Johannesburg, 25 May 2018
MTN has launched a wide-ranging, consumer focused Treating Customers Fairly policy in continued efforts to protect customers and ensure fairness for those interacting with its digital services.
The policy requires all MTN digital services providers, including WASPs, to implement stringent business rules on all services offered to MTN customers with effect from 1 July 2018.
Among the changes, a free reminder SMS message must be sent to a subscription service customer at specified intervals, and a message confirming termination must be sent specifying the service the customer has terminated, while the customer must not be charged for this message.
MTN is wholeheartedly committed to ensuring the best customer experience is achieved by focusing on customer needs and expectations, and meeting them.
"Our Treating Customers Fairly policy aims to ensure our customers achieve fair outcomes and that their relationship of trust with us is maintained and enhanced well into the future," says Executive: Corporate Affairs at MTN SA, Jacqui O'Sullivan.
The policy also requires the WASPs not to charge customers for any reminder message, while reminder messages should not be sent between 9pm and 7am to avoid disturbing customers or customers not being aware of these messages being received late night/early morning.
Importantly, USSD Subscription Management menu options must also allow customers to unsubscribe from "all" services or individual services.
For those customers who accept a free trial, they can no longer be auto-subscribed to the service at the end of the trial period as a default.
Going even further, while a customer can be taken through the double opt-in process at the beginning of a free trial period, the confirmation page must clearly indicate to the customer: (1) When the charging will begin, (2) The price and charging frequency, (3) the customer must get a free trial confirmation message, including the details of the subscription details of the service charges after the trial ends. The customer must also be sent a reminder message of the subscription costs and frequency before the free trial ends.
Meanwhile, if the customer is not taken through the double opt-in at the beginning of the free trial, the customer may be informed how to subscribe to the service prior to the free trial ending in order for the customer to have continuous service access. A maximum of three charge attempts per day per service for each subscriber is allowed, regardless of the subscription frequency.
A number of important de-registration rules apply to variable unsuccessful recharge attempts, while the maximum period of consecutive days of unsuccessful billing will be limited to 30 days.
"Treating Customers Fairly underpins everything we do and places us on track to further enhance our high service standards and improve the lives of our customers," concludes O' Sullivan.
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