February 2011

Tuesday, 15^TH February 2011: Journal entry:

Diary,

This air pressure problem arose again today, my sister had a flat tyre and asked me to do her a favour and fill it up for her at BP Longacres. I drove there but today their pressure line was stuck, and when I asked one of the attendants for assistance he irritably attended to me. He acted like I was bothering him or something.  So when I got frustrated and mentioned that the station should improve this service or risk driving away people, the guy condescendingly told me to stop complaining and maybe get myself some new tyres. Can you imagine? And my sister’s car tyres are not even a year old!

Mwaba Mutale, Lusaka

Monday, 21^st February 2011: Journal entry:

Diary,

Again MTN disappointed me today. They are so evasive! I wonder why I cannot get hold of any of their agents every time I call their customer service line. I was trying to get hold of them all day. At first the call kept dropping or giving me an engaged tone. When I eventually got through they kept telling me every agent is busy. Since I had enough time on my hands I decided not to hang up about three times after they informed me I couldn’t be connected to speak to anyone. I wanted to see how long it would take to get through but mark my words I waited for close to 45 minutes and still I wasn’t connected to any agent. All they did was play back and forth songs and messages about their terms, conditions, products, and services. And speaking of which, why does that voice operator still advertise for weekend calling? Isn’t that promotion already over, they should’ve changed that by now. I mean, talk about updating your system..

George Sichinga, Lusaka

Wednesday, 23^rd February 2011: Journal entry:

Diary,

I think Airtel has stolen my credit. I sent two messages to my friend in the morning but I got no delivery message, they showed me that they were pending. In the afternoon, I received a message that delivery has failed but my credit was not compensated. You mean to tell me I was charged for a message that I did not “actually” send. Is it me or maybe this is wrong? This is pure daylight thieving!

Peter Mulewa, Kitwe

Thursday, 24^TH February 2011: Journal entry:

Diary,

Is air pressure still free or available anymore? I couldn’t get my tire pumped up from BP Libala, BP Longacres, and only managed to do so at Total along Alick Nkhanta. Thus, from my experience these last couple of days, I have resolved that perhaps only two stations within my relative reach seem to consistently offer this service; BP woodlands and Petroda Fridays Corner. The rest either don’t have or the facility is down on most cases. Makes you wonder why the facility seems to have been disabled at the same time by almost all stations. Is it because it is free? I wonder too where the owners of these pumps get the tyres pumped..mmm

Micheal Kabwe, Lusaka

Sunday, 27^TH February 2011: Journal entry: Review

According to the newly enacted Competition and Consumer Protection Act No. 24 of 2010 “a consumer has the right to redress: to receive a fair settlement of just claims, including compensation for misrepresentation, shoddy goods, or unsatisfactory services”. That being the case, Airtel should not charge me for a message that I send but does not reach the intended number.

Peter Mulewa, Kitwe

Diary,

On getting new tyres, the BP Longacres station attendant’s solution is illogical. But I was happy with another station attendant at BP woodlands who agreed with me that getting new tyres is not a practical solution because it is expensive. He accepted that brand new ones do not need to be air filled for over 12 months (provided you drive on good roads). But then he advised that if and when someone decided to buy new ones it is sometimes important to pay attention to how, where, and when you get new tyres. He enlightened me that most tyres have an expiration period which is about five to six years from the date of manufacturing. But some shops often sell you the tyres which appear to be new but their expiration is overdue. So if you can check these then you're good. If more attendants were so helpful and informative as him, filling stations would be crowded to the .......!

Mwaba Mutale, Lusaka