DStv Premium cancellation headache

Hanno Labuschagne

Hanno Labuschagne

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DStv Premium cancellation headache

A DStv Premium subscriber who tried to cancel her subscription through the company's WhatsApp self-service channel continued being billed after the system failed to process the full cancellation.

Although DStv support agents helped the customer cancel her entire subscription after she discovered she was still being billed, they refused to provide a refund.
 
This is why I refuse to sign a debit order for any company. I choose when, how, and how much to pay you. You choose to give me a service if you feel I have paid for it. You don't get to do both.
 
Never trusted Whatsaap channels, prefer to use the web interface. Also from what I remember there is no one month cancellation policy and you can cancel anywhere after your current billing cycle but not during it.
 
Swa said:
Never trusted Whatsaap channels, prefer to use the web interface.
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With DStv, strangely the best option has become the call centre again - seen that a few times now. My web interface is messed up and they can't fix it so far. Using online help agents is also bad in my experience.

Swa said:
Also from what I remember there is no one month cancellation policy and you can cancel anywhere after your current billing cycle but not during it.
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Yep
 
Ah bots. The reason I left WebAfrica.
Bots are absolutely useless - as bad a call centre is, its miles better than a damn bot.
 
Brian_G said:
With DStv, strangely the best option has become the call centre again - seen that a few times now. My web interface is messed up and they can't fix it so far. Using online help agents is also bad in my experience.


Yep
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We've had a fair amount of success on the web based chat, TBH. But their App was useless ... there is an option to turn off the service, but it just gave an unspecified error.

That said, you can save R300-R400 just by dropping the satellite service (R1104 incl. PVR fee) to streaming only (R699x12 or R799 pm, incl. Showmax) [IMO, still too expensive]. And if you live near the coast, that automatically means no more rusted dishes to replace.
 
The customer was refunded after MyBroadband brought the issue to DStv’s attention. However, other customers in a similar situation should take note to avoid the bugs in DStv’s WhatsApp bot.
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Just cancel via Whatsapp and contact MyBB. What is the issue?
 
I guess we should get used to the idea that Multiploos is years away from a decent systems service - first we have to wait 3 years (?) before they can get rid of 30%-ers, then we have to give them time to fix things. And we need to remember they'll only fix what they consider essential.
And we'll still be in Africa

So, maybe 5 to 6 years?
 
Brian_G said:
Snap :)

No choice with a few - like insurance companies I've dealt with (currently Outsurance) and my VOIP supplier (Afrihost).
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Yeah, some of them are very persistent about debit orders. To be honest, I'm surprised to see Afrihost requiring it, since they always tout "no contracts" as a big advantage with them. I would think "no debit orders" would follow on from that.

Over the last few months I've been changing some family accounts around, and almost all of people I have had to change account owners on have stipulated debit orders in the new agreement forms. I just cross out those sections, and then make a note in my email when sending the forms back that I will not be authorizing a debit order. They can invoice me and I will EFT the money. None of them have given me any push back on it when I submitted the forms, only when I initially told them I wouldn't be signing a debit order during first contact. This includes ISPs, mobile operators, health insurance companies, and security companies.
 
SilverCode said:
Over the last few months I've been changing some family accounts around, and almost all of people I have had to change account owners on have stipulated debit orders in the new agreement forms. I just cross out those sections, and then make a note in my email when sending the forms back that I will not be authorizing a debit order. They can invoice me and I will EFT the money. None of them have given me any push back on it when I submitted the forms, only when I initially told them I wouldn't be signing a debit order during first contact. This includes ISPs, mobile operators, health insurance companies, and security companies.
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Wow. Fortunately we haven't needed new accounts for a long time.
I guess we can't blame service suppliers for this new angle, Saffers are not good with debt. More so now no doubt in these collapsing times.
 
That's why I dropped my dstv debit order a few years ago. Also had problems cancelling. If I want dstv in the future I rather go on a month-to month without a contract.
 
G.A.S said:
We've had a fair amount of success on the web based chat, TBH. But their App was useless ... there is an option to turn off the service, but it just gave an unspecified error.

That said, you can save R300-R400 just by dropping the satellite service (R1104 incl. PVR fee) to streaming only (R699x12 or R799 pm, incl. Showmax) [IMO, still too expensive]. And if you live near the coast, that automatically means no more rusted dishes to replace.
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Oh, further to the above. Make sure to claim your rewards. (App > Rewards > Quick Actions > My Gifts and Rewards > Premium Spin > on 10 different days).

I'm not exactly sure how they decide what goes in there, but the first time there was 1000 points, or R100 off the subscription when offsetting it. Another time was only 100 coins (R10)
 
G.A.S said:
Oh, further to the above. Make sure to claim your rewards. (App > Rewards > Quick Actions > My Gifts and Rewards > Premium Spin > on 10 different days).

I'm not exactly sure how they decide what goes in there, but the first time there was 1000 points, or R100 off the subscription when offsetting it. Another time was only 100 coins (R10)
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I had extremely bad experiences with their Rewards program - main issue was a temp free upgrade that then got made a supposed upgrade by me, and was hard to correct. I cancelled my involvement.

However... our new French guys look like they're trying hard to make it work better - will wait and see..
 
You can safely sign a debit order as long as you use a virtual card. When the time comes to cancel. you inform the company involved and then delete the virtual card. I use virtual cards for everything.
 
Which again shows the predatory nature of these services, I have run into this sort of thing from multiple providers over the years, I no longer sign debit orders and go without in any situation where it becomes unavoidable. No one has anything I need enough to sign my rights away.
 
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