[coolmel]

After a harrowing experience with ICICI, finally switched to Paytm. ICICI blacklisted my tag and closed it without my consent. Their incompetent customer service just added more salt to the wounds. Every time I requested to speak to a senior, one line: Sir, system slow hai/down hai! Even raised a complaint on PGPortal but got disposed off soon. The banks statement being: I the customer asked to close the tag and hence we did so which wasn't the case at all! I even cross checked my requests and there was none. Also my balance was +1000 bucks.

Post this been reading about most providers and the same pattern continues, ie bad customer service across the board. The operators are clueless! This system would have been successful had there been a single provider and not multiples!

Is there any provider whom we can look up to? Anyone providing exemplary customer service? Nada!

Sad state indeed!

[mayuresh]

Originally Posted by coolmel

After a harrowing experience with ICICI...

Can relate with this. I, too, had horrible experience of ICICI in general in many relationships I had and have closed all of them.

But paytm isn't a good choice either. I am about to close their tag. Currently in fight with them for the toll they charged at a booth I never went to. If it's a technical or operator error, I'd not hold it against them. But it's the pathetic handling of the grievance, acts like insisting that I did pass that toll, lack of any response whatsoever after that even after waiting for the 20 days time frame stipulated by the Govt - this is brand paytm for you, a good competitor to icici in worst customer service.

I am done with follow up aka hitting the head against a wall of indifferent paytm customer service. I'm taking the grievance to NHAI now.

Looking for non paytm non icici fastag advice. And if it continues like that may be paying double toll will start sounding like a better option...

[coolmel]

Originally Posted by mayuresh

Can relate with this. I, too, had horrible experience of ICICI in general in many relationships I had and have closed all of them.

But paytm isn't a good choice either. I am about to close their tag. Currently in fight with them for the toll they charged at a booth I never went to. If it's a technical or operator error, I'd not hold it against them. But it's the pathetic handling of the grievance, acts like insisting that I did pass that toll, lack of any response whatsoever after that even after waiting for the 20 days time frame stipulated by the Govt - this is brand paytm for you, a good competitor to icici in worst customer service.

I am done with follow up aka hitting the head against a wall of indifferent paytm customer service. I'm taking the grievance to NHAI now.

Looking for non paytm non icici fastag advice. And if it continues like that may be paying double toll will start sounding like a better option...

Man! I have less words regarding the entire Fastag experience. Be it any platform, the lack of good customer service across the board be it any provider is so rampant I feel why was it implemented in the first place?! For your case, have you filed a complaint on PGPortal? Pls do so if not. Helps somewhat.

My question stays though. Which is the best Fastag provider out there?

[nick.cs]

Originally Posted by coolmel

Which is the best Fastag provider out there?

I don't think there is a single answer for that now. Why now? Because Fastag has been made compulsory.

Hence the following points are to be consider -
1. Since it was made compulsory, the number of tags for any provider would have gone up exponentially and hence the error rate would have gone up with necessary infra reqd for quick closure between provider / NHAI not going up
2. Providers now know that you are bound to come to them. Be it either Paytm / ICICI / HDFC. So their priority is not to differentiate themselves currently by providing a better service. Maybe things will settle in the future but currently the single aim would be get as much market share.
3. Providers having lower market share will definitely not make the recommended infra investment as it would not fit the cost benefit ratio for them. Hence it would make then some sense to stick to the top 2/3 service providers.
4. Some of the policies are quite idiotic and maybe tweaking the rules in the first place will release bandwidth. Like you being charged toll for a multi-axle vehicle when you're a car - my question here is why deduct the amount first and then ask confirmations wherein the user is made to run around to get his money back. This is a typical shoot first ask questions later approach. First do the due diligence then deduct the amount. Such issues unless streamlined will end up taking bandwidth for all providers. Also the TAT for closure i think currently is too high.
5. Thus the options that we have today are like politicians - you have to choose between bad or worse as there is no NOTA here.

[mayuresh]

Originally Posted by coolmel

My question stays though. Which is the best Fastag provider out there?

Jury is still out on that. It's not something that individuals can comprehend. More the experience sharing happens on forums like this, some opinions will be formed. Members, please post with names of banks without hesitation. Then only our collective experience will build. If each individual were to decide by own experience life is too short ...

As I am planning to get rid of Paytm (not just fastag, entirely from my life) I went through the complete list of providers:

https://www.npci.org.in/what-we-do/n...g/live-members

Not fastag, but based on first hand experience with their banking and customer service, I strongly rule out ICICI, Paytm, HDFC, Axis, Airtel, SBI, BoM, Kotak Mahindra. None of these have any semblance of customer service whatsoever. I have banked with each of them and quit with a resolution that I'll never ever go back to either of them no matter what proposition they have.

Among the remaining, most are less known to me. But I'd take my chances with IDFC. I am decently happy with their banking. But, fingers crossed. Overall quality of service available around us is generally poor.

[coolmel]

Originally Posted by mayuresh

Among the remaining, most are less known to me. But I'd take my chances with IDFC. I am decently happy with their banking. But, fingers crossed. Overall quality of service available around us is generally poor.

Thanks mate, appreciate it. I am all against ICICI. Pathetic service. More on Paytm as I use it. Dont know about the rest. This definitely needs a new poll.

Originally Posted by nick.cs

I don't think there is a single answer for that now. Why now? Because Fastag has been made compulsory.

You are right. I truly hope good sense prevails some day.

[itwasntme]

Any experiences of using FASTag for paying parking charges and other services etc.? I believe a few malls started it (or was supposed to before the second pandemic wave).

Would be good if people can post their real life experiences here.

[NG_EV]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Any experiences of using FASTag for paying parking charges and other services etc.

I have no experience on this, but feel that this will lead to an increase in number of fraudulent transactions. And if they switch to hand held scanners in general parking area, then it is a different story altogether.

[saion666]

I have a ICICI fasttag and for the last 7 hours it is getting debited at toll plazas in Madhya Pradesh.
15 rupees deducted in the Morning
63 rupees got deducted 2 hrs later

My car is parked in my garage in Hyderabad.Am standing in front of it.
Everytime i Call ICICI helpdesk, they raise one ticket and says it will be looked into. How is this possible, is my fasttag cloned?
What is to be done.

[saion666]

I am really feeling helpless on what to do here. Again the toll got deducted from some random toll plaza in Madhya Pradesh. All ICICI is doing is opening a new ticket for the deduction and not even bothered to check why this is happening.

I could just be a sitting duck and see my balance getting reduced to zero.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by saion666

I am really feeling helpless on what to do here. Again the toll got deducted from some random toll plaza in Madhya Pradesh. All ICICI is doing is opening a new ticket for the deduction and not even bothered to check why this is happening.

Nothing to worry for now. They have raised tickets so that they could issue chargebacks against these deductions. It would take a few days for the investigation to complete. There would be some issue with the tag ID thats being reported, or a wrong tag ID has been mapped to your account. Why dont you login to ICICI fastag portal and check if there are two tags associated to your account?

As I understand every Fastag has a tag ID, which is mapped to a vehicle and your account. So if there is a clone, there must be another tag with the same ID, or there have been two tags mapped to your account. Either way, it is easy to find out once the ICICI team begins their investigation. Since its done in multiple toll booths, I believe its not a fault on the toll operator of a single booth. There would be either a wrong mapping or your account has two tags.

[saion666]

Originally Posted by audioholic

As I understand every Fastag has a tag ID, which is mapped to a vehicle and your account. So if there is a clone, there must be another tag with the same ID, or there have been two tags mapped to your account. Either way, it is easy to find out once the ICICI team begins their investigation. Since its done in multiple toll booths, I believe its not a fault on the toll operator of a single booth. There would be either a wrong mapping or your account has two tags.

There is only one tag id to my account.Checked that.
The car has been lying idle in the garage for the last 3-4 months, i just start and move it a but every week.
Anyway the balance is now zero, so I have nothing more to lose.

I hope ICICI investigates and resolves this. Have had a terrible experience before with them when i asked for a replacement fasttag. It took them 7 months and around 50 follow up calls to get a replacement tag.

[nick.cs]

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has enabled direct payment of fuel, LPG and lubes thru ICICI Bank FASTag at their retail outlets.

Source

However the method is not straightforward. You have to make payment through the HP Pay App after linking your Fastag id to your App. The only benefit here i see is that all fuel expenses will be captured in the Fastag wallet.

Wonder if it would have helped to directly scan and pay tags like in booths. But i believe it makes sense to begin this way rather than having long queues for disputing incorrect debits, incorrect scans done where you pay for other users especially when city pumps are usually crowded.

[FarPatel]

Originally Posted by Pequod

Short answer, yes. The bank will replace your tag with a new one, and balance will be transferred. Simple application, and no need of the damaged tag either. Just the tag id is required, you get it on NETC site.
Got mine replaced (South Indian Bank) earlier this year when I had to change my cracked windshield.

I too need to get my HDFC FASTag replaced as my windshield was damaged by a falling branch a couple of days ago. The helpline guided me through the website, where I had to pay 100 bucks online and am assured a new FASTag, with the same ID etc. as my old one would arrive by courier within 7-10 days. My balance amount would also be available as the account would be the same.
If anyone needs the HDFC FASTag helpline no., it is 18001201243. Hope this helps someone.
Cheers

[nidhikapoor]

A friend is buying a new car. Dealer has tie up with ICICI, but he wants HDFC as his other cars are with HDFC.

HDFC helpline said to apply with chassis number but later rejected that application. He cant get the car registered without a fastag, and cant get a fastag with a registration number. I'm sure this must be a common issue? Any suggestions?