Any tips on getting refunds from DSTV?

[psainsbury]

I subscribed to DSTV Premium for April/May for something we wanted to watch. I cancelled in May. In June I got charged R799. Took about 2 months to get my refund finally a week or so ago. In that process apparently, I either had to give them 1/2 my life story OR reactivate "pay by debit order" to get them to pay me back. Seemed like a silly DSTV thing, but ok.

I got paid back, and then I got an email at the end of July saying I was going to be charged R99. Their site says I have no active packages, so I'm confused. I call DSTV "no, there's nothing going to be taken off your account". I talk to their chat team and get told "You have a DSTV Compact Subscription", yet I have no packages... BUT apparently if I go to the "explain your bill' section it shows I have a DSTV Compact sub. They assure me it's not active and I won't be charged.

Come 1 August I get charged. Now DSTV are telling me I subscribed to the Showmax special offer for DSTV Compact on the 26th of June (never did). But it's ok because I won't be charged again. Yet my account now says I'll be charged R99 on 1 Sept, and the "Explain my bill" says its because of a DSTV Compact subscription.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get them to just do their jobs, not charge me for things I didn't subscribe to, and get a refund sorted?

 

[Nephew_]

If the normal channels do not work, then Hello Peter.

 

[psainsbury]

If the normal channels do not work, then Hello Peter.

I have done both with no real results. Tried calling them this morning and was caller 143 in line to speak to an agent. I guess I'm not the only one with DSTV issues.

 

[airborne]

This is how modern business works, cut costs in customer support till it’s near nonexistent and manned by the cheapest/dumbest staff and leave customers in the lurch, profit!!!

 

[psainsbury]

This is how modern business works, cut costs in customer support till it’s near nonexistent and manned by the cheapest/dumbest staff and leave customers in the lurch, profit!!!

I agree with the cut costs. One of my chats with them required me to send my ID to them. I have an ID Card, so I send a photo of it (back and front). I get told "No, you can't send a card, it must be an ID Book".

After explaining carefully that ID cards are valid Identification in South Africa, I get told I can't send them an "original" ID document, it must be a copy. I have my ID card in my hand, so they certainly didn't have the original. After that lengthy explanation, it turns out I had to go CERTIFY my ID before I could send it to them.

I really would just leave the R99 that they owe me, but I don't actually know if they'll keep charging me that fee, or if they'll try report me as a bad debt because I've now disputed the R99 debit order. I'm wondering if I just need to go visit their walk-in customer service centre to get it sorted out properly rather than wasting hours on phone calls and online chats.

 

[Smiggles]

Good luck they won't even pay me my R80 they owe me,

 

[Brian_G]

Phone the Call Centre and insist on either a supervisor or better still, a manager. Good luck getting them to cooperate, but once you explain well enough that it's been dealt with before unsuccessfully you may get one. Keep your patience, somehow.