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Claude O

1 reviews | Active since Nov 2023

11 Feb 2025, 17:06

Formal Complaint Regarding Poor Service, Mental Health Impact, and Job Security Threat

Hi all

I am again writing to express my deep frustration and disappointment with the level of service I have received from Vuma today. I made multiple calls to your support team, and each time, the phone was abruptly disconnected without any resolution or explanation. Despite engaging in online chat with the ISP, I am still left without answers.

I would like to request a copy of the call recordings from today to understand what transpired during my interactions with your team. Furthermore, could you kindly confirm if I have the correct Ombudsman email address, as I feel my concerns have not been addressed properly by Vuma.

Not only did no one call me back as promised, but the issue with my line has also remained unresolved. I was assured by your tech support yesterday that someone would come to fix it, but this never happened. Instead, I was told by a technician yesterday that my line is damaged and outdated, and I don’t have to pay and today by your representative I need to pay before putting the line down on me. Today, an agent abruptly hung up on me before explaining that I would be required to pay for this infrastructure upgrade. This lack of transparency and poor customer service has left me feeling extremely dissatisfied and confused. I am incredibly frustrated and utterly disappointed by the service I have received from Vuma. I feel like I’m being left in the dark without a clear understanding of what is actually going wrong. Despite my repeated requests for a manager, no one has taken the initiative to assist me with my issue, leaving me feeling completely unsupported.

This situation is deeply concerning and has caused me a great deal of stress. I would appreciate prompt action to resolve the issue, and I kindly request that you address my concerns as soon as possible. Please respond urgently and let me know what steps will be taken to rectify this situation.

Sincerely, Claude ***

From: Claude Okkers Sent: Tuesday, 11 February 2025 13:21 To: ***; ***; ***; ***.; *** Cc: melissa abrahams <***> Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Poor Service, Mental Health Impact, and Job Security Threat

Dear Customer Service and Ombudman

My name is Claude Okkers (ID: ***), and my contact details are as follows: Username: *** Phone: *** Residence: 82 Sonderend Street, Portland’s, Mitchells Plain 7785

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the ongoing issues regarding our internet service, as well as the poor customer support we have received from Afrihost and Vuma. These issues have not only caused financial loss but have also taken a serious toll on my wife's mental health and job security.

Timeline of Issues: 1. December 18, 2024 – My wife first raised concerns about the internet speed and intermittent connection. As she works from home, a stable internet connection is essential, and this has never been a problem before. We have made multiple complaints, and I am sure you can find records of these interactions on our account. 2. February 8, 2025 – Vuma came to assess the issue and identified that the UPS was causing the connection problems. Following their advice, we unplugged the UPS. However, since then, we have had no internet at all. 3. February 10, 2025 – A technician arrived and confirmed that the box outside our house was malfunctioning. The technician promised to return at 9 am today, but still, no one has showed up, and we have no internet connection. 4. There are much more interactions from both my mine and my wife’s phone hence me requesting all my notes and chats from Afrihost and Vuma on my account since the 18th December 2024.

During this period, my wife has been forced to work from other people's homes, incurring travel costs, and is now unable to work at all. We are paying for a service we are not receiving, which is unfair and unacceptable.

Customer Service Issues: I have experienced numerous interactions with your customer service team, but none has solved the problem, Specifically, today I spoke with an Afrihost agent who showed no empathy or concern for our situation. She refused to escalate the matter to Vuma or have them contact us, even though they promised to come at 9 am. Her attitude was condescending and dismissive, which is completely unprofessional. I would like to request a full record of all interactions, including chats and notes, on both my number ***) and my wife’s ***), so I can verify the promises made and the service (or lack thereof) provided.

Impact on My Wife’s Job and Mental Health: The lack of internet has severely impacted my wife’s ability to work, and she has received feedback from her employer that her internet connection is below standard. This puts her job at risk. The stress of potentially losing her job is unbearable, and it is affecting her mental health. We are dealing with immense pressure as a family, knowing that this issue remains unresolved. In addition, we are losing money daily as her income depends on a stable internet connection. The stress of this situation is compounding, and we need immediate assistance.

Formal Complaint and Request for Action: I would like to formally log a complaint about the poor customer service and the ongoing issues with our internet connection. I would also like to know if this issue can be escalated to the Telecoms Ombudsman for further investigation. From my research, I believe this is the right course of action if the matter is not resolved promptly. Please advise me if this is the correct contact for the Telecoms Ombudsman, or if there is a better email address. If I need to take further steps, I am willing to pursue this complaint through all available channels and social media.

I expect a prompt response and resolution to this matter, as it is severely affecting my wife’s job and our family’s well-being.

Claude Okkers ***

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Replies (1)
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Claude O's update12 Feb 2025, 17:11
Reviewer Update
Hi all
From Claude Okkers
I am extremely disappointed with the poor customer service I have received. I called the number provided by an agent yesterday seven times, and each time, the call was abruptly disconnected.
I request that all calls from the numbers *** and *** be given to me from your Vuma call centre at ***. So, I can give this to the ombudsman.
Our internet service is still down, and we have not received any meaningful updates. My wife is unable to work from home for the 3rd day , and both your Vuma call centre and Afrihost chat agents have been unhelpful, providing conflicting information.
Today, an Afrihost agent was unable to provide me with the ombudsman’s email address, refused to give me her manager's name, and declined to allow me to follow up with her. Meanwhile, Vuma agents informed me that they do not work under supervision after 5 PM, and they disconnected my call seven times when I tried to reach them.
Day by day without internet is causing significant financial loss for our family, as it directly impacts our ability to work and conduct essential activities. In addition, I had to resort to posting on Hello Peter, but still, I have received no response.
The level of customer service we have experienced is unacceptable, and I urgently need to know when my internet service will be restored.
From Melissa abrahams and her experience My Wife
I am writing to report the unacceptable service I’ve been experiencing with Afrihost and Vuma regarding my internet issues.
On Monday, February 10th, at 08:44, I contacted Afrihost to report that my internet was down. The agent, Neo M, instructed me to switch off the modem for 5 to 10 minutes while they reset the line. However, after the time passed, the red light on the modem remained flashing. Neo logged the issue with Vuma and informed me that it might take 24 to 72 hours to resolve. I explained that I work from home and cannot afford such delays. Neo escalated the issue and provided me with ticket number ***0. I also asked for Vuma’s direct contact but was told they only communicate through the portal.
At 09:11, I received a call from Vuma confirming that a technician would be dispatched ASAP. By 11:28, I called Afrihost again, spoke to Winnie, and reiterated my situation. She again mentioned the turnaround time, which was unacceptable given my urgent need to work. Despite this, she sent a note to push Vuma.
At 12:37, I spoke to Themba C, who confirmed that Vuma had scheduled an appointment for 4 pm, and I said I could wait. At 2 pm, the technician arrived and checked the lines. He discovered that the current line was outdated and faulty. After contacting his manager, it was agreed that a new line would be installed free of charge. The technician scheduled the installation for the following morning, Tuesday, February 11th, at 9 am.
On Tuesday, I contacted Afrihost at 09:07, spoke to Arthur, and was informed that the technician might still be on their way or had encountered delays. I emphasized that I couldn’t afford another day of lost work. His response was to read the previous messages, and he suggested I wait until the technician arrived. This was not a solution, and I requested escalation instead of just waiting.
Frustrated, I continued to escalate the matter, speaking to Sibusiso at 10:32, Nomcqibelo at 12:59, and Hopewell at 14:47. All of them repeated the same response: wait until the call-out time of 5 pm. The constant delays and lack of urgency caused immense stress, as I had already missed two full days of work.
On Wednesday, February 12th, I spoke to Sasha at 08:20 and was told a new ticket had been created and the technician was still addressing the issue. When I asked why the previous ticket was closed, she couldn’t provide an adequate explanation. Later that morning, I spoke to Neo again, who informed me that the technician had not yet visited and that repairs would be completed within the week. I also contacted Vuma, who confirmed that the technician was only scheduled for dispatch the following day.
This entire ordeal has caused severe emotional and financial stress. I have lost multiple days of work, and as the primary breadwinner with four children depending on my income, this situation is having a detrimental effect on my family’s well-being. Despite repeated efforts to escalate the issue, the responses I received were unhelpful, and my work has been seriously impacted.
I ask that you intervene and ensure that Afrihost and Vuma take immediate responsibility and resolve the matter promptly. I also request that compensation for the downtime and lost income be considered, as the negligence displayed has left me in a precarious position.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Melissa and Claude
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