The great Neotel wait (and wait)…
Neotel has been caught off guard. The company confirms that its NeoFlex Data is sold out.
Anecdotal evidence and reports suggest that many customers have been left high and dry, and incredibly frustrated with the non-delivery of their devices. Some have been waiting for over nine working days. To add to the problem, ill-informed call centre staff have been unable to explain the delay.
Ordering the device on March 24 was a mission in itself. The taxi strike meant that Neotel (along with everyone else who runs a call centre) had very few operators in its call centre, which meant at least a 20 minute wait for a call to be answered. The order would’ve been made on March 23, but Neotel’s ordering systems were down and users were referred to the online application form, which was also ironically offline.
After a successful application, the call centre confirmed that the NeoFlex device would be delivered by “the latest, end of business on Monday [March 30]”.
A query on the Monday yielded a confrontational call centre operative who insisted that I was “misinformed” and that delivery takes seven working days. This is in itself bizarre as it is in direct conflict with Neotel’s promise of delivery within five working days.
At the beginning of last week, after queries from this journalist, Neotel identified the problem, the company maintained that “stock was expected into our store rooms later this week”. That was last week.
On Wednesday, the company’s Mukul Sharma, executive head of the consumer business unit, stated that “all clients who had ordered the NeoFlex service have been informed about the delay”. Also bizarre is that Neotel’s sales channel staff only made contact on Thursday afternoon. However, this staff member was unable to say with any certainty at all when stock would arrive. “A couple of days,” was as detailed an answer as the staffer could provide.
To Neotel’s credit though, the company quickly arranged a loan unit for this journalist, an impressive solution to the problem.
In general, the company promises NeoFlex delivery within five working days. However, Neotel does say that “in general, if all credit vetting and application forms are filled in, customers receive their devices between two to five days”.
It adds that “this applies to all of our channel partners as well. In fact, at most stores the sale is concluded immediately, as all of our channel partners keep stock and conduct all of their own administration.”
There is allegedly some stock of the devices in the channel, with partners, such as Altech Autopage Cellular, Postnet and Samsung Business. Neotel’s Sharma is reported as saying the company is “trying to use this stock to limit the waiting time of prospective clients”.
At the time of NeoFlex’s launch, Neotel said that it had brought in what it thought was enough stock. However, it seems that the company adopted a more cautious approach, and when demand for the service increased, the company was caught unaware.
Here’s the problem. There’s no real issue with waiting for a service because devices are out of stock. As long as the problem is communicated with consumers who’ve ordered the device, been through the vetting process and are under the impression what they’ve ordered will be delivered.
Neotel have dropped the ball on this, especially since billboards advertising the service still dot major routes in Johannesburg (and no doubt other major areas, too).
It’s okay to sometimes drop the ball – especially if your device and pricing is superior (which NeoFlex is) and you were caught off guard. This is not only a criticism of Neotel. Every telecoms provider in this country has these problems. Just, please, communicate properly.
UPDATE: Neotel is currently delivering NeoFlex devices to consumers.
Neotel ordering process – give your views
Moneyweb
Loading ...