[kictanet] Is Safaricom disintegrating

[Amos Nungu]

Robert,

May be your experience is reflected in this post 
http://manypossibilities.net/2011/02/safaricom-a-modest-proposal/

Regards,

On 02/23/2011 07:50 AM, robert yawe wrote:
> 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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