[kictanet] Is Safaricom disintegrating

[robert yawe]

Hi listers,ea

Its not a good idea to type multiple emails at the same time, I sent out the 
right email with the wrong heading.  Here is the correct posting for the subject 
header

I have had an interesting 2 or so weeks dealing with the post Micheal Joseph 
Safaricom.  During his reign MJ took an interest in what was being said about 
the company, at least on this list which I strongly believe is representative of 
the tech savvy population.

Why do I use a strong word like disintegrate well because before Safaricom went 
on its acquisition spree I had a single contact number to report all my issues 
with Safaricom but today I have over 5 numbers that I need to call to get a 
semblance of assistance, of the 5 or so numbers only one is toll free the others 
are chargeable calls.

Sometime back I raised this issue, that is yet to be resolved, in relation to my 
WiMax connection which is a service offered by Safaricom Business whose customer 
support number is 0722-002222.  In addition the number is only operational 
between 8:30am and 5:30 pm, but this might be an indication of when I have 
expected to have problems with the service.  Reminds me of my first boss who 
once told me that I was dis-organised by falling sick in the middle of the 
week. 

I can remember a time when calling 999 got you access to all emergency services 
does the demise of this single contact actually have something to do with 
Safaricom not being able to provide a single number for customer care?

The situation gets worse every day, I requested Safaricom to deliver my WiMax 
post paid invoice together with that for our post paid voice lines, I was 
shocked to be informed that this is not possible as the two services, read 
organisations are separate and therefore my request could not be honoured.

Here I quote the response from Safaricom Business "The billing for the  Wimax 
account is done separately from the other post paid accounts hence, the  two 
cannot be merged"

More recently my WiMax antennae was pointed to a new base station but after 
working for 2 days it needed to be re-pointed to the original base station 
because the person who made the change did not complete the internal paper work.

Yesterday I had another interesting experience when my 3G devices where unable 
to access my servers hosted right here in the country yet I could reach 
international sites.  I reported the issue to Safaricom Business support line at 
about 8:30 am after which the circus begun, I received calls from no less than 5 
different people all requiring me to repeat my problem, I would have expected it 
was captured during my initial call?

After 6 hours of trying to convince me that the problem was localised to me, I 
had tested the connection using 3 different 3G devices, they finally confirmed 
that they where having an issue on their network.  

At one point one of the engineers, Safaricom does not employ technicians, asks 
the URL I am saying I cannot reach then tells me that from where she it it 
accessible.  I would have expected that Safaricom would have a test bench to 
simulate some of this issues.  They need to be able to also categorise clients 
based on a predetermined skill level.  It is so painful going through the switch 
off modem. ping DNS steps that I have recently relegated the 1st level of 
support calling to my 13 year old son.

My experiences with Safaricom since I took up addition services from them namely 
fixed wireless (WiMax) and domain hosting the number of telephone numbers for 
Safaricom support have gone from 2 (voice & mpesa) to 15.  

This is just 3 short of the ones I have for Telkom/Orange which range from the 
numbers of the line plant staff (those who carry ladders or sit in the road side 
cabinets), the 3 support numbers (100, 121 & 122).  

A few numbers each for the Network Operations Center, Kenstream, ADSL, 
broadband, Jambonet and EvDo just to be able to effectively support my clients 
who are on the various services.  To put an icing on the cake I at one time had 
to have the Managing Directors on speed dial from Cheserem to Kirui, the Orange 
fellows are not as accessible which might explain the organisations lackluster 
performance.

Safaricom is becoming what KP&TC and Telkom were as a monopoly big, blotted and 
unresponsive, it is my sincere hope that we shall not get to the bottom of that 
precipice as if we do it will mean that the time has come for some of us to go 
and breed egg laying chickens, which might actually be to the benefit of the 
industry.

If there is still someone out there from Safaricom listening this is the wrong 
time for the organisation to be disintegrating if you expect to provide a 
complete suite of products and services.  As solution providers we had started 
filling like we had a partner who would work with us to deliver leading edge 
solutions well we shall continue to hope and pray that that day will come, soon.

Regards

PS.  If private sector has a problem with offering a single point of contact can 
we really expect it of the government?
Robert Yawe
KAY System Technologies Ltd
Phoenix House, 6th Floor
P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
Kenya


Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696



      
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