Opinions of Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Columnist: Citizen Gonja
A couple of days ago, after purchasing data through the Telecel app, I was debited but never received the credit. While such issues can happen occasionally, the response from Telecel's customer support has been appalling.
When I called the support number, 100, I was met with a recorded message stating that due to high traffic, the waiting time was long and recommending the digital complaint option. So, I followed their advice and used the app to chat with a bot named Teri. I entered the transaction details—number, date, and description—and received an incident number via the app and SMS, assuring me my case would be handled.
However, nothing happened. The data was never credited. When I checked the app again, I was prompted to re-enter the complaint details, only to receive a message that my case was resolved. Yet, the purchased data was still missing.
This situation highlights several serious issues. First, I doubt mine is an isolated case; it seems like a systemic problem where clients are being cheated. More troubling is the complete lack of effective support.
It's shocking that this particular telecom company, aiming to outperform Vodafone, manages clients so poorly. Additionally, this raises questions about the regulatory authorities, such as the National Communications Authority (NCA) and other public regulatory bodies.
I've heard similar complaints about mobile money transactions, where once something goes wrong, there's no recourse. I hope that someone in a position of authority reads this and brings sanity to an industry that arrogantly disregards the very people it profits from.