Wednesday, 27th August 2008 - 12:13CET

Melita rebrands, gears for quadruple service

Melita Cable today formally launched a rebranded identity that sees the existing Melita Cable, Melita Digital, hello, Onvol and Melita Business Communications brands fused into one rebranded Melita.

“This rebranding represents the shift from a multi-brand company to a complete home entertainment and communications solution – one source, one name, one brand,” said Stephen Wright, Melita’s Chief Operations Officer.

“We wanted to introduce a customer-focused, forward-thinking communications company to the Maltese Islands. This is a brand committed to listen to you, work for you and is all about you. Welcome to a fresh Melita experience”.

The rebranding will not affect any benefits currently enjoyed by subscribers from current product packages.

Mr Wright said that the essence of the reinvented Melita brand aimed to simplify technology and amplify possibilities.

Melita has also re-engineered its Customer Assistance Centre to offer a 24-hour, 7 days a week, customer service. The 24/7 operation kicks off on Monday and customers will be able to use a single telephone number as a point of contact for all requirements: 27 27 27 27.

The company is set to grow further in the coming months as it enters the mobile telephony market with a new offering. Melita holds a licence from the Malta Communications Authority to operate a fully-fledged mobile network.

“We are determined to remain the leading provider of communications and home entertainment solutions in the Maltese Islands. Melita’s rebranding exercise is the first step in our journey towards launching a latest generation mobile network thus becoming a quadruple provider for television, internet, telephony and mobile” Mr Wright concluded.

Comments

Tonio Mercieca (on 29/8/08)

I agree with most comments that the service provided leaves much to be desired. Cable TV Offers are given to new customers while the existing clients have to pay to get a special offer. I have already downgraded my Cable TV reception and I have not removed internet because I was foolish enough to print my onvol adress on my stationary. It is true that customer service has improved and the staff are very helpful. I find the invoices rather puzzling and I was astonished to find out that it takes months for a credit note to be issued!!!

Vanessa Bonnici (on 29/8/08)

I am a Melita customer - I have all three of their services, hello phone, digital and onvol. I have to admit that i only started using the other two this year, I've had cable for a long time, but this year i found that Melita have improved their customer service, their phone and adsl prices are very reasonable and although i think that their cable prices are still very steep, I can not complain about their customer service. Gone are the days when we were left on the phone for ages and ages, now we get an automated message saying that a CSO will answer in ...minutes and it's worked so far. So come on everyone give them their due at least! They have improved - they're not infallible and there are areas that still need improvement, however they have improved.

Joe Galea (on 29/8/08)

@ D. Farrugia: The problem is that since we don't have much of a choice with only 2 providers, they're both a disaster. Also when you apply for a service they bind you for a certain amount of months which if you disconnect from you still have to pay. So ppl like me have to wait and suffer the poor quality service until time elapses. And yes a satellite dish is far away more convenient, that's why I am installing one.

Joe Galea (on 29/8/08)

I have Melita service, whose customer care sucks big time. When you call they tell you have to wait for 5 mins and after 30 mins you are still holding the line because the operators are still busy...(having break most probably). Secondly, I have frequent problems in my bill. Sometimes they forget that I have paid my previous bill and re-bill me. Also their digital TV sucks (digital with mono sound) ...lol. Also the channels are a farce and they bind you for 15months, what a rip off. I can't wait to remove my TV subscription with Melita as it is a bunch of crap channels. Also I had one of heir wireless modems which eventually I wanted to replace by a wireless router. They wanted to charge me for sending someone to disconnect the modem, which I could do myself. After I had a heated argument with a manager they accepted my plea. Melita and other similar companies need more than re-branding, they need to start being professional and customer oriented and not try to suck money out of their customers veins.

Joseph Schembri (on 28/8/08)

I've only experienced good service from GO. Recently due to a computer problem a customer sales rep talked to me on the phone for 45 minutes while we tried to solve the problem! Last week I had a faulty modem and it was exchanged at no cost. I've no problem in giving praise where it is due and let no one dare suggest that I am being asked by GO to do so!

Stephen Borg Cardona (on 28/8/08)

Go's customer service is much better, very impressive !

C J Allen (on 27/8/08)

My main complaint about Melita is their online tv schedules. For a week recently the BBC Prime schedule showed CNNs programmes, MGM Movies showed TCM2, and TCM2 was blank.
Additionally it would appear that no one can sort properly: the day will start at 0500 say, go on to 1359, revert to 0000, and then at 0459 will jump forward to 1400. Most confusing!
How difficult can it be? It may seem trivial, but if I was running the web site I would be thoroughly ashamed of the lack of professionalism shown.

Kevin Zammit (on 27/8/08)

I used their internet service for over a year in which time I had enough being cheated out of the extra lm2 I was being charged for extending download limit. Dont download movies, dont watch video clips, yet, no matter what, service got throttled in the last week of the month if I did not pay the LM2. I was measuring my traffic BTW.

Finally I dumped them and went over to vodafone and their customer service is just excellent and overall cheaper since I'm paying exactly as advertised with no hidden charges.

Hopefully we will soon have more option for tv so that I can switch that as well.

Best part is that I had to chase them to come take away their modm!!

Joseph Cilia (on 27/8/08)

Duopoly it is indeed, and to make it even worst competition is NOT working. It’s the authorities who need to get their act together, but for this to happen, the dissatisfied clients (there are many!) MUST complain and demand action from the competition authorities, whom are practically dormant.

Lina Mangion (on 27/8/08)

I would also like to have hallmark and granada added to active.
I was always with melita cable and noticed that the service has
been better these last weeks.It was on a sunday that i had a
fault with my computer which was rectified very quickly by the
melita technicians.WELL DONE.A BIG THANK YOU

R. Cassar (on 27/8/08)

D Farrugia said:
"All this grumbling indeed. We are not under a monopoly anymore. Who is dissatisfied with Melita's service or choice of channels can easily change provider or install a satellite dish."

But what do you do when the alternatives are even worse, both as a package and as a customer service? It's not a monopoly but it's a duopoly,with poor customer service and excessive prices from both communication companies.

J Camilleri Baron (on 27/8/08)

Yeah right! ISn't obvious that GO are engaging people to blog and blog and blog in their favour and against Melita? Please respect our intelligence and cease this pettiness.

Helena Farrugia (on 27/8/08)

Has anyone ever tried getting something out of Go without mentioning Vodafone? Last week I tried to get my niece a Go sim... and a €10 voucher... total cost was going to be over €22 because they wanted to charge me over €11 for a sim. I let it be cause i didn't have money on me... as I walked round the corner I found a promotion person in the street practically begging me to switch from Vodafone to Go for free plus all my credit replaced plus a special offer of some sort. So voluntarily going to join Go costs you an arm and a leg, whilst being stalked to switch from VF earns you money... GO get your act together.... or Go fish!

D Farrugia (on 27/8/08)

All this grumbling indeed. We are not under a monopoly anymore. Who is dissatisfied with Melita's service or choice of channels can easily change provider or install a satellite dish.

Byron Camilleri (on 27/8/08)

I hope they will emlpoy more telephone operators cause sometimes it took me about 20minutes to be able to speak to a customer assistant. And the best would be that after 20 minutes the assistant will just tell you ''let me connect you to the right person''

Jason Debono (on 27/8/08)

Why is it that everytime an article re Melita is published on a newspaper, people will immediately start grumbling about their service.

Do yourselves a favour and instead of grumbling, CHANGE service provider.

I for myself has installed a satellite dish. I have more stations, better service and CHEAPER.

charles casha (on 27/8/08)

Customer Service at Melita have always provided excellent service as far as I am concerned. However, it is high time that Melita be more generous with its tv stations as regards Active package. I have never had any complaints with my onvol internet service. Looking forward to new offers including mobile telephony. I like to watch BBC Prime but it is too repetitive. How about including Granada and Hallmark with Active? Am I asking too much? Thanks for your attention.

Peter Roberts (on 27/8/08)

This service should have been introduced from the start of setting up the business. It's a bit late for me because i recently cancelled my Melita TV package because of the poor overall service. I find "GO" much better and cheaper especially when you calculate the savings over a long-term period.

m. carabott (on 27/8/08)

I sincerely hope that this rebranding system will help remove clients' frustration when it comes to requiring assistance from their Customer Care department, especially in relation to internet problems and slow speeds. I had always resorted to switching off my computer and get out of the house rather then increasing my frustration while waiting for someone to take my call!

J Grech (on 27/8/08)

Melita's customer service offering is a shambles, one trusts that Melita's re-engineering of its Customer Assistance Centre will positively address the frustrations that Customers have had to face when seeking assistance. Rebranding should not be a cosmetics exercise but one that truly addresses price value and service.

S. Farrugia (on 27/8/08)

Well said j. Baldacchino, niehu qatgha nigi biex incempel lil Melita Cable.

Leana Papagiorcopulo (on 27/8/08)

Coincidentally on the same day I was hassled by their customer care service. I was just informed about a new company policy they introduced. To disconnect their own TV service they now send someone home to remove all wiring they installed both inside and outside the house. Ever heard of a customer having to pay for the installation service and then years later having the service provider come over to take back their cables??? Does this form part of their improved 're-engineered Customer Assistance Centre'?

J Baldacchino (on 27/8/08)

**Melita has also re-engineered its Customer Assistance Centre to offer a 24-hour, 7 days a week, customer service. The 24/7 operation kicks off on Monday and customers will be able to use a single telephone number as a point of contact for all requirements: 27 27 27 27.**

Does this mean that you have to wait much longer listening to the recorded message until a customer staff, hopefully, takes your enquiry?? ghax tal-biki 'man'.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Tuesday, December 2, 2008. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Melita rebrands, gears for quadruple service

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