22 June 2007
	Autopage misadventures Liora Bamberger, Liora Bamberger & Associates

I now understand everything! Instead of minding his business, Autopage Cellular MD Stephen Blewett chooses to indulge himself in flying helicopters, jet-skiing, quad-biking and motorcycling (FM Life June 8). As for writing management books, I have never heard of anything more laughable, in view of how badly his own company is managed. I am also surprised at your journalist's fawning admiration of his misadventures. I have been a contract customer of Autopage Cellular for more than 10 years. During an armed robbery in April, my cellphone was stolen. I immediately called Autopage Cellular to block my phone and Sim card and to issue me with a Sim Swop. The call-centre operators were incoherent and I was shunted from one operator to another. Eventually, I was told to collect my Sim Swop at Autopage Cellular in Sandton City as this is the outlet closest to me. When I did, I was given (unbeknown to me, of course) a second-hand Sim card and was told to wait several hours for it to be activated. After receiving calls and messages from strangers inviting me to nightclubs, I reported to Autopage Cellular Sandton City that they had obviously issued somebody else's Sim card to me. I was told that Autopage Cellular was experiencing technical problems and that my number would definitely be activated within several hours. I was messed around in this vein for more than a week. I have lodged a written complaint and have also given them notice that I intend to migrate my number as soon as my contract terminates. In response, I was offered some free Nokia T-shirts. Luckily, I have my own clothes, so I told them this would not pacify me and that I wanted a one-week rebate on my line rental. The PR person told me it was difficult to calculate the amount of a rebate. However, when I explained to him how to make the calculation, he promised it would be done. Unsurprisingly, the next month's statement did not reflect any rebate. Maybe Blewett would like to pay more attention to running his company instead of inflating his own ego.