MTN: Where “Escalate” Means Nothing Happens

More on MTN.

I’m calling for the simplest of reasons: after signing up for a monthly data plan, I have no data. So I call to report the problem.

But, with MTN, apparently nothing is ever straightforward.

It took 25 minutes just to identify me as a customer. After 30 minutes of conversation, I was told I had reached the wrong department. Fine — except they had no way of contacting the correct department, didn’t even have their phone number, and could only “escalate” the issue.

At MTN, “escalate” appears to be synonymous with “do nothing and hope the customer gives up.”

After 45 minutes on the phone, they transferred me to an answering machine — and the call simply ended.

Forty-five minutes to report that the service I am paying for does not work.

MTN: less talk, more service.