Misleading advertising from MTN

Johand

Johand

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I have a contract on MTN. I'm in my upgrade window, and I've decided to look at new packages across all networks.

MTN advertised this great offer in their stores where you can get the N73 Music Edition on ProCall 120. I decided to get it. And then: brickwall.

Nobody had stock. Nobody could tell me when they will get stock. Then the plot thickend. Nobody ever had stock of the N73 Music Edition to begin with. Nobody could give me a clear answer on when they will actually be stock. They had no idea of stock allocations so there is no way that even if I wait I'll be able to get the phone.

I contacted the call centre, who made it clear they could not help me. They switched the call to a service centre. The service centre told me they don't have stock, but a shipment of phones is arriving on Wednesday, and maybe there is some N73 Music editions among them.

Next step. HelloPeter. Extracts from e-mail conversation to follow:

I have the Nokia N73 Available in Plum Silver can I assist with the upgrade?
Click to expand...

Yippee it worked. No it didn't:
I just double checked it is a N70 Music not N73 and no memory card
Click to expand...

Ok. What I'm I suppose to do now? Another hellopeter complaint. Response:

Ok we are getting the phone and they are been shipped in as we speak. I unfortunately have no set date for this but will keep you informed on the happenings.
Click to expand...

Umm.. Yes. It doesn't tell me anything.

My Reply to them:
Thanks for your reply.

This is also the information I got from everywhere else. It does not really help me much. I would like to know whether I'm going to have to wait for one week, one month or three months. I would also like to know whether I can be assured that enough phones are available so that I can be certain that if I wait I will actually get one.

I don't understand why somebody don't just look what is on the shipping manifest. It is ridiculous that nobody knows where the phones are, how many phones are on the way etc.

The fact is that the N73 Music Edition is advertised. Why do I just hit a brick wall when I actually want to get it? If it was some or other obscure phone I would understand. But not knowing anything about stock advertised is unacceptable. This is the case with all businesses.

Fact is. I want that phone. I prefer the MTN network. But at this moment MTN can not provide me with the phone. They cannot even make a commitment as to whether they will be able to provide me with this phone in future.

I am in no major hurry to get the phone. I just believe that as customer I'm entitled to straight-forward answers to some very simple questions. My questions are:

1) When will the phones be available?
2) Are there enough phones available?

I will really appreciate straight-forward answers to these questions.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

And then... here is the kicker. I get this reply:

I have asked the same questions before I came back to you and I could not get a exact time frame or amount either. I have requested this from our warehouse and got no definite answer.
Click to expand...

Err... How is this my problem? I'm left hanging again. This is probably the worst sale anybody ever tried to make. Refer to their website: http://www.mtnsp.co.za/?pid=145. It is there as clear daylight.

So it is obvious that nobody knows anything. And their advertisements everywhere is misleading. A friend of mine went to Vodacom and got the phone within a day. MTN cannot even tell me when I will get it or whether I'll be able to get it at all.

It is really sad - because I never had problems up till now. But this is slowly turning into a deal-breaker. I'm going to give it another day or two and then I'm going to Vodacom.
 
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;)
Johand said:
I have a contract on MTN. I'm in my upgrade window, and I've decided to look at new packages across all networks.

MTN advertised this great offer in their stores where you can get the N73 Music Edition on ProCall 120. I decided to get it. And then: brickwall.

Nobody had stock. Nobody could tell me when they will get stock. Then the plot thickend. Nobody ever had stock of the N73 Music Edition to begin with. Nobody could give me a clear answer on when they will actually be stock. They had no idea of stock allocations so there is no way that even if I wait I'll be able to get the phone.

I contacted the call centre, who made it clear they could not help me. They switched the call to a service centre. The service centre told me they don't have stock, but a shipment of phones is arriving on Wednesday, and maybe there is some N73 Music editions among them.

Next step. HelloPeter. Extracts from e-mail conversation to follow:



Yippee it worked. No it didn't:


Ok. What I'm I suppose to do now? Another hellopeter complaint. Response:



Umm.. Yes. It doesn't tell me anything.

My Reply to them:


And then... here is the kicker. I get this reply:



Err... How is this my problem? I'm left hanging again. This is probably the worst sale anybody ever tried to make. Refer to their website: http://www.mtnsp.co.za/?pid=145. It is there as clear daylight.

So it is obvious that nobody knows anything. And their advertisements everywhere is misleading. A friend of mine went to Vodacom and got the phone within a day. MTN cannot even tell me when I will get it or whether I'll be able to get it at all.

It is really sad - because I never had problems up till now. But this is slowly turning into a deal-breaker. I'm going to give it another day or two and then I'm going to Vodacom.
Click to expand...

Maybe you should try MTN in Paddocks Centre, Milnerton. Their number is on the MTNSP website.

I don't say they will have but it looks like those guys know what they're doing. Thats where I got my N95 today. I also heard when the guy phoned another client that the N93i was also available. Maybe you are lucky to get the N73 there.

Good luck.

MTN is a bit slow when it comes to phones, especially Nokias.

Maybe I must start importing Nokias for them.:D
 
MTN controls the distribution network. Their warehouse apparently has no clue about of when the N73 Music Editions are to arrive. The shops are franchises and they have no control over the situation.

I wouldn't mind them being slow. I'm a bit irritated that the distribution network doesn't know what is happening upstream. It seems that they get containers full of phones like lucky packets. Not being able to say when you expect stock is just bad service and supply chain management. Being out of stock is understandable.

Maybe this is a hint that they have some supplier issues.
 
Johand said:
The shops are franchises and they have no control over the situation.
Click to expand...

Well, in my case the shop had more control over the situation than MTNSP.

Up to yesterday, after I had a decent conversation with one of the top guys at MTNSP they now know about the N95.

Most people at MTN doesn't know whats going on in their own business.:rolleyes:

I still say, try Paddocks MTN in Milnerton.
 
Johand said:
I have a contract on MTN. I'm in my upgrade window, and I've decided to look at new packages across all networks.

MTN advertised this great offer in their stores where you can get the N73 Music Edition on ProCall 120. I decided to get it. And then: brickwall.

Nobody had stock. Nobody could tell me when they will get stock. Then the plot thickend. Nobody ever had stock of the N73 Music Edition to begin with. Nobody could give me a clear answer on when they will actually be stock. They had no idea of stock allocations so there is no way that even if I wait I'll be able to get the phone.

I contacted the call centre, who made it clear they could not help me. They switched the call to a service centre. The service centre told me they don't have stock, but a shipment of phones is arriving on Wednesday, and maybe there is some N73 Music editions among them.

Next step. HelloPeter. Extracts from e-mail conversation to follow:



Yippee it worked. No it didn't:


Ok. What I'm I suppose to do now? Another hellopeter complaint. Response:



Umm.. Yes. It doesn't tell me anything.

My Reply to them:


And then... here is the kicker. I get this reply:



Err... How is this my problem? I'm left hanging again. This is probably the worst sale anybody ever tried to make. Refer to their website: http://www.mtnsp.co.za/?pid=145. It is there as clear daylight.

So it is obvious that nobody knows anything. And their advertisements everywhere is misleading. A friend of mine went to Vodacom and got the phone within a day. MTN cannot even tell me when I will get it or whether I'll be able to get it at all.

It is really sad - because I never had problems up till now. But this is slowly turning into a deal-breaker. I'm going to give it another day or two and then I'm going to Vodacom.
Click to expand...

Report them to the Advertising Standards Authority. You can do it online here: http://www.asasa.org.za
 
I'm not sure this one case will warrant reporting to the ASA. They are after all busy people. However, I suspect that this practice is VERY common among the cellphone networks. Should consistent behavior of this kind become apparent then it would make perfect sense to take action against them. Unfortunately most people upgrade only every two years :-)

All I can suggest is that everybody that experience something like this should pressure the network consistently and post their experiences for the public to see.

What upsets me about this trick is that they make descent comparison across providers impossible because you have to rely on the incorrect information they publish.

Besides, they lost one battle already recently: http://www.asasa.org.za/ResultDetail.aspx?Ruling=3633 . Haha, I'm already a broadband customer with their competitor!
 
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@ Johand

This is consistent and continuous behaviour from MTN. If you have a look at the MTN Forum you'll see.

I walked in to an mnt connect store today and was told that the phone I wanted (z6) might arrive by end april. It was the first real answer I have received from anyone representing mtn. This, after making numerour phone calls to both midrand and mount edgecomb and even consulting with MTNDD on the mtn forum.

It might not be be true, but It wil keep me happy for now.

To prove how terrible mtn is at control you should get hold of their april/may edition of y'ello trader and check the back page. The comparison chart WRT available phones is completely wrong. But they have E & OE stamped on that page 3 times. As if they know that the people working for them are incompetent. (with a few exceptions)

Im glad I only upgrade every 2 years, I'd go crazy otherwise.
 
I'm beginning to see the pattern here.

Another complaint on HelloPeter. They copied and paste the reply from this post to my post it seems....

http://www.hellopeter.co.za/the_comment.asp?recid=72842#a

As of the middle of last week, MTNSP has had the Nokia N95 available on their Retail Specials list on the ProCall 120 Contract.
I am an existing MTNSP customer who is eligible for an upgrade on my ProCall 120, and I want this particular phone.
I have called 808, MTNDirect, various franchise stores in my area, visited the Service Centre in Sandton, they all have no stock of this phone.
Whats more worrying is that, depending on who you speak to, some MTN representatives say 'end of this month' for availability, 'May', 'June/July', 'N95 is still being network tested', it's rediculous! I cannot get a straight answer.
I put my name down at the Service Centre for them to call me once they do have this phone, will I get a call, not sure.

I have also been in contact with certain MTN franchise stores in Cape Town, guess what, they received stock early this week and have been signing up customers quite happily! Certain stores have also reserved some of their stock for the lucky few who stumbled upon these stores. How can a major MTN Service Centre not have stock, while smaller franchise stores do? It is so frustrating getting misinformed, when all I want to do is upgrade!!
Click to expand...
 
The same thing happen when I was looking for the N80 and no MTNsp had stock, so I phone most of the MTN branches near my home and left my number with them to phone as soon as stock arrives, the phone was still unknown to most people, the very next day I got two calls from two different branches, to inform me that their stock has arrived.I collected my N80 the same day from Mtel Ottery P'n P Hyper branch.I think you guys must try this route.regards
 
Haha. I tried this. I tried a lot of shops. Even the Paddock's MTN shop. The MTN warehouse does not know anything about this phone. The only people who seem to be aware of the phone is the advertising department.
 
Nokia SA is stuffed atm!!! Lol!!
I think the N80 is discontinued or soon to be.
 
I won't blame Nokia. People has been getting the N73 from Vodacom, the N73 Music Edition from Virgin Mobile etc.

Both of the networks could give me times when the phone will be at their shop. MTN couldn't give me the decade.
 
Johand said:
Haha. I tried this. I tried a lot of shops. Even the Paddock's MTN shop. The MTN warehouse does not know anything about this phone. The only people who seem to be aware of the phone is the advertising department.
Click to expand...


LMAO!

Maybe I should try and buy phones from them.

Anyone think they'll have a clue what I'm going on about?
 
Wait Wait Wait...

WTH is a N70 music eddition ?
There is no such thing AFAIK.

There is a N73 Music eddition yes !
 
Pitbull said:
Wait Wait Wait...

WTH is a N70 music eddition ?
There is no such thing AFAIK.

There is a N73 Music eddition yes !
Click to expand...

It's a normal n70, but in black and with 1 gig card and headphones
 
the avertisement on the website is for an N70 music edition and not an N73 music edition.

that's why you hitting brick walls.. the N73 ME is not on special only the normal N73, and a N70 ME.

check the website again bro... you may have been mistaken..
 
MyDummyName said:
the avertisement on the website is for an N70 music edition and not an N73 music edition.

that's why you hitting brick walls.. the N73 ME is not on special only the normal N73, and a N70 ME.

check the website again bro... you may have been mistaken..
Click to expand...

Wrong. The Website is wrong because it advertise the N73 with 2GB memory on ProCall 120 @ R299 - which is not the case and not the retail offer. There are a N70 Music Edition on MyCall 100 but it is also not what I'm looking for.

If you go in store and get a pamphlet or look at the posters you will see a Nokia N73 Music Edition on ProCall 120 for R299 per month. If you really want to defend MTN I can fax you a copy of the pamphlet.
 
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