phoned to cancel - good sense of humour

bb_matt · Sep 14, 2004

I just phoned in connection with cancelling and spoke to a support tech - I won't name them, just in case.

I spoke to a guy who basically told me I needed to send a fax with my name / password etc. and give my reason for wanting to cancel.

I said, "Well, I think you know the reason for that already"

Hehe - the guy was virtually cracking up with laughter on the other end of the phone, he was having difficulty talking he was laughing so much.

So, no, not an Orc as they don't have a sense of humour.
Anyway, that's made my day - good to know there's some humanity in that company after all !

VQuest · Sep 14, 2004

So you made up your mind eh bb_matt? Good for you.

From what I can tell, Sentech's customers are dropping like flies, so I can imagine the support guys will have a slightly less stressful work day - they won't be getting shouted at quite as much. I actually feel quite sorry for them. Been there, done that, thew the T-Shirt away.

----------------
United we stand!
----------------

nonroker · Sep 14, 2004

I phoned to cancel but got a comical "You will have to pay 70% of the rest of your contract upon cancellation"
BWAHAHAHAHA...I told the guy to shove it and put me through to accounts.

Then the standup comedian says "We're not allowed to put you through to accounts"

Almost fell off my chair. He says I have to log a ticket to cancel and accounts will phone me back...so I did.

What's the chance they'll phone?

--
256k ... BAH..more like 25.6k
FSCK YOU Sentech!! [

!]

Kai · Sep 14, 2004

that's bollocks! they let me cancel without a problem, and didn't say ANYTHING about paying money back...

hmmm... i'm nervous now...

<hr noshade size="1"><div align="right">one day we will all look back at this... laugh nervously... and change the subject...
tower82(mintek).randparkridge.jhb|sig:9%|node:3|snl:0%|ber:28%|256k
just a few more days, then I'll have REAL broadband!</div id="right">

regardtv · Sep 14, 2004

Roker ... have a search through the forums .. the cancellation fax number was posted somewhere.

If you don't come right drop me a mail .. I'll give you the e-mail addie of the single most professional person I've dealth with in accounts.

Ditch · Sep 14, 2004

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by VQuest
From what I can tell, Sentech's customers are dropping like flies
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Just out of interest, does anyone have any actual data on the number of people cancelling? I'm curious to know if it's 'only a few dozen forum members', or if it's maybe one or two hundred users, or if it's really some significant percentage.

loosecannon · Sep 14, 2004

hey i sent a email through to them the other day notifying them of my intention to cancel and they went and canceled me ahead of time ... no fax no call ... it appears they canceling so many people that they dont ask questions any more ... looks like the marketing drive has imploded and they on a slope down ...

dbnnet · Sep 14, 2004

Ditch, the number of MiWi users reached a maximum of somewhere over 3000 only a
few months ago.
Currently there are only about 1800 paying customers left!
Do the math! They have lost 40% of their customers.
Marketing history in the making!!!!

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 5.0.1.60

nocilah · Sep 14, 2004

Want a serious laugh? Read this: http://www.marketingweb.co.za/news/marketing/338374.htm

my favourite part reads as follows:
For anyone who wants to study CRM, PR and general marketing, Sentech is possibly the best case study example of "what not to do".

So if so many people have left where is all the bandwdth going?

myWireless 128, 64, 48, 16 - depends on its mood.

Kai · Sep 14, 2004

*snort*

oi ve! their reputation is BEYOND fcked up [

]

thank God I got out!

<hr noshade size="1"><div align="right">one day we will all look back at this... laugh nervously... and change the subject...
tower82(mintek).randparkridge.jhb|sig:9%|node:3|snl:0%|ber:28%|256k
just a few more days, then I'll have REAL broadband!</div id="right">

dbnnet · Sep 14, 2004

It's a pity that the article failed to mention that Sentech's Head of Marketing came to Sentech
after being "rejected" from his career at Telkom.
...and thats why THERE NEVER WILL BE ENOUGHT BANDWIDTH...EVER.
It' how Sentech's head of Marketing has structured it (The Telkom way!)

As it currently sits all 1800 users are sharing a single 11Mb/s circuit.
This on a so called Broadband solution. In my view, and taking their current user base into account, they would need in the region of 20-25mb/s to effectively provide a decent service. As they have obviously made a marketing decision to only provide 50% of the requirement (Can we presume that the rest of the money has gone into the funding of their fancy vehicle allowance scheme?) you will always be getting half of what is really required!!

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 5.0.1.60

keithr · Sep 15, 2004

Maybe it's the Bonus! Cut international bandwith to save costs ( = more bonus )

guest2013-1 · Sep 15, 2004

I think the fundamental point here is this, marketing should stay with marketing, technical should stay with technical.

atm as I look at things, marketing has control over how much bandwidth they buy, which is totally wrong. I also think they understand the "contended" service wrong, and thus the f-up began. Misunderstanding, misinformation, and a general ignorance on their part.

as soon as things quieten down at work I'm getting adsl... testing uncapped accounts now...

Hell, my gran on a scooter with a memory stick is faster than Sentech's MyWireless!

dbnnet · Sep 15, 2004

noone, yes... it boggles the mind! .... and I'm going the same route. ADSL (using Storm).

Only bit of good news so far is as follows:
http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/telecoms/2004/0409141312.asp?S=Business&A=BUS&O=FRGN

Telkom seeks to reduce bandwidth costs
BY RODNEY WEIDEMANN, ITWEB TELECOMS EDITOR

[Johannesburg, 14 September 2004] - Telkom hopes to introduce reduced charges for international data circuits via satellite and submarine cable by 11 October, pending approval of the new charges from the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA).

The company filed the reduced charges with ICASA at the end of August, and expects a decision from the regulator on or before 17 September.
According to Telkom spokesman Ravin Maharaj, the organisation has seen its capacity utilisation growing in leaps and bounds due to increasing demand for international connectivity.

“The proposed reductions vary between 10% and 25% on the monthly charges for international data circuits via submarine cable, to all international destinations and will apply to most popular bandwidths,” he says.

He says the proposals also include a 3.6% reduction on monthly charges for international data circuits via satellite, for popular bandwidths between 9 600-bits per second and 768Kbps.

“While it is difficult to say exactly who the benefits will go to at this stage, it will most likely be our corporate customers,” says Maharaj.

According to Ray Webber, spokesman for the Communication Users Association of SA, any reduction in the price of bandwidth has got to be good news for users and the industry in general.

“I would have to say that we welcome this in principle and feel that an announcement such as this, particularly coming so soon after the minister's decision to begin the liberalisation of the telecoms industry, seems as though this really is the beginning of real competition in the market,” he says.

“While the reductions are aimed at data in particular, one also has to remember that come 1 February next year, the ability to use voice over IP will mean that call costs will also be reduced.”

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 5.0.1.60

GougedEye · Sep 15, 2004

Haha, you gotta love these guys.

I cancelled my contract at the end of August. No problems, no fuss, all very friendly. It's been confirmed etc. But can I get them to take their modem back? No chance. It seems that even they don't want the horrible little paperweight. I have phoned them like 5 times asking them if they want it. They are very friendly and all and keep promising to phone back etc. but no luck. In desperation I phoned and offered to deliver it to them myself. They said that that would be great and could I hold while they confirmed the address to deliver to. 15 mins later I hung up.

I don't know whats going on there, but I have no doubt that the monkeys are in charge of the zoo.

I guess I'll just post it to them. Not registered mail or anything, just normal surface mail. Addressed to "to whome it may concern".

mbs · Sep 15, 2004

Methinx one must not under-estimate the role played by the bean-counters in Sucktech decision-making. Typically, the kind of corporate bungling evidenced by the Sucktech debacle is caused by stoopid types who haven't the faintest idea of anything, except looking at ways and means of reducing costs, which includes constraining necessary procurement. If marketing had had their way, there would've been enough bandwidth, methinx. So, the monkeys are probably the bean-counters...

dbnnet · Sep 15, 2004

mbs, I wish this was indeed the case.... at least then there could be some method in their madness.
But no.... these Sentech Head Office Idiots take the cake. Let me give you an example:
The equipment that Sentech purchased for the it's prefabricated containers (at the towers) is the most expensive "100% weather proof" version available. These weather proof versions of the hardware are designed for installations where the equipment is to be installed out in the open. For all other installations, they specifically sell a normal “non water proof” version. But guess what, Sentech has spent a absolute fortune purchasing this very expensive “outdoor” gear…. then install it in an air-conditioned prefabricated container! Dah!!!!
(I know of only one MW tower where the weather proof version would have justified itself....as there is no container on site)!

Bay of Plenty : Signal 48% - SNL 17 - ber 71% : D-Link DI-604 - PPPoE : 8dBi Patch Antenna : Firmware 5.0.1.60

mbs · Sep 15, 2004

Cripes, it's even worse than I thought! Based on your heads-up, DBNNET, we've certainly got reason to believe that their decision-makers are all idiots, without exception. Sounds very much like Telkrap, doesn't it?! I've often thought that the most effective way of fixing corporate bungling would be to flip the organisation on its head - make the workers the bosses, and vice versa - the new management can then get rid of the morons very smartly - I want PROASM for Tech Director...

arf9999 · Sep 15, 2004

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dbnnet
 It's a pity that the article failed to mention that Sentech's Head of Marketing came to Sentech
after being "rejected" from his career at Telkom.
...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi dbnnet,

Have you got more info on this?...please mail me.

I'm considering writing a follow up to that article. (If I get enough background info, this going to be the basis for my MBA thesis).

MW128, Tower 60(Northpark Plaza), Signal:16%,S-N-L: 7, BER: 45%

Frank23 · Sep 17, 2004

Not all the guys at the helldesk are ork's. You do find a couple that are willing to help and yes, even some that are human.

phoned to cancel - good sense of humour

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