Olacabs : suggestions and sample of bad service

Meru cabs is pretty bad (never has cabs, not ready for short journeys) and now it seems that Olacabs in Bangalore is going the same way. Drivers who are not willing to listen to simple instructions on coming to your house; parking 500 meters away and expecting you to come to them in the rain, with your one year old!

Suggestions and feedback:

1. CRN 2247644 had a bad driver this journey, had to spend 15 minutes on phone to explain very easy location :  "Select hotel, Shivajinagar" which any auto driver in this area will tell you. It is a landmark in the middle of the city.
Then he could not get how to get to my house from there, even though it is one turn and 300 meters away (on a one way, so just has to drive straight and take first left turn!)

Suggestion : You really need to improve your mobile app so it takes approximate location from GPS but let's us fine tune location by 4-500 meters and remembers that so next time we can choose that pre configured pick up location. This will save your drivers time and hence make you more money in the long term. You should really show this to your higher management. I have had this kind of driver from Ola before too so it is not an isolated incident.

2. the driver then started the meter before waiting even 2 minutes, I thought it is 15 minutes free? Anyway the worst was : when we told him to wait he told my wife there is no waiting! When she told him to keep quiet and we know the rules he waited. Then on journey end the total wait time was 33 minutes and after mobile discount bill was Rs213/- (can see bill below); but he insisted that there is no discount on wait time and wanted me to call your customer care. I refused open my e-mail on phone and showed him same bill, then he went away. But it was a bad experience and am pained to think he will cheat others, especially women traveling alone. Should take action and educate all your drivers on rates, especially this one.

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Ola Invoice No. 2247644
20 May, 2013

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Ride Details
You Saved ₹23.0 on this Ola Ride!
Distance Travelled	4.7 km (at ₹ 16.0 per km after first 8 kms )
Wait Time	33.0 min (at ₹ 2.0 per min after first 15 mins )
Fare Details (₹)
Total Bill Payable	213*
Service Tax
Service Tax	9.74
Education Cess	0.19
SHE Cess	0.1
Payment Details (₹)
Total Paid	213
Balance Due	0
Booking Details
Service Type	Bangalore, City Taxi, Economy sedan
Booking Date	20 May, 2013, 07:52 pm
Pickup Date	20 May, 2013, 08:37 pm

*Minimum bill of ₹ 200 for the first 8 kms. and ₹ 16/km therafter. Wait time charges at ₹ 2 per min after first 15 minutes, includes waiting time during the trip.

Total Bill Payable is inclusive of service tax. Toll and parking extra.  www.olacabs.com.

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bag + money left at the Metro

feb 12,  dad was in hospital. i had come till Anil Kumble circle, MG Road, Blr in an auto from St Martha's, walked down to the station and run up as i had seen a train while walking down, but  I missed it - just as I got on top to the platform could see the train pull away.

Sat down and removed my shoes as I was hot with the running and walking! Then started chanting a buddist chant (I follow my own mix of hinduism, buddhism and my own beliefs interwoven with agnosticism) Anyway my bag was next to me on the bench. Then two women came and wanted to sit on the same bench, so I put my bag on the ground and continued to chant though very softly.

After few minutes the next train came to the other side, should have started to put my shoes on but I thought to my self - its going to take a while - since this is the first/ last stop, the train on the other side goes ahead 400- meters near Anil Kumble  cirlce then comes the other way and changes tracks to enter this platform. So I continued till the train changed tracks and came back "turned around". Then in a hurry put  on my shoes and rushed in. You gussed it -> scatter brain me left my bag back and did not even know it. At night (near 2150 time for last train) on way back from ofc realized that I had not brought lunch that day but should take bag back, when I could not find it. Looked around and tried to think back when I recalled. Went back to the metro for the way back sans back and hopes that I will get it.

At MG Road stop, went down and asked the customer care. She called someone and then asked me what was in the bag I said there would be a bill of Shashi Kapila's hospital stay (dad, had shifted  him from Vikram hospital to Matha's as Vikram ICU was prohibitively expensive). She asked was there any money? I had removed from the ATM 4 times as HDFC does not give 100s and I needed a few for my auto fares. I said it was between 8 and 9 but I can't recall exactly. She said to bring ID proof (original and one photo copy - efficiency :) ) the next day.

Brought id, narrated story, left out the shoes part but they reminded me and told me they had played back the CC TV footage :) Were very amused, I still did not know exact amount. I had not checked my account. It was over 11k, I did check my ATM records later it all added up :) Thank you Mertro folks for a cool ride, clean stations and a friendly atmosphere. Was so nice to talk in English, not be asked rudely why I did not know Kannada and to get my stuff back. Here is a copy of card I sent them. Also I was not carrying my phone so missed all the calls they made (over 9). My bag had a few visiting cards - had put them there for a situation like this and it worked!

Side bar - later was thinking if chanting in a station was a bad idea. Probably not; just get ready a few minutes before! Just in time can mean late or few things forgotten :) thank you humanity and hope we can make traffic, commuting and living with each other more pleasant and safe.

* I have asked for water from the guards a few times and always got it, wish you sold some on the plat form, as generally have time after buying the ticket and realizing there is still time for next train!

* The signage does not show current time, just next train time. That can be improve, show your local time in small 24 hour and 12 hour clock near the train timing or just show how many minutes to next train 

* Also would like to see a year down the line - a way to recharge my
travel card using my netbanking (HDFC, Canara and the other banks with
good netbanking).

* as a thank you gave some chocolates the next day at MG Road, can only hope the folks on the first floor and who ever got the bag got some & know I'm very grateful.