I think there are several reasons why Zimbos and Africans at large don’t consider it proper customer support unless they can walk into an office and verbally abuse some unfortunate employee.
However, as we use more global services/products like Starlink, we’re going to have to be comfortable with virtual customer support.
As you use your Starlink you can expect to face challenges at some point. You will need support and unfortunately, you won’t be able to grab your kit and drive to an office somewhere. Yes, Starlink is now registered in Zimbabwe but support remains a virtual affair.
Starlink says:
Starlink registered offices listed online and on invoices are not staffed by customer support representatives and do not handle customer support inquiries, including deliveries or returns.
This is why some businesses are choosing to go with Starlink resellers like TelOne and Aura, so that they don’t have to deal with email support. For regular users, that’s probably overkill for your Residential Lite package.
So, here’s how you go about it. There’s no magic beyond this. There’s no secret office that some people go to. Here is what Starlink says:
Many questions are answered within our support topics, but if you cannot find the information you are looking for, or are still experiencing issues, the Starlink support team is staffed 24/7 in multiple languages to help.
Customers can contact support by creating a support ticket describing your issue. Our support team will reply either via message or by calling the phone number on your account as soon as possible.
Starlink registered offices listed online and on invoices are not staffed by customer support representatives and do not handle customer support inquiries, including deliveries or returns. Any customer support inquiries should be directed through Starlink.com or the Starlink app as described above.
All orders placed on Starlink.com are shipped directly to the customer. No intermediaries besides local logistics partners (DHL Express, Post Office, etc) will serve as pickup locations.
How to create a ticket
- From the Starlink App (Android, iOS)- The app is the preferred method to contact support, as it sends along diagnostic information from your Starlink that enables faster resolution. Sign in to your account, click Support option on the main screen, and then click the contact support button.
- From your Starlink.com account – Sign in to your Starlink account, navigate to the Support tab, and then click Contact Support.
Some of you have been asking Techzim a lot of questions about Starlink and we’re happy to help whenever we can. So, feel free to ask. However, you should know that we aren’t Starlink support, we are not affiliated with them at all. We’re just some guys who sometimes have the answers.
Why Zimbos prefer physical offices
As I mentioned, there are many reasons why we prefer physical interactions.
I think we’re simply not accustomed to transacting online enough to feel comfortable with virtual-only interactions. This is part of the reason why e-commerce in Zimbabwe has adopted a cash-on-delivery model.
I can’t just click a few buttons and send you my hard-earned money for a product I’m not even sure you have.
That’s another reason—many of us have been scammed one too many times. We’ve been sold ‘sugar’ from some back room that didn’t exist. So, you can’t blame us for wanting to meet the people behind the service.
Unfortunately, Zimbabweans often believe that a physical address guarantees legitimacy, and many have been swindled despite this. Part of what made Ecreator successful was that they had physical offices, at Joina City no less. Their company registration also earned them credibility with Zimbabweans.
Another reason we prefer physical interactions is that some Zimbabwean firms prioritize customers who show up in person. In fact, as Zimbabweans, we consider it an insult when a customer service representative attends to a caller while we’ve made the effort to come in person.
As a result, if you want proper and timely service, you often have to go in person, which only reinforces the idea that physical interaction is the way to go. It’s unfortunate.
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11 comments
Their turn around time to queries is poor.
Is it me or their speeds havecrecently dropped.
Speeds have been terrible for the past 2 weeks or so
Ehe panyaya dzemari tinenge tichitoda kuona👁 munhu.
off topic, but when the rainy season starts, please update us on the speeds you are getting via starlink during thunderstorms/rain and heavy cloud cover etc. if you may please
My current physical address has no Starlink capacity,but another physical location less than4 Km from where I currently intend to use Starlink has lots of capacity,the big question is,can I buy a kit and use it at my current address??? Thanks for your help.
People are gonna have to learn how to write proper English when presenting their problems on the app. 😂😂😂😂 No more mixing English with Shona.
Lol valid point.
Lol valid point.
Does Telone now have some stocks, and for how much?
Speaking from DStv point of view, virtual platform is super convenient as far as problems are concerned
Please investigate as to why we are not able to pay Starlink subscriptions at all. Payments continually fail despite using various bank cards from banks locally as well as from the disapora. Banks contacted say there is nothing wrong on their side of things. Starlink customer support tickets suggests it’s not their problem – advise contact your bank! This is absolutely ridiculous. No one can pay their subscription free with a registered system in Zimbabwe.