Just like any other family in today’s world, the internet has now become a necessity to keep in touch with the ever changing world we live in. From news, entertainment, school work and even sports internet, quality internet at that, is highly sought after.

With so many internet providers in Nigeria, they have their positives and negatives but until I encountered Tizeti Internet Services (also known as WiFi.com.ng), I never believed that a company could be so inept with customer service and also have a terrible product to boot – while still running marketing stunts to suck in the uninitiated.

It all started on the 12th of September 2019. I had gone on Tizeti’s website to enquire about their internet costs and services and filled out their “contact us” form. I got a reply on the same day informing me about the prices and plans available. I made payment on September 16 and payment was acknowledged and I was then told that someone would be coming to my location to install my router and outdoor radio the very next day, which was the 17th. I said no problem. Their internet is not the fastest around (2-5Mbps) but because it’s truly unlimited, that’s their selling point, I went with it. Little did I know that I had entered the proverbial Nigerian “one chance.”

I then received a phone call and later an email stating that they “just discovered” that they no longer have routers available and would only be coming to install the outdoor radio. The router would then be installed at a later date (the coming Friday). Why would an ethical business solicit and accept full payments without caveats on what is and isn’t available? Tizeti staff claimed I would still have internet, but it would be through a LAN cable (basically my internet will be via cable and not wireless). Most of us don’t know what a LAN cable is, as such technology is obsolete and akin to driving a Peugeot 404, in today’s world of fast, smart automobiles. Only my game console and my satellite television decoder use a LAN cable. My laptop, mobile phone and tablets (which actually need the internet) do not. Why would you then tell me I wouldn’t be charged until I get my router? Why would you charge me for incomplete service in the first place?

At this point, my spouse and I were extremely upset. We asked for a full refund six working days after paying Tizeti and with no service provided, Tizeti refused. We called the sales lead, Mr. Stanley Chukwu, who was tagged in all email correspondence; he refused to pick our calls. This went on for a whole week. By this time, the router availability had gone from Friday to Saturday to the following Wednesday. Meanwhile, we were left without the internet service we had paid for, no refund, no radio and no router. And a handsome N45,000 lost to the scam of a company, Tizeti. We had to do something. I then went on social media.

Quick point: if you want to get any company’s attention, send them a clearly-worded message on social media. Their response rate will be quicker than you can say “lightning has struck.”

Now, we had their attention. The sales lead who had been avoiding our calls was now calling relentlessly. My husband was very upset and shared his feelings with the Sales Lead, albeit in no polite terms. He repeated his request for a full refund. Still Tizeti refused.

Two days later, I got a call from their installation department to inform me that they were coming to install our equipment. I had pleaded with my husband to let things slide and let them install – he acceded to this request. Subsequently, Tizeti sent its operatives to do an installation it had received payments for a week earlier, with all the time in the world to plan, at 5pm, they leave at past 9pm, but we have painfully slow Internet – my mobile network’s LTE was twice as fast. Unlearned technicians informed us of the company’s unadvertised policy to guarantee only internet which doesn’t go below 2mbps. So at installation they show you on a laptop 2.12 mbps on a test page.

This should be the happy ending, right? Nope!! There’s more!!!

We enjoyed our internet for the first week after installation. Then on the 28th of September, our internet stopped working! No reception, not even a blip of internet connection! I turn it off and on, go through all the troubleshooting, no luck. For three days I called their customer care line. I burn thousands of naira in airtime trying to reach them, no luck. I then went back to their website and send a message. This time I got a call. The person tells me they’ve seen my email and are calling in respect. They then asked for the account holder’s name. I give them . . . “sorry Ma, there’s no account registered in that name.” I give my husband’s name. Not found. I then ask, so what does this mean, does it mean I have no registered account with you? She says: “I’m still searching Ma. I can’t find anything.” I’m flabbergasted, bewildered, and slightly amused at the incompetence of this company. She asks to call me back later. Next day I get an email saying that the issue has been resolved, but here I am, 2 weeks later, no internet.

Why do companies keep ensuring that their values are useless to them and to those they encounter? Why are we not honest, as individuals or companies, with our dealings and business? Would it have been so terrible to say from the start that they didn’t have the required equipment? Why do we think that mediocrity should be accepted as a standard for business in this country?

I’m quite sure that Tizeti isn’t the only company that does business shabbily in our country. Insert your own unethical company you have had a terrible experience with and the story is the same. So why don’t we name and shame? Why do we allow them to constantly get away with breaking the law, with regards to customer service and restitution? How is your bottom line more important than the service provided? What’s the difference between the likes of Tizeti and 419 operators? Perhaps their CAC registration makes their fraudulent acts legitimate.

We need to hold these companies accountable. I have decided that I will be the last customer Tizeti will defraud in this manner. I pray you will join me and be the last person any irresponsible company will hoodwink in this manner. I call on the Nigeria Communication Company (NCC) Lagos State Government, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other regulatory agencies to shut this MMM-like internet company down.

I urge the management of this company with immediate effect to refund my hard earned money and pick up its devices. It’s time to name and shame businesses who rather than de-market its products & services while seeking investors/funds to increase its capacity to add new clients – keep marketing and adding unsuspecting clients to its over laden and broken network.

Nigerians kindly note that Tizeti closed its customer offices at Igbo-efon and probably operates its call centre from its owner’s house. So they can’t be served a summons. Yet same company has put up large billboards by the Marwa – Lekki roundabout. The cat is out of the bag . . . NCC do the needful and rid this market of such incompetent organisations which maker he likes of “MMM” a child’s play. A stitch in time saves nine. #stopthefraud

•Rihanat Matthew writes from Lagos.

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