Terrible Customer Service? Nothing less...

Item: MTN South Africa
Rating: 1

Sometime earlier during July 2016 I went to my local MTN store, Woodlands branch. I wanted to find out what the procedure is for tansferring a contract to another person. My dear mother did me a huge favour a couple of years ago, around August 2013 if I remember correctly, and got a cellphone contract for me on her name. Back then it was at Altech Autopage Cellular. I needed it for business but my name and credit record wasn't sufficient at the time. My mother agreed, with the condition that I pay the bill out of my own pocket. I didn't expect anything less since affordability was not the issue at all. I was going to use it for myself anyway. Since the contract's existence, I paid it. Every single month. One month only R600, and the next it was almost R2000, depending on business that month. Never had an issue. More recently I finally got my name cleared and well, since my mother did me a favour back then and never had the usage of the contract herself, I thought it's only fair that we finally transfer it over to my name. The store, Mr. Andile Gumede, which I only found out today, is a Trainee at the Woodlands branch, advised me of the required documentation. I went back and got everything together. Since we first got this contract, I moved from Cape Town to Pretoria with my mother still being in Cape Town at this time. I never even knew something like the transfer of a cellphone contract was possible. I merely took a chance and tried to find out whether there was anything we could do to get the same contract on my name. I sent the Request for Transfer and Transfer Addendum through to my mother to sign. She did and I took everything through to the store on Firday, 29 July 2016. After waiting what probably was a half an hour to an hour in the line, I was told by the same Mr. Gumede that "only managers can put through transfers. Mine comes in at 14:00 and as soon as she has, I'll give her your documents for processing. I WILL GIVE YOU A CALL ONCE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SUBMITTED." I was chuffed. This is finally happening. The afternoon came and went, all awhile I was expecting Mr. Gumede's call, to no avail. I went back into the store sometime later that same afternoon, and here there was another line. Mr. Gumede looked me straight into the eye on numerous times without saying a word, so I thought by myself "well, he probably needs to dicsuss something with me urgently. It probably can't be said to me while he's busy helping other customers." So I waited my turn. Anyway, getting to the front, I was politely told "I did give my manager your documents and she did process them, sir. They will be in touch as soon as everything's finalized." Although being a little annoyed with all the time wasted for just a short sentence reply, I accepted and left the store thinking "well, at least it's getting done now." During the past week, almost expecting things to be finalized, I received an SMS from MTN saying "you have reached your account limit of R700+ and your service will now be suspended." I nearly freaked! My account never had any limits? I can't have limits! Business doesn't have limits! I need the phone at all times! But, to my suprize, the account kept working and I carried on. No problems. I knew my account for almost R2000 the last month was paid well on time, so there is no reason for my services to be suspended, right? WRONG. Thank goodness today was a Sunday... I noticed when not in range of my home wi-fi connection, my SMS's aren't going through. I phoned my home number to test and voila, "your service has been suspended..." I was within the same Woodlands center and prayed the store would be open today as I can't go into the week without a phone. Not even close. Perfect, went to the store and it was open. Not even a long line! And there my dear friend was on duty as always, Mr. Gumede. Didn't even recognize me... (or pretended not to?) Who knows. Well, I was politely assisted by another guy, referring me to a very friendly lady already sitting right infront of a PC, ready to help me. Karabo Motlafi - Your are a true amdassador for your employer! Kudus to making a client feel like a client, and valued like a human being! This lady needs a RAISE (Use Mr. Gumede's salary if funds are an issue as he doesn't deserve it to be honest...) Of course I had two issues: 1. My account was suspended although payment was made well on time. 2. No feedback with the transfer request for more than a week already. Number one was sorted out right away. Immediately I received an SMS confirming reactivation is in progress. However, not my documents for the transfer nor the transfer itself could be found on any system. None. Zero. Mr. Gumede took some time to recall the request and that I submitted my documents to him. But then recalled that he did give it to his manageress Clara Pieterse. Karabo phoned Clara (thanks for being available on a Sunday) and she couldn't recall either. Karabo looked wherever Clara told her they could be, but nothing. So, it became obvious that the transfer request was never processed. Alright, I slowly started to accepted that. But what I can't accept is Karabo told me herself, in her own words, she's done a transfer at some point and after 3 weeks, it still wasn't processed and decided after then she's never doing it again. "The client was on my case, wanting things resolved etc. Not again!" ALARMS WENT FLYING! More than a week is wasted already. I can't wait another month for this to materialize! Life is short, a LOT can happen in a month. So, Clara Pieterse, I don't know you. I don't know who's fault it was that my transfer was never started. But I urge you or anyone to pull whichever strings you need to in order to have this transfer processed before the next invoice date. I don't care if the coming due invoice is carried over to my name before the transfer could proceed. I pay the bill and have been since this contract came into existence. I just want this transfer to be completed before the next invoice date please or I will cancell my contract upon first opportunity, and make it my life's mission to drag MTN and all parties involved through the mud as far as I go. And this is not an empty thread. Internet Marketing is what I do for a living. I can reach thousands, believe me. If any client having no issues paying his due bill, means anything to you, sort out this mess please. Kindest regards, RN Oosthuizen

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