MTN

I have been waiting for an incident to precipitate the integration and articulation of all my MTN experiences over the years. It has just happened.

Walking through my local mall, Bedford Centre, I passed in the concourse the store manager of the MTN outlet. He looked me in the eye then looked away. He did the same last week when I walked past him.

Today I called back to him, asking, ”Mariano, don’t you greet me?”

“No,” was his reply as he continued on in the opposite direction.

I turned around and briskly made my way over to him to ask why. His answer was that he will greet me in the store as a customer but not anywhere else.

“That’s strange,” I said. “Once I know someone, I always acknowledge and greet them wherever I see them.”

He carried on walking away.

I dealt with Mariano extensively in May after I had signed a 2 year renewal of my contract and, therein, purchased a new phone. This phone needed a software upgrade within weeks of purchase and MTN wanted to take it in for up to 20 working days. This was, of course, unacceptable for a new phone that is integral to my daily life and business.

I had, in May, gone to the main repair depot across town and got the phone fixed on the spot using my own ingenuity. When I had returned to Mariano's store, he didn't even ask how my problem was. He just repeated that it was his way or no way. I informed him, after he had further demonstrated his incompetence, that I had already fixed it. I then gave him and some other staff a copy each of my book.

They never thanked me for these or gave me any feedback. Their attitude did not change.

The big uphill climb

Today, immediately after seeing Mariano, I called the MTN call centre and waited through the 7-point automated selection menu. When I got an operator, he gave me a number to call for complaints. He could not put me through or send me the number. I had to walk into the MTN store to get a pen to write it down. Thank goodness for old-fashioned technology! I called the number but the ‘call failed’ repeatedly. The network...

Then, walking through the mall, I came across another staff member from the MTN store - someone else I had dealt with a few times and, like Mariano, given my book. I told her my story and went back into the store with her. Deadpan and seemingly emotionless, she gave me another number to call but the network was still failing, in the store as I stood there!

This didn't seem to bother or amuse her, or even draw her attention. When I pointed it out, she told me that all the networks are like this. I told her that that did not make it acceptable.

She told me that she did not have numbers for her superiors. I said that someone should take ownership of the problem, not leave it with me. She then wanted to see my phone. I asked her what she was going to do with it. She did not answer as she took it. I asked again, confronting her on not answering my question. She explained what she was doing as she entered another number. 

Eventually the call went through, and she handed me my phone, but I had to asked her to whom she had made the call. It was a man named Fred.

Understanding

I spoke to Fred, the operational manager for the area, for over 30 minutes, all at my expense. He agreed that Mariano’s behaviour was bad and said that he would talk to him, but said that there was little he could do. I made it clear that I want a good experience in my local mall and that if Mariano contributed to a bad one, one of us had to leave and it isn’t going to be me.

Fred told me that there are labour laws and that he couldn't fire Mariano from one complaint. "Well, we will have to fix the problem, then," I said, as if it was some strange suggestion. Mariano can get over his childish issues, embrace the learning opportunity, and make it a positive outcome for all involved. MTN can get their business right. Their behaviour is simply unspeakable.

When I see Mariano, I see MTN, wherever that may be. The network for which I pay is not confined to his store. Plus, MTN is part of my business and life, a partner, and they need to conduct themselves accordingly. At the moment, they are a bad seed in my business, and their so-called competition are no better and, thus, not an option.

I shouldn't even have to say any of this. I have been with MTN for 18 years. How about some appreciation for my loyalty? How about some basic manners and respect? How on earth can they behave this way?

I told Fred about the ‘Suing for Service’ campaign, my previous experiences with Mariano and the store, and the overall MTN experience. As I was describing the unreliability of network, we were cut off! Still, though, Fred had the approach of someone mystified by my points, as if hearing them for the first time from someone making them up.

Then Fred asked me to put all of this in writing. I told him again, having done so already, that I am a consultant and professional writer and that I will charge him a consulting fee, as a lawyer would, for writing this out. He withdrew his request, but did not seem to apply the insight to his overall arrogance. 

I told him that I would write, though, for my blog and the media as part of the campaign. I told him to look out for it and sent him the URL for this blog. 

Pinpoint

After Fred asking me what it is exactly I want him to do, following his explanation of how little there is he can do, I realised that he has a point. I mean, what exactly did they all do wrong, anyway? Nothing was out of keeping with the technical specifications of their jobs. They all followed the rules. I almost felt crazy for all the fuss. Fred couldn’t help. Mariano was adamant. Why was I so upset?

Maybe I should just give up. Maybe I am making an issue when there isn’t one. Maybe I am in the wrong and, to make things worse, rude on top of that.

What, exactly, am I complaining about?

Well:

• the network does not work properly, which is a fundamental violation of MTN’s contractual obligations
• service is generally despicable, hardly reaching minimum standards at the best of times (when you take the customer's perspective into account, as MTN seem more than happy to assert it)
• basic human decency is absent
• blatant emotional violence is prevalent (ignoring, dismissing, walking off, subjecting customers to call centres)
• customers can’t get through to anyone with any power
• no-one takes responsibility for getting customer-oriented results
• MTN is caught up in an international corruption case, suggesting that the business that makes billions in profits is fundamentally dishonest. 

That sort of thing...

Issues

Anyway, let’s all just forget about it, shall we? I’m worn down now from stating the obvious to people who don’t want to hear it. I can’t even get to the real issue because they pretend not to get the basic premise.

Let's just forget that:

1.       Big corporate structures like MTN are inherently corrupt because they are geared to keep customers away while taking their money. Signed contacts are one sided, defined by the corporation. Customers have little if any recourse to anything but acceptance of these unacceptable terms. The way the system is structured makes it practically impossible to get anywhere. For this reason alone, the ‘Suing for Service’ campaign applies fully to MTN. If they make big money from us for providing an essential service, they must fulfil their obligations and role as in the consumer community.

2.       Basic human decency falls into their social responsibility and brand promise. This applies inside and outside of stores. Does Mariano think my network coverage doesn’t extend beyond the walls of his shop? Does he think he can be that rude and passively aggressive and not get a fitting response from me?

3.       Generous customers who have the wherewithal and courage not to be crushed must be welcomed, heard and satisfied. Their suggestions must be incorporated and the results demonstrated openly to the whole customer base. And these generous customers must be paid for their help.

4.       I will use all experiences to fuel this campaign.

Someone named Roberto was in touch with me from the head office some time back about another problem with MTN (there have been many). After discussing the solutions at length over the phone, and him saying that he benefited from the discussion, he undertook to set up a meeting with the head of his division to look at bringing me in to work with MTN. 

As yet, I have heard nothing.