Sunday, February 8, 2015

Come on Telkom or how to waste a weekend.

  UPDATE...
This has been the response to date...
The original problem(no password) was EVENTUALLY resolved
HOWEVER the problem currently is one 
of VERY slow internet speed,
and to date that has not been resolved.
I received a call this morning 
asking when the problem had been resolved.
On informing the caller that the slow speed
was still a problem,
he informed me that they had an "executive order"
 to check the line...and hung up!
But the kicker for me was this sms that I received.
" Good day, according to our records 
you recently phoned the Telkom call centre.
Based on this interaction,
how likely are you to recommend Telkom
to a friend or family member?
Please respond with a number from 
0 (definitely won't) to
10 (definitely will)
SMS responses are free,
up to four more questions will follow"
I have had two more calls...
turns out we only have a 2meg line,running at full speed.
NOW THEY TELL ME.
Will have to go to Telkom Cresta to see if I can upgrade,
without having to spend a fortune.
More updates WILL follow.


      
 Back on my trusty steed again
VENTING TIME!


This time it is Telkom that gets the sharp end of my lance.
And who do they blame their lack of service on?


ESKOM.


Never let the sun set on an argument.
With Telkom, that is NOT an option.
In this case the sun set and rose on the unresolved issue.


It all started on Friday afternoon when my router started to play up.
It worked intermittently and then "died"...
As we had been experiencing load shedding
I thought that the problem was a simple re-boot.
Unfortunately, that was not to be
Just a question...
Does the picture on this box look suspect?


And so the calls began...
At first I was told that it was a line problem (this at around 07h00 on Saturday)
At around 11h00 I called again to check up on the line.
Now I was told that it was ACTUALLY a router problem,
and I need to exchange my router.
The skull belong to a friend that died while I waited for Telkom to answer.
The battery on my cordless died several times during the two days


I eventually resorted to "old-school" technology
At least this did not have a battery that would die.
But it did not get me through any quicker.


I had to queue at the Cresta branch to collect a new router on Saturday.
The wait was more than  30 minutes, however the lady that served me
was a pleasure to deal with.
One day a real "plug and play" device WILL be invented.
Connecting the new router was easy...and then the fun began.
Why?
Because it asked for a password that I did not have/could not find.
One word was stopping me accessing my online life.
Wars have been started over less.


No time for a cup of tea, as I had forgotten to fill a flask
 before settling down to *TRY* and get through to the
customer-we-don't-care centre


I unpacked and repacked my photo kit next to my desk more than once.
Why?
Because all the electrical and phone connections are behind this!


On a positive note, I did get to tidy up my desk drawers
AND get all my month end paper work done while holding on.
According to the pamphlet that came with my new router
the Telkom offices open at 06h00...THEY LIE!
After holding on for 12 minutes, I was informed that office hours are from 07h00.
I call at 07h03...and hold till 07h48 with NO response
And that was just one of the many calls that I made with no success.


Eventually I get through to a human...at 08h00...
and our power gets shed at 08h05.
Luckily we have a generator, so I was able to get the router back up
and I could continue to hold with ever increasing anger.
I have to say that I did not get angry with any of the staff
 that(eventually) answered my calls.


I have to forego my long Sunday run and that did NOT make me happy.
AT ALL!


Finally...at around 11h00 I got through to a human at the call centre in Durban.
Unfortunately I did not get her name, but I did say that I would fly to Durban
with chocolates and flowers for her.
What had taken almost 7 hours of my wasted time,
she was able to resolve in less than 3 minutes...
All I wanted was a password
and I had been bumped around like a ball in a pinball machine.


And here I sit...
able to write this "comment" posting...eventually.
I feel that Telkom should  look to their customer service.
Keeping a customer on hold for an hour is totally unacceptable
But do they care?
Care they do not as they have the monopoly on fixed line ADSL.
The alternatives on offer currently are too expensive for individual households.
Come on Telkom...get your act together.
With load shedding, the promise of water cuts, bus drivers on strike
and an ongoing postal strike,
 we South Africans have enough on our plates at present.

                                                       
And that is all I have to say...
Until the next time.

1 comment:

  1. Oh David, I feel your pain! My phone dead since last Friday, the so-called unlimited option wi-fi connectivity splutters for half a second and dies ... also get told it's our router which is a barefaced lie as we have two ... besides, as you say, why then does it hiccup to life every hour or so? Stress levels off the chart thanks to Hellkom Telkom, load shedding, trying to meet deadlines etc. Eish!

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