Arrogance of a Cell Phone Company

<p>I have come to believe that cell phone companies make so much money that they can afford to be arrogant. Right now that is the case but things are changing.</p> <p> </p> <p>The David and Goliath 'please call me debacle' was an excellent example of the attitude of the company and that attitude permeates right down to the consultants on the shop floor.</p> <p> </p> <p>I drove across town to the Vodacom shop in Hillcrest wanting to transfer a company phone into my own name. I took an authorisation letter plus the usual 3 months bank statements and my identity book. I was told that the letter was simply not good enough and that I had to get a separate document completed by the authorised person at the company although the letter basically said exactly what the form said except for one area relating to responsibility for the account. So I went all the way back to the office, scanned the document, mailed it to the authorised person in Johannesburg, got it completed and drove all the way back to Hillcrest.</p> <p> </p> <p>This time I get a different consultant and it all starts over again.</p> <p> </p> <p>The date on the letter is older than a week so it’s not good enough (23 days old because of Christmas holidays). I objected of course as I had already wasted a considerable amount of time travelling back to the office to correct the shortfall of the missing document and should have been advised the first time round. So the consultant responds by adding to the list of demands.</p> <p> </p> <p>I need a copy of the identity document of the person that signed the letter ( despite the fact that Vodacom have a copy of her document)</p> <p> </p> <p>I need to get the bank statements stamped by the bank. That is like taking your Rates bill to the council to stamp it. A stamp can be forged easier than a bank statement can.</p> <p> </p> <p>I also needed to bring a payslip in. If I could forge a bank statement then surely I could forge a payslip ? The bank statement has got your salary on it and the bank statement is as current as your payslip.</p> <p> </p> <p>I am not from the generation that cannot live without a phone. It is a functional useful device but I can live without it or I could go to the competition that may or may not be as arrogant. But not today as I have had my quota of arrogance for one day.</p>