You can go to the mall, shop and come back still on hold. No managers to assist with client complaints cause agents are working from home 'they say'. So what are managers actually doing? sleeping I guess. Who knew that COVID with actually be an excuse for

I was on DSTV compact and failed to make payment due to financial constraints and for month of September my services were cancelled. I called on the 1st of October to find an option suitable for my pocket and downgraded to DSTV family. The gentleman who assisted me advised that i need to make a payment of R282, which I did and my services got reconnected. But to my surprise, this morning I wake up to no services. I have been on the line for over 3 hours today, with no assistance what so ever.

On the 1st call the lady who was assisting gave me a story about my insurance not being paid and in arrears and a re-connection fee. I then asked to speak to a manager cause she was just not willing to assist. After being placed on hold for 30 minutes the call got cut. I then called again and spoke to Lihleli, who was not knowledgeable and kept referring me to my statement which had an entry for a re-connection fees that I must pay and because my services went on into the months of September for 4 days, I was also charged for that. Now your inconsistency and ability to milk customers is what let you to not disconnect my services and have them run into another month. Cause when I do not make payment you normally disconnect by the 1st. I again requested to speak to a superior as it was clear that I would not get any assistance. I was then again placed on hold for over 30 minutes and the call got cut. I then called again and spoke to Rani (I must say, very empathetic, willing to assist and understood my query). Even though that call itself was long she attempted to assist and said a manager will call me. This was before 11am, it's now 5 pm and still no call. The last guy I spoke to Khanyiswa, was by far the best when it come to no service, no listening skills, no telephone etiquette and not attentiveness. He kept placing me on hold unnecessarily and kept telling me that he is working from home so I won't be able to speak to his manager. 30 minutes into the call he still had no idea what my query was. He was so preoccupied and took no ownership. When I told him I have the whole day and can stay on the line until I speak to a manager, he said I must go to a Multichoice center, to do what exactly?! Not only is he working from home but intoxicated because the things he was saying are a WOW! After being in a call with him for over an hour and placed on hold for over 40 minutes, the call was again cut. Now if you care to read my query is this: 1. When I called in on the 1st of October, I asked for my option to be downgraded to an option I could afford for now and when I was told I needed to pay R282, I was under the impression it included all costs. 2. Had I known it didn't, I would have adjusted to a lower package or left my services suspended and rented DVD's for my family. 3. If the R282 was not sufficient to cover costs, then why were my services reconnected. I did not know Multichoice has a prepaid option, that you recharge and it might not last you till month end, it is entirely dependent on usage. 4. Now because your services are month-month contract, I paid for my October services and expect them to last till month end, and I am not willing and will not be paying anything extra. I want my services to be restored immediately. My account reference is ***. I do not want any calls from you trying to explain about amounts in arrears at this time of the month when it was supposed to be have been done when I was given the R282 amount. I realise I might be a drop in the ocean when it comes to revenue that I contribute to your company hence; you are not moved by my complaint. But a word of advice, teach your agents to take accountability, this work from home practise is not only done by Multichoice so why do they keep using it as an excuse. The minute an agent says to me “you MUST, I WON’T be able, you CANNOT speak to my manger and GO to, I immediately get irate. Teach your agents more communication skills and telephone etiquette. Sense of urgency, empathy and ownership, as they have none of those. It might make a difference in your organisation.