‘Everyone should know Hindi’: Zomato executive’s remark to customer triggers language debate online

When Vikash said the language barrier was “not (my) matter of concern” and insisted Zomato get him the refund, the executive allegedly responded, “For your kind information Hindi is our national language. So it is very common that everybody should know Hindi little bit (sic).”

Ordered food in zomato and an item was missed. Customer care says amount can’t be refunded as I didn’t know Hindi. Also takes lesson that being an Indian I should know Hindi. Tagged me a liar as he didn’t know Tamil. @zomato not the way you talk to a customer. @zomatocare pic.twitter.com/gJ04DNKM7w

— Vikash (@Vikash67456607) October 18, 2021

Vikash also told the executive during the conversation, “If Zomato is available in Tamil Nadu, they should have hired the people who understand the language.”

Vikash also explained the situation in his tweet, “Ordered food in Zomato and an item was missed. Customer care says the amount can’t be refunded as I didn’t know Hindi. Also takes the lesson that being an Indian I should know Hindi. Tagged me a liar as he didn’t know Tamil. @zomato, not the way you talk to a customer.”

As the tweet went viral, Zomato care, the company’s official support page, called the incident “unacceptable” and reached out to Vikash to address his concerns.

Hi Vikash, this is unacceptable. We’d like to get this checked ASAP, could you please share your registered contact number via a private message? https://t.co/jcTFuGSv2G

— zomato care (@zomatocare) October 18, 2021

Vikash, as per our telephonic conversation, your concern has been addressed. Do reach out to us for any further assistance.

— zomato care (@zomatocare) October 18, 2021

The company then apologised to Vikash for their customer care agent’s behaviour, adding that they have terminated the agent for his “negligence towards our diverse culture”.

Vanakkam Vikash, we apologise for our customer care agent’s behaviour. Here’s our official statement on this incident. We hope you give us a chance to serve you better next time.

Pls don’t #Reject_Zomato ♥️ https://t.co/P350GN7zUl pic.twitter.com/4Pv3Uvv32u

— zomato (@zomato) October 19, 2021

However, the company’s CEO and founder Deepinder Goyal later tweeted that the employee has been reinstated and addressed the issue on the microblogging website. “An ignorant mistake by someone in a support centre of a food delivery company became a national issue. The level of tolerance and chill in our country needs to be way higher than it is nowadays. Who’s to be blamed here?”

“On that note, we are reinstating the agent – this alone is not something she should have been fired for. This is easily something she can learn and do better about going forward,” he added.

On that note, we are reinstating the agent – this alone is not something she should have been fired for. This is easily something she can learn and do better about going forward.

— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) October 19, 2021

Having said that, we should all tolerate each other’s imperfections. And appreciate each other’s language and regional sentiments.

Story continues below this ad

Tamil Nadu – we love you. Just as much as we love the rest of the country. Not more, not less. We are all the same, as much as we are different.❤️

— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) October 19, 2021

Since being shared online, the tweet has triggered a plethora of reactions. While some users said Vikash was creating a “panic situation with useless issues”, others backed him stating it was “atrocious” to ask a customer to learn Hindi. Some also replied to the post claiming they had faced similar issues while trying to communicate with customer care executives. The viral tweet also led to ‘#Reject_Zomato’ trending on the microblogging website.

This is not ignorance. This is arrogance. Basics of any call Center is not to blame customer and comment on their ethnic. This conversation is good enough to terminate that employee even if customer didn’t complaint and found on random audit.

— Goshen Stephen (@goshen_s) October 18, 2021

Bro don’t travel outside your state before learning other languages.

— Prabhu Prasad Pradhan (@PrabhuPrasadPr6) October 19, 2021

I agree that zomato customer care has done wrong by imposing Hindi on someone but the reply section is full of people who disrespect Hindi as a language.don’t forget that it is also a language spoken by many people. don’t uphold your language by demeaning someone else’s language.

— Nitya Singh (@NityaSi00832911) October 18, 2021

@zomato can you look into this, i faced similiar linguistic issue regarding my order last month, left that issue as it could be just a single unfamiliar person who might be new to customer care services, was hearing similiar issues from a considerable number of friends
TIA

— Kratos_GOW (@kratos_tamil) October 18, 2021

Pass this basic fact to your employees.

Hindi is not an national language of India.

It is one of the official language.

#ஒன்றியஉயிரினங்கள்

Also note we are not opposing Hindi. Anyone can learn the laubguage they wish.
It is the imposition we hate

— தேனீ (@malaithenioffl) October 18, 2021

Nowadays people are creating panic situation with useless issues. zomato never told to learn hindi as a matter of communication the hotel guy speak in hindi and ur exaggerating nd asking public apology ..
Really feeling pitty on you and all people who r supporting.

— Kamal Dev (@babukdev) October 18, 2021