During December, LIME had a promotion where they were giving customers double their data package for no additional cost.
In January, my mobile bill arrived with an exorbitant charge of $623.41, even though I didn’t exceed the promotion limit. Due to other people’s experience of having their number placed on soft touch while their concerns were being queried, I paid the bill.
On February 7, I went to LIME at Windsor Lodge to query the bill and was successful in getting it logged in the system. Out of pure frustration, having not been contacted for almost three months, I decided to go back to Windsor Lodge last Thursday to find out what was going on.
Just around 9 a.m. I proceeded to a customer service representative, shared with her my concerns, presented all the documentation I was given from the last time I was there and waited patiently. After about five minutes she gave me back the documents, wrote three numbers at the top of them and said: “You need to call these numbers and state your concern and they should help you.”
Now I was in total disbelief, as I couldn’t understand how I was at LIME and had to call LIME Customer Experience to fix a problem that LIME created, when a LIME customer service rep is sitting in front of me and could make the call on my behalf.
Since I know that calls you make to LIME from your LIME phone use your minutes (amazing, right?), I asked the lady if there was a phone I could use. She said “yes” and pointed to the back of the room to a black phone mounted on a wall. I replied: “You mean to tell me I have to stand up and call?” She nodded.
I started to get upset since as a customer, I had no idea how long the call would be and no adequate seating was provided; but it gets worse. The phone was mounted right next to a “top up” machine, which meant that I had no privacy at all while making the call.
I picked up the phone and dialled the first number. Dial tone kicked in so I redialled but got the same error, so I proceeded to the customer service personnel at the desk by the door. As I approached her, I said: “Ma’am,” and before I could finish, she responded: “Dial 9 first.” I started to boil and responded: “Ma’am, please ask someone to place a sign above the phone stating to dial 9 first.”
I went back to the phone, dialled 9 and called Customer Experience and would you believe the phone rang off? I redialled and no one answered. My head got so hot and I walked out of LIME.
On Saturday morning, I posted my experience on Facebook and shockingly, that same afternoon I received a private message from a Marilyn Sealy, who communicated she was the corporate communications and PR manager of LIME and was informed that I was experiencing some issues with LIME and she would like to discus the matter with me.
We spoke on Monday night and she stated on Tuesday morning she would personally look into the matter, which she did. On Tuesday at 8:55 a.m. I received a call from Ms Sealy and at 10:39 a.m., I received an email stating the problem had been rectified and my account was credited back the full amount. She was very warm and professional in her approach.
Unfortunately, Marilyn Sealy and Jason Belle, who assisted me as well, can’t personally help every frustrated LIME customer, so today I must be the voice for them and state that LIME has treated us customers poorly for many years and we are tired of it. I am hoping to start an online petition in hopes of obtaining at least 5 000 signatures or more to show LIME we aren’t happy.
To the Government: we need to liberalise this mobile and Internet market so we the consumers can benefit from the healthy competition. FLOW arrived and immediately, MCTV, DirecTV and LIME prices came down and packages were more attractive. We also need legislation to be passed allowing consumers to keep their numbers when they change service providers. We need to do better than this.
• Corey Worrell is a former Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.
