough to care to attend and answer a few questions to a customer who wants to buy their product.
Well, then we asked about finance options available at Hero Honda and we were asked to meet a thin, pale faced guy who was to explain us the options. At first, we sat besides him and for the first 5-7 mins he did not pay any attention to us and continued talking to a friend of his. Well, we took a great pain at first in making him understand that we want to inquire about the older model of Karizma and not the newer one, Karizma ZMR, while he kept on repeating that the older model has been discontinued. We told him twice that we have been shown the older model just now in there go-down by one of his colleagues and he then realized that he had made a blunder. He informed us about the price and told us that it will take 2-3 months if we book it today. When we asked once again for finance options available at first he refused. Later, he informed us about the options and me and my friend left the showroom discussing it.
Now, comes the point which has truly inspired me to write a blog and post it on the net. What all I want to do here is express my thoughts and if you agree to it, you got some gray matter and if you don't, it really doesn't bother me. Remember, the guy at Hero Honda denied us that there is no finance options available, he later asked me that "Am I a Hindu?" and I replied "Yes". After listening to my answer, he started laughing. My friend and I asked, "Why, does that make a difference?" and he said "Yeah, because we don't give finance options to the "M" class". I was completely shocked after hearing this (Later my friend told that it was normal as he has faced this previously as well). Now, "M" Class here means Muslims and yes my friend is a Muslim.
My point is "How does the religion that I follow makes a difference when it comes to purchasing a bike on finance or getting a loan?". I never knew that finance companies or institutions gave loans only to a certain people following a specified religion. The basis of this, I came to know later, was because a few Muslims had taken loans from them and did not repay. I mean this is utterly disturbing that a bunch of people following Islam did this and finance companies deny giving a loan to the entire community. There must be Lacs and Crores of Hindus or people from some other religion who have done this. Why aren't they banned by these companies or institutions? Why do they still give a loan to them if that is the case?
What all I want to say is, there should not be a discrimination based upon the religion that you follow. Let's not do this. I want to follow only one religion and that is MANKIND. I don't know how you will react after reading this but this is what I feel and it is wrong.
Regards,
The White Tiger
(Devesh Shukla)
Posts
Braaaaaaaaaaaavo Dude...
ReplyDeleteSo you finally posted huh!!!
This incident is no doubt disgusting, and so is the whole discrimination thing happening everywhere else too.
Tell you what, not just finance and banking, but surprisingly even hospitals, government employees and even cops are religiously biased at times.
Again, we should not generalize that everyone is involved, but certain amount of people certainly are.
I think our individual responsibility is to do what you just did - make others aware. Even educated people need to be educated at times!
Good job with the blog - keep posting!
Best,
M