[kictanet] Is Safaricom disintegrating

Wed Feb 23 10:21:44 EAT 2011

Dear Robert,

We are addressing this  and we will give you feedback .

Thank you.

Regards, 
Naomi Maiwa 

From: kictanet-bounces+support=safaricom.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+support=safaricom.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of robert yawe
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 9:50 AM
To: Safaricom Support
Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] Is Safaricom disintegrating

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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