TLS - Telstra Corporation

[drsmith]

*reload*

Sometimes mistakes get made. When you have holstered the gun, contact Telstra to get the issue resolved.

Their response will be a truer measure of their customer service.

 

[trainspotter]

*Thanks drsmith* ...... I have been on the phone to Telstra since 9.43am this morning. I was transferred to Adelaide, Brisbane and the Phillipines and finally I think Pakistan (I could not understand a word he was saying). All to no avail. Put on hold then transferred to another department until finally they cut me off. I then went to the Telstra Shop to try and resolve the issue. This took a further 1 hour and 20 minutes of my life that I will never get back. The Telstra Shop were fantastic !!! (feel the sarcasm) and gave me another number to call (Credit management apparently) I have since checked my watch and it is now 1.54pm WST. Guess what ! I am on hold to Telstra AGAIN !!!!!! Credit management put me through to connections but they wont reconnect in the correct name until the bill is paid. SO WHY AM I PAYING FOR A BILL that I did not want in the first place. ??????? *reload*

 

[trainspotter]

Still on hold ........ *pull* ...... Now been put through to billing ....... *reload* ......... not their fault ......... *pull*

 

[skyQuake]

Still on hold ........ *pull* ...... Now been put through to billing ....... *reload* ......... not their fault ......... *pull*

I wonder how many people have shorted telstra out of pure hate. (or the basis that service this crap will come bite them later)
And made money from it. Oodles of money apparently, looking at the say the 10 year charts:

 

[trainspotter]

I wonder how many people have shorted telstra out of pure hate. (or the basis that service this crap will come bite them later)
And made money from it. Oodles of money apparently, looking at the say the 10 year charts:

Ummmmmmmmm ........ that will be me directly ! I am going to resort to carrier pigeon and beating of drums as my main line of communications in future as it has to better than TELSTRA ! Smoke signals, morse code, french horns ........ anything has got to be better than this !!!!!

 

[awg]

*Thanks drsmith* ...... I have been on the phone to Telstra since 9.43am this morning. I was transferred to Adelaide, Brisbane and the Phillipines and finally I think Pakistan (I could not understand a word he was saying). All to no avail. Put on hold then transferred to another department until finally they cut me off. I then went to the Telstra Shop to try and resolve the issue. This took a further 1 hour and 20 minutes of my life that I will never get back. The Telstra Shop were fantastic !!! (feel the sarcasm) and gave me another number to call (Credit management apparently) I have since checked my watch and it is now 1.54pm WST. Guess what ! I am on hold to Telstra AGAIN !!!!!! Credit management put me through to connections but they wont reconnect in the correct name until the bill is paid. SO WHY AM I PAYING FOR A BILL that I did not want in the first place. ??????? *reload*

lol..and your time is probably worth $100+ per hour.

I have just thought of a new business idea.

Establish a service company were low paid lackeys wait on hold for Telstra ( or Optus):

Notice if you ever phone Sales, you are put thru immediately to a well trained English-is-my-first language operator here in sunny oz.

All "after sales" enquiries are dealt with by a long wait, then a lottery dip to see if the operator 1) knows what they are talking about,2) has sufficient command of English to understand your issue.

I have just been dragged kicking and screaming to Telstra, cause I am on a tiny sub-exchange and nobody can be bothered installing updated equipment in it..so much for the NB F'N N.

Did you end up screaming filth into the reciever, when for the umpteenth time the voice recognition said " sorry I did not understand your selection"

I especially enjoy having the call terminated after a long fruitless wait in the queue

We have bad phone lines at my wifes business. An ex-Telstra employee mate has done extensive tests and the problem is in the Telstra cabling, but they are not interested because it is "within specs" (just)

 

[trainspotter]

I actually asked the automated recording "Put me through to a human that understands english" .. the response was "All of our operators are busy, you have been placed in a queue and your call will be attended to as soon as possible" followed by a large *CLICK* then a beep beep beep at the end of the phone .......... Aaahhhhhhhhhh TELSTRA !

On a brighter note I actually got through to a lady called AMY in NSW and she fixed the whole ctatsrophe for me in less than 10 minutes, stayed online whilst I was shoved from department to department getting sorted (credit management and reconnection) and actually credited back the incorrect amount that I was billed for. I asked for her direct number. She was not allowed to give it to me !!!!! PFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTT !

As for the business idea to pay low paid lackies to listen whilst on hold is pure genius ! I like it !

 

[drsmith]

On a brighter note I actually got through to a lady called AMY in NSW and she fixed the whole ctatsrophe for me in less than 10 minutes, stayed online whilst I was shoved from department to department getting sorted (credit management and reconnection) and actually credited back the incorrect amount that I was billed for.

How did you manage that after all the drama earlier ?

Was it as a consequence of your earlier requests for assistance or did you start afresh ?

 

[sptrawler]

trainspotter join Optus. 3, Vodaphone, Virgin or Dodo and give us feedback on customer service. I look forward to the comments.

 

[BrightGreenGlow]

Telstra really arn't that bad. I say they own the infrastructure so they can charge the 3rd Party Operators as much as they want. Feels like FMG in WA with the whole train line thing.

 

[knightofsx33]

right now telstra is trading at a very cheap price. It is also a very strong company with a strong stance in its sector. There is always going to be minor faults with its service but it is only minimal and so we shouldnt focus on those small bad things. The big picture is that its a great company and its very cheap. Im buying right now and with just a 15 times earnings which is normal for this sort of blue chips the price target is at $6

 

[oldblue]

The market, on the other hand is wary about what effect increasing govt regulation might have on TLS. Every right to be concerned, IMO, considering recent past and similar heavy handed interference of telcos in Britain and NZ, just to mention a couple.

 

[Trembling Hand]

Yep oldblue and there is lots to add to that.

Clearly the break up looks bad for Telstra but I reckon there is more to it. Have a look at the price since new management came in. DOWN. Because its basically the same management. Same old people doing the same old crap.

The recent management "shake up" by Thodey did nothing to bring in new people to give a very tired old company a lift. All it did was set up structures to ease any break up. Hardly forward thinking in terms of profits.

Its not a turn around story.

 

[malachii]

When you take a good look at this company the only suprising thing is that it is still above $3. Lousy management, history of terrible results, no sign of doing anything different, I've not met anyone that is a happy cusomer and a government that is hell bent on destroying it. Even the dividend is starting to look a bit iffy. Why would you buy it?

malachii

 

[knightofsx33]

the management has done their job in my opinion the earnings has being steady and growing, what are u on about that its crap? the price is very low right now and if they get through this small rock in the way the future looks very bright.

knight

 

[Trembling Hand]

the management has done their job in my opinion

The previous one created enemies with everyone. All they left behind was a supper wireless network that will/could be of value.

The current one has done nothing except say they are going to focus on customer service which back fired spectacularly as everyone knows their service is a disgrace and a mess. End result was that they have done nothing about it except realise that if they talk about it their customers just complain more. So now Thodey doesn't mention it. As far as management its the same old same old. Thodey had a chance to shake it up when he came in but his left the same people there to not fix the same old problems.

the earnings has being steady and growing,

BS. Their meaty PTSN is accelerating downwards. Their Mobile voice is under pressure from optus etc. There wireless data is losing its premium price faster than they can add extra traffic. They will probably loss Foxtel. And there wholesale section.

Just what bits have been "steady and growing"?

"small rock" "very bright" Too funny!!

 

[malachii]

the management has done their job in my opinion the earnings has being steady and growing, what are u on about that its crap? the price is very low right now and if they get through this small rock in the way the future looks very bright.

knight

I love it - I have a cheap bridge to sell you in Sydney!!!!

At the start of 2000 the share price of TLS was over $9.00. It has been on a steady decline over the last 10 years and is now $3.00. Shareholders have lost 67% of their capital in 10 years. On what planet or in what way does this show that managment is doing it's job???????

This small rock is about the same size as the small iceberg that took out the Titanic. They were probably saying the same as TLS - "If only we can get through this small iceberg in the way the future looks bright".

I'm sorry for being sarcastic but you touched a raw spot. No - I havent lost money in TLS - it is not a company I would buy. However it gets my goat when people (including professionals!) that should know better - come out with comments that are just complete rubbish and "hope" that others will react accordingly.

Before you jump down my throat - lets look at your statements:

"right now telstra is trading at a very cheap price. " Define cheap - with the current loss of market share, customer dissatisfaction and ageing technology the price may not be cheap. And has been proven many times - just because something is cheap doesn't mean it wont get cheaper.

"It is also a very strong company with a strong stance in its sector." It is a strong company - but so was Bear Sterns, HIH and many others that people will be able to list off around the world. The question you need to ask is - is it a company that is using it's strength to grow it's market or just abuse it's market. I think if you look at it's past record - you wouldn't be able to say that it was growing it's market share.

"There is always going to be minor faults with its service but it is only minimal and so we shouldnt focus on those small bad things." I'm sorry - but this statement takes the cake. I cannot think of anyone who can say this company has minor faults with it's service. Just listen to call back radio/read a paper/look on the internet and that will give you a bit of a picture of what is happening. Or better still - try and phone up and sort out a problem with them. If this doesn't put your blood pressure up into the danger area - I'd say you're already dead!

"The big picture is that its a great company"(on what measure - give me one - just one!) "and its very cheap."(again - huh??) Im buying right now"(good on you - a person with conviction and prepared to put his/her money where their mouth is) "and with just a 15 times earnings which is normal for this sort of blue chips the price target is at $6" Show me any professional in the world that has a target price of $6 for TLS.

Apologies in advance for any anger issues I have just caused.

malachii

PS -I HOLD NO SHARES IN THIS COMPANY. MAYBE THIS GIVES ME A NEGATIVE BIASED OPINION. YOU'LL HAVE TO DECIDE FOR YOURSELF. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

 

[wecanallinvest]

I agree with malachii that $6 is a bit rich for TLS to go to, however I also agree with knightofsx33 that it is a buy right now for the following reasons:

- P/E of less than 10
- Dividends at around 9-10%
- Predictable, steady earnings
- Very low downside risk at current price compared to rest of the market

A lot of other stocks on the market are starting to look fully priced righ now, so I can only assume that investors will turn their eyes on to TLS in the near future because of the undeniable value to be had.

 

[oldblue]

It's stark disagreements on stocks such as above that makes a market!

For my part, I wouldn't touch TLS for the reasons already articulated. If I was buying, I'd be waiting until the SP showed a bit of strength. As Charlie Munger has said "The market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent " or words to that effect.

 

[Taltan]

A p/e of under 10 for such a defensive stock is very attractive. You cannot compare a telco with a Bear Stearns or HIH.

Malachii a lot of your arguments may be correct but there are historical. Its the next 10 years we are concerned about and the current mnmngt team were not around in 2000.

I expect telecommunications to be an ongoing profitable sector whilst even regarding the NBN there is at least a $8b sale price on the table already. This is apart from the fact that only TLS currently has the ability to build the NBN. There are regulatory risks but if they weren't there the p/e under 10 would not exist.

What I do agree with is Do Your own Research.