Random Musings

McDonals delivers in Mumbai – something they have not done anywhere else in the world. Wonder if processes that have not undergone repeated tests and trials at their end and are introduced in a country like India thus, can become a damaging cause to their brand?? I had a bad experience with a delivery order that I tried to place couple of days back.

Here is what happened.
I was at my Sun Mills Compound office, at around 8:15 pm, and which is bang across the road from Phoenix Mills, where McDonalds has an outlet. I got a call from my daughters and they were in a mood to have burgers for dinner and wanted me to get these from McDonalds, on my way back home.

Since I see the McD scooties whenever I go into Phoenix Mills, I remembered that they deliver, so instead of going to the outlet, I thought of ordering them, and keep working till the order comes in. I had to get the Lower Parel outlet numbers from Just Dial, as I have never needed to call McD in the past. I called the Lower Parel numbers, and got a reply in stuttering English (problem 1 for McD’s image..!) that I needed to dial another number for ordering. Fair enough.. got the other number. After several attempts, managed to get across to that number. It was about 8:25 pm by this time. I told them that I wanted to order. They asked me for my name and telephone number (fair enough, I thought; Domino’s recognises a subsequent call, from telephone number, so no harm in giving these details first). Only after I had given these details, instead of taking my order, he said that someone will call me back. I told him that it had taken a while to get across to you, and again if it takes time for the person to call me back, when will I place an order?? He promised that someone will call in just 2 minutes. Satisfied at that reply, I put the phone down and continued to work. And in my work, it just slipped my mind that the call never came in. I remembered it only at around 8:55 pm (a good 25 minutes later), at which time, I called that number back and asked the person that how come no one had called. Perhaps he did not have a reply, and he mumbled that the slip on which my number was written, must have got lost. I was aghast that first, such a thing could happen at McD, and second, that he would have the cheek to say something as silly as this. Are we talking of a billion dollar valued brand here, or what??

I asked to speak to a senior, and was put in touch with Mr. Augustine Alfonso, the shift supervisor. He heard me out, and was mildly apologetic, but started giving me an explanation. That there were so many terminals, and all of them were busy. I queried that Domino’s delivers in thirty minutes and you have not even taken an order in this time!!

I suggested that I will complain to the senior management and to McDonalds, USA, but that did nothing to him. NOT ONCE did they suggest that sorry for the time that has gone by, but let me take your order right away, and get you the orde soon. NO – THEY DID NOT SUGGEST THIS AT ALL! Ultimately, I gave up and did not order and had to give the sad news to my disappointed daughters!

I have written to Mr. Amit Jatia, and posted the complaint at McDonalds’ corporate site. Have not heard anything from either of them so far..

– Sanjay