Free modem with ADSL self-install
Information last week emerged that consumers were offered free DSL modems when they install their ADSL service themselves.
This was initially met with some surprise by consumers, but was confirmed in an advertisement saying that ‘…it saves you the R 437-50 installation fee, and you get a FREE DSL modem’.
Trying to relieve pressure?
Telkom has been criticized severely for the very long waiting time for an ADSL installation which can run into many months in some areas.
ICASA turned up the pressure on Telkom when they released the ADSL Regulations, calling for an installation time of no longer than 30 days.
Telkom still do not install ADSL within 30 days, even though it is now law that they do so, something which may have been of some concern to the telecoms giant.
Some ADSL installations are outsourced to various operators which has resulted in improvements, and the uptake of self-install will certainly be able to alleviate even more pressure off Telkom.
Overloaded technical staff
Rumours abound that Telkom technicians are thin on the ground and struggle to keep up with demand, which may be the reason why people have to wait for up to three weeks for ADSL faults to be resolved.
There is also talk that Telkom has decided to combine all their technical departments dealing with services like standard phone lines, ADSL, ISDN and Diginet. This could not be confirmed, but if true this may actually aggravate the problem rather than solve it.
Staff specializing in a certain field are far better equipped to fix faults than general technicians trying to be a jack of all trades, but for Telkom struggling with technical staff numbers this may be a ‘quick-fix’ attempt at solving a far bigger problem.
The solution is to recruit more technical staff to serve customers better, but in an environment where the share price is often seen as taking precedence over staff working conditions or customer satisfaction this option may be pushed to the back of the queue.
So while ADSL self-install may lighten the load of ADSL technicians, it may not solve the bigger problems caused by the heavy staff lay-offs of recent years.
Loading ...