Completely ***********!

Do I have to give 1 star? I'd like to give none!! So incredibly frustrating dealing with the Telkom call centre. Mon.18th May: raised an order (with Michaela) for a simple Fibre upgrade from Telkom 10mbps capped to Telkom 20mbps uncapped. Quoted implementation timeframe 5 - 7 business days. Thu.21st May: received a call from Michaela saying it seemed like there had been a mix up when my order was raised, and that it had been raised as a new installation, not an upgrade. She advised that my upgrade could not go ahead until the installation order was closed. I was concerned that I'd lost 4 business days already, and was now in a worse situation than when I placed the order! Asked to speak to manager (will withhold name). Michaela advised me that she was "unavailable" but had told Michaela to assure me that she would take personal responsibility for ensuring the installation order was closed, that my upgrade would be processed within 2 business days (so that the original quoted timeframe would still be met) and that she (the manager) would call me back to update me on progress. None of these things ever happened! Mon.25th May: I receive a call from a guy in Telkom installations saying they are coming to do my Fibre install on Tuesday. I advise them it is NOT an install, but simply an upgrade. I ask him to make sure the installation order is cancelled and that my upgrade is progressed asap. Tue.26th May(am): I receive a call from Telkom engineer saying he is coming to my property that morning to perform my Fibre install. By now livid, I told him that he was the 4th Telkom person I had told that it is NOT an installation, but simply a fibre package upgrade. Tue.26th May (pm): After getting home from work, called Telkom to try and find out what was going on, as Michaela's manager had still failed to call me back. Sat in the usual queue for about 20minutes before speaking to someone, who took my security details, placed me on hold while she retrieved the details of my order, then promptly cut me off! This left me having to call back again, this time holding in a queue for about 25minutes before speaking to Mohamed. Asked to speak to Michaela's manager in order to save me going thru everything again, but was advised that Michaela's manager was "unavailable" and not able to come to the phone. Was forced to have to go thru the whole saga again with Mohamed. He said he would follow it up and would ensure that Michaela's manager would call me back once she was free. She never called me back! Wed.27th May: In the absence (yet again) of a call back from Michaela's manager, or anyone else at Telkom, it was left to me to have to chase Telkom again. Eventually got thru to Nophalo. Asked to speak to Michaela's manager. Surprise surprise, she was "unavailable". Had to go thru the whole saga yet again with Nophalo. Marathon phone call of 1hr 24mins, but as part of this call, she wrote an email to the relevant Telkom department, telling them my requirement had never been for an installation, but was purely an upgrade request. Nophalo assured me that Michaela's manager was cc'd on the email. I was also blind copied on the email. Nophalo assured me that she would follow up with the relevant department and would ensure that they, or her, would get back to me with an update the next day (May 28th). Thu.28th May: I am copied on a formal complaint email from another Telkom customer to the Telkom Escalation Centre. The other customer was having problems progressing her wifi installation, and copied me because all of my personal details were listed when she viewed Personal Details section on her online Telkom account. An extract of the details are attached to her email, showing my name, address, ID number, phone number, email address. This is against all data protection regulations and completely ********. I reply to the other Telkom customer, detailing the issues I have been having and cc'd the Telkom Escalation Centre. Almost a week later, on Wed.3rd June I receive an email from Telkom asking for my ID number in order that they can start to look into the matter! I provide my ID number. No further update received so far. Mon.1st June: I reply to the email sent by Nophale, requesting an update on progress and a date by which my upgrade will be completed. As of June 6th there has been no reply to this email! This whole process has been an absolute nightmare. There is zero customer service provided by Telkom. Nobody ever calls you back even when they promise to do so ...and this is not an oversight. It happens repeatedly. It is not just unprofessional, it is damn right rude! As it is left to the customer to continually chase Telkom, there is zero continuity. It seems impossible to speak to the same agent twice. Nobody takes accountability. There seems to be no appreciation of the term "customer service". I have wasted so much time on something that should have been a simple straightforward upgrade. My stress levels have been thru the roof. It is also costing me money. My upgrade should have been completed around 25th/27th May, but because it wasn't completed I had to purchase further fibre data top-ups which I should not have needed to do. At the rate we are going I will probably have to buy more top-ups again this month! So many people advised me to switch to another Fibre provider, but I assumed that staying with Telkom would be the least hassle. If only I had known what I had let myself in for I should have just swapped provider. It is now June 6th. I have received no updates. I still don't know if the installation order that Telkom created in error still exists, and if so, is still preventing my upgrade order from even starting to be progressed. Telkom have proved themselves to be beyond ***********.