We're watching you, MTN
Columnist.
Megan Power in South Africa.
Overcharging. Whether it involves hundreds of rands or a few cents, we all hate it. It robs us of our hard-earned cash, erodes our trust and offends our sense of fair play.
Take MTN. It may be involved in a massive rip-off of its customers - or it may not. Unfortunately, it won't tell me.
Most overcharging is unintentional, the result of system or human error. But it can also be deliberate, the result of greed and exploitation. Our defence against both is the same: vigilance.
If a business systematically overcharges its thousands or millions of customers - even by a cent - it scores a handsome sum at our expense.
So I'm sharing reader Susan Burstein's story today in the hope that MTN data customers scrutinise their bills and shout if anything's amiss.
Burstein recently took advantage of an internet connection special offer from MTN and was assured she would pay not a cent more than R149 a month. A few weeks later, she discovered she had been charged R7 extra for "call line identity". On a data contract, to boot.
She returned to the Hazelpark, Germiston, MTN store to object. The manager called MTN for clarity and was told it was "an automatic charge on all MTN statements".
Burstein protested and was assured the charge would be stopped, but not refunded. When the amount was charged the following month, Burstein was promised, again, that the charge would be stopped and, this time,refunded.
"I told the supervisor that it wasn't enough just to stop it for me, but [it should be stopped for] all other MTN data clients, as this was blatant theft ... and that since it was literally impossible for me to be put through to the financial director, she should complain on my behalf and let me know. Naturally, nothing of the sort was done," said Burstein.
"I know that a few rands a month is not going to make me richer or poorer - but there are many people out there for whom it does matter. And MTN is reaping a dishonest profit from all those who are unaware."
I asked MTN to comment. That was three weeks ago. I repeated the request. Silence. Last week, I called and was assured feedback would come. It didn't.
For a company which has its loyal customers to thank for its success, its contempt for unhappy customers is inexplicable.
Consider yourself on notice, MTN. Your track record for feedback is dismal and I'm done chasing you. From now on, I'm asking only once. If you don't think you're accountable to your customers, that's your call. But as of today, I'll be passing that message on.
Another one that needs to up its game is Bombela Operating Company, which manages the Gautrain. Despite lodging a formal refund request, with all documentation required, reader Kreasan Pather was ignored. The commuter was twice overcharged R1000 for parking at Rosebank station in September.
Bombela's customer services manager, Christina Blignault, apologised this week, saying Gautrain had too many "unsynchronised communication channels", resulting in consumers being sent from "pillar to post". This problem was being addressed, she said.
Customer service officers at the stations have now been authorised to credit the overcharged amounts - which affect only those parking for more than 24 hours - directly back onto customers' Gold Cards, so as "not to cause further inconvenience with a lengthy refund process". The "technical error", picked up in mid-September, will be resolved in the next two weeks.
Another reader, Günter Wittenburg, was charged 50c more for his Saturday newspaper at the CNA at OR Tambo Airport's domestic departure hall, and it took some persistent complaining before the cashier refunded him.
Gerald Hartzenberg, managing director of Airport Retail Concessions, which owns the airport store, was quick to react. An investigation revealed that the store had been invoiced incorrectly by its supplier, and this had led to the wrong price being loaded onto the system. Records showed it had affected seven other customers, whom the store couldn't trace.
But, to compensate, Hartzenberg gave out free copies to all customers last weekend. Nice gesture. Everyone loves a freebie.
Sharp-eyed reader Penelope Gracie also took exception to being overcharged - by a cent. When she bought a printer for R799.99 from Game in Rosebank and was charged R800 at the till, she queried it.
"Nobody seemed to be in the slightest bit fazed when I complained," said Gracie. "One cent is not much - it is the principle that I find so offensive. The retailers assume that we won't make a fuss for one cent and then they score." Quite right.
Game has since apologised, citing a "system error".
It is worth noting that most large retailers, including Game, round down prices (for cash transactions) to the nearest five cents. And at Pick n Pay and Woolworths, if there's a discrepancy between the shelf and till price, you get the first affected item free
This article was originally posted on Southern Africa Business Communities
Are you interested in Market Research, Recruitment and Business Leads?
Join the Africa Business Panel, powered by Africa Business Communities.
www.africabusinesspanel.com.