By Akin Adeoya
Two months ago, FiberOne collected my money and refused to give service after so many calls. Somebody referred the case to a staff of the company who swiftly resolved the matter and I was given service.
The same thing happened with the next payment after that. I paid as usual through their recommended platform and sent all the evidence (an Internet service provider has no automated way of knowing who has renewed service so you have to call them and they will tell you to send a receipt via email and you can wait forever. Last month I waited for 10 days. Endless calls to their service centre.
Of all the service numbers the only one that is professionally managed is the sales line. All the other ones most of the time it’s voice mail after you have wasted 10 or 15 minutes of your airtime.
After 10 days and a lot of reminder emails, calls, etc they restore service and 20 days later I get a notice that my one month is over. So, I get to pay for 10 days when the company is unable to render service either because they cannot process evidence of payment or because they are having technical issues!
Well, the angel who rescued me the other time refused to say a word of reply this time. Maybe somebody warned her off or something. Or maybe she faced a deluge of complaints from the exposure. I really don’t know.
By the way, facing the same hopeless service from the same company is my hotel where somehow the password was tampered with and we have been unable to reset it because the company does not have the facility for that. So, I reach them on their service WhatsApp and they give me some email to write to. I do and they acknowledged and ask me to send my preferred password. I do and for over a week no reply! I have sent half a dozen reminders but no show!
The company does not allow you to reset your password. Or they don’t have the facility and they won’t do it for you meanwhile two weeks are gone and they will NEVER forget to send service expiration notice.
So, I spoke to the sales officer who signed me on. She is on leave, has no access to the system and can’t help by escalating in any way. She herself sounds exasperated or exhausted from the wahala.
I think it is time to alert all the customers in Nigeria both public and private. I think it is time potential customers to know what they are up against.
This scam cannot be allowed to continue.
- Adeoya is a Lagos-based journalist and businessman
