You might as well spend another R60 !!

If one did not need a sim card for porting I honestly would have ported a few days ago, to any network for that matter. I had the unfortunate incident of requiring customer care from telkom mobile. It really buffles me how they pride themselves in saying they are a world class telecommunications company. I cant tell what they are, Now telkom as a business is ****py when it comes to customer care. Now to have an employee who is also ****py is worse. I have drafted so many complaints but have never gotten to post them yet, I usually just get over whatever it is. I went to Telkom mobile in Paarl Mall but the consultant there was just not interested, just wanted to get rid of me because 1 it was almost closing time and 2 it was systems down.

I have had a few distasteful encounters with telkom. Never mind that you can call the call center and wait for 40 minutes to speak to a consultant only to be told "I'm sorry I can't help you". Most have been polite and even though they get a tad bit irritated at me expressing my frustration or confusion to them then, they are somehow always polite and I always drop the phone thinking telkom is making it difficult for these guys to service their customers.

Now the lady at Paarl Mall, was also in the same situation, but she made it evident and crystal clear that she could not care less. Never mind that I am missing job interviews, bank notifications, family and friends cannot reach me, and I had to spend r60 to go the mall. She told me 'You might as well spend another r60 and come back'

I walked in to the store, and there was a gentleman in front of me. The lady notices that I am carrying him cards and asks if I have come to rica to which I answer no I have come for a sim swap. She then proceeds to ask if I have my ID and proof of address. I answer yes. She is still assisting the gentleman but after my encounter with her I think she wanted to get rid of me at thaaat point, was hoping I did not have my ID or proof of address. While waiting a thought comes to mind, what if it's not free. I didn't have cash. I decided to go check if I have any funds in the bank in case I am charged for the simswap. Now because I don't have my sim card I had to go to ATM to check balance. Fine, I check and I have a few Rand's in my account, I hope this will be enough. I withdraw what is left between me and poverty and go back to the store. The gentleman is still there. As I walk in the lady shouts "mama mama" at first I don't look up but on the 3rd mama I do. She points to her screen, I am thinking I don't understand that sign. She finally tells me that the system (mentions the name of the system) is offline. I freeze. I just came aaaalll the way. I pray inside that there is another way. Gentleman was trying to load data on his ****le, I think. No biggie, plenty of shops with data or airtime. I wait for gentleman to leave so I can talk to the lady. I ask her is there no other way please. Because I cannot come to the mall again and I had just spent money to get someone to take me to the mall. She is a brick wall and tells me no. I ask if she can not take me details and process the simswap for me in the morning when system is up. She tells me no she won't be coming in the next morning. I ask but can you not ask one of your colleagues, I am begging by now. Asking her to ask one of her colleagues. I thought she can give me the sum card, process everything the next day when system is up the next day and problem solved. The system just needs the iccid and I have all my documents with me that she will need. I am there now. So why not take down my details because now as a customer I am being inconvenienced. By now it's clear as as red stain on a white sheet that this lady is not willing to do anything to try and assist me or make feel less ****ty as a customer. She raises her voice in a slightly higher pitch that she cannot do the simswap for me because customer needs to be there when simswap is done. You might as well spend another r60 and come here again. She then said. I thought let me leave shame. I walked out of there, I can't describe how I felt. Anyway... She may have done what is right maybe, internal business rules wise, but she did wrong by me.

Now system going offline is not her fault, and also not telkoms in a way, but I will blame telkom. For being stuck in the pyramids. In the past. Why are we not able to do simswap's over the phone? I understand there is a lot of ***** going around involving simswap but surely a company like telkom can come up with ways to combat ***** and in the same breath assist customers. And I have just thought of the demographics. How many people can get to a telkom store? How many people have lost their phones or got ****** and also lost their numbers cause of not being able to get to a telkom store?

I was left scarred so much, I ended up thinking there is no way, no way this company values the customer. I went and looked up their core values are , what their vision and promise to the customer is. I was not expecting to find what I came across. Namely:

"Our philosophy, mission, vision and values

We know that connectivity is most powerful when it helps us do what we need to do. We connect to others and help them to connect to each other to create today what we need to thrive tomorrow.By connecting every person, every home, every business big and small we will create real progress."

---Its been several days and I am not connected. How is it important to you when you make it so difficult for one to do a simple swapping of a sim card.?

"We connect you to a better life

By talking and listening to you so that we understand your needs, we meet them with products and solutions that keep you connected to what matters, both today and tomorrow"

How were my needs met? From that day I went to your store in Paarl Mall and a couple of days to go still I will be disconnected. None of your products. None of your so called solutions 'nyolutions'. Yesterday. Today. And tomorrow. Not connected.

"We will: Keep it simple Technology is complicated. We don’t do complicated. We solve complicated problems simply"

Ohh my goodness I could faint right now. Evidently whoever wrote this is not the same person running the business and making the decisions currently. Not at all. Not even from a simswap point of view. A simple thing like what happened to my airtime or bundles.. I still have a service request that was done in February. I have never received any feedback. A data bundle I was to receive during the double data promotion from *123#

"Be different Our difference is the way we connect with our customers, understand their needs and co-create solutions that make both our worlds better"

Tell me Telkom how have you connected to me? Co create you say? Where is the 'co'? Rather change that to create solutions that make telkom's world EASIER.

"Our vision Leading in the converged ICT market through deep and credible relationships and a distinctive customer experience" ----I can assure you one thing about my experience(s),,pretty distasteful.

"Customer Value Proposition

External service promise Customer First – Our job is to help you create the future you desire. Through simple, intuitive and responsive service, we aim to connect you to your life, your business, your world, and opportunity" ---the word connect seems to be coming up a lot yet you make it complicated for your customers to connect.

"Understanding your needs – Only by truly understanding your needs and circumstances can we deliver what you need to thrive. We listen, understand, then act to deliver enabling experiences" ---lies. You don't care about our needs nor circumstances. I am pretty sure I am not the first nor the last to complain about this. But still after so many years things have not changed.

"We never stop working to get it right – Whether it is our service or our products, we take ownership and strive to get it right for you – in one click, one call, one visit" ---In my case it's not one

"Internal customer service commitment We exist to serve the customer – Our job is to enable people with connectivity, empowering them to live more richly. Even if we don’t serve customers directly, we work to enable the person who does. Through simple, intuitive, responsive service, we aim to change their world" --- my world certainly changed,not in a good way, because I am unreachable until I get to go to the mall again.

We are relentless in getting it right - It is our responsibility to provide our customers with fit for purpose solutions and processes that work. We strive for zero defect, zero faults and zero downtime. We never stop working to get it right – in one click, one call, one visit.. ---how unfortunate was I?

Our employee value proposition is underpinned by our values Continuous improvement – There is always a better way to do something. And we don’t stop trying to find it ---your employees are bound by the rules set by the business. Not much they can do. I am not even going to proof read this now, so pardon my grammar and/or spelling. Let me end this mumble mumble here. I know that even if I do port out it will not affect your business. It will go on. I know someone who once left the network because they couldn't take the complicated customer service. I could not understand then what they meant. I kinda do now. For now in this time of data needs, you are currently the best when it comes to affordable data bundles. But wait until the next company comes and offers your customers the same affordable bundles, many will not think twice about leaving and going to the other service provider. I know you have heard these port-out threats or promises a lot before,,,, and they probably mean nothing to you. Cause you will never be without customers right? Right. I see.

I still do not have a sim card.

Might as well spend another r60 for a simswap.