RIL Rights Issue: How To Get Queries Solved Over WhatsApp?

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has launched the biggest rights issue India has ever seen (worth Rs 53,125 crore) amid a nationwide lockdown. To help its over 2.5 million shareholders apply from far away the company has launched a chatbot over WhatsApp that answers an exhaustive list of queries related to the rights issue.

Interestingly, WhatsApp is owned by RIL's recent partner Facebook Inc, that purchased a 9.9 percent stake in Jio Platforms.

The RIL rights issue opened for subscription on 20 May and it has put in action a WhatsApp chatbot since. Apart from texts, the chatbot also sends shareholders links to a few video tutorials, for those who prefer the video medium.

The issue closes on 3 June.

The chatbot answers most commonly asked queries without any human intervention and has been an intelligent solution to such a large fundraising event when the company cannot employ a vast call centre infrastructure facility due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The company, as well as the registrar, do have dedicated customer care helplines to help shareholders on related issues.

As per RIL's e-mail sent to eligible shareholders, shareholders can contact using the following helplines:

WhatsApp number

Type "Hi" and send to [phone].

Toll-free numbers of the Registrar

1800 425 8998 / 1800 345 4001

Toll-free number of RIL for resident individual investors only and operational from Monday to Saturday (between 9 am to 6 pm)

1800 889 8888