1 reviews | Active since Nov 2019
Frustrating and Disappointing
Frustrated and disappointed with Cell C's customer service.
Info: Our Cell C billing date is the 26/27 of every month.
My husband and I each have a contract with Cell C. At first we both had data and device contracts that cost about R840 (in 2024 with the yearly increase) altogether. In March when we were nearing the end of the contract, we contacted Cell C to discuss what would happen once the final device payment was made and how much it would cost for the data plans alone. The woman said that our phones would continue the data plans automatically and that each contract would cost R150 for the data plan alone, so a total of R300.
Our device contracts expired but then we received a message stating that we were owing a total of R840 on the next payment date. We called Cell C again to find out what was going on. A lady apologized and said that it was a mistake on their side. She proceeded to say that the data plans that our cell phones were on was no longer available, but that she could move us onto one of their new plans. We were then moved onto data plans that cost R200 each, a total of R400. She said we would have to pay pro rata for the days that our phones were on the "old" no longer existing data plan, but we figured it wouldn't cost much as the old plans were R150 each and if the days were pro rated it would be even less as I work from home and my husband only goes into the office once a week.
The first month, April, was fine and we were charged R400 for the new month. Then in May we received messages that we were going to be billed R808.08. We called and called Cell C customer service all day. Their line was down and when we finally did manage to get hold of someone, they said they would transfer us to the relevant department to help us but then the line would go dead. My husband eventually managed to get in contact with a woman sometime mid afternoon.
This lady proceeded to say she could not help us and we had to pay the R808.08 because it was the pro rated amount. This made no sense to us and we asked her to explain it (I work at my home all week and my husband goes into the office once a week, so our data usage would not be exactly the same). She kept repeating that it is the pro rated amount and we have to pay it, that there is nothing she can do. We tried to explain how it did not make sense that we have been making monthly payments this entire time, and questioned why we had to pay a pro rata amount if we had paid for the full month already.
She and my husband started to get frustrated with each other, so I took the phone. The lady refused to interact with me, interrupted me and spoke loudly over me when I was trying to explain that we had made our monthly payments and were up to date. I told my husband she was ignoring me and handed the phone back to him. She continued to say that we weren't getting it, that we had to pay the full R808.08, and that she was going to transfer us to her manager.
Surprise, surprise, the manager never picked up.
We then received an email the next day (2024/05/23) from Cell C: Good day Thank you for contacting cell c We have received your email regarding Bill dispute. Please note we tried to contact you on *husband's cell number* and you were unreachable In order to process your request we need to verify your details telephonically. Kindly note the amount R 808.08 include pro rata once off from 03/04/2024 For further assistance, alternatively you may contact our Customer Care line 084 135. Available 24/7, free call from a Cell C sim-card only.
We never received a phone call from Cell C, and their customer care line is shoddy. You are lucky if you get in contact with anyone and if they transfer you, you are likely to be left hanging for ages until the line eventually is dropped.
Payments made in 2024: January R840 February R840 March R840 April R400 *Expected May pro rata payment R808.08
A lady from Cell C called us today and said that we must pay the pro rata amount and the old contract we were on previously in addition to the new data plan we moved onto. They want us to pay the pro rated amount, the old data plan that "no longer exists" which was supposed to be R150 each, and the new data plan that we upgraded to at R418.
None of this makes sense. If we were supposed to pay R169.61 and R181 for each phone pro rata (for 3-30 April 2024) for the time between ending our old contracts and moving onto the new contracts, why did they debit us R400 in April and not the R418 or the R350.61 that it was supposed to be? And then why are we being debited R808.08 in now in May if we already paid the pro rated amount?
Cell C says they do not know why we were debited the amount we were in April, but that they have no control over what the bank debits us (and that we apparently agreed to pay the R808.08 when we upgraded our data plans). The lady said she will revert back when she has more information.
It's now almost17:30, the end of the Friday work day, and we have not heard back again from Cell C. And we are due to be debited R808.08 on Monday the 27th.
A lady from Cell C called us today and said that we must pay the pro rata amount and the old contract we were on previously in addition to the new data plan we moved onto. They want us to pay the pro rated amount, the old data plan that "no longer exists" which was supposed to be R150 each, and the new data plan that we upgraded to at R418.
None of this makes sense. If we were supposed to pay R169.61 and R181 for each phone pro rata (for 3-30 April 2024) for the time between ending our old contracts and moving onto the new contracts, why did they debit us R400 in April and not the R418 or the R350.61 that it was supposed to be? And then why are we being debited R808.08 in now in May if we already paid the pro rated amount?
Cell C says they do not know why we were debited the amount we were in April, but that they have no control over what the bank debits us (and that we apparently agreed to pay the R808.08 when we upgraded our data plans). The lady said she will revert back when she has more information.
It's now almost17:30, the end of the Friday work day, and we have not heard back again from Cell C. And we are due to be debited R808.08 on Monday the 27th.
Cell C's system is ******* and the telephonic sales people they employ are ****bags who take any chance they can to financially ***** you over. I am very disappointed in and angry with Cell C as I have been with them since I was a teenager and I even encouraged my husband to move over from Vodacom to Cell C.
We went into a physical Cell C store today (2024/05/25) because the three telephonic sales/customer care women we interacted with were extremely unhelpful. The man at the counter caught where Cell C had mucked up immediately and understood why we were so frustrated and angry. He explained it to us, got us in contact with someone to talk to, and it was exactly as we suspected.
Cell C is billing us for the old data plan that was attached to the previous device contract that had finished in March, AND the new data plan we moved onto, AND charged us pro rata for the 3-30 April.
Cell C claims that the R400 we paid in April was the pro rata charge for both cell phones. We requested to see how much data we were getting billed for (I do not work outside the home, and my husband works at home four days of the week so our usage is low), and we were informed that their system has no way of telling us how much data we use in a past month. And yet Cell C gets to charge us a pro rated amount that they apparently pull out of their ****s.
Cell C then proceeded to bill us R808.08 (which is due to be debited on 2024/05/27) for the old data plan we were on and the new data plan that they put us on. The two sales people we spoke to in March and April had intentionally set us up so that we would be charged pro rata for our April usage, and then billed for two contracts on each cell phone in May. They charged us for two contracts on Pinnacle 2G on the 25th of March, and two contracts on a Pinnacle 2G on the 1st of April.
We were also informed that whatever data wasn't used from the old contracts would expire with the onset of the new contracts. So, we are now paying for literally nothing.
Both the man in the store and the man on the phone were very apologetic and said that what Cell C did with us was not right and that the sales people consistently created problems like this with customers.
The two options we were given by the man on the phone were:
- Pay the R808.08 and then have the monthly amount go to what it should be, which is R209 per contract.
- Cancel our contracts with Cell C today and pay the penalty fee for early cancellation, as well as the R808.08.
He said unfortunately there was nothing he could do as the sales people had placed the old and new contracts on top of each other on both phones. In essence, we are literally paying out of our wallets for Cell C's mistakes.
A big thank you to the man at the counter who helped us and the man on the phone. Your apologies were appreciated even though there was nothing you could personally do to help. You empathized with us and admitted that Cell C had done wrong.
Cell C, you should be ashamed and embarrassed by the sales people you hire. If your employee makes a mistake, then it is your responsibility to make it right with the customer. As it currently stands, you have not made it right and we will be advising all our friends and family about this incident. We will not remove our review until this has been rectified appropriately on our financial statements, and we will be leaving Cell C upon the expiration of our current contracts.
*To the people out there reading this review and the responses, please check out Afrihost air mobile. That's where we are planning to go for our cell phones.*
*All of my responses will remain public as the public deserves to be aware of how Cell C operates.*
Cell C's system is ******* and the telephonic sales people they employ are ****bags who take any chance they can to financially ***** you over. I am very disappointed in and angry with Cell C as I have been with them since I was a teenager and I even encouraged my husband to move over from Vodacom to Cell C.
We went into a physical Cell C store today (2024/05/25) because the three telephonic sales/customer care women we interacted with were extremely unhelpful. The man at the counter caught where Cell C had mucked up immediately and understood why we were so frustrated and angry. He explained it to us, got us in contact with someone to talk to, and it was exactly as we suspected.
Cell C is billing us for the old data plan that was attached to the previous device contract that had finished in March, AND the new data plan we moved onto, AND charged us pro rata for the 3-30 April.
Cell C claims that the R400 we paid in April was the pro rata charge for both cell phones. We requested to see how much data we were getting billed for (I do not work outside the home, and my husband works at home four days of the week so our usage is low), and we were informed that their system has no way of telling us how much data we use in a past month. And yet Cell C gets to charge us a pro rated amount that they apparently pull out of their ****s.
Cell C then proceeded to bill us R808.08 (which is due to be debited on 2024/05/27) for the old data plan we were on and the new data plan that they put us on. The two sales people we spoke to in March and April had intentionally set us up so that we would be charged pro rata for our April usage, and then billed for two contracts on each cell phone in May. They charged us for two contracts on Pinnacle 2G on the 25th of March, and two contracts on a Pinnacle 2G on the 1st of April.
We were also informed that whatever data wasn't used from the old contracts would expire with the onset of the new contracts. So, we are now paying for literally nothing.
Both the man in the store and the man on the phone were very apologetic and said that what Cell C did with us was not right and that the sales people consistently created problems like this with customers.
The two options we were given by the man on the phone were:
- Pay the R808.08 and then have the monthly amount go to what it should be, which is R209 per contract.
- Cancel our contracts with Cell C today and pay the penalty fee for early cancellation, as well as the R808.08.
He said unfortunately there was nothing he could do as the sales people had placed the old and new contracts on top of each other on both phones. In essence, we are literally paying out of our wallets for Cell C's mistakes.
A big thank you to the man at the counter who helped us and the man on the phone. Your apologies were appreciated even though there was nothing you could personally do to help. You empathized with us and admitted that Cell C had done wrong.
Cell C, you should be ashamed and embarrassed by the sales people you hire. If your employee makes a mistake, then it is your responsibility to make it right with the customer. As it currently stands, you have not made it right and we will be advising all our friends and family about this incident. We will not remove our review until this has been rectified appropriately on our financial statements, and we will be leaving Cell C upon the expiration of our current contracts.
*To the people out there reading this review and the responses, please check out Afrihost air mobile. That's where we are planning to go for our cell phones.*
*All of my responses will remain public as the public deserves to be aware of how Cell C operates.*
We regret that your experience with us was unsatisfactory and fell short of our customer service standards.
Your satisfaction is our top priority, and the matter will be investigated further in order to provide a favourable resolution.
Regards,
Cell C | MN
We regret that your experience with us was unsatisfactory and fell short of our customer service standards.
Your satisfaction is our top priority, and the matter will be investigated further in order to provide a favourable resolution.
Regards,
Cell C | MN