State-owned Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) has launched a 24/7 call centre for providing better services to customers.
From now on, the consumers can place their complaint or ask for any kind of emergency information by calling hotline number 16116.
Through the service, customer will be able to file their complaints and get immediate solutions to their problems.
The DPDC opened the service initially for the two areas, a part of Dhaka and Narayanganj, among its six power distribution offices.
The consumers will get different services related to new connections, electrical dysfunctions in the line, voltage up-down, payment-related complications, any problems related to the meter and complexity of pre-paid meter vending.
There is a complaint against DPDC that ‘no one picks the emergency calls’. To solve this kind of unwanted problems, DPDC launched the call center.
Earlier, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid emphasized on the service.
The service was launched during a ceremony at Biddut Bhaban in the capital on Thursday.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid formally inaugurated the call centre while Chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board Khaled Mahmood and Chairman of the Board of Directors of DPDC Mohammed Shafiqullah were present at the function.
The state minister said customer care center should act like an emergency service where consumers can easily get their desired information as well as required services.
However, Narsul claimed that the newly formed customer service is giving misinformation to the consumer which was not acceptable. He instructed DPDC to take care of this problem immediately.
Nasrul said, "If the digital initiative would not be consumer friendly, then it would harass people and would not be fruitful. Initiative should be taken for coordinating the DPDC's call centre number 16116 with the hotline number 999."
DPDC managing director Bikash Dewan said, “The DPDC are consists of 36 zones. Previously, there were separate numbers for each of the zones. Customers used to complain over these numbers. But, from now they will receive services calling to the call centre 16116.” He said the DPDC customers will get better and quick response to their complaints when they will call to the center.
DPDC, established in 2005, started its operation in 2007 by taking over assets and liabilities from the now-defunct Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA). Now, it has 1.25 million customers in Dhaka and Narayanganj cities.