WeWork India found itself under fire lately after IIT alumnus and WeekendInvesting founder Alok Jain shared a frustrating experience with the sales process of the company. Jain voiced his dissatisfaction on social media and highlighted that his statement was intrusive as well as condescending behavior from a sales representative of WeWork at the Gurgaon-based Golf Course Road co-working space.
The complaint of Jain struck a chord as many have experienced similar shifts in customer service with the growth of a brand. He explained the way the representative asked an overwhelming number of personal questions about his current office setup, team size and decision-making authority. It felt to him like being judged on his worth before even being shown office spaces. He compared high-end car showrooms where customers often feel interrogated rather than valued. The frustration of Jain was clear that brands often lose sight of basic courtesy and customer respect when they achieve a certain level of success.
WeWork India’s CEO Karan Virwani respond by offering an apology and acknowledging that Jain’s experience didn’t reflect value of the company. he justified the questioning as part of understanding client needs and admitted that the tone as well as approach fell short. He promised immediate corrective action and expressed a willingness to discuss concerns of Jain further.
The incident is not just about bad experience of one customer, but it points to a deeper issue that many large companies face. Sales teams are often trained to follow frameworks like BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) to qualify leads. It alienates potential customers rather than welcoming them when the practice becomes overly mechanical or judgmental.
The online reaction to Jain’s post reveals such experiences have become common and many users shared similar stories about growing arrogance among sales teams at WeWork. Some noted the way budget often becomes sole factor in determining the service level.
The story of Jain is a reminder that experience of customer should always come first. Successful companies are built on relationships and not just on sales metrics. The public acknowledgment of the issue may lead to meaningful changes at WeWork. Great service is not about asking “hazaar questions,” but it is about listening, understanding and also making clients feel valued.
