Unacceptable Customer Service

<p>I signed up for the Price Lock package for R949 staring April 2017. Customer number ********** 2</p> <p>As this is a debt order, it’s supposed to be convenient.</p> <p>Now, it is not my duty or responsibility to check if that amount is being deducted every month.</p> <p>On 7 June 2017, my services were suspended. I contacted the Multichoice office and was made aware that this was due to non-payment and my account is in arrears of R2980.65.</p> <p>How is this possible if it’s a debit order??? I then checked my transaction history and it showed that R34.50 was being deducted, this for decoder insurance. My last debit order before price lock was R813.62.</p> <p>My services was reconnected and was assured that someone from Price Lock would contact me within the next 24 to 48 hours. I am still waiting!!!!</p> <p>Sunday 11 June my services were suspended again. I contacted the call centre again and was reconnected and was told that I needed to make payment arrangements and would be contacted.</p> <p>Wednesday 14 June my services were suspended again and still no one had contacted me.</p> <p>I called the call centre again and was told that if I make a payment that day on the payment plan to pay off the arrears, I would not be disconnected again. I asked if R300 would be sufficient and there was no disagreement with the person I spoke to on the phone. I was however advised to go into the offices to make the payment to ensure that it goes onto the payment plan. That’s what I did! I asked the consultant I interacted with for Price Lock department’s details so that I could contact them as it’s been a week since they were supposed to have contacted me. This consultant then told me that it’s very difficult to contact them, even they (Multichoice consultants) are unsuccessful in contacting them.</p> <p>This morning I received an email stating.....</p> <p>On 16 Jun 2017 09:40, "Payment Arrangement" ********** wrote:<br /> Hi</p> <p>Please note that you currently have R2680.65 owing in your DSTV payment plan account.</p> <p>Multichoice would like to make payment arrangement with you for 6 months.<br /> Also note that we will need to reinstate the debit order in your account in order to load the payment arrangement as an agreement with you.</p> <p>Kindly confirm if we should load the arrangement on your payment plan account and confirm your banking details.</p> <p> </p> <p>I responded with....</p> <p>First, I would like to know why my debit order was not going off and why did it take this long to pick that up!<br /> I am not a very impressed customer at the moment and would like this matter investigated and answers given by Monday 19 June 2017 by end of business day, as I've been waiting for someone to contact me since Wednesday 7 June 2017 regarding this. If not, Tuesday morning I will be contacting The Ombudsman with the complaint.</p> <p> </p> <p>Then I got....</p> <p>On 16 Jun 2017 12:22, "Payment Arrangement" ********** co.za> wrote:<br /> Hi</p> <p>Your bank account did not allow us to collect as the details you provided us do not match with your bank.<br /> We need your bank statement to confirm that we have the exact banking details as the bank.<br /> You will need to make a full payment of R1200 before we can reconnect you.</p> <p> </p> <p>This is where I lost my temper.</p> <p>1: Why did my other debit orders go off with no problem?</p> <p>2. Why did it take so long to pick up the problem?</p> <p>3. Why was I not contacted after the first month to do the confirmation when they had a problem with the bank? (This could have prevented a lot of unnecessary frustration and inconvenience)</p> <p>4. Why must I pay R1200 immediately to reconnect my services? Must I cough up this money now because I have it in bulk supply like phlegm on my chest?</p> <p>5. I first want proof that I supp**** the incorrect details</p> <p>6. I feel that someone in some department is not doing their work properly and the customer (the victims) have to pay for their negligence/ incompetence.</p> <p> 7. R949*3 = R2847 - so interest is being added also!</p> <p>I contacted the call centre again when I arrived home from work as my services were suspended again, all the person could do was send my account to the payment arrangement department to contact me and my services will not be reconnected until I pay the R1200.</p> <p>Unfortunately I feel that the problem is not on my side and I should not be held responsible to pay that money and keep quiet and have it done over and over again not just to me but to others too!</p> <p>My response to the last email....</p> <p> </p> <p>If that's the case why is the insurance premiums being deducted and the payment for March went off! I don't believe that the account did not match. Someone is not doing their work properly and now I must pay for it and be inconvenienced!!! Unacceptable!!! Why wasn't I contacted after the 1st month already? It's not my job to follow up if people at multichoice is doing their work properly. Find those recordings and listen to them!<br /> I'm the victim here!<br /> This will be on Hello Peter today still!</p> <p> </p> <p>I am not getting the answers I require, A thorough investigation needs to be done, if it is proven that I am the one at fault, I will gladly make the payment arrangement, but I would like to know what will be done if the fault is not on my side!!!!!</p> <p>Should I get no joy by end of business Monday 19 June, I will make the complaint at The Ombudsman. (Fact not threat).</p>