Telkom “customer service” – a pragmatic approach
Ok, today I experienced that familiar “my internet connection just went down and now I have to penetrate the inner sanctum of incompetence to get it working again” feeling.
For the benefit of the no doubt thousands of others experiencing Telkom issues this and any other week of the year, here’s the approach that
- Got the immediate attention of Telkom employees able to solve my issue
- Allowed me to go from no line to line in a mere one-and-a-half hours
A bit of background:
I just moved house. The new place had ADSL, but the outbound tenant had requested a line cancellation prior to me taking the house.
To pre-empt the line being cut off, I went with said tenant to the Telkom shop to initiate a transfer of the line into my name. This seemed to have gone smoothly, with my connection and landline working fine upon arrival, but I remained sceptical, and in fact the outgoing tenant moved into their new place in Newlands, only to find that Telkom cut them off two days after their own line transfer went through.
So anyhow, last night I was online and then I wasn’t – the link light on my router went off. My first port of call was to phone my ISP (Cybersmart – a pretty reliable and clued up bunch), who promptly informed me there was no issue with them and it looked like a problem at the exchange.
This is when the feeling I mentioned in paragraph one came rushing to the fore in a tsunami of hopelessness and nausea. If Telkom cuts off an ADSL line because of a cancellation order, generally the process is to log a new line order which can take weeks, months even in my woeful experience.
Given that my business depends upon my being online, this was obviously not an acceptable outcome.
Now the first mistake nearly everybody makes when they have an issue with Telkom, is to pick up the phone. This may seem logical, given that they are a telecommunications company, but I must tell you that rule number one in my book of achieving results in this situation is Do Not Ever, Under Any Circumstances, Phone Telkom.
I went to bed and tried to sleep, bobbing on the nausea waves and trying to think of friends’ offices I could bunk at for an unknown period. Then, this morning I went directly to my nearest Telkom shop at Blue Route Mall. I was the first customer.
Upon arrival, I greeted the enquiries clerk cordially, asking as to her general health. Then I related the details and context of my basic ADSL malfunction. I then proceeded to tell her that as Telkom had effectively brought my business to a standstill, I was free to sit at her desk all day, losing a considerable hourly fee, until my line was confirmed as working again.
Of course this caught her off guard somewhat and brought on a series of protests about the Telkom shop’s scope of efficacy, ability to address faults etc. A scenario I had come prepared for. I suggested she familiarise herself with my presence at her desk and that we might share a few cups of coffee together later in the day.
Before long the gravity of my words rippled through the shop, and more senior clerks were buzzing around her desk, busily telephoning my local exchange and other places where people’s livelihoods go to be put on hold.
Suffice to say that 1.5 hours later I was back home and back online. I’m still reeling from the efficiency of it all now. One technique I didn’t think about, but that occurred to me in the shop, was to take a laptop with you and remote desktop into your machine at home. That way you get concrete confirmation that your shit is a-ok before you have to leave the enquiries desk.
Here is Telkom’s map showing all Telkom stores in South Africa.
Here is some handy equipment should you opt for this sit-in style of conflict resolution that worked for me.
Filed under: Telkom on August 8th, 2008
AHA!!
The old “I’m gonna stay right here and make your life a living hell”routine.
Niiiiice.
I still think the “Fix my shit or I’m gonna release this here rabid ferret” routine is the way to go.
But I’ll try your way next time.
LOL.
I guess the ferret is one approach. This is just an account of the method that worked for me. By the way, I’ve heard honey badgers have a predilection for testicle meat.
I’m super impressed!! I so can imagine their face when you decided to set up day camp at their shop, classic :)
In case anyone still calls Telkom after this, have you heard the new message that states that if you don’t want to spend the rest of your life holding whilst the next agent becomes available, they will call you back if you do xyz?
Can this be trusted or is it a smart way of getting rid of people who don’t really want to talk to Telkom but just hog the line?
Congrats again :)
@spo0ky thanks and nope, haven’t heard that message. Calling is never a good idea in my experience, regardless of how long I’m on hold its never gotten me anywhere.
Nice work Luke. I’m sure the good Dr Horton was relieved to have to field one less of my friend’s issues with Telkom.
I’m sure Gerard can concur with your advice to never phone Telkom. After all, temporarily losing one’s sanity and yelling “I hope you *&^%ing burn in hell you *&^%ing whore” down the phone to a (probably deserving) call centre agent is rather embarrassing. And it was only by chance that she didn’t actually follow through on her threats to press charges.
@Dylan, yes, that episode with Gerard was another mental note for me to never engage Telkom employees on such familiar turf. Better to sit opposite them at the front end of a long queue.
Hehehe, when I first got DSL I opted for the self install and was stuck for two days without internet because none of the reps, techs or agents bothered to mention that you have to activate over at the telkom.co.za site and not the telkomsa.net
“inner sanctum of incompetence” indeed.
Hi,I would like to know about service from telkom,apparently there is aservice for pensioners,all calls are free from a certain time in the evening,could you please give more info,
Thank You
Hi Leon, I’m afraid I really don’t know anything about telkom customer service, having never been on the receiving end of any.
I applied for an ADSL line in December 2008. Within two weeks the poles were erected, and I could see the actual telkom line right outside my window. Sadly, after 8 months, at 14 July 2009, I have no internet connection. I am trying to run a small business and some form of internet would help. However, nothing after 8 months of waiting. The 3G is not working in my area and neither does Neotel. So, here I am in dark Africa, cut off from the rest of the world. What must I do to connect to the internet, emigrate?
Please forward me cancellation forms ASAP for the cancelation of telkom telephone lines 021 9760205 and 021 9751196
COMPLIMENTS OF THE NEW YEAR !
There is a shop near the Randburg Square Mall which is selling the BAFANA BAFANA public phone cards for R28 INSTEAD OF THE printed amount of R25 .The shop is robbing people
Please HELP .The mini supermarket shop is on the left as you get into the Randburg LABOUR GOVERNMENT OFFICES (OAK AVENUE ) IN RANDBURG NEAR THE RANDBURG SQUARE MALL (GAUTENG )
visited your branch at midlands mall pmburg. Service pethetic. Wanted a note book your company has on promotion, visited the store over 4 times. I was not contacted at all on the progress or delay, really frustrated as on my fifth visit, i was told there is a display unit which was there the entire week and i was more than happy to take it. Problem is customer visited the day before and it was booked. Nonhlanhla the manager showed no concern in sorting out the issue, she was informed from monday the 1st that i was looking for a pc, further more when we chatted telephonically on saturday the 6th, i explained how unhappy i was and she showed no concern, i also told her to cancell my telkom account and she didnt even try to save me as a client. Please/revert asap 0836550870 regards shikar
SICK TELKOM!! AND I STILL USE THEM.
I WENT OIUT TO BUY THE ADVERTISED MODEM FOR R581 AT FOURWAYS BRANCH..THEY HAD NO STOCK AND SENT ME TO CRESTA,,THEY TOOOO HAD NO STOCK!!! THEY SENT ME TO RANDBURG…WAITED IN THE LINE AGAIN!!! AND THEN BOUGHT THE MODEM..AFTER ABOUT 3HRS! THEN OPENED THE BOX AND FOUND NO MODEM!! IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK AND ASKED FOR MY MONEY BACK.. THE LADY SAID OK..AND DID A “POST VOID”
TODAY THE REFUND IS STILL NOT BACK IN MY ACCOUNT??? AS FROM THE 8TH FEB? WHO DO I PHONE? WASTED TIME,MONEY,INCONVENIENCE? WHO WILL PAY ME BACK?NOWI HAVE PAID MORE FOR A VODAPHONE MODEM ALL BECOS OF THEIR STUPIDITY.I WANT MY MONEY BACK AND I HAVE TO USE MY CELLPHONE TO CALL????
DEAR SIR/MADAM,
I REPORTED MY LANDLINE FAULTY ON 21/2/2010 AS PER YOUR REF NO. 192CNZ210210 AND I HAVE PHONED 4 TIMES SINCE THEN AND I AM TOLD THEY WILL PUT ME IN FRONT OF THE QUEUE OR THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. MY LANDLINE NO IS 031-7653113.
IF I DO NOT PHONE I HEAR NOTHING. PLEASE CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON. IT HAS BEEN OVER 2 WEEKS NOW.
COME ON TELKOM GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. PLEASE COME BACK TO ME VIA E MAIL OR CELL. 0834615058.
READ ABOVE COMPLAINT
Good day
According to my mother Diana Fisher resident at 42 Banjo street. Steenberg, her neighbour’s telephone line has been fixed in last week and since then she had no access to her Wire Telephone line. A speedy response on this will be appreciated please. She is a Pensioner and not in good health, therefore the line is desperately needed, in case of emergency. I thank you in advance.
How do l go about closing down my business line