Cancellations Process - Terrible Service, Errors, Money Lost, Unresolved, Unanswered, Still Waiting.....

<p>In January 2017, I called and spoke with call-centre agent about my need to cancel my 3-off contracts with Telkom Mobile (2x phone contracts, 1x internet data contract). The reason for 3 simultaneous cancellations was that I was emigrating from SA in February, and obviously no longer required the contracts.</p> <p> </p> <p>I well understood that there would be a cost incurred in doing this, and I asked the agent what the process is, and how the owed amount might be determined and paid soonest. That agent was helpful in explaining that I needed to complete a "cancellations form", and email-submit it to the cancellations department. I was also told that within 3 days after emailing the form, I would be contacted by a cancellations agent who would then provide me with the due amount to first be paid, and then the cancellation of the contracts would commence (taking up to 21 days).</p> <p> </p> <p>Since my leaving SA was immenent, I asked if I might have the process fast-tracked in some way, and was told that I could request that once I was contacted by the cancellations agent, who would log a case number in the system, allowing the process to be handled with some exception.</p> <p> </p> <p>After more than a week I had still not heard from any agent, so I called again and was told that my cancellation request was not able to be located in the system (although I had a delivery receipt for my email). I then resent the cancellation request to the agent while on line, who then confirmed receipt, and who then logged a case number ( ********** 0) because of my explained increasing urgency.</p> <p> </p> <p>I waited again for more than the stated 3 days, and called in once more to equire what progress, if any, had been made. That agent told me that it was still "in progress", but that I needed to pay a settlement amount of R3612.00 to the Telkom ABSA account (details on form and provided) using my 19-digit reference number (account number?) that <span style="text-decoration: underline;">he provided to me</span> over the phone. I then did an immediate EFT payment for the amount and given reference number, and submitted the proof of payment to the cancellations email address.</p> <p> </p> <p>Allowing time for EFT reflection, after two days I called again to confirm if my payment showed and if my cancellation could finally proceed, since my leaving SA was only a few days away. At that time the agent determined that the 19-digit reference number that I had been provided (and used) was <span style="text-decoration: underline;">incorrect</span>, so the payment wouldn't refelect against my account. I requested that the agent please assist in having this corrected ASAP, since it in fact was not my mistake - but the agent said that all that could be done is that I email again the cancellations department, detailing the error and asking that it be correctly allocated. This I did.</p> <p> </p> <p>On 14/02/2017, I finally received an email from an agent bluntly saying "Advise why you cancelling your contracts and all three contracts are still in the commitment period to cancel it will cost you R6350.00".</p> <p> </p> <p>I obviously rep**** to this email, firstly a little confused as to why I was again being asked my reason for cancellation, since it was clearly marked and written on my cancellation form (emailed twice). I explained in depth the process that I had already been through, as well as asked if my initial payment if R3612.00 was yet corrected and reflecting in my favour, and if not, could she please help me. I obviously want that amount credited, with regards to any further amounts thay may or may not be due. I submitted in my email to her, all previous attachments and proof of payment, in the hopes to assist her to help me.</p> <p> </p> <p>On 16/02/2017, I received a further blunt response, "Be advise that there is no credits on your account and also Please confirm if i must go ahead with the cancellation request and the penalty fees is R6350.00".</p> <p> </p> <p>To this, I believe that the agent could really not have been bothered to check further what was already in front of her, nor did it appear that she had even looked at what I had explained and clearly detailed in asking for assistance.</p> <p> </p> <p>On 15/02/2017, I then visited a local Telkom Mobile branch (in Pietermaritzburg) and explained my story and dilemma to a very helpful desk agent, who then tried her utmost to assist me from there. In my presence, she emailed the same "blunt" agent, again explaining the entire issue, as well as submitting proof of payment and correction details, and the case number. I was CC'd in the correspondence.</p> <p> </p> <p>At at 23/02/2017, that same helpful assistant, nor I, have had any response whatsover with regards to this matter. I am already outside of SA, making this even more difficult to resolve than before.</p> <p> </p> <p>I now wonder if I should even be bothering with this - and unfortunately, that one "blunt", unhelpful, unresponsive agent speaks volumes about the people Telkom Mobile are willing to have represent them.</p> <p> </p> <p>The fact is that I have already paid a sizeable amount of money to have my contracts cancelled honourably - the least I expect is for Telkom Mobile to rectify a mistake, and not blatantly ingore it.</p> <p> </p> <p>One would think this is the first cancellation that Telkom Mobile has had, and nobody knows what to do.</p>