Today I found out in an annoying and invasive way about a new one - Summer Mobile.
Having gotten into bed quite late this morning for a bit of much needed sleep, I was more than annoyed when only three hours later I received a call from "private number".
Such was my introduction to Summer mobile. The lady on the other side rattled off her sales pitch. She was trying to sell me a cellular contract on behalf of 8ta. More to the point she addressed me by my first name. All my friends and business associates address me by my middle name.
I stopped her mid stride and asked her where she obtained my cellular number and name. "Did you RICA your phone?" she asked the rhetorical question. Now of course I did. "That is where" she replied.
Now this is a load of hogwash if ever I heard it.
I was still with Vodacom (read back in the blog) and RICA'ed my cellphone directly with them. They would not give out my name to their competition. I explained why this was a lie to the Summer Mobile representative.
"That is what we were told to tell the clients" was the reply !!!
Now anybody reading this may well ask themselves would they deal with a company that deliberately instructs their staff to lie?
I once again asked the sales representative where my details were obtained from. She informed me I would have to phone their head office. I asked her what the head office telephone number was. She replied I would have to look it up as she did not know. I asked if I could speak to her supervisor. She terminated the call.
I looked up the Summer Mobile's details and eventually found their website, then proceeded to phone them. The switchboard confirmed they were doing marketing for 8ta and tried transferring me to a manager ... and dropped the call. I telephoned again, held on for a bit and requested a call back which I was promised would happen.
Up to now many hours later Summer Mobile is still excelling in their silence.
At this stage I will be as familiar as Summer Mobile and address their directors by first names: Raoul, Craig, Rowan,Trevor: what type of operation are you running? Why are your representatives instructed to lie?
I also happened to look Summer Mobile up on HelloPeter.com. Oh so precious:
I received an unsolicited call from Summer Mobile on 30 September 2011 at 14:08.Yes, this sounds like my faith inspiring (not) experience so far with Summer Direct.
I asked where they had got my number and got the generic "randomly selected" response.
I explained that I needed to know who had supplied my number and asked for a supervisor.
After about 4 minutes, another person came on the line and pretended they could not hear me and then hung up.
The reply to this complainant's was the generic list supplier response and the "register at the DMA" cop out.
If I ever speak to someone that can potentially supply answers at Summer Mobile, what will they say to me as I am registered on the DMA's DNC (Do Not Contact) list?
Looking at HelloPeter.com's complaints and compliments for Summer Mobile, I notice it's a perfect score for unhappiness, 27 out of 27, of which numerous are related to unsolicited calls.
Needless to say, I do not expect an honest answer from Summer Mobile and in fact suspect they won't contact me except to try and sell me a mobile contract again. Also needless to say, I will never deal with a company such as this.
Raoul, Craig, Rowan,Trevor: you have a lot of work ahead of you!
I also wonder what 8ta will think about this company marketing them in such an unethical way?
I'm sending a notification of this post to Summer Mobile and invite their comment.
Update: 19 Jan 2012
I never received a reply from Summer Mobile (why am I not surprised?).
However today Lorna from Summer Mobile phoned me on behalf of 8ta, wishing to offer me a cellphone package from 8ta including a Nokia cellphone ...
Summer Mobile would be well advised to read the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act that was passed into law last year:
http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=99961
