Contract Data Bundle purchase notification: Your feedback please

[vodacom3g]

As per the forum's request (and ic's insistence!), when you now buy a bundle on 4me, the following should happen:

1) The bundle will not show in your account info until actually active on the back-end systems.
2) As soon as the bundle activate, you should receive an SMS.

So basically when you buy a bundle, assume it's not active until you receive the SMS.

I just tried and and got the notification SMS about 50 minutes after I clicked on the 'submit' button on the 4me services page.

No more wondering if the bundle went through or potentially running at OOB when you thought you've got a bundle.

Please let me know if this works for you.

ic, if this thread falls off the bottom of the first page, can you maybe stick it up?

 

[ic]

Digital Glue applied.

@v3g, it sounds like there is a missing SMS according to my original suggested specification 2 SMSes should be sent: the 1st SMS to say that OOBR applies until the 2nd SMS to confirm whether the bundle purchase request was successful [or not]...

PS: Thank you for pushing for these changes, we do appreciate it .

 

[Iam3G]

The SMS notification sent, will this be sent to the number that you have registered on the Vodacom4me site?

If so, the SIM would in the Data Card/E220, so for those who dont have the SMS function of the dashboard(or who has it and is totally oblivious to it being there), how will they know?

And i assume this is only for Prepaid, as contract customers who purchase ad-hoc bundles do so via their local dealer. Do they also get a SMS notification?

[*edited*] Oh, and i forgot, what about the people who purchase the bundles the old fashion way, i.e *111#?

 

[vodacom3g]

Digital Glue applied.

@v3g, it sounds like there is a missing SMS according to my original suggested specification 2 SMSes should be sent: the 1st SMS to say that OOBR applies until the 2nd SMS to confirm whether the bundle purchase request was successful [or not]...

PS: Thank you for pushing for these changes, we do appreciate it .

Jeez, can never satisfy you!!

Just joking, I think it actually works the way you want it...

Your 'first' SMS should actually be the 3rd one you receive, i.e. the 80, 90, 100% notifications. The 100% notification does warn that you are now running OOB (although it has the latency problem). Remember this is the only way we know that you've gone OOB. This is from the usage system.

The new system notifies you on the success of your bundle purchase and comes from a second system. It makes sense that they should be separated. Especially as you can buy multiple Once-of bundles.

Once the real-time contract usage counters kick in, it'll all come together nicely.

The engineering guys have done a great job. I think it's only about 5 days ago I escalated the request!

 

[ic]

...contract customers who purchase ad-hoc bundles do so via their local dealer...

I have heard of [Nigerian] drug dealers, but it's the first time I've heard of Data Dealers, when I was still buying Ad-Hoc CDBs, I used to call my Data Brokers on 155 and they would settle things with Vodacom's backend systems.

 

[vodacom3g]

The SMS notification sent, will this be sent to the number that you have registered on the Vodacom4me site?

If so, the SIM would in the Data Card/E220, so for those who dont have the SMS function of the dashboard(or who has it and is totally oblivious to it being there), how will they know?

And i assume this is only for Prepaid, as contract customers who purchase ad-hoc bundles do so via their local dealer. Do they also get a SMS notification?

[*edited*] Oh, and i forgot, what about the people who purchase the bundles the old fashion way, i.e *111#?

Pre-paid will see the effect immediately on their balance, so this only applies to contract.

Any method that results in a bundle activating on your account should trigger the SMS.

The SMS goes to the contract who bought the bundle. All current versions of VMC now supports SMS, so it's not a problem. 3G routers still is.

 

[Iam3G]

I have heard of [Nigerian] drug dealers, but it's the first time I've heard of Data Dealers, when I was still buying Ad-Hoc CDBs, I used to call my Data Brokers on 155 and they would settle things with Vodacom's backend systems.

My bad! I meant their local "Cellphone Dealer" like their nearest Vodashop. Not everyone calls 155, but i guess it convenient for some people.

I'd actually feel more content knowing that i actually SAW my Sales Consultant physically activate the bundle on my account for me.

 

[ic]

@v3g, it doesn't sound like the system works exactly the way I want it: there should have been a separate data bundle purchase request confirmation SMS sent the instant you clicked on the purchase button in v4me, and it should tell the customer that OOBR applies until the next SMS is received some time later - in your case the data bundle purchase & activation success confirmation SMS was received 50 minutes later - which is some substantial latency during which time OOBR applies and customers need to be explicitly aware of that fact.

 

[Iam3G]

Pre-paid will see the effect immediately on their balance, so this only applies to contract.

Any method that results in a bundle activating on your account should trigger the SMS.

The SMS goes to the contract who bought the bundle. All current versions of VMC now supports SMS, so it's not a problem. 3G routers still is.

For Contract customers on Vodacom4me... wheres the submit button? I know its there for Prepaid, but i havent seen it for Contract customers. Have i miss looked it?

Understood about any method used that triggers the SMS.

About where the SMS goes to, why not add a option for the SMS to be sent to secondary number? For the sake of the people who "Apparently" dont get any SMS via their Dashboard.

 

[Syndyre]

My bad! I meant their local "Cellphone Dealer" like their nearest Vodashop. Not everyone calls 155, but i guess it convenient for some people.

I'd actually feel more content knowing that i actually SAW my Sales Consultant physically activate the bundle on my account for me.

So people actually drive to the nearest Vodashop and then queue, all just to get an ad hoc bundle loaded? Some people have too much free time.

 

[vodacom3g]

@v3g, it doesn't sound like the system works exactly the way I want it: there should have been a separate data bundle purchase request confirmation SMS sent the instant you clicked on the purchase button in v4me, and it should tell the customer that OOBR applies until the next SMS is received some time later - in your case the data bundle purchase & activation success confirmation SMS was received 50 minutes later - which is some substantial latency during which time OOBR applies and customers need to be explicitly aware of that fact.

Hear what you're saying. Still think we handle it:

When you click on the 'update' button on 4me you get prompted twice (first a pop-up, second the next landing page) that you could still be running at OOB, so it's even more 'in-your-face' than a SMS. It's not a given that you're OOB at this time, you could buy a new ad-hoc while one is still active, for example. (Testing this I've got a bunch of active bundles on my account!)

So you do get prompted (twice) that you *could* be OOB.

The architecture is as follows:

1) 4me is the portal that will log the request for a service on the back-end system. It's not part of the actual provisioning chain.
2) The back-end systems goes through a (quite complex) work-flow to actually provision and activate the service. Only when this is done, will you get the SMS.
3) The usage monitors check you usage and alert via SMS.

I guess we could add a SMS function to 4me to SMS you every time you click on something, but typically you'll let the WEB front-end handle it. When the actual change happens, you get the SMS.

Makes sense?

 

[vodacom3g]

For Contract customers on Vodacom4me... wheres the submit button? I know its there for Prepaid, but i havent seen it for Contract customers. Have i miss looked it?

They'll be hard pressed to buy anything without a 'Submit' button.

About where the SMS goes to, why not add a option for the SMS to be sent to secondary number? For the sake of the people who "Apparently" dont get any SMS via their Dashboard.

If they're not going to see one SMS, there's no guarantee they'll see it on another device. Not all data users have (Vodacom) phone numbers in any case. So it makes sense to send it to the number buying the bundle.

 

[Iam3G]

Hear what you're saying. Still think we handle it:

When you click on the 'update' button on 4me you get prompted twice (first a pop-up, second the next landing page) that you could still be running at OOB, so it's even more 'in-your-face' than a SMS. It's not a given that you're OOB at this time, you could buy a new ad-hoc while one is still active, for example. (Testing this I've got a bunch of active bundles on my account!)

So you do get prompted (twice) that you *could* be OOB.

The architecture is as follows:

1) 4me is the portal that will log the request for a service on the back-end system. It's not part of the actual provisioning chain.
2) The back-end systems goes through a (quite complex) work-flow to actually provision and activate the service. Only when this is done, will you get the SMS.
3) The usage monitors check you usage and alert via SMS.

I guess we could add a SMS function to 4me to SMS you every time you click on something, but typically you'll let the WEB front-end handle it. When the actual change happens, you get the SMS.

Makes sense?

Let me see if i understand...

1. Log onto V4me
2. Go to account section
3. Purchase Bundle, and on the page after purhcasing the bundle it will tell you that you might be charged OOB
4. SMS is recieved, you are notified that your new bundle is loaded and active.

Tell me if i missed something!

 

[Iam3G]

They'll be hard pressed to buy anything without a 'Submit' button.



If they're not going to see one SMS, there's no guarantee they'll see it on another device. Not all data users have (Vodacom) phone numbers in any case. So it makes sense to send it to the number buying the bundle.

Understood, but most people react to the notification on their mobile device than a pop-up on their screen. The pop-up dissapears after a while and if you miss it, you only LATER notice it.

But ja, it makes sense.

 

[ic]

Hear what you're saying. Still think we handle it:

When you click on the 'update' button on 4me you get prompted twice (first a pop-up, second the next landing page) that you could still be running at OOB, so it's even more 'in-your-face' than a SMS. It's not a given that you're OOB at this time, you could buy a new ad-hoc while one is still active, for example. (Testing this I've got a bunch of active bundles on my account!)

So you do get prompted (twice) that you *could* be OOB.

Ok, I wasn't aware of the alert box on v4me, unfortunately most people tend to ignore things that popup - or they will click on the cancel button instead of OK without actually reading the message, also when using USSD or SMS commands to purchase a bundle, there is no alert box popping up in the customer's face...

The architecture is as follows:

1) 4me is the portal that will log the request for a service on the back-end system. It's not part of the actual provisioning chain.
2) The back-end systems goes through a (quite complex) work-flow to actually provision and activate the service. Only when this is done, will you get the SMS.
3) The usage monitors check you usage and alert via SMS.

That is how I understood it - v4me is in most cases only a GUI front-end that interfaces with backend service-request queues.

I guess we could add a SMS function to 4me to SMS you every time you click on something, but typically you'll let the WEB front-end handle it. When the actual change happens, you get the SMS.

Makes sense?

IMO this would be preferable for all service addition & activation requests - it creates a written record that will help to restore customer confidence in the v4me site.

 

[vodacom3g]

Let me see if i understand...

1. Log onto V4me
2. Go to account section
3. Purchase Bundle, and on the page after purhcasing the bundle it will tell you that you might be charged OOB
4. SMS is recieved, you are notified that your new bundle is loaded and active.

Tell me if i missed something!

In your point 3, you also get a pop-up notifying you that it's not immediate.

Otherwise, pretty much the process.

 

[Iam3G]

Ok, I wasn't aware of the alert box on v4me, unfortunately most people tend to ignore things that popup - or they will click on the cancel button instead of OK without actually reading the message, also when using USSD or SMS commands to purchase a bundle, there is no alert box popping up in the customer's face...That is how I understood it - v4me is in most cases only a GUI front-end that interfaces with backend service-request queues.IMO this would be preferable for all service addition & activation requests - it creates a written record that will help to restore customer confidence in the v4me site.

I'm taking it out of context(as ic is refering to something else), but it comes down to the same principle, which is what i meant... Most people ignore pop-ups, or miss look it.

 

[vodacom3g]

IMO this would be preferable for all service addition & activation requests - it creates a written record that will help to restore customer confidence in the v4me site.

It's actually part of the roadmap for the new!, improved!, all singing and dancing, integrated '4me', but I don't want to promise anything yet.

 

[ic]

@v3g, it has previously been discussed at length, and you touched on it earlier, "it" being the latency-delta between contract and pre-paid, and why contract operates at a snail's pace.

And i assume this is only for Prepaid, as contract customers who purchase ad-hoc bundles do so via their local dealer. Do they also get a SMS notification?

Pre-paid will see the effect immediately on their balance, so this only applies to contract.

I realise that the backend provisioning and activation is extremely complex, and that separate systems are invoked to service a contract customer's CDB purchase request, but it seems like there might be some unnecessary red-tape somewhere, maybe the CDB backend systems need some liposuction?

 

[vodacom3g]

@v3g, it has previously been discussed at length, and you touched on it earlier, "it" being the latency-delta between contract and pre-paid, and why contract operates at a snail's pace.I realise that the backend provisioning and activation is extremely complex, and that separate systems are invoked to service a contract customer's CDB purchase request, but it seems like there might be some unnecessary red-tape somewhere, maybe the CDB backend systems need some liposuction?

The intention is to liposuck them out of existence and run CDB on the same platforms as pre-paid.....

Remember pre-paid have the advantage of being quite young and therefore got the benefit of the latest technology. CDB will migrate at some point. Not 'imminent' but also not in another lifetime...