CONFUSION REIGNS AT DSTV (MULTICHOICE) ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT.

CONFUSION REIGNS AT DSTV (MULTICHOICE) ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT. To date I have submitted two reviews on Hello Peter regarding the shambles of my DSTV account. My patience paid off and finally account details were submitted via email. Account details from The 1st of January 2018 were included. The details contained in the documents were clear to a certain date, but confusion reigned once my price lock account of R949 ended on the 30th April 2018. During May 2018 an amount of R1027 was paid for May 2018.How this amount was calculated is unclear, although fees for nonexistent extra view were added and later reversed. No problems were experienced during the 24 months of the R949 Price lock period. During may 2018 being satisfied with the R949 price lock plan, I approached Multichoice and enquired about the R 959 price lock plan which offered a new Explora, Wi Fi connector, LNB, installation and disc. I was looking forward to in particular to the installation of a new LNB as during my time with Multichoice I had to replace LNBs out of my own pocket due to hail damage. At least now I would have a spare LNB at my disposal should hail damage again occur. During the month of May 2018 a new decoder was delivered by courier and I had to arrange for an accredited installer. Installation was completed on the 29th May 2018 by Benoni Car Radio. In order to activate the system I was informed that an advance payment of R 1842 was required. This was contrary to previous arrangement that I would migrate to the R959 price lock system and that an advance payment of R959 would be required monthly, just as in the previous R949 price lock contract. The amount of R1842 was reversed by Absa Bank and Multichoice, realising their mistake, passed a credit of R 809.I would later on learn through my attorneys that this was a credit on a previous account! The reversal and credit given by Multichoice would be the beginning of endless problems and a string of service interruptions leading to two ******* decoders and endless conversations with call centre staff, who offered such explanations such as unpaid extra view, second decoder etc. The root of the problem is in my opinion the manner in which Multichoice handles consumer accounts. In trend with modern account practice, statements now serve as invoices, credit notes, all general ledger entries and relies heavily on computerised inputs, but it can also be manually adjusted. In my opinion computer systems that allow manual adjustments are a recipe for disaster and confusion, resulting in running totals that are not a true reflection of what is owed by the costumer and judging by the number of complaints on Hello Peter that appears to be the case. In my case it appeared that Multichoice had what they refer to a Residential account as well as a price lock account. Debits and credits, adjustments were transferred to one account, with a running total showing that an exorbitant amount of R1842 was due instead of R959. How confusing the Multichoice system is was illustrated by ‘n SMS from Multichoice received recently ,informing that my next payment was due in February! Telephonic enquiries stated however, that an amount of R959 was due on 30th November 2019. So what is it February or November? This matter was fully discussed with Mr K from Multichoice who made the extraordinary effort to furnish the ‘statement’ enabling me to write this review. He undertook to investigate the case of the missing LNB etc. So what now? I know that Multichoice has overcharged me. A simple calculation will prove this. Since June 2018 I have made 19 –R959 payments totalling R18221. Multichoice however debited my account with an amount of R 19031 made up as follows. R 18221 +R810. They cannot explain what the additional R810 is in lieu (place) of, perhaps non existent extra view, extra decoder. Iit is simply the result of a running total, which in turn is the result of endless debits, payments, manual adjustments all coming together in one accounting mess. If Multichoice had app**** a simplified T account,found in general ledgers, by separating debits and credits in two separate columns, the difference between the two, the amount due by the customer, the overcharge of R810 would not have happened. Will Multichoice acknowledge their mistake and compensate me by offering a month free DSTV and missing LNB, Disc etc.? That remains to be seen. There is little consumers can do. Taking legal action would be too costly as multimillion organisations have the habit to use their vast resources to tie one up in endless costly court appearances. Perhaps the competion Board or other suitable independent organisations should investigate Multichoice accounting practices, because judging by the number of complaints on Hello Peter it is long overdue, making it hard to recommend Multichoice to new unsuspecting customers as their primary supplier of entertainment and information.