Ndola's 'Watch It Grow' MTN outlet, just a shadow of MTN Zambia {Case of need for decentralization}

By Winston Muleba II 

The main roles of a branch/outlet of any institution is to act as the image of the main branch and provide or offer a service/product as per their business description. 

As such, MTN Zambia has representations across the all country and Ndola City is not an exception. In Ndola, MTN offices are located at Jacaranda Mall, Watch It Grow and ZNBS buildings. 

However, the outlet located at “Watch It Grow” building leaves so much to be desired. The outlet is full of beautiful and handsome, ladies and gentlemen respectively; well dressed and they seem intelligent but their roles are honestly questionable. The said outlet is at the centre of Ndola City. Many Ndola MTN subscribers have been questioning whether MTN staffs designated to operate at Watch It Grow building are technicians, sales assistants or customer care assistants. Only MTN knows! 

On several counts, if not always, MTN staffs at the outlet in question shun subscribers complaints and the best service ever rendered to subscribers is a REFERRAL to Jacaranda Mall outlet. The fact of the matter is that Watch It Grow outlet is older than Jacaranda Mall outlet. Against this, could it be that Jacaranda Mall outlet is blessed with professionals or probably Watch It Grow outlet staffs aren't conversant with most of MTN operations/services? Perhaps it's inefficiency. 

It is sad to note that MTN outlets and staffs do not have a special provision/direct call line to their Customer Care Call Centre in Lusaka. Even members of staff have to suffer for atleast 30minutes to get through to their Customer Care. Its quiet unfortunate especially that MTN is an international company. For this, some Ndola MTN subscribers even after making efforts of traveling from their various townships to town centre for the purpose of accessing direct Customer Care Services at Watch It Grow outlet, they end up being told to continue dialing 111 or better go to Jacaranda Mall for further assistance. 

Years back, it used to take 24hours to have a simcard activated after a replacement but it now takes a day or two and in worse cases even four days could clock if a subscriber is not frequenting their offices for further complaints. 

As for phones on display or for sale, customers after inquiring often get such responses as “we don't have them in stock. Go to Jacaranda Mall.” This response is obvious when one wants a phone from the outlet in question. 

Under normal circumstances and following sales ethics if Watch It Grow outlet runs out of stock of certain products, a sales assistant is suppose to source 'out of stock' products from Jacaranda Mall outlet provided they 'adjust' inventory books for both outlets. Perhaps MTN sales team aren't united and their operation principals are traditional. Who knows? Only MTN. 

The tagline for MTN is “everywhere you go.”Does this mean MTN network is available everywhere or it means MTN products and services are available everywhere? MTN knows better. Caller tune cancellation; MTN mobile money change of password; subscription activation and cancellation are among other straight forward services that could be handled by all MTN outlets. 

Otherwise, Ndola's Watch It Grow outlet and others are just shadows of MTN Zambia, expected services aren't offered.