SMART Circle | SMART Rewards

Because I complain too much about the services of SMART (See SMART Blackberry BIS Problem and Goodbye SMART blogposts), I am now a member of this exclusive SMART Circle.

I am now entitled to special perks and priviledges from SMART Rewards! Where there is no SMART signal, I have a strong one. All the missing loads from your prepaid SMART SIM will be credited to my account!

Kidding.

This SMART Circle program is actually by invitation only. I received my SMART Circle Card yesterday maybe because I am considered loyal SMART subscriber and with good credit standing. If you are considered to have community influence and have the power of brand ambassadorship, you may also be invited.

So what does it mean to be a member of this SMART CIRCLE?

Discounts. It's a discount card. Present this card to SMART's partner merchant to avail of discounts and premiums.

Priority. Being member of this SMART Circle, you will enjoy priority handling of identified service requests and waiving of processing fees for some services.

I have just activated my SMART Circle card. Let's see how it goes.

SMART's Call Charges Reversal

It looks my relationship with SMART won't be over yet. I have just received a confirmation that the bill dispute I filed was alreade processed and approved. That's almost P5,000 reversal on call charges! Woot!

Maayos din naman pala kausap ang SMART! haha!

Last December, I've got a busted SIM Card. It took me more than two weeks to get replacement because, well, they run out of stock. After chasing SMART Wireless Centers in Metro Manila without luck, I was able to get a replacement in Dagupan City! I ask for rebates for the period that I wasn't able to use my phone and was granted.

Prior to that, I enrolled to SMART'S Unlitalk promo. I regularly call my daughter daily and we normally stay on the phone for at least 30 minutes. I also use my phone to get in touch with my clients. I really need that Unlitak service. SMART is supposed to send a notice via SMS to remind subscribers of the expiration, but I didn't receive any. As a result, I was charged for SMART to SMART calls for about two weeks!

That SMART to SMART call charges amounted to several thousands of pesos, which should have been free had I renewed my enrollment. If only I received that promised notice, I could have easily renewed my subscription. And so I complained and filed a bill dispute. I got a 50% rebate from that SMART to SMART call charges. Not bad, if you'll ask me.

Goodbye, SMART?

Two weeks ago my Smart SIM card suddenly got busted (SIM card error message). It was Dec 23, 2011 when I went to SMART Wireless Center at Mall of Asia to get a SIM replacement but I was told that the type of SIM (HLR 13 Gold) I'm using is out of stock. I was told to check again on Tuesday (Dec 27) and the customer service representative was kind enough to advise me to ask the guard first before I get a waiting ticket so as not to waste time.

So I went back on December 27 but there's still no delivery according to the guard. And worst they're offline. So even if there's a stock, SIM replacement can't be done. I then asked the guard for the contact numbers of Wireless Centers at SM Manila and Robinsons Ermita. He said if I want to get it, I have to get a number, a waiting ticket! I wouldn't wait that long just to get their contact numbers. Geez!

I check Smart's not so smart store locator and there's no contact numbers. So I dialed the crazy *888 to get those numbers and at the same time make a follow up on the bill dispute that I filed a couple of months ago

I availed of the Unlitalk feature but I did not receive a system notification about the expiration. So I was charged few thousands for SMART to SMART calls. I could have easily renewed the Unlitalk feature had I received a notice. It is to their advantage if subscribers will not be reminded. I hope it was just a system failure and not a scheme to deceived subscribers. Just the same, I wont be paying those SMART to SMART calls and will just pay for cost of Unlitalk feauture (P500). But that's just for the unlitalk.

For the data charges, I have a long history of disputing my monthly bill when I was still using Blackberry 8520. @SmartCares is witness to that.

But I digress. Now back to Wireless Center contact numbers. I was able to get those from Smart Hotline (*888) but their phones was just ringing. I really need my line back because most of my clients communicate with me through that number so I decided to visit Robinsons Ermita only to find out they were offline for several days already according to the guard. I then asked if they have stock for HLR 13 Gold. He checked the logbook and according to him, there's enough stock.

The following day, I went back to Robinsons Ermita and was glad to see that they're online. I then get a number and waited for almost two hours. Imagine my delight when my number got finally called. But I almost lost control when I was told that the HLR 13 Gold SIM was out of stock for several days already. I managed to maintain my cool because the customer rep I'm talking to was kind enough to check with SM Manila and Mall of Asia if there's a stock. But there's no stock in SM Manila either. He then gave me the contact number of wireless center in Robinsons Ermita to check the following day if there's delivery. I told him that I already have that and they're not answering their phone anyway. He then promised to call me back the following day, but he did not.

Last Monday, I went back to MOA wireless center. They're offline and there's no delivery. Meanwhile, I will be billed for the monthly service fee (P1800) and the Unlitalk and bandwith on demand I availed last month will be expiring soon without me using it. And worst, there are clients and potential clients who might have been wondering why I am not replying to their SMS and why my line can't be reached always. My Sun Mobile number is just new and not all of my clients know it yet. That may mean lost opportunities, and dissatisfied clients.

I sent DM to their twitter account, sent them email and left message using their contact page but got no reply.

Wait, there was a reply actually. It's a system generated reply telling me that I will be hearing from them within 24 hours. Other than that, nada.

I've been a SMART subscriber for more than a decade now and with a postpaid plan for 7 years alredy if I remeber it right. I actually have two postpaid plans and I also have a SMART Bro account. This is not a smart way of treating your subscribers.

I demand a rebate and immediate resolution on the bill dispute I filed.

I was planning to get iPhone 4S from SMART when I renew my subscription next month, but it looks like I have to consider switching to Globe.

Globe Adsense Ads on SMART Service Problem Blog Post

I can't help but laugh when I saw this on my blog the other day.

An Adsense ads from Globe on a blog post talking about service problem of a competitor, SMART.

Sa Globe talaga, lahat posible. :-)

A goodwill from SMART

Looks like I will never run out of problem with SMART.

After solving my SMART's Blackberry Internet Service (BIS) Activation Problem, I'm now faced with ridiculous data charges. From an average of P3,000 monthly bill, my last month's bill ballooned to P6,800!

I subscribed to SMART's unlimited BIS Service (P1200/month) on March 11, 2010 and received confirmation. Thought everything was ok, until I received the bill.

I was charge a regular rate (per kilobytes) and my data charges amounted to P3800! I immediately called *888 to dispute the bill and paid only P3000, pending the resolution.

Today, I received a call from SMART's Customer Representative (8568). I was told that since I wasn't billed P1200 for the unlimited package, those charges are correct and should be settled. If today is April 1, I would have thought that it's just an April fool's joke. But no.

'Just because I wasn't billed despite my confirmed subscription, I will be penalized by paying those charges?', I asked.

Then the customer representative told me that as a sign of good will, they will reverse the charges and will just charge me the P1200 and that it's just a one time deal. This made me really laugh.

They call that goodwill?

It's their mistake in the first place. It is expected that they should correct it.

I'm not asking for goodwill. Just give me the actual bill and I'll pay. Thank you!