1 reviews | Active since Feb 2015
Beware Cell-C's Bait & Switch Sales Calls
<p>On 19 Jan 2016, Shaheem ( ********** 501) called my wife and offered her an upgrade on her Cell-C contract. She asked him how long it would take, as she would only be interested in the offer if she could get an iPhone and receive the phone urgently via courier (preferably the next day). She's been struggling with her business phone and had to purchase a phone in any case. Shaheem offered her an iPhone 5s with the upgrade and said not to worry, that she would receive the phone within 24hours. She agreed and was very happy to know that her phone troubles would be over in a day or two.</p> <p>The wrong phone arrived at 17:30 the next day, after the RAM Courier driver called and asked if he could skip the delivery and leave it on Monday as he was stuck in traffic. We told him that he had to deliver the phone - it's not our fault that he fell behind with his delivery schedule. That's of course after we had to explain to him how to get to our address - he doesn't know how his GPS works (his name was ).</p> <p>Opening the package, we discovered that they sent my wife the wrong phone. Yup, that's right, Cell-C sent her a Samsung Galaxy J1 Ace Neo. We immediately called Shaheen, but the only thing he could do for us NOW (after we went for the bait) was to ask that we call 084 145 on Monday and report the error.</p> <p>Monday came, and we called the 084 145 number and spoke to Concert, she told us that a courier would come and pick the wrongly delivered phone up the next day (24 Jan 2016). After wich, we had to call another number to confirm that they've picked up the phone and that we had to call again to confirm the pick-up of the wrong phone, which they'll only send the one we ordered (iPhone 5s) after we've done this. In other words, we were all lined up to do Cell-C's job for them.</p> <p>I called Shaheen again that same day (23 Jan 2016) and told him that this is complete BS as that we're not interested in the upgrade anymore - this is not what we signed up for. He said that he couldn't assist and that I should call 084 143 to cancel the upgrade. I did that, and the support agent told me that they would need to collect the wrongly delivered phone first before cancelling the upgrade.</p> <p>As I'm writing this on 26 Jan 2016 I've been waiting for 30+ min on the phone (again with Cencert - who doesn't seem to be achieving anything on her side) as no one has shown up yet to collect the wrongly delivered phone. Called again after this and spoke to Wendy Mlangeni (the floor manager on duty, ref ********** ********** 5) and she informed us that RAM couriers thought that it was a company and not a residential address. Fascinating considering that I'm staring at the delivery receipt (Delivery Name: CELLC ********** 6 / Order Number: ********** ********** ) with our EXACT residential address on it, BUT they couldn't find the 'business' the second time round to fetch the phone we didn't order. The deliverer's name was Lumiso ( ********** 313).</p> <p>If that's not bad enough, I have to explain to the driver AGAIN how to get to our street, AKA how to use his GPS. Let it sink in; this is a RAM courier agent who cannot use his GPS or find a regular everyday address to deliver/pick up.</p> <p>To summarise. Shaheem sold us a lie. He made us sign up for an upgrade that would have been usable within 24 hours. We are still waiting for the service he promised us. Cell-C also seems to be using to most unreliable courier service out available to them.</p> <p>This is despicable and dishonest service delivery, and we won't be supporting Cell-C or RAM couriers for that matter going forward. Word of mouth marketing will have to be the method used justify this kind of gross service delivery.</p> <p>Don't fall for Cell-C's sales call lies. You won't get the service you deserve.</p>
Thank you for posting to us.
We apologize for the unsatisfactory service and inconvenience caused. One of the consultants in the escalations team will contact you during the course of the day and assist.
Regards
Cell C | PN
Thank you for posting to us.
We apologize for the unsatisfactory service and inconvenience caused. One of the consultants in the escalations team will contact you during the course of the day and assist.
Regards
Cell C | PN
Palesa has been in contact with you to assist with this matter.
Regards
Cell C | PN
Palesa has been in contact with you to assist with this matter.
Regards
Cell C | PN
Palesa has been in contact with you to assist and provide feedback regarding this matter.
Regards
Cell C | PN
Palesa has been in contact with you to assist and provide feedback regarding this matter.
Regards
Cell C | PN
Thank you Palesa, you've been the most helpful person thus far, and I do appreciate your effort.
I'm also very glad to hear that this entire ordeal was as a result of Shaheem's (the sales agent - always ask for a name) terrible service delivery/********. Hopefully, he'll get reprimanded for his attempt to force us to take a ****py phone we did not order. He has also caused extensive damage to Cell-C's name and brand. Like I said, there's nothing stronger than word-of-mouth marketing - very much looking forward to using my marketing qualifications and do my part in reporting gross service delivery/corporate bullying to friends and family.
That being said, the damage is done, and I stand by my initial assessment of your service. It's gross. In fact, I actually think you have a way larger problem than just appalling service.
I'm of the firm believe that your sales people are ******** and forcing people into upgrades/contracts with unrequested and undesired phones because no one wants to deal with the hassle of having to wait two weeks for the device they actually ordered.
This is how a Cell-C sales agent will **** you:
A Cell-C sales agent will call you and offer you a great deal. This deal will usually not come with the phone you want. The sales agent will continue to 'chat' to his/her manager (this is a sales tactic, don't be impressed) and offer you the phone you want at no extra cost. This should raise a red flag, as the phone you want is probably more expensive than the phone that was initially offered by the sales agent.
Next. You agree to the upgrade/contract and expect your new phone within 24 hours.
Your new device arrives in a day or two and to your huge disappointment contains the wrong phone (shocker!). In fact, it is the phone that the sales person initially offered you before you requested that you would like a different one.
You contact the sales agent to inform him of the situation. He/she pleads innocent and tells you that you that they can't be of assistance from here on out and passes you on to another department. And so the awful journey starts. A journey that will include you waiting for the couriers to fetch the incorrect phone (takes about three days to fetch and three days to reflect on Cell-C's systems). After wich, you have to call Cell-C and confirming that the phone was returned and that Cell-C can verify that it is still unopened. And finally, you have to confirm that upgrade/contract (with the wrong phone) was cancelled. This includes contacting and following up with multiple Cell-C departments. In other words, this all was for nothing, and Cell-C wasted two weeks of your time and money. NOTE THAT this process WILL take a minimum of two weeks.
In summary. The phone you would have received from Cell-C within 24 hours now becomes 336 hours ending with you having no phone and having to start over. Hopefully, you'll immediately seek an alternative mobile service provider.
What does this all mean for you? It means that you're MOST LIKELY going to want to avoid waiting another two weeks/336 hours for a phone and just take what the sales agent has sent you.
This means that the sales agent will have successfully ****med/*********ed you into taking the original phone (cheaper phone) that came with the initial contract/upgrade he suggested with wasting two weeks of your time. Think about that. Two weeks of constantly calling Cell-C. Two weeks of babysitting Cell-C, calling different departments, requesting feedback and making sure that they are urgently addressing the issue. Two weeks of speaking to people who doesn't give a **** about your situation.
Your choices. You can either succumb to the sales person's ****/********* and take the phone he sent you - not the one you wanted (most likely a way cheaper model/brand). Or you can have two weeks of Cell-C's worst.
Which one are you going to take?
Thank you Palesa, you've been the most helpful person thus far, and I do appreciate your effort.
I'm also very glad to hear that this entire ordeal was as a result of Shaheem's (the sales agent - always ask for a name) terrible service delivery/********. Hopefully, he'll get reprimanded for his attempt to force us to take a ****py phone we did not order. He has also caused extensive damage to Cell-C's name and brand. Like I said, there's nothing stronger than word-of-mouth marketing - very much looking forward to using my marketing qualifications and do my part in reporting gross service delivery/corporate bullying to friends and family.
That being said, the damage is done, and I stand by my initial assessment of your service. It's gross. In fact, I actually think you have a way larger problem than just appalling service.
I'm of the firm believe that your sales people are ******** and forcing people into upgrades/contracts with unrequested and undesired phones because no one wants to deal with the hassle of having to wait two weeks for the device they actually ordered.
This is how a Cell-C sales agent will **** you:
A Cell-C sales agent will call you and offer you a great deal. This deal will usually not come with the phone you want. The sales agent will continue to 'chat' to his/her manager (this is a sales tactic, don't be impressed) and offer you the phone you want at no extra cost. This should raise a red flag, as the phone you want is probably more expensive than the phone that was initially offered by the sales agent.
Next. You agree to the upgrade/contract and expect your new phone within 24 hours.
Your new device arrives in a day or two and to your huge disappointment contains the wrong phone (shocker!). In fact, it is the phone that the sales person initially offered you before you requested that you would like a different one.
You contact the sales agent to inform him of the situation. He/she pleads innocent and tells you that you that they can't be of assistance from here on out and passes you on to another department. And so the awful journey starts. A journey that will include you waiting for the couriers to fetch the incorrect phone (takes about three days to fetch and three days to reflect on Cell-C's systems). After wich, you have to call Cell-C and confirming that the phone was returned and that Cell-C can verify that it is still unopened. And finally, you have to confirm that upgrade/contract (with the wrong phone) was cancelled. This includes contacting and following up with multiple Cell-C departments. In other words, this all was for nothing, and Cell-C wasted two weeks of your time and money. NOTE THAT this process WILL take a minimum of two weeks.
In summary. The phone you would have received from Cell-C within 24 hours now becomes 336 hours ending with you having no phone and having to start over. Hopefully, you'll immediately seek an alternative mobile service provider.
What does this all mean for you? It means that you're MOST LIKELY going to want to avoid waiting another two weeks/336 hours for a phone and just take what the sales agent has sent you.
This means that the sales agent will have successfully ****med/*********ed you into taking the original phone (cheaper phone) that came with the initial contract/upgrade he suggested with wasting two weeks of your time. Think about that. Two weeks of constantly calling Cell-C. Two weeks of babysitting Cell-C, calling different departments, requesting feedback and making sure that they are urgently addressing the issue. Two weeks of speaking to people who doesn't give a **** about your situation.
Your choices. You can either succumb to the sales person's ****/********* and take the phone he sent you - not the one you wanted (most likely a way cheaper model/brand). Or you can have two weeks of Cell-C's worst.
Which one are you going to take?