Home | Business | SWAZI MTN TO INTRODUCE LANDLINE IN 2018

SWAZI MTN TO INTRODUCE LANDLINE IN 2018

04/12/2017 07:02:00 BY KWANELE DHLADHLA

Font size:

MBABANE – In the first two weeks of 2018, Swazi MTN will roll out its fixed wireless, commonly known as ‘landline’, for its valued customers.

This was disclosed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ambrose Dlamini, who explained that customers were already calling to find out when these would be made available.
Dlamini said Swazi MTN has a technology neutral licence that allows it to provide fixed wireless.

“This development, currently being tested in readiness for implementation, is almost ready for roll out,” Dlamini disclosed.
In line with Swazi MTN’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, Dlamini said there would be multiple surprises for subscribers who have been with the network since 1998. He said most of these surprises would not require customers to join, but to simply be active subscribers on the Swazi MTN network.

He also mentioned that providing exceptional customer experience continues to be one of Swazi MTN’s top priorities, as we move into 2018.
Dlamini stated that early this year, Swazi MTN rolled out compulsory training for all staff, on customer experience.

During this training, Dlamini indicated that all staff, regardless of where they were placed, would have to go through this basic course in customer experience, which would become a licence of sorts to work in the company.
Since then, Dlamini said the company had raised the bar in customer experience – opening different platforms through which customers could raise questions and be attended to by trained staff.

He said one of the latest platforms was *922#. This is a self-service platform through which the company’s customers get support to most commonly asked questions without speaking to a consultant.
As a result of raising the bar in customer experience, Dlamini said Swazi MTN had been subsequently ranked as providing one of the best experiences to its valued customers in 2017.

In his address to staff on Friday, Dlamini said, in the coming three years, there would still be emphasis on providing the best experience in terms of network, touch-points (service centres, for instance), and billing among others.
According to Swazi MTN third quarter report, out of 53 444 Mobile Money queries received with the quarter, in a target of 80 per cent, the company managed to readily respond to over 83 per cent.

When it comes to supporting its distributors who filed in over 20 000 queries within the quarter, Swazi MTN exceeded service target with a whopping 94 per cent.
“In pursuit of providing superior customer experience, Swazi MTN continues to drive innovation and introduce new products,” said Dlamini.
He mentioned that one of the latest developments was that the company had drastically reduced roaming charges for both pay-as-you-go (pre-paid) and contract (post-paid) customers when they travel to South Africa, and roam with MTN South Africa.

“The roaming rate reduction is up to 73 per cent and comes to effect this week,” added Luphondvo.
Swazi MTN had been conducting tests to make sure that the service was rolled out with minimal or no challenges.
“Reduced roaming charges in South Africa will make it possible for our valued customers visiting South Africa, to keep in touch with their friends and family members at an affordable cost,” Luphondvo explained recently.
Following the approval of roaming price reduction, calling home has been reduced from E5 to E1.80, which represents a reduction of 64 per cent. Data charges go down from E2 per megabyte to 99 cents per megabyte, which represents a reduction of 51 per cent.
Short Message Services (SMS) back home had been reduced from E1.14 to 30 cents, which represents a reduction of 26 per cent.
“For a while now, Swazi MTN customers have been complaining that the cost of roaming is too high. This resulted in bill shocks – the incidence of surprisingly huge bills incurred by subscribers while utilising telecommunications services in other countries. However, with this development, our customers can now experience relief,” Luphondvo said.
Luphondvo assured that preferential roaming rates with other carriers were ongoing, something that would make it possible for Swazi MTN customers to roam at reasonable prices in other countries additional to South Africa.