There's no good way of serving prepaid customers that will work for everybody. The best way for any individual customer is almost always "what they're used to", and whatever method you use it requires a lot of explaining to new customers.
The basic problem seems to have been caused by an under skilled retail salesperson, but let's face it - there's no reason why the web-based top up process can't implement a few sensible business rules.
For staters, if someone is trying to top up a number with no plan attached then the web page should provide an error dialog box, and presumably take you to a page where you can choose a plan. The current business rule of taking your money and putting you on the casual data rate is an exercise in perversity, which is guaranteed to annoy paying customers. In other words, someone needs to pay attention to the alternative tracks through the top up process, rather than just assuming it will work perfectly every time.
Oh, and the business rule that sees anyone who is on a call to the Philippines call centre at 9pm just being cut off in mid sentence ... not very keen on that one, either.
Clarke: The basic problem seems to have been caused by an under skilled retail salesperson, but let's face it - there's no reason why the web-based top up process can't implement a few sensible business rules.
For staters, if someone is trying to top up a number with no plan attached then the web page should provide an error dialog box, and presumably take you to a page where you can choose a plan. The current business rule of taking your money and putting you on the casual data rate is an exercise in perversity, which is guaranteed to annoy paying customers. In other words, someone needs to pay attention to the alternative tracks through the top up process, rather than just assuming it will work perfectly every time.
I disagree. Why should you have to have a plan to top up a prepay. Sounds like the US prepay system . Top up monthly or lose it.. I have no problems with the existing Telecom topup system..
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