I had a great time showing off to my colleagues the amazing service that my favorite Telecommunications company provides - a free Samsung Z560 3G with HSDPA phone and the ability to browse the internet with my laptop using the said phone as broadband modem - and, for a very select/few locations, it indeed provided blazing broadband speed.

In fact, my Client signed-up for the Globe Visibility service for its 8 remote Sales Offices in Central Luzon, Philippines - a product of my recommendation that they subscribe to the service and be able to put connectivity to these remote locations. Thus the said sales offices were able to use e-mails, and regularly received software updates and reports from Manila Headoffice.

And then the Php 14,000.00 plus bill!!! I could not believe I'm being charged that much for only a few hours of usage - which mostly just accessing e-mails at very slow speed since I was mobile most of the time - driving and going around the different Sales Offices in Central Luzon, Philippines.

I called up Globe Customer Service - which later best called Customer de-Service and complained about the "exorbitant, out-of-this-world, excessive, abusive" charging of Globe. I explained I have been using the service for several months and I was never billed that much. I stressed I can't accept such billing as it's not fair - and outrageously excessive! I got a broadband/dsl plan at home, I can browse the internet at a very comfortable speed - yet I am only paying Php700.00+ a month!

Then there's Globe Visibility - where for Php2,000.00 monthly subscription, you can use the same service as I have in my phone, and at more reliable connection. But Php14,000.00 for a few hours??? It's insane if anyone could accept that. I was even challenging the Customer de-Service Agent that they can go with me where I used the service and see for themselves if its worth paying that much...

Then the Customer Service guy explained about per kilobyte charging - which, I don't really understand, and they were already charging. I complained that there was not enough campaign to inform everyone about it, unfortunately, the guy was being sarcastic and that he told me there's nothing Globe can do.

I told him I won't be paying that until my complaint is addressed. However, after a few weeks, Globe just disconnected my phone line, even if I don't have an outstanding balance for my regular calls (I was on Php3,500.00/month subscription). What was disappointing is - after all those years I have been a good paying customer, and after even marketing their service to my Clients, without even a consideration, I get to endure the difficulty in having my phone line disconnected. The inconvenience was unbearable, unable to make long calls - the luxury of having a subscription plan, just because my line was disconnected just like that.

Now, I am still using a Globe prepaid sim card, but sooner, I will be switching to Smart. I have already signed for 3 Sun Lines, and will soon give up the three other Globe lines I have with my family.

As for the connectivity service, my Client have just procured 30 units of PLDT/Smart We-Roam, and is still planning to get 50units more. And I have already proposed not to renew the 9 Globe Visibility units that we deployed in Central Luzon last year - all to be replaced by a much better Customer Service of Smart/PLDT We-Roam.

I am still a Globe fan, however, I will not ever again be their customer.

Its disappointing that as a great Company becomes bigger, its basic customer service and reaching out fades away...


~negosyo.ws

I am not going to badmouth or slander some company here, but maybe I am allowed to voice out in my blog a bad experience with Globe Telecoms.

Honestly, I loved this company, its cutting edge, pioneering technology and services with regards to Mobile communications. Being the first company to introduce digital mobile solutions, most specifically the SMS (Short Messaging System) or "TEXTING" to most Filipinos, it became a leader in this business for some time.

I have been a loyal customer, ever since, I have been a Globe Plan subsriber. It's competitor, Smart Communications, slowly took the lead in the recent years in terms of subscriber base and other services offered. But I was never a plan subsriber with Smart. For almost 10 years, I stayed with Globe, because Globe is simply the best mobile solution for me.

Not until they launched the 3G service - the ability to browse the internet using your 3G phone. Globe was the first to commercially launched 3G with HSDPA, and me, being a little techie-savvy guy, I took the initial offer at that time to use the service at big big discount.

I tried it, although, it was not satisfactory in some locations, but the ability to browse anywhere - the idea of accessing the internet anywhere to be exact, became the focus of my fanatic following at that time. In fact, when we rolled out a new Sales and Distribution system with my Client's Central Luzon operations, I strongly recommended that they invest in Globe connectivity - for it's 8 remote sites connecting to the Plant in San Fernando, Pampanga.

I didn't have any idea that one day - to my surprise, all of a sudden after months of using the service, I was billed Php14,000.00 plus for a few hours of usage that month!!! (it was sometime April or May).

- To be continued....

~negosyo.ws