Horrific customer service and repeated mistakes

I wanted to upgrade and went to Cellucity, Canal Walk. I have already done my homework on which contract and phone I wanted and took the Vodacom booklet with my black-on-white notes along. I decided on the Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro phone on contract.

On Saturday 13th of January 2018 I went to Cellucity who was experiencing some system shut downs or something, but was able to help customers on 2 of their computers. A lady assissted me (on her phone) and it took between 90 - 120 minutes just for me to upgrade on my beforehand made decision. I did my best in staying patient even though other customers came in after me, also upgraded and left long before me. To top it off there wasn't any screen protectors or phone covers in stock at Cellucity.

My SIM swop would have been completed by 20h00 that same evening, but it wasn't. These are the outgoing phone calls made to Cellucity, Canal Walk (unless stated as incoming): • 14 January 2018, 11h36, 11h37, 11h37 before someone answered and promised to call back, but didn't. • 14 January 2018, 15h24 - also promised to call back and didn't. • 15 January 2018, 13h36 - finally got hold of someone who called back. • 15 January 2018, 14h42 - received bad news that the SIM swop is cancelled on the system and that I would have to come back in store to cancel that SIM and get a new one. • 15 January 2018, 14h42 and incoming call at 14h51, 14h56 - the only accommodating man working at Cellutcity Canal Walk, organised for me to rather go to Cellucity in Somerset Mall, because I live in Stellenbosch and Canal Walk is far out of my way. • 16 January 2018, 10:45 • 16 January 2018, incoming calls at 11h24 and 17h16 - confirmation that the second SIM swop is finally successful.

On January 26th I received another phone call from Cellucity, Canal Walk to please e-mail a copy of my ID to them, because they neglected to do so and upload it on the system on the day of my upgrade.

The SIM swop failure and driving around cost me money and valuable time, but each time I was very patient with whomever answered the phone, because I have understanding of the fact that the problem is not their fault.

Then on February 1st, I saw on my bank statement that I have been charged my old contract's amount and on February 1st, my new contract started. I did not want to be in debt (and blacklisted) and went to the Vodacom store in Stellenbosch Square to check it out. To my absolute shock and horror the shop assistant and I discovered that I am being charged for a Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro instead of a Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro (and that my whole contract is not uploaded on the system - another job half done). Up until then I did not realise that I was given the wrong phone. Very understandably so, given that I don't know the difference between 2 phones I have never owned, and given that the phone model is not written or visible anywhere on the phone and the fact that the phone was opened in store by the shop assistant on the day of the upgrade where my patience was already tested.

I am 100% sure that I asked for the Samsung Galaxy J5 Pro - that is what I did my homework on, that is what I wrote down and that is what I showed, in the same booklet, written down, black on white, to the shop assistant when I told her what contract and phone I wanted. I specifically chose that phone, because I cannot afford a more expensive monthly payment.

Given the horrific service and my patience all along, I wanted the mistake rectified, but the branch manager refused to accommodate me even after a back and forth communication between each other via the Consumer Protector Office.