Open Serve & Telkom frustrations

Last week Friday our internet/fiber went down and we called Telkom to report the fault. The next day, which was pretty speedy, two Open Serve technicians arrived to assist us. Following an investigation into the problem they found the underground fiber cable was severed and they logged a call with the contractors as they couldn't assist with a new cable.

On the Saturday nobody arrived and on the Sunday I received a text to say the issue had been sorted. Knowing the issue most certainly hadn't been sorted I called Telkom to ask what was going on. Of course the call to Telkom meant holding on for 20 minutes and then the call dropped. I called back again and held for 20 minutes only to find out they knew nothing about my issue. A reference number was issued and I was told the contractors would be there on Tuesday morning. Tuesday morning came and went, as did Wednesday 11th of August and still no contractors.

During this time I have called Telkom no less than 12 times and been pushed from pillar to post. I have been told the technicians are on the way, but nobody arrived. I have been told it's logged, but nobody calls. I have been told the contractors are on the premises only I know they haven't, and STILL nothing. I am five days in working from home without fiber and as it stands I still have no idea when Telkom or Open Serve or whoever is going to solve my issue since neither appears to know their role.

Calling Telkom is a taxing exercise. The calls drop all the time and nobody calls you back so you must endure the painstaking customer service torture and the nonsense about high call volumes when it's obvious the issue is under staffing. Then it's the whole process of identification all over again and again and again and to no avail because every reference number ends with no support whatsoever.

It's embarrassing to note how these companies operate, and how they get away with is beyond me, it is shocking. You cannot call a head office, you cannot call an office or an agent, you have to rely on customer care call centers that take up so much time and often drop calls, and when that doesn't work you're left with your own frustrations and no internet.

I am appalled by Open Serve and Telkom it's a disgrace how they treat some customers. And I am certain this is not always the case, but in this instance it most certainly is.

So is anyone going to call me? I don't hold out much hope.

Mr Phillipson ***