Deplorable service levels at MTN Quagga Centre, Pretoria

On the 26/04/2021, I app**** for 150GB home wi-fi at Quagga Centre Mtn store. Mr Benton Maila assisted me. He told me that the Rooter for the same is out of stock. I explained to him that I don’t need rooter but Sim card only. He told me that all their Packages are sold with rooters its the rule they have.

He showed me a Package of 120GB with a small rooter that he said it connects up to 10 people and that was the only home wi-fi that I can take because its rooter is available at the store. He manipulated me to take it because there’s a small difference from what I wanted. I signed the contract.

On the same day, when I am at home, I couldn’t see why I took that package. I called Mtn call centre and explained that I took a package that is not going to be useful to me today. I asked if can be changed for me, they told me that I have a Cooling period of 7 days. As long as it is within that period the store can change or cancel for me. Then I could sleep.

On the 27/94/2021, I was back at the store to ask Mr Benton Maila to cancel the package and give me 150GB month to month package. He told me to call Retention to cancel the package for me they are the only people they do cancellation. He said after talking to Retention, he will see from the system if its cancelled and give me what I wanted.

In the evening of the same day, I went through to Retention. I spoke to Mr Buyiselo Gulubela about my situation. He said he sent an e-mail to the store, my case has to be sorted at the store. He gave me Reference: ***

On the 28/04/2021, I went back to the store and told Mr Benton Maila that I spoke to Mr Buyiselo Gulubela last night and I gave Mr Maila the reference. He checked and told me that its still not cancelled. I told him that Retention told me that my case has to be sorted at the store where I took the package. He said call Retention now and give me your phone to speak to them. I called the whole day but no response until my battery was finished.

At home in the evening, I called Mtn Call Centre and asked them to put me through to Retention, they asked why I need Retention. I explained my case. The Mtn Champion I spike to was Nqobile, he was surprised to hear that the store referred me to Retention although they know that Retention has a communication problem. He suggested that I must go back to the store, when I am there, I must call Mtn call centre and ask for her.

On the 29/04/2021, I was in the shop. I called Nqobile, she asked for Mr Benton Maila’s manager. After they finished talkingMs Felicia Nkoane asked me for a rooter, sim card and a contract. I gave her, she told me she will call me when she has a response to the e-mail that she was to send to Mtn.

On the 10/05/2021, Ms Felicia called me saying Mtn responded they said its useless for the store to keep my Package because even when the package is changed I am still going to use the same Sim Card that is presently loaded with the package I don’t want. I asked her what about the rooter because I don’t need it as I explained earlier. She said she will hear from Mtn what to do but I must keep it so long. I fetched that Package on the 15/05/2021

On the 22/05/2921, I called Felicia and asked her until when am I going to hold the Package I don’t want. She said to me, they were promised Rooters on Tuesday 25/95/2021 so, I can also come that they can change my Package.

On the 25/05/2021, Ms Felicia Nkoane was not at the store although she invited me to come, I was told she will be back after 3pm. Mr Benton was sitting with another lady at the counter and she he said ‘any of us who is free first will help you’. The lady was free first so she was asking Me Maila on how to go about with my case. The lady told me that I have to pay R900 penalty fee for cancellation and R734.70 for (pro rata +package and R199 for line 1)

I told her that I don’t need to be penalised at all because I came to cancel the same package the following day. The lady further told me that I have to pay upfront R1999.00 for the rooter of month to month 150GB that I want. I told Mr Maila to tell Ms Felicia that I was at the shop as per her invitation and the must call me.

Ms Felicia never called me but I called her at 4pm same day. I told her how unhappy I am with the treatment they gave me in that store that Mr Maila let me come to the store everyday refusing to cancel the package I took from him at the store and how disrespectful he treated me for me to come to the shop everyday during Covid

time when people of my age are admonished not to move around further I am walking with the crutch because I have done a knee replacement recently but because I can’t let someone else do all my things. She apologised and asked me to come to the shop again on the 26/05/2021

At the store on the 26/05/2021, I found Felicia. She told me that Mtn penalised me R900 for cancellation so all together I must pay R2500 before they migrate me to another package and the 150GB month to month goes with a rooter they can’t give me a Sim card only. I asked Ms Felicia why am I penalised because I asked for cancellation during my Cooling period. Ms Felicia said Mtn looks at the product they sold me and found that everything is working and the contract everything is in order irrespective of the time I wanted it cancelled. That was my last day at the store

In the evening of 26/05/2021, I called Mtn call centre and I spoke to Mxolisi who asked me the reason for asking Retention. I narrated the same story of this Package I took on 26/04/2021 at Quagga Centre Pretoria. He was so sorry for my bad experience I had. He put me through to Retention, I spoke to Ntombi who after listening to my problem sent an e-mail to Quagga Centre Mtn store. She gave me Reference:*** and she told the store is going to call me to come to the store. Up to now they never called me.

I propose that : Mtn cancel the penalty charges

Mtn takes back the rooter because I don’t need it.

Mtn change the package, I have and give me 150GB month to month.

The service received from MTN Quagga Centre is very much unacceptable.

The service agents there are *********** and this seems to be supported by their management within the branch.

I have been an MTN customer for 30 years now and have never received such deplorable service like in this same.

Victoria Bizi-Mlobeli