Disgusting business practice and terrible service!

I have 2x mobile contracts with Telkom, one for myself and my mom. I contacted Telkom mobile early April requesting to amend my debit order details to my mom’s account. The representative took down the bank details. I then asked her if she needed my mom’s ID number; she advised that the bank details could not be changed as it’s not my account. I was told that both myself and my mom needed to go into a Telkom Direct store as only then the bank details could be changed. We did not have time to go into a Telkom Direct store that month so ensured that I had enough funds for the debit order to go off my existing account. Come the end of the month, Telkom debited my mom’s account anyway. As my mom is a pensioner, there wasn’t sufficient funds for the debit order to go off at the end of April and there was a bank fee of R150.00.

I called Telkom on the 6th of May and spoke with Sihle Khumalo (who is probably the only person in that entire department that listens to understand). I provided Sihle with a copy of my mom’s bank statement and he logged a case for me – case no. ********** 5 and confirmed it takes 72 hours for the relevant department to look into the matter.

I followed up a week later and was told the case is still with the billing department and I should hear back from them in a few days. A few days later I called back again and the consultant I spoke with refused to take down my case number until I retold the details of the situation. She then could not for the life of her understand that Telkom debited the incorrect account and told me to take up the matter with ABSA bank?? I asked to speak with a supervisor and was put on hold for +- 10 minutes only to be told a supervisor is unavailable. I asked to speak to Sihle Khumalo (with some hope of speaking with someone that can add 2+2 together) and was told I can’t speak to Sihle as he transferred my call to the representative I was currently on a call with?? WOW!!

Eventually after much frustration, I got her to understand that the bank charged incurred was due to Telkom debiting the incorrect account, and that I was following up on a case which has already been logged. She took down the case number and I was told that there was no update available and I needed to call back in a few days. On the 15th of May, Telkom (without any warning) attempted to debit not only the arrears amount, but also the amount I am ONLY due at the END of May! Surely if there is a pending case, the account should be put on hold. How is it also legal for Telkom to try and debit money from your account without any indication, and to top it off, try and take funds which are only due in another 15 days??!! I called the contact centre again and was told that by Thabisile “this is just the way Telkom collections deal with accounts, if there is an arrears amount, they will double debit your account and take off the next amount due at the same time”. Another WOW!! I once again asked to speak with a supervisor and was put on hold again for 10-15 minutes. Unsurprising, I was told the supervisor is not available and was told I would receive a call back from the supervisor (Jabulile) by the end of the day. The end of the day came and went and no call came from Jabulile.

I received another SMS from Telkom threatening to suspend my services today (17th May) and called their contact centre again. I asked to speak to Jabulile and once again was put on hold and still have not spoken to a supervisor. I was told that according to their system, my case was only logged on the 14th of May and it takes 72 hours for their billing department to look at the case. Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic!

I was warned to not sign up with Telkom mobile. Thankfully my contracts end at the end of this year!!