How to make Telkom better

[Paul Hjul]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the input. They are busy with a rework for all the Telkom sites. Personally, what I've seen I don't love. But there's no reason we can't rework a rework!

I doubt they'll allow you to add data from other providers. I can already see a manager getting a heart attack over this. Although, it is a damn good idea. This level of out of the box thinking I suspect is too far out of the box.

Well the case if you are brave enough to make it is that adding an existing "non-Telkom" account brings traffic from the banks and other payment services and only covers prepaid account services on legacy systems - so you aren't encouraging people to have Vodacom, MTN and CellC (etc ... potentially at least) accounts you are simply accommodating those customers who have dependents on such accounts.

On point 3, I think it would be awesome sauce if you could create an online store where you can purchase everything and have it delivered. Or B, go and pick it up at your closest Telkom Direct store.

They have telkomshop.co.za which is pretty useless. It's one of the things I'm trying to make better.

The site is pretty useless and it uses the standard flashy design approach that infests Do and 8ta. Don't get me wrong I think the "hip market" is important (**** I am sounding far to bloody old but still) but Telkom's main asset needs to be rock solid reliability and a lot of versatility. To get it right the structure of Telkom as a group needs to be properly worked with a wholesale and retail division and retail arms - Internet (with Do as a brand platform), Mobile (with 8ta More as a brand platform) and Business. However you customers who are Internet customers should have the full range of Telkom services from a single interface and if you can get a proper authorization carrying business platform for enterprises its a lead over all of your competitors (but that will be a monster exercise).

 

[Brenden_E]

Also call centre staff need to be trained more regularly with regard to the changes at Telkom - I probably know more about what happens at Telkom than the average Telkom Call Centre agent.

I think this is a common problem for all the providers, and even across industries. That's why I also love the idea to make a console where it's easy to do almost anything yourself. Where I'd like to take it further is to come up with a method where even laymen could understand for instance what a port reset does to solve their own problem. Maybe two avenues on the portal, one for technically inclined and one for the average user?

 

[wombling]

Apparently there is no way of tracking who wants adsl in a given area short of having the subscriber have an application which might never get filled.

 

[supersunbird]

I suspect they do this to stick to SLA's. We solved this problem in 1hour! Open another ticket, it's a different problem
If you allow the client to reopen the previous ticket (with an angry face) make sense to me it will deter this behavior.

You do get incompetents though reopening a support call for something else thought (call was for a hard drive issue for example, they then want to reopen it for a mouse that doesn't work), so reopen call requests are assessed by a competent team that deal with just them and who either log a new call or reopen the call if relevant.

Also as I said, a limit of 3 days at most, 2 days would also be fine. After that they have to log a new call, old call is totally locked.

 

[Brenden_E]

Well the case if you are brave enough to make it is that adding an existing "non-Telkom" account brings traffic from the banks and other payment services and only covers prepaid account services on legacy systems - so you aren't encouraging people to have Vodacom, MTN and CellC (etc ... potentially at least) accounts you are simply accommodating those customers who have dependents on such accounts.

You don't have to convince me, I think it's a brilliant idea. But I have a niggling feeling if you mention that you will sell a competitors product someone will have a baby without considering the merit. I'll present the case and hear what they say.

 

[walterl]

What about the fact that certain Suburbs can't get a Telkom line at all? I live close to the East Rand mall, and have been told that they don't do new installations in my suburb as the cables get stolen too often...so there's no way for me to get an ADSL line even though I would like to order one

 

[Brenden_E]

The subject of how Telkom can improve in various aspects of its business both superficial improvements and underlying core business has been extensively covered on this forum. The previous batch of recommendations from guys included getting a rep on the forum as a big deal and this has definitely been a good recommendation to implement and it was well implemented. Obviously you aren't looking for the major strategic issue suggestions - although I'll creep a few in.

[1] Do Broadband's website needs to either (a) be redone in its entirety or (b) be properly complemented by a Telkom Internet website for fuddy duddies. Many of subscribers - and I suspect most of the higher end customers - are drawn to simplicity and "elegance" in these sorts of things and so Telkom Internet and Telkom Mobile are more "valuable" than Do or 8ta (well 8ta more)
So give me a Telkom Internet Services Webportal.

[2] Telkom's retail services need to be far better integrated across Mobile and "fixed line". The Webportal should cover Internet as a service independent of means of delivery. I should be able to purchase data for a the iPhone on my mix account and add additional TM (and frankly other providers as well, no reason not to act as a general reseller of data service products) accounts which I can purchase data bundles etc ... on my single postpaid Telkom account.

[3] Incorporate the Telkom Direct stores into the entire bloody exercise.

Hi Paul,

Can you link me to the original discussion on this?

 

[znh]

Simplify the DSL mess. South africans need a high speed connection at an affordable price. Focus on providing such a connection and the backbone to route the traffic.

Stop charging per line speed, charge for a working broadband connection @ max attainable speed something affordable like R250. Give customers options with different installation costs for different technologies. It costs the same to provide a customer with a 384kbps or a 10Mbps DSL. Mobile providers do not charge differently for the speed you are getting, compete with them head-on if telkom wants to survive.

1. Make 40Mbps the only DSL option. Make voice optional.
2. If DSL does not work well (cable theft, old infrastructure etc), give customers the option to have a Wireless LTE connection. Installed with some directional antennas if needed. No data contracts attached.
3. Give customers the option to install a directional WIFI dish to a tower that is connected to an exchange (like the WISP), integrate with existing WUGs, and allow a user to have "his connection" over the WUG infrastructure. People and companies will build their own networks in time, but telkom will still make money from providing a "connection to the exchange"
4. Give business and select customers the option to install fibre that runs at max speed, eg 100Mbps.

5. Let ISPs manage the data bundles, provisioning for speed, accounting, billing, and dealing with customers, they do it best. Let them provide these services over any of the above connection types.

6. To install such a connection above charge a installation fee to recoup costs for installing a dish/line/router/s, allow the customer to finance it over one or two years, insure against lightning damage. Use a bank to finance this, telkom is a not a bank. Use insurance companies to insure, telkom is not an insurance company. Also allow for the customer to self finance (self pay), and insure on his own the installation costs.

 

[InTheCube]

From what I've read on these forums, from people like ranger and others with inside knowledge of how Telkom works, you're going to face a huge uphill battle to implement ANY of these suggestions.

What really needs to happen is for Telkom Internet to become a completely separate legal entity, even if wholly owned by Telkom SA. That way, all the red tape and bureaucracy can be cut out, and they can function independently and make their own choices, administer their own systems, and be completely responsible for their own clients.

In all honesty, I just don't see this ever happening. Telkom Internet is already too deeply rooted within Telkom itself, from billing to admin to call center to every single department you can think of. Besides that, from a cost point of view, it doesn't make sense to Telkom as a whole (due to their short-sighted thinking).

That's why I will forever stay clear of Telkom Internet, and utilise other ISPs. As much as Telkom Internet would like to change, they simply can't.

 

[kingrob]

Improve their billing system, reason why I am jumping ship.

Check your billing for this month, mine is perfect now.

Extemely happy, as all my phone and data accounts are neatly listed with the correct pricing.

I am the happiest Telkom Mobile customer in South Africa!

 

[Brenden_E]

From what I've read on these forums, from people like ranger and others with inside knowledge of how Telkom works, you're going to face a huge uphill battle to implement ANY of these suggestions.

What really needs to happen is for Telkom Internet to become a completely separate legal entity, even if wholly owned by Telkom SA. That way, all the red tape and bureaucracy can be cut out, and they can function independently and make their own choices, administer their own systems, and be completely responsible for their own clients.

In all honesty, I just don't see this ever happening. Telkom Internet is already too deeply rooted within Telkom itself, from billing to admin to call center to every single department you can think of. Besides that, from a cost point of view, it doesn't make sense to Telkom as a whole (due to their short-sighted thinking).

That's why I will forever stay clear of Telkom Internet, and utilise other ISPs. As much as Telkom Internet would like to change, they simply can't.

I think it may have been like this, but things are definitely changing. There's a lot of pressure on the top managers to turn Telkom around. I've already made some suggestions that have been implemented without any resistance. If the idea is good and I can show that it's viable to implement, I believe we will see it happen.

 

[Paul Hjul]

Hi Paul,

Can you link me to the original discussion on this?

here is one of them:
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/517913-Tips-for-the-new-Telkom-CEO-Sipho-Maseko

 

[kingrob]

That's why I will forever stay clear of Telkom Internet, and utilise other ISPs. As much as Telkom Internet would like to change, they simply can't.

Ouch! So you'd rather keep on paying exorbitant prices for your data?

I've worked out that I've saved more than R20000 in the two years that I've been a Telkom Mobile customer on the 10GB+10GB internet promo - yes, R20000.

And for the whole two years, there was only one night that I couldn't use my internet bundle.

 

[Chevron]

How about a place where people in a complex for example could sign their intent to get a Telkom line if Telkom installed infrastructure in the area?

How about Telkom install infrastructure in all complexes by default?

 

[kingrob]

Hi All,

I've recently joined Telkom, and I'd very much like to help make things better. There's new management and they are open to changing things if the ideas are good. I've got a few things I'm working on, but thought I'd ask around for some input.

What is the one thing you feel Telkom can do to make itself better? I'm referring specifically to online/technical services. So for instance, if you could have a control panel, what would you like to control? If there was a shop for new Telkom products, what/how would you like to get that information.

I know we all like to complain about Telscum, so here's your chance to make it better!

How about I can see all my accumalated voice minutes at a glance on the Telkom portal?

I know I have a lot of minutes, but still would like to see how many.

 

[InTheCube]

Ouch! So you'd rather keep on paying exorbitant prices for your data?

I've worked out that I've saved more than R20000 in the two years that I've been a Telkom Mobile customer on the 10GB+10GB internet promo - yes, R20000.

And for the whole two years, there was only one night that I couldn't use my internet bundle.

You're talking from a mobile operator point of view - Telkom Mobile. I'm talking about the ADSL ISP point of view - Telkom Internet is the ISP division within Telkom.

 

[Paul Hjul]

Telkom Mobile is a complete part of Telkom. In fact looking at it TI probably enjoys greater breathing room for independence than TM -- for one thing Telkom originally bought their ISP operations

 

[Brenden_E]

How about a place where people in a complex for example could sign their intent to get a Telkom line if Telkom installed infrastructure in the area?

How about Telkom install infrastructure in all complexes by default?

First idea is good - few others have the same problem with infrastructure. Guessing here, but I think the risk of the line being stolen in quieter areas plays a big role. Even in established areas like Irene in Centurion the wires are getting stolen every couple of months.

Theft is out of hand. Going on the N14 toward Krugerdorp I saw the other day that they stole all the metal railings off the bridges.

 

[MickZA]

You might like to ask the billing dept why they have changed the TI line item periods from calendar to biiling cycle:

was: TI DO Uncapped Premium Plus - Jan 14

now: TI DO Uncapped Premium Plus - 27 Dec 13 - 26 Jan 14

... problems ahead with TI Tracker and the reset date for throttled accounts maybe?

 

[Brenden_E]

Telkom Mobile is a complete part of Telkom. In fact looking at it TI probably enjoys greater breathing room for independence than TM -- for one thing Telkom originally bought their ISP operations

From what I've seen TM do have a lot of freedom. Unsure how grafted TI is into the monster.