Bush and Blair went up the hill,
To win the war in Iraq,
Blair fell down and lost his crown,
And Bush came tumbling after.
My subscription for Pehla package expired a few days back. Since I had decided on an alternative to Pehla, I had not bothered to renew. I have been using Pehla for the last two years, and I must admit their customer service is atrocious. They don’t reply to the e-mails sent nor they give satisfactory replies on phone. Moreover, they charge a bomb for using their services.
Today morning I got a call from Pehla representative in Dubai. She told me that my subscription had expired, and she had faxed me a renewal form. It is to be noted that the conversation was in a very polite tone, earlier unheard of. Looking for some excuse, I told her I would be renewing it very soon. Hearing that, she jumped, and said: “Why sir, what happened sir…blah, blah.” Finally, in a sad tone she said bye and ended the call.
Now, the reason for Pehla’s down-to-earth attitude is linked to Dish TV’s growing popularity among Indians in the Middle East. Although illegal, Dish TV’s receivers can be purchased in India, and fixed across homes in Middle East.
Some months back, Pehla tried to counter Dish TV by issuing threatening ads in local newspapers against customers using Dish TV services. Sadly, it didn’t work for them I guess. Now, they have taken to more humane approach. They will click only if they slash their subscription rates.
Date palms, depicting the ripening stages, in front of Al Falaj Hotel.
This is a regular feature across rooftops in Muscat.
Me: Yes, tell me.
S: English or Hindi?
M: Anything will do.
S: (Speaking in Hindi) Actually, we wanted some help. We are basically from Sohar. We lost our belongings on a trip to Muscat today. We desperately need some money to get back to Sohar. Please help us with some cash (at this juncture, he points out to a car nearby with women and kids).
M: (Getting suspicious) Sorry, I can’t help you.
The next minute, the stranger gets into his car and drives away.
I’ve faced this incident a couple of times in Qurum and Ruwi over the past one-year. Except for the plot and actors, their agenda is same: take gullible people for a ride and make some quick bucks. The lead person in the act is an extremely talented actor, and supporting actors in the car are also quite good. Each time he points out to the car, they put up a sad face, looking pointlessly. What they seriously lack is a creative and convincing script to unleash their intentions.
So, next time, someone comes up with ‘Sohar’ or ‘Salalah’ story, you know what to do!
Stay in the comfort of your house, plus use facilities of the 5-star hotel. Very smart marketing indeed.
Barr Al Jissah residences will be launched on May 26.
An Abu Dhabi businessman shelled out a whopping 2.52 million Omani rials (6.86 million dollars) for the number plate “5”.
I am speechless!