Letter from a Reader: Why It Fails

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Dear FP,

I am writing to vent out my frustration with one of the telecommunications company in the Philippines. I've been a postpaid subscriber for more than two years now, and I was informed that I am already entitled of their loyalty reward. 

Upon hearing the options (free handset, monthly rebate, and the like), of course I felt excited. I've been meaning to change my handset since time immemorial, and an offer as tempting as that is actually hard to refuse. Last April 13, I told one of the representatives of JT's loyalty department that I will upgrade my plan 599 to plan 999, and I will avail of Samsung S III mini with color mint blue. I was promised that I will get the confirmation within 24 hours that my plan was already upgraded, and that I will have to wait for 48 hours to receive the re-contracting form through my email address. I was also given an option on how to claim the handset: By delivery or pick up. I chose it to be delivered since it will only take five (5) working days instead of picking it up which will take six (6) working days. When everything was finalized, we ended the conversation with the expectation that nothing would go wrong.

Came Sunday, I didn't receive any confirmation. But I gave them the benefit of the doubt and waited. So Monday came, then Tuesday, then Wednesday... And no confirmation nor re-contracting form was sent to me. I was growing impatient, to be honest.

I decided to ask their representatives on Twitter. I kept on asking them since Monday, April 15, but they could not even give me an assurance that they were doing everything to address my concern. I was also asked for the reference number but I could not provide since I wasn't given any by the representative. They promised that they would escalate my concern. I knew I couldn't do anything, so I just decided to wait.

Tuesday, I asked again why the form was not sent. Wednesday, I asked again if I would receive the phone, April 19. I was not given an assurance. 

Thursday came... still no decent response from them, I decided to call their hotline at around 11 AM. During the conversation, I asked if my plan was upgraded, and I was shocked upon learning that it was already upgraded last April 13 yet! Of course, I felt like I was being deceived and lied to. I asked why I didn't get a confirmation message, and she answered (not the exact words, but let's just settle with this): "Ay sir, automatic na po kasi yun." I didn't want to argue anymore, so I just decided to get the reference number, since I was not given any by the person who called me last April 13. Finally having the reference number, I ended the conversation.

I then decided to ask @SpeaktoJT on twitter to confirm whether or not the reference number given to me was true and correct. "YES," the representive replied and asked for the number, but after giving it, alas! I didn't get any more response. I kept on tweeting: "Feedback, please?" But it all fell on deaf ears. I would understand if @SpeaktoJT was not responding to other tweets, but I was infuriated when I saw that my concern was the one not given any attention. In the end, I vented out all my frustration using my Twitter account.

At around 7 PM, I called their hotline again, and waited for more or less 10 minutes before somebody answered. I told the person that I was so frustrated with the way their representatives handled their customers concern. I also asked her why I still haven't received the re-contracting form. So she told me that she would send another one. And I got it in 2 minutes! See? If sending that form would take so quick, why did they have to make me wait for so many days? I felt like they were just making a fool out of me! I also asked her why I didn't receive any confirmation message regarding the upgrade of my plan, and I was informed that my plan was PROCESSED but it was NOT CLOSED. So that means that I was still using my plan 599. 

I was also told that the handset should have been delivered that day, April 18. I asked if I would get it on Friday, April 19. the representative couldn't promise me anything so I asked her to transfer me to their Account Specialist since I needed to have my plan upgraded. I talked and was promised that I would receive the confirmation within 24 to 48 hours.

Friday afternoon came. I called my Mom at home to ask if she already received the handset, but she told me that she waited to no avail. I was really furious and tweeted again, I got one of their promises again to "escalate" my concern.

Earlier this morning, the person who called me last April 13 called again and apologized for the delay. I was informed that I would have to wait for five (5) more working days for the handset to be delivered. That news shocked the hell out of me. I asked her why do I have to wait for another five working days, and I was told that they have to reprocess my application. I asked her if it can be delivered this coming Monday since I already waited for five freaking working days already. The answer was in the negative. I was once again promised that the handset would be delivered on April 26. I couldn't do anything about it. I wanted to shout, but I know it wouldn't amount to anything. I told her that the handset better be delivered this coming April 26 because I was already growing tired of all their delays.

FP, this has been the MOST FRUSTRATING experience I ever had with JT. Their JT slogan is such a misleading statement, based on what I experienced, it seems as if they don't really care at all! They didn't even consider my being  a LOYAL CUSTOMER! I thought customers like us are given preferential attention for sticking it out with them for years. I was really frustrated with the way their people handled our concerns. No wonder people kept on changing networks! What they only deliver are  empty promises, and making their subscribers resign in frustration!

I am not writing to bash them, nor because I want their reputation damaged. I am writing because I want to share how I  experienced their VERY POOR SERVICE. It would have been okay if they did not give me an exact date or time. Or if only the handset was delivered on time, then it could have compensated my frustration. But that was not so. 

I know that this is not an isolated case. I know that I am not the only victim. But I want to let it out because I want people to know that they are not alone. Or maybe I want JT to see this and act on their poor, frustrating service. They are a big company, and they should know better than to treat not only their ordinary customers, but also their loyal ones this way. 

I do hope that this letter gets published, because it's the only thing that can make me feel better right now. I know many people can relate with this experience. I know I am not the only one. And I am hoping that my voice, though little or insignificant to some, may be heard by those concerned people.

Thank You!

FP, this is your loyal reader and JT's disappointed customer, signing out.

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