How One Guy's Post About Maxis Snowballed Across Social Media
It all started a month ago.
By Samantha Khor — 06 Apr 2016, 07:15 PM
Whether or not you're a Maxis user, you've probably heard of the public outrage surrounding the telco's "secret" practice of offering cheaper mobile plans to certain users while the rest were left in the dark
HOW IT STARTED: On 9 March, a Maxis customer voiced his dissatisfaction with the telco in a forum post, alleging that the telco had offered his friend cheaper postpaid plans with improved benefits when she decided to switch telcos
According to the post, which was posted on LowYat.net, Maxis gave her several counter offers when she decided to port out of her existing Maxis plan. After she rejected all of the offers, the telco offered another plan priced at RM68 per month, with 7GB mobile data as well as unlimited calls and SMS included with no contract attached.
The post also stated that Maxis is running a "special offer for Sabah and Sarawak users", which involves discounted plans and added mobile data value.
Feeling shortchanged, the writer - who was paying RM188 per month for the same plan - decided to give Maxis a call. To his chagrin, he was told that nothing can be done as his friend was part of a "selected customer group".
When questioned on how customers are selected to qualify for the "cheap plan" and if it's only reserved for those who are terminating their Maxis plans, the customer service representative maintained that they cannot and do not know what they can do about it.
The writer of the post has since switched to another telco.
The post was a hot topic of discussion on the forum thread, with many Maxis users coming forward to offer their opinions and talk about their negative experiences with the telco
You can read all 86 pages of the comments, starting from here.
MAXIS RESPONDS: The issue went truly viral one month later, when the thread was shared across social media. This prompted Maxis to respond, saying the allegations were "exaggerated" and "does not exist in the way it was described".
The telco also clarified that Maxis runs "targeted campaigns" based on certain factors so that existing customers can try out their varied services and plans as well as to "stimulate trial of new services".
Read the full statement, which was posted on Facebook, below:
Unfortunately for Maxis, the statement did not quite work out in their favour. Rather, it got their FB followers even more riled up, with some pointing out that the statement did not even attempt to empathise with customers' concerns.
For context, Maxis' FB statement has garnered 6.4k "Angry" reactions out of 8.3k reactions.
Some refuted Maxis' explanation that allegations of "secret" cheap plans were exaggerated and untrue, as there is ample proof from former and current Maxis users that they have been presented with said offers
Former Maxis users - some of whom have been with the telco for more than a decade - also joined the conversation, expressing their disappointment at Maxis' conduct
The controversy has also swayed several current Maxis users into considering switching to a different telco in addition to several other reasons
