Most appalling customer services experience

Below is an email I wrote to CellC customer services after now almost 2 months and issue is not resolved. I keep getting calls from their escalations agents all keep saying the same thing. That they will escalate to this finance team. I also keep getting text asking me if am satisfied with who my issues was resolved? Resolved how, when? as I have not her from them since last call I got from Rotonda Mathabi who also said she was from escalations. See email below...

""Good day, To whom is may concern

I am writing this email to Cell C customer services because I am not happy with the experience I received from your Customer services, Cancellation and Escalation agents. My Name is Athanasius S Magwaza and up until 6/3/2021 I had a contract with Cell C (No: ***). On the 4 june 2021 I called Cell C cancellation department to have my contract cancelled since it was going to expire on 1 July 2021. The agent assisting me on the day upon concluding our conversation advised me the cancellation was in process and I will be still loaded with the benefits on 1 July 2021 and that was what I was only to pay for at the end of July 2021, even quoted me R180-R280 (figures are rounded off). Now I believe this cancellation agent has dealt with so many cancellations that they know their work and I did not argue though I know the benefits could have been pro-rated from 1-3 July 2021 and just be charged for those 3 days.

On 5 July 2021 I received a bill from Cell C stating I owe them R398. I start calling in to Cell C customer care from 7-7-2021 disputing the charge advising about the conversation I had with the cancellation agent and every agent I spoke to kept giving me different stories about how there could be a error on their system to being told they could only advise on what they see on their system, for to call in during the day to speak to their billing agent, and my understanding I would be to believe all these agents are skilled in the same field since it was the same Contract department I was calling each time (I stand to be corrected) I have cases numbers that have been escalated. I finally got tired of speaking to agents and called in on 7/19/2021 got through an agent by the name of Landi Sodaat and I immediately requested to speak to their Team Leader, agent ask that they could please try assisting me before they can get their Team Leader (Understanding that agents should alway attempt to de-escalate a call before getting their TL involved) we spoke in length and again explaining my query still reflecting to what the cancellation agent had advised me upon canceling my contact on 4/6/2021, agent still could not assist and they advised me that their Team Leader (Ellias Mandishoni) will call be me back.

I get a call from the Team leader(Ellias Mandishi ) as promised by the agent, Mr Mandishoni whom at the time sounded like they were understanding me and willing to help had assured me that they will have the issued handled as they could see the error made, went on to aski if I was already debited the amount so that they could request refund on my behalf is so. I advised that I have not been debited yet as my date is on the 26th. Mr Mandishone advised me they will put in a request for the error to be correct and be debited what I was advised by cancellation and will call me back with a follow up. I never got the callback from Mr Mandisoni. On the 23 July 2021 I called into Cell C customer center requesting to speak to Team Leader Ellias Mandishoni to get feedback from our last conversation, Maybe Mashabela an agent I got through advised Mr Mandishoni was off duty on the day and will send an email to give me a callback when they come back to the office. I waited and still again no callback from Mr Mandishoni.

Prior to calling in for Mr Mandishoni I received a call from Norah Mbukazi from the Cell C Escalation Desk on 20 July 2021. Honestly the agent just called me to tell me what she 'knows" about the contract, when I took it and when it was supposed to end (Information I already knew of) and her calling me had nothing to do with trying to resolve nor understand my issue. I guess my escalation number just fell on another one of her escalations she just had to do a callback for and conclude as closed.

26 July 2021 I was debited R398 by Cell C, now at this point I'm guessing Mr Mandisgoni could not live up to his promise of having the issues with my bill resolved and thus I have not received the callback he promised me. 29 July 2021 (4:17am) I called customer care again for Mr Mandishoni, this time I finally got him and now following up and I start getting stories from the same Team Leader I put my trust in and who advised me they would have this resolved. He starts telling me he sees there have been cases escalated and he ASKs me if the matter was not resolved by them. Now starting to question myself, is this person really trying to push blame? Was he not the one who was supposed to follow up with me? did he even escalate/request with whichever department to have the error on my bill rectified as he promised (Is this what Cell C customer care and its Leaders is)?. At this point I am beyond disappointed with Cell C.

I still want this matter removed and now thinking maybe I should go back to where it all started, with the Cancellation department. 3 August 2021 after so many attempts trying to get through to Cancellation 143 (not sure if this is because my number is no longer contract) I finally get through and spoke to with agent Lesego ("the only mail lesego in the cancellation department" he said as they refused to provide me with their last name) I spoke with explained everything to him he advised he cannot view any records under my number as it it now prepaid (Really?), Anyway the agent was so rude I requested to speak to his Team Leader, he told me he will escalate a case for their Team Leader (Dineo Seleke) to call me. I then request that they please advise their Team Leader to pull a call from 4 June 2021 as this issue began with the call. I never received a call from any Cancellations Department Team Leader.

7 July 2021 I received a call from the Cell C Escalation Desk, the agent name was Gugu she said. She was very helpful and listened with understanding what my issue really, being that I was told i was to pay at certain amount by end of July and this being advised by an agent I believe was not dealing with a cancellation request for the first and that a whole professional cancellation agent could provide me with false information, HOW? and now I am the one suffering and supposed to pay for this fault? I refuse. In concluding our call she also advised that she cannot do much but will escalate my case to finance along with the call from 4 June 2021 and wait for their response.

I am yet to hear anything from the Finance Department nor the Escalation Department. I am really getting tired of this issue . I have spent a full month calling Cell C amount the same issue, anyone would. I am still asking for the call from 4 June 2021 to be pulled and listed to the agent advising me on how much I should pay at the end of July 2021. I have never had an issue with paying my bill, Cell C has never missed a debit order from me. I signed a contract yes and thus bindeded, what I was advised by the cancellation agent should also be verbally binding. I plead for a response on the matter.

Kind regards, AS.Magwaza