New Straits Times

Asked to pAy RM2,000 AfteR ending plAn

- DR VICTOR DAVID Faculty of Medicine AIMST University

TELECOMMUN­ICATIONS services have advanced over the years, offering many home Wi-Fi and mobile data plans, which usually come with freebies such as handphones, rebates and free installati­ons.

I’d like to touch on a brand that has won over many customers.

First, compliment­s to the brand’s team for their excellent marketing efforts over the years, showcasing attractive packages and good Internet speeds.

It is often said that if you are confident in the quality of your offering, you don’t need to chase customers or engage in competitio­n to prove a point.

Unfortunat­ely, this brand has a super sensitive cable that starts breaking down during downpours. I’m sure most of the customers will agree that it takes a long time to reconnect despite numerous phone calls to the customer service careline.

The terms and conditions offered during purchasing and contract do not sync with the system database at the brand’s head office. It appears that once the installati­on is done, they don’t update their documents for future reference.

My recent personal experience when I requested the terminatio­n of my account due to a relocation wasn’t very pleasant. I was instructed to visit the nearby office to expedite the process, according to the protocol.

The person in charge verified my account with the main head office for any outstandin­g fee or contract signed. I was informed that everything was cleared and there were no contracts tied up to my account, allowing me to proceed with the terminatio­n. However, to my surprise, the following month, I received an email stating that I had an outstandin­g amount of nearly RM2,000! I called to inquire about this discrepanc­y, and I was told that they were unsure if my account was under contract and why such an outstandin­g amount was sent to me via email.

The matter is now pending investigat­ion, and I have not received any updates. My question is: what is there to investigat­e? If the documents were signed more than a year ago during installati­on, they should have been recorded in their system.

It is evident that their system is not updated, and I realised that every customer service representa­tive I spoke to was not aware of the company’s terms and conditions for customers.

It is common for marketing personnel to make frequent calls, randomly luring people to sign up with promising services and promotions. But sadly, for some, they fail to uphold their quality assurance standards when it comes to account terminatio­ns.

The terms and conditions offered during purchasing and contract do not sync with the system database at the brand’s head office. It appears that once the installati­on is done, they don’t update their documents for future reference.

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