I wish to express my utter disappointment as to the manner in which I was insulted in your MTN store at Centurion on the 26th March 2011. Never was I treated with this level of disrespect !

I obtained an upgrade from your franchise store on the 21st March 2011. extremely excited … yet this was short term. On the 22nd March 2011, I called MTN to link my internet and BBM services. This was done via your call centre, not an easy process as I called four times before I could get a consultant. Nevertheless, this was done. i was told this would be done by the Wednesday. Wednesday the 23rd, this was not done. Thursday, I went to your Bloemfontein store as this was where I was during the time. Clayton your service consultant assisted me and of course this was clearly not done. the services which both was promised to me was not working on the 4th day of my new upgraded phone. Friday not working, Saturday not working. I then returned to the store to which I did the upgrade.

On arrival, I was served by a consultant named Kyle. He firstly claimed that I was not able to use the phone as I indicated that the Bluetooth, BBM and internet was not working. He asked me if I am aware of how to work the phone. Insulted but calm, I smiled and said yes. He however showed me again and it worked. I then asked him about the other services which did not work but he then started with the insulting behaviour. I stated then that he should please look at this phone as I am concerned. He said that the store cannot take liability for a phone that is not working as the store would bear the costs. He then stated that I should contact the consultant that helped me as this would be the person accountable. I said to him that this is nonsense as MTN is the service provider ! he insisted that I should contact the branch where I got the phone from as they are accountable ! I repeated myself three times to say that the phone was obtained from the store to which I was in and I would wish to speak to a manager. At the time, there was a service consultant present from your MTN store at the lower ground level as well as one of the other consultants assisted me then. Klye continuously shook his head disrespectfully while I spoke to him and then decided to play on his phone instead of assisting me or at least referring me to a manager. Throught the conversation, Kyle insisted that should they take the phone in, he would bear the costs . how on earth does this become my concern as this was clearly an MTN problem. This did imply to me as well that the phone was a dud.
ACTION ONE : what are the steps going to be taken against the unprofessional young man ?

I spent now 45 min in your store to get further treated like a complete fool ! Ledwabo now the next consultant to assist me. He then checked my phone and recommended we send the phone for assessment. I clearly stated that if this be the case, I am in my 7 day warranty and the phone should be replaced. I told him about Klyle and did not even receive an apology from the manager I requested to help me. Total shocking experience which did not end there . I then requested that should this be the case, I will take the phone but then due to the fact that I entering the 7th day of my warranty, that I should be granted an extension of this as 6 days of the 7 day warranty, this phone was giving me problems. No, the features that I complained about were still not working fully but was willing to give the time that the consultant insisted on. ledwabo then received a call and as he walked to the back office, I heard him say that should he change the phone, provided the person put this in black and white. Now very concerned and even more agitated. He came back after 8 min and smiled and said that someone called him with a system problem. I told him not to lie as I heard the conversation. He looked at me blankly and continued to then attempt to justify the problems in the phone. I then again said to him that clearly there was a problem with the phone if he wanted to send it for an assessment. I now became extremely edgy and even raised my phone. Never in the last number of years in my life did I do this. MTN succeeded to upset me and spoil my day however. I then requested a regional manager’s number. He went to the back office again for 7 min and came back and gave me your head office number. I clearly said to him that he is giving me a land line number and it was a Saturday afternoon. He smiled as he thought this was funny and said that by the way I must make this call by the end of the day as my 7 days were up. He refused to give me any cell numbers. I called the number he gave me and of course got a voice mail. Ledwabo mentioned that I should be aware of MTN’s policies and procedures. I wish I could get one version of the truth from these guys as in a matter of an hour and 30 min, I managed to get two very good and positioned excuses. What did these consultants wish to achieve by doing this I am not sure. Yet they did manage to annoy me. I asked three times thereafter to give me a cell number and he giggled and said that this is the number I must dial. By now I was screaming in your store . both Ledwabo and Klye treated me with the utmost of disrespect and Kyle even managed to laugh at me when I left

I would like to know what MTN is going to do to compensate me for this joke of a service. I also would like to know what action steps will be taken against both Kyle and Ledwabo as this is a concern for me. They insulted me, treated me like I was a complete silly and refused to exchange my Dud phone !

My ‘Black’ Blackberry Bold 9700 from MTN started giving me problems so I took it into the Pavillion MTN Service Centre (Wednesday 02/02/2011). The phone was booked into the repair centre and I was told I will get it back in 2 weeks. 2 weeks came and went and still no call from MTN so I decided to call only to be told that the phone will be exchanged for a new phone but it is still at the Cape Town repair centre and needs to go to the JHB service centre for a swoop out. Despite 3 weeks having already passed, I decided to be patient. On the Wednesday 02/03/2011 exactly a month since I sent my phone in, still no call or feedback from MTN. I once again phoned the service centre only to be told that my ‘new’ phone is in transit back to DBN and it will take another 7 working days (not sure which courier service MTN uses but that is SHOCKING to say the least). I then decided to call the service centre every day after Wednesday 02/03/2011 and was to that it is ‘in transit’ until a week later on Wednesday 09/03/2011 I was told it has arrived. I then immediately (1 month and 1 week later) went to collect the phone only to be presented with a ‘White’ Blackberry Bold 9700 which I didn’t accept (this just shows the incompetence within the MTN repair and service centres, no one bothered to ensure that my phone is replaced with the same colour phone). I was assisted by a guy by the name of Wayne at the Pavillion Service Centre, who was of absolutely no help, all he told me was that there is nothing he can do (no offer of loan phone or phoning to check how this happen). He then assured me that I will get the correct colour phone in another 7 working days. I have been phoning the MTN SP Technical Services number since the 10/03/2011 till today (16/-3/2011) and the latest is that the phone has now been sent to JHB again !! This is just inexcusable Service from MTN and till today, no one has called me and given me any update on my phone; it’s the least I’d expect since I’m still paying for this phone (contract), I’m effectively paying for something that I don’t have.

FIRST COMPLAINT:

To whom it may concern,

Re: New contract, Janine Swart, ID. 750711 **** *** (Cellnr. 071 873 1056 according to me, according to MTN Direct – this number doesn’t exist)

To say that I’m disappointed in the total lack of service I have received from MTN Direct, would be the understatement of the century!!!

So I apply for a new contract on the iPhone 4 on Monday, the 24th of January 2011. And after having to phone twice on the 25th of January 2011 (even after I was assured that I would be contacted with the result of my application), I find out that my application has been approved. My phone is delivered two days later (the 27th of January 2011) and I’m ecstatic...not for long, though.

I’m not able to have my new line activated on Thursday, 27/01/2011. I have to phone again on Friday, 28/01/2011 – not only speaking to one or two consultants but four before I was informed that my line had been activated.

After struggling to load my phone with iTunes (due to server-issues), I only got to make my first call on Monday-evening, (31/01/2011). Big was my surprise when I was only barely able to hear my sister on the other end. I tried phoning another number, only to have the problem persist – convincing me that the fault lay indeed with my own phone and not those of the recipients of my calls.

Tuesday, 01/02/2011: Now this is when the fun really starts. After suffering my way through more consultants than I care to remember (although eleven sounds about right, some just plain rude and clearly unwilling to help) and wasting most of my morning on the phone, I get into my car and head for our town’s very own MTN Service Centre (Bethal) - as I understood that they were in fact the correct people to sort out my problem. But what should I encounter as soon as I explain my dilemma, but more unhelpful MTN-personal!?!?!? What a surprise!!! They refuse to take my phone, not even making the slightest effort in trying to help me solve my problem, not even offering to try and get hold of someone at MTN to find out what I have to do to have this problem rectified. They just send me on my way, telling me to phone MTN Direct again and that I really should make work of it if I wanted to return my phone before my seven days were up... Really!?!? I wasn’t aware of that!!!

I phone MTN Direct, again, and am told to visit my nearest service centre to sort out my problem. And that’s it – I’ve had enough. To this lady’s credit, though, (I didn’t catch her name) - she was actually very sympathetic to my situation (especially after she heard that I was sitting in front of the service centre where they had just refused to help me). She also said that she would try her best to arrange for a pick-up of the phone before I go on vacation, which just happens to be on Thursday, the 3rd of February 2011.

I truly believe that any company in today’s consumer-driven world, should pride themselves on their customer service and not drive their clients to the brink of insanity. This is not the first time I’ve done business with MTN, but I’m afraid that this might just end up being my last.

SECOND COMPLAINT:

To whom it may concern,

It has now been a full month since I first applied for a new contract on the Apple iPhone 4 – without having ANY use of the phone!!!

My phone was picked up on the 3rd of February 2011, but I have yet to receive a new handset...

So what have I been doing since 9 o’clock this morning, you ask – I’ve been phoning number upon number, transferred from consultant to consultant but NO ONE wanted to help me. Not even one consultant offered to follow the matter up and get back to me, not one.

I therefore request that my contract be cancelled with immediate effect and honestly hope that you don’t deduct any money from me for a contract you have not honored.

I have never imagined that any company could pride themselves on a total lack of service, but you have proved me wrong.

MTN – everywhere you go??? I think you should change that to: MTN – everywhere you look, but nowhere to be found.


Ex-customer,
Janine Swart

Don't try to apply for an MTN contract - they don't need any new business. After filling out the application and supplying all the documentation I waited and waited for approval. Eventually I e-Mailed the consultant Annah who said that there was a problem with my information. I asked them to check what the problem was ... and I waited and waited for a response. I contacted Annah again. She said she didn't know what the problem was but sent me a contact number and reference. The contact number was a fax number. Again I e-Mailed Annah -and she gave me the 083808 number - which doesn't even connect and the 011 912 3000 number just rings, so does the alternative number. With this level of DISSERVICE MTN obviously does not need any new users. Lucky them in the current financial climate.

On 16 March 2010, I went in to the MTN Cresta store to transfer one line from my account to a new account holder. We filled out all the forms and even asked for Mbola's assistance with regards to filling out the correct information in the correct place. It turns out that in fact, MTN had transferred 2 lines to the new account holder due a mistake that was made on the forms.

On 24 April 2010, my account was suspended, and after dealing with the call centre for over an hour (Ref 62070267), they said that 2 lines were transferred to the new account holder. Thus, due to the outcome of the new account holder's credit rating, the account limit was set to R597, which I was also subjected to as a result of the mix-up.

On 1 May 2010, I then went back to the Cresta store and dealt with Hamdi, the store manager. Hamdi immediately sent of an e-mail to credit vetting department, however, after numerous attempts to find out what the status is of my query, I am still in the dark.

Now, on top of having to deal with the mess of the lines being transferred incorrectly, I have to deal with poor customer service when a store manager says she will call back and in fact does not even bother.