Unacceptable customer service from a Digicel store

Oct 31, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor;
This letter is written to you because I was the victim of unsatisfactory customer service from Digicel. On the October 22nd, 2016 I went to one of the Digicel stores. I approached the representative requesting a Micronano Sim, not fully aware of the exact name since I’m a first time customer using such upgraded technology.
The rep brought out a tiny sim card for which I paid $2,000. I left, went home to insert the sim in my handset and subsequently had a hard time tring to do this. I returned to the store for assistance with setting up the sim along with activating a 4G plan.
The rep took out the part where the sim card is placed; then in my presence she discovered that I purchased the wrong sim card.
I further explained to her that I’m not quite aware what the exact name of the sim card was. I knew that there are three types of sim Cards. (Regular Sim, Micro Sim & Nano Sim).
The rep told me that I have to furnish an extra $1,000 to purchase a replacement sim card in order for the number to be transferred from the nano sim to the micro sim.
I then explained to her that the sim is not in use and I just purchased the sim not too long and if it was possible for her to contact the head office and have the number unassigned and refund my money so I could have gone elsewhere and purchased the correct one (note: customer unaware that Micro Sims weren’t in stock at that said time).
However, the rep kept insisting that I would have to pay for the replacement sim card. A Good Samaritan was in the store at the said time and volunteered to pay the $1,000. I stood there for 45 minutes to an hour waiting to have the number transferred to the replacement sim then only to hear from the rep “We Do Not Have Any Micro Sim Cards in Stock”.
Other Customers were in the store who observed the incident and told the rep why did you take the customer’s money then tell the customer afterwards that there’s no sim card in stock.
I then told the rep I will report her to the head office. The other rep’s words were to me, (note: there were four representatives) ‘Wait the man paying for the sim and she still going to the head office.’ My words were in response were ‘that is not your business. Your job is to provide a professional excellent customer service to all customers.’ It was a back and forth argument instead of assisting me with the issue.
To gain satisfaction and bring a conclusion to the issue I went to the head office explained the issue I was made to understand that at the head office they would normally ask the customer for the handset to measure the sim card and the rep at the store could have the number unassigned since it is a new sim card assigned that is never used or placed in the handset.
That did not bring a resolution to the problem. Instead of me standing there to argue over $2,000 I paid my $1,000 to replace my sim card to the size of my phone sim card slot. I’m a single mother of two children and had to pay $3,000 for a sim card from Digicel.
I called the retail manager; he said all that could be done was to send a message to all stores advising reps to ensure customers have their handset on hand to ensure the right sim is being purchased.
Why wait till a customer is a loser then to enforce these rules? That was not the right protocol for the rep to follow and they are fully aware. I worked with Digicel when they first came to Guyana.
I was trained for 4 — 6 weeks by a trainer from Jamaica along with other reps at the Pegasus savannah suite. I’m fully aware of the procedures that these reps need to follow.
In my times working with Digicel as a Customer Service Rep, Cashier and Supervisor these kinds of problems and issues were never encountered. You as the representative have to put yourself in the customer’s shoes and ask fact finding questions to understand exactly what the customer’s problem is.
I’m trained in customer service for 7 years I know the rules and procedures. I spend $3,000 to purchase a Sim card from Digicel. Is that the Bigger, Better Network for Guyanese Customers? I can’t wait for another cell phone giant to come on board. This is not the first encounter with Digicel.
Frustrated Customer

1 thoughts on “Unacceptable customer service from a Digicel store”

bl_666 October 31, 2016 at 2:28 pm

This is utterly ridiculous for a so called major company. Larger sized sim cards can be cut with a readily available, and very cheap (dirt cheap, throwaway even), cutter. Smaller cards can be used in larger slots with a simple adapter, and here I’m talking giveaway items.
And their ‘head office’ staff are unaware of this????
– Unbelievable! – – Only in Guyana.