The last few days have been somewhat low for me. I know I shouldn’t feel this way but I do although I know that things always happen for a reason.
This week was focussed on ensuring my application for the doctorate program was completed. I spent time writing a research proposal, getting my references and finalising all the requirements for the application.
Excited that all was finally ready, I sent it out by email, with every required document scanned and attached. I had dug out my old scanner and fixed it. I even scanned my signature for endorsement on the application form. The climax came when I pressed send. I saw a reply notification like 3 minutes after I sent the mail, so I decided to do other things as I figured it was just an acknowledgement email since it came so fast. When I finally got round to opening the message it read;
Dear Madam
I am afraid that due to exceptional demand, Aberdeen Business School have closed applications for DBA applicants for present. We can not confirm yet, when applicants will be able to reapply, but I am afraid that we cannot accept your application at present.
Research Degrees Office
Immediately a deep seated sadness overcame me. I wasn’t sure whether it was the right way to feel but somehow it wasn’t the response I was expecting. The response seemed so flippant and vague that I responded by asking them to give me specific timelines. I just felt I needed something more concrete as university admissions can be applied for future sessions, so I asked when the embargo would be lifted or whether it was an indefinite decision. The response I got was not positive. Again it appeared like they were neither here nor there. To be honest I was a little irritated that they weren’t able to give a more precise response. The final response which I received today read;
Dear Madam
I don't really think that there is much point in further discussions. ABS have stated that applications are currently closed and when they choose to re-open applications they will let us know. However, for the moment there is little point in applying if you don't know when your application will be considered by ABS.
Research Degrees Office
Hmmm, now I don’t even know how I feel anymore, quite disappointed and somewhat confused as to what to do next. I am wondering whether its not meant to be? The choice of school was really based on the fees. They are the only one I think I can mange to fund by myself the next available school charges double the fees and I really cannot afford that right now. Also the other schools have workshop that you must attend and I really need the flexibility of a distance learning program. The other school I applied to at the beginning of the year requested that I do a relevant masters first before embarking on their program. O gosh what do I do now? This just throws my plans off.
Hmmm, I do know things happen for a reason but I am still feeling down at this realisation. If ABS at least gave me a timeline of even next year I would at least know that delay is not denial. Anyway, Arrrrrrrrgh! God please help!!!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Customer Service Failure at Starcomms Plc
I am ashamed to say but I spent most of today being angry. Angry at the mediocrity we are often forced to deal with in this country of ours. Angry that as a customer, I am not valued even despite the fact that I am part of the reason why Starcomms Plc is in business. I was so mad till I decided the only thing that would make me feel better was to write to them and get an opportunity to vent out my utmost dissatisfaction with the poor service rendered to me and any subscriber suffering a similar plight.
October 9, 2009
Chief Executive Officer
Starcomms Plc
Plot 1261C, Bishop Kale Close,
Victoria Island,
Lagos
Attention: Management
Re: Customer Service Failure
I am an angry customer. I am angry because I feel I am being taken for granted and that Starcomms Plc is ripping me off my money’s worth. I feel that rather than partnering with its customers, Starcomms Plc is cheating its customers.
I run a small business and I subscribe to the 24/7 internet service provided by Starcomms Plc. Every month I make a conscious effort to pay my subscription rate on time to avoid being disconnected and every month I suffer the same plight.
Yesterday on the 8th of October 2009 I went into a GTB bank myself and paid in my subscription fee to avoid being disconnected on the following day. My service was disconnected at exactly 12 midnight of the 8th of October 2009 and it is now 2 pm of the following day and my internet connection is still not back up.
What I cannot understand is why an ISP like Starcomms, in this day and age cannot provide a seamless internet connection service for customers like me who want to ensure that they are connected 24/7 just like the name of the tariff plan suggests.
Today and every month because of Starcomms Plc, I cannot do business with my customers for at least two thirds of a day as I am usually reconnected in the afternoon of the following day. I do not understand this phenomenon so I ask;
Starcomms Plc, why must we be disconnected every month even though we try so hard to do everything we need to do to ensure we are not disconnected?
Starcomms Plc, why do you collect payment for a service that you cannot render? If we have exchanged money then I believe you owe me a service from the moment you receive my money. In the worst case even if you had not recognised the money I paid in yesterday on the day it was paid in, why am I not re-connected first thing in the morning of the following day i.e. by 8am today the 9th of October 2009?
Why do I always have to call in to Starcomms every month, harassing people I know who work there to speed up the reconnection of my Starcomms internet service? What would I do if I didn’t know people who could help me?
If I am billed based on a 31 day cycle why would you count a reconnection time of 3pm on a particular day as day 1 of my service? Especially since I had made payment on the previous day but due to your own service failures I am reconnected at 3pm on the following day. What happens to the lost hours between 12 midnight and 3pm where I had no service and yet Starcomms had received payment for those hours? If I pay for 31 days I should get 31 days, no more, no less.
I am frustrated and tired of your poor service and this is not the only problem I have had with your organization.
Two months ago I suffered a similar plight where I had to buy a new USB modem for the internet connection I currently have. I had problems with the USB on the day it was bought and proceeded to return it the next day. I was told that I could only return it at the Starcomms shop that it was bought at. I live in Ilupeju and I bought it at Lekki on a Saturday. I had to drive all the way to Lekki on a Sunday just to return it. That in itself is a shame for such a large firm with branches all over the country to request that refunds must be made at the same store of purchase.
On returning the USB modem to the shop, I was told by the customer service advisor that company policy would not allow them refund my money till somebody else had bought the same item as the cash received from the person would be used to give me a refund. As a result, I left the Starcomms shop with no service, no USB modem and no money. Starcomms a big firm, kept hold of N26,500.00 belonging to a small firm like mine on the basis of a company policy that makes no sense and shows low regard for the customer. I was called back 3 days later to pick up my refunded cash. During this time, Starcomms cared less about the fact that I would have no internet service for the period they held my cash.
In my entire life, I have never seen where customers are treated like beggars with no choice.
Starcomms Plc is taking its customers for granted, forgetting that your customers make you who you are today. You may get away with it in the short term but you will not get away with this in the long run. It is sad and appalling that in this day and age with everything we know about customer service that companies like Starcomms are cheating their customers.
What is even sadder is that with advancement of technology solutions, Starcomms cannot device a means of ensuring that the services of loyal paying customers like me are not disrupted every month.
Starcomms Plc, I want you to know that it is technically feasible to device a system that detects customers who have paid before their subscription fee expires so that they can enjoy a seamless transition to the next month without being constantly reminded that they are at your mercy. Please invest in the right systems and service your customers by giving them value for money not lost business and wasted time calling your office.
Starcomms’ role should be one of a business partner and not a business destroyer. Small businesses and entrepreneurs suffer enough in this country. Starcomms should not add to the plight of the small business owner or its customer base as a whole, whether businesses or individuals. We demand and deserve value for our money. Please speak our language!
Yours Sincerely,
Their response is below and was received after sending an email to ceo@starcomms.com, I guess they thought I was a guy. Note; no reference to a refund for loss time, business losses or grievance.
Dear Mr,
Please accept our sincere apologies for the delays you have experienced in your renewals. I would request that you let us have your data device number with the payment particulars including location of payment to help us facilitate your renewal.
Yes, we are aware of the issues with time delay in payments made by the bank and Starcomms has been working on resolving this issue and ensuring that customers do not have to be in agony on the delays experienced.
Starcomms has just soft launched not one but three different modes of online renewal process for its Retail Data Subscribers who can now pay from the comfort of their home or office and experience instant renewal of their desired subscription pack. The three different modes of online renewal are detailed below.
1. Through SMS from your Starcomms handset. This is by sending a pre-defined string as an SMS/ Text to 37938 from a Starcomms handset.
Package ID Package Name Value
241 1MTH PURPLE ALWAYS-REN 15,950
242 PURPLE 100 HOURS REN 6500
243 PURPLE 250 HOURS REN 15,000
244 1MTH PURPLE NIGHT REN 5,000
245 1MTH PURPLE BUSINESS REN 7,000
246 PURPLE 7-11 REN 1 MONTH 5,000
The string would be *Package ID*Data Device number*1234#.
For example for a renewal on an 1 month Purple Always Renewal plan you need to send the following SMS *243*07028962561*1234# to the number 37938.
1. The second and third mode of renewal are both through the web. You need to visit our website www.starcomms.com and register yourself and you could pay either using our recharge cards or an Interswitch card.
Regards
Sajan
Sajan R Suvarna
Deputy Director – Data & Retail Sales
October 9, 2009
Chief Executive Officer
Starcomms Plc
Plot 1261C, Bishop Kale Close,
Victoria Island,
Lagos
Attention: Management
Re: Customer Service Failure
I am an angry customer. I am angry because I feel I am being taken for granted and that Starcomms Plc is ripping me off my money’s worth. I feel that rather than partnering with its customers, Starcomms Plc is cheating its customers.
I run a small business and I subscribe to the 24/7 internet service provided by Starcomms Plc. Every month I make a conscious effort to pay my subscription rate on time to avoid being disconnected and every month I suffer the same plight.
Yesterday on the 8th of October 2009 I went into a GTB bank myself and paid in my subscription fee to avoid being disconnected on the following day. My service was disconnected at exactly 12 midnight of the 8th of October 2009 and it is now 2 pm of the following day and my internet connection is still not back up.
What I cannot understand is why an ISP like Starcomms, in this day and age cannot provide a seamless internet connection service for customers like me who want to ensure that they are connected 24/7 just like the name of the tariff plan suggests.
Today and every month because of Starcomms Plc, I cannot do business with my customers for at least two thirds of a day as I am usually reconnected in the afternoon of the following day. I do not understand this phenomenon so I ask;
Starcomms Plc, why must we be disconnected every month even though we try so hard to do everything we need to do to ensure we are not disconnected?
Starcomms Plc, why do you collect payment for a service that you cannot render? If we have exchanged money then I believe you owe me a service from the moment you receive my money. In the worst case even if you had not recognised the money I paid in yesterday on the day it was paid in, why am I not re-connected first thing in the morning of the following day i.e. by 8am today the 9th of October 2009?
Why do I always have to call in to Starcomms every month, harassing people I know who work there to speed up the reconnection of my Starcomms internet service? What would I do if I didn’t know people who could help me?
If I am billed based on a 31 day cycle why would you count a reconnection time of 3pm on a particular day as day 1 of my service? Especially since I had made payment on the previous day but due to your own service failures I am reconnected at 3pm on the following day. What happens to the lost hours between 12 midnight and 3pm where I had no service and yet Starcomms had received payment for those hours? If I pay for 31 days I should get 31 days, no more, no less.
I am frustrated and tired of your poor service and this is not the only problem I have had with your organization.
Two months ago I suffered a similar plight where I had to buy a new USB modem for the internet connection I currently have. I had problems with the USB on the day it was bought and proceeded to return it the next day. I was told that I could only return it at the Starcomms shop that it was bought at. I live in Ilupeju and I bought it at Lekki on a Saturday. I had to drive all the way to Lekki on a Sunday just to return it. That in itself is a shame for such a large firm with branches all over the country to request that refunds must be made at the same store of purchase.
On returning the USB modem to the shop, I was told by the customer service advisor that company policy would not allow them refund my money till somebody else had bought the same item as the cash received from the person would be used to give me a refund. As a result, I left the Starcomms shop with no service, no USB modem and no money. Starcomms a big firm, kept hold of N26,500.00 belonging to a small firm like mine on the basis of a company policy that makes no sense and shows low regard for the customer. I was called back 3 days later to pick up my refunded cash. During this time, Starcomms cared less about the fact that I would have no internet service for the period they held my cash.
In my entire life, I have never seen where customers are treated like beggars with no choice.
Starcomms Plc is taking its customers for granted, forgetting that your customers make you who you are today. You may get away with it in the short term but you will not get away with this in the long run. It is sad and appalling that in this day and age with everything we know about customer service that companies like Starcomms are cheating their customers.
What is even sadder is that with advancement of technology solutions, Starcomms cannot device a means of ensuring that the services of loyal paying customers like me are not disrupted every month.
Starcomms Plc, I want you to know that it is technically feasible to device a system that detects customers who have paid before their subscription fee expires so that they can enjoy a seamless transition to the next month without being constantly reminded that they are at your mercy. Please invest in the right systems and service your customers by giving them value for money not lost business and wasted time calling your office.
Starcomms’ role should be one of a business partner and not a business destroyer. Small businesses and entrepreneurs suffer enough in this country. Starcomms should not add to the plight of the small business owner or its customer base as a whole, whether businesses or individuals. We demand and deserve value for our money. Please speak our language!
Yours Sincerely,
Their response is below and was received after sending an email to ceo@starcomms.com, I guess they thought I was a guy. Note; no reference to a refund for loss time, business losses or grievance.
Dear Mr,
Please accept our sincere apologies for the delays you have experienced in your renewals. I would request that you let us have your data device number with the payment particulars including location of payment to help us facilitate your renewal.
Yes, we are aware of the issues with time delay in payments made by the bank and Starcomms has been working on resolving this issue and ensuring that customers do not have to be in agony on the delays experienced.
Starcomms has just soft launched not one but three different modes of online renewal process for its Retail Data Subscribers who can now pay from the comfort of their home or office and experience instant renewal of their desired subscription pack. The three different modes of online renewal are detailed below.
1. Through SMS from your Starcomms handset. This is by sending a pre-defined string as an SMS/ Text to 37938 from a Starcomms handset.
Package ID Package Name Value
241 1MTH PURPLE ALWAYS-REN 15,950
242 PURPLE 100 HOURS REN 6500
243 PURPLE 250 HOURS REN 15,000
244 1MTH PURPLE NIGHT REN 5,000
245 1MTH PURPLE BUSINESS REN 7,000
246 PURPLE 7-11 REN 1 MONTH 5,000
The string would be *Package ID*Data Device number*1234#.
For example for a renewal on an 1 month Purple Always Renewal plan you need to send the following SMS *243*07028962561*1234# to the number 37938.
1. The second and third mode of renewal are both through the web. You need to visit our website www.starcomms.com and register yourself and you could pay either using our recharge cards or an Interswitch card.
Regards
Sajan
Sajan R Suvarna
Deputy Director – Data & Retail Sales
Monday, October 5, 2009
Update...
Where do I even begin? It was hectic the week before but all is well that end’s well.
After thinking I had been eased out of the job. I started getting emails on that job I was told had been outsourced to an American firm. This time I was confused because the last meeting I had attended I was out of the deal.
So I tried to manage the situation by telling my subcontractor to tell the main contractor that I would not be working on the project since we had been told it had been outsourced. They wanted me to come for a meeting on Sunday and I was like hell no. Not another meeting especially when I have been told that my services were not required. By Monday still no clarity then the emails came in again. It looked to me that these people were not sure what they were doing so I opted to go and meet with them to come to an agreement as we were now 48 hours till the D-day and still no formal contract had been approved.
Well at about 10.30 pm we finally agreed on a budget and deliverables. The budget was halved, so I just believed I would have to work within it in the best way I could. I was able to hire 6 people to work with me on the project which was to manage a team building event for 250 people.
I thank God it ended well. My body ached all over and my feet screamed for tender loving care. Almost 2 weeks later and there is this dark tan mark formed around the areas of my body that were exposed to the sun. I literally spent over 15 hours in the sun as the sun was out by 8.30am and didn't do down till 6pm. Oooh, I want my complexion back.
Anyway, I am happy with that and it’s back to not knowing where the next deal will be coming from. The life!
O well, in all things we thank God, I continue to be grateful, each and everyday!
After thinking I had been eased out of the job. I started getting emails on that job I was told had been outsourced to an American firm. This time I was confused because the last meeting I had attended I was out of the deal.
So I tried to manage the situation by telling my subcontractor to tell the main contractor that I would not be working on the project since we had been told it had been outsourced. They wanted me to come for a meeting on Sunday and I was like hell no. Not another meeting especially when I have been told that my services were not required. By Monday still no clarity then the emails came in again. It looked to me that these people were not sure what they were doing so I opted to go and meet with them to come to an agreement as we were now 48 hours till the D-day and still no formal contract had been approved.
Well at about 10.30 pm we finally agreed on a budget and deliverables. The budget was halved, so I just believed I would have to work within it in the best way I could. I was able to hire 6 people to work with me on the project which was to manage a team building event for 250 people.
I thank God it ended well. My body ached all over and my feet screamed for tender loving care. Almost 2 weeks later and there is this dark tan mark formed around the areas of my body that were exposed to the sun. I literally spent over 15 hours in the sun as the sun was out by 8.30am and didn't do down till 6pm. Oooh, I want my complexion back.
Anyway, I am happy with that and it’s back to not knowing where the next deal will be coming from. The life!
O well, in all things we thank God, I continue to be grateful, each and everyday!
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