When Organisations Are Irrational

It stuns me the way organisations do business. And I had an interaction with one such organisation today.

Today morning, I called up a popular Call Taxi Service in Hyderabad, a city in India, - to book a cab later in the evening. This has been the Taxi Service I have been using for quite some while.

As soon as I rang up these guys, the caller tune announced - "Thank You for calling Easy Cabs, the most popular Radio Taxi Service in India". I was impressed. And glad that they had achieved this "most popular" landmark. 

After that, it was all down hill!!!

Your Reputation  Jumped Down the Cliff 

Soon, I was for in a pleasant surprise when the automated caller tune announced that a convenience charge of Rs. 30 will be charged for booking on the phone. 

I said to myself - "What non-sense. This is another tactic to fleece your customers. You take pride in the fact that you are a popular Radio Taxi Service. Yet, you charge your customers a fee of Rs. 30 to book for the service through the phone - which made you popular in the first place". Very unfair, I said.

Till the time my phone was answered by the operator, I wondered what are the other mechnasims where I could book the same service - without the convenience charge. 

This company does not have a fleet which you can see everywhere on the road, and you can just wave off the taxi, like you do in cities like Bombay and London, for a ride to the destination. Nothing was striking my mind.

Soon the operator came online. I booked my cab and inquired about the convenience charges with him. He indicated that if the booking is done on the internet, the company won't levy any service charge. Another non-sense. 

What Silly Ideas Evoke?

What if I am at some place having a dinner, and wanting to go back home in the taxi? Do I log into the internet? Does everyone have a mobile phone powered by internet? Or should I rush into the nearest internet cafe, pay another Rs. 25 to use the cafe, and book the taxi. It is simply silly.

I requested the operator to cancel my booking, indicating that I will book through the internet. I logged into the site and tried to book the taxi, for 11 0 clock in the evening today. 

Out popped an error message - "Internet booking is allowed only 24 hours prior to the service." Another piece of non-sense. Does it mean that If I have go somewhere locally, I need to plan 24 hours in advance? Guys, are you booking a chartered super jumbo plane for me?

Stupid Ideas

This entire exercise left me flabbergasted. 

I wonder who had designed this entire idea. I wonder how reputed organisations like these adopt some silly, obnoxious ideas. 

There will be people who will appreciate this business idea. But for me, this idea is a utter non-starter.

Well, I can conclude only point - These days everything can be passed, even if its irrational. Being sensible means being foolish.