1 reviews | Active since Aug 2020
Extremely disappointing- and horrible customer service
I had placed an order on the Vodacom Vodabucks app for a Polaroid Round Carbon Full Touch watch on the 30th of November 2020 and received an sms to say that I will be receiving my order within the next 5 to 7 working days. First sms did not reflect an order number or an order reference number.
On Monday the 7th of December 2020 I had logged into the app again to check the status of my order as I hadn't received any updates. The app showed the status as "Complete".
I had phoned Digital Planet to get a status update on the delivery but Digital Planet didn't have any record of my order. They are unable to assist me without their (DP's) tracking number. The lady tried to do a search using my name, but that was also unsuccessful.
Phoned Vodacom on 082 135 directly thereafter, because there are NO other numbers on which to get in touch with their rewards department and the app states that this number should be contacted for queries. After being put through from one person to the next, I finally ended up with a rather unenthusiastic lady who said that she can't help me with the status of the order as it hasn't been 7 working days yet and that I can't phone to get a status update if it's still within the 5 - 7 working days period. She further advised that she can't tell me what DP's tracking number is either as they sometimes don't send this to the customer and simply deliver without any tracking numbers or notification. She proceeded to tell me, with a snotty attitude, to phone them back on the 8th day (being Thursday the 10th of Dec 20) if I haven't received my order yet and only then can they look into it.
Today, being the 7th day and almost COB, I decided to phone Vodacom again to see if there is perhaps an update. After being put through from pillar to post once again, I ended up with another lady by the name of Zama who said that they had received a communication yesterday that this specific watch is now out of stock. I have one of two options: they can either give me a refund, which will take between 48 to 72 hours to be paid back to me, or I can opt to take the lesser version of the polaroid watch (which is square, and not round like my son wanted, is only single touch instead of full touch and has less functionality than the watch which I had ordered 6 working days (8 days including weekends) ago.
Now, here's my take away from this entire situation, which has left a pretty sour taste in my mouth):
When I phoned the first time to get an update, I was met with a clearly unenthusiastic lady whom told me, with a snotty attitude, that I shouldn't be querying the status of a delivery whilst still within the 5 to 7 working day period and that I should phone back only on the 8th working day to find out what the status is of my order.
They had received correspondence advising that the watch is out of stock but didn't bother to let their customers know about this and make alternative arrangements.
Only when I phone querying the status, am I advised of this and with a don't care attitude told that, despite not being advised of the non-stock of the items, I have the option of a refund, which will take 48 to 72 hours to reflect in my account, or take a lower value watch, for the same price, and then I'll probably have to wait another 5 - 7 working days.
The fact that Digital Planet had no record of my order, clearly indicates that the order wasn't even sent through to them.
Over and above this, I had also chosen to use my vodabucks on Sunday on a Krispy Kreme voucher. After I had entered my banking details to pay for the cash portion of the voucher, the app hung with that little red circle going around and around without any further action. Then the order status for this reads as: "Cancelled".
Really.
I am not the type of person whom will easily give a company a negative rating or take such drastic measures, but I've had quite enough of Vodacom recently and the horrible customer service. As such, I will be cancelling my contract with Vodacom and I will be going over to another service provider.
Despite the reply from Vodacom advising that a consultant will make contact with me in due course, no call was received from any consultants.
Also, no correspondence received from Vodacom advising of the non-stock status of the order which I had placed on the 30th of November 2020. Guess I would still have been waiting for the delivery if I hadn't followed up with Vodacom.
The refund which I had requested also does not reflect in my bank account either.
I had contacted Vodacom's cancellation department on the 9th of December 2020 and requested the cancellation of my contract as per my initial review and was provided with the quote for the cancellation penalty (as my agreement with Vodacom will only reach its expiry in June 2021) and was advised that the penalty amount would be required by the end of December 2020, which I'm completely happy with.
I have, however, phoned the cancellations department this morning to confirm that my cancellation has been logged but it would appear that no cancellation was recorded. According to Vodacom my contract is still active, I still have my upgrade available early in January 2021 and my contract still expires in June 2021. I then agreed to pay the cancellation penalty now and provided with the email address to where I need to send the proof of payment as I wasn't provided with this when I requested the cancellation on Wednesday last week. I was provided with the following 'email address':
retensionscancellations.cssprod.vodacom.co.za
Note there is no @ symbol in the abovementioned 'email address'. I had queried the omission of the @ symbol and was advised that there is no @ in the 'email address'.
A little confused, as an email address usually contains the @ symbol, I repeated the 'email address' to the consultant and was told that it's correct. Once again the consultant confirmed that there is no @ symbol.
Just to humour myself, I decided to send a blank email to this 'email address' and, to no surprise, Outlook doesn't accept this as a valid email address.
Thereafter I decided to phone Vodacom again to enquire about the refund which I had requested and was put through to the upgrades department - this after I had advised the customer care consultant that I'd like to enquire about the status of my refund from the rewards department.
Spoke to the upgrades department and advised again that I'd like to speak with someone in the rewards department regarding my refund. After 15 minutes of holding, I ended up yet again at the incorrect department - this time at the Mondo customer care department.
Transferred back to the Customer Care Department, I had to explain again the reason for my call and finally put through to the correct department after about 20 minutes since the start of my call.
After about another 5 minutes of holding again, I was advised that my number is "on the list with head office" for the refund to be made but that the consultant can't confirm when the refund would reflect in my account but added: "...perhaps during the week".
Apparently my 48 to 72 hours (which I consider to be 2 to 3 business days) compared to Vodacom's 48 to 72 hours are not the same.
I'll be honest that I was wondering whether I wasn't overreacting and if I shouldn't continue with my contract as the cancellation has not yet been recorded, but unfortunately yet another frustrating, unsuccessful attempt at receiving just a hint of satisfactory customer service from Vodacom, proved to be pointless.
Despite the reply from Vodacom advising that a consultant will make contact with me in due course, no call was received from any consultants.
Also, no correspondence received from Vodacom advising of the non-stock status of the order which I had placed on the 30th of November 2020. Guess I would still have been waiting for the delivery if I hadn't followed up with Vodacom.
The refund which I had requested also does not reflect in my bank account either.
I had contacted Vodacom's cancellation department on the 9th of December 2020 and requested the cancellation of my contract as per my initial review and was provided with the quote for the cancellation penalty (as my agreement with Vodacom will only reach its expiry in June 2021) and was advised that the penalty amount would be required by the end of December 2020, which I'm completely happy with.
I have, however, phoned the cancellations department this morning to confirm that my cancellation has been logged but it would appear that no cancellation was recorded. According to Vodacom my contract is still active, I still have my upgrade available early in January 2021 and my contract still expires in June 2021. I then agreed to pay the cancellation penalty now and provided with the email address to where I need to send the proof of payment as I wasn't provided with this when I requested the cancellation on Wednesday last week. I was provided with the following 'email address':
retensionscancellations.cssprod.vodacom.co.za
Note there is no @ symbol in the abovementioned 'email address'. I had queried the omission of the @ symbol and was advised that there is no @ in the 'email address'.
A little confused, as an email address usually contains the @ symbol, I repeated the 'email address' to the consultant and was told that it's correct. Once again the consultant confirmed that there is no @ symbol.
Just to humour myself, I decided to send a blank email to this 'email address' and, to no surprise, Outlook doesn't accept this as a valid email address.
Thereafter I decided to phone Vodacom again to enquire about the refund which I had requested and was put through to the upgrades department - this after I had advised the customer care consultant that I'd like to enquire about the status of my refund from the rewards department.
Spoke to the upgrades department and advised again that I'd like to speak with someone in the rewards department regarding my refund. After 15 minutes of holding, I ended up yet again at the incorrect department - this time at the Mondo customer care department.
Transferred back to the Customer Care Department, I had to explain again the reason for my call and finally put through to the correct department after about 20 minutes since the start of my call.
After about another 5 minutes of holding again, I was advised that my number is "on the list with head office" for the refund to be made but that the consultant can't confirm when the refund would reflect in my account but added: "...perhaps during the week".
Apparently my 48 to 72 hours (which I consider to be 2 to 3 business days) compared to Vodacom's 48 to 72 hours are not the same.
I'll be honest that I was wondering whether I wasn't overreacting and if I shouldn't continue with my contract as the cancellation has not yet been recorded, but unfortunately yet another frustrating, unsuccessful attempt at receiving just a hint of satisfactory customer service from Vodacom, proved to be pointless.
Reading all of the other reviews from other Vodacom customers, of whom most of them seem to have experienced the same frustrations and level of dissatisfaction, I think that it would be safe to say that Vodacom does not view any of their clients as valuable. In fact, the same reply to all reviewers, which seems to be a generic systems generated reply, is testament to this and does nothing to assure Vodacom customers of Vodacom's apparent commitment to customer satisfaction.
Unfortunately my issue has not been resolved and my view of Vodacom's consultants' blatant disregard for the very basic levels of satisfactory customer service has been further diminished by Vodacom's lack of interest in trying to resolve my query but just 'shrugged it off' and continued along your merry way.
Based on the number of dissatisfied customers' reviews compared to the satisfied reviews, of which the positive reviews are very few and far between, should be of concern to you, but it seems that Vodacom is quite content to continue with the upward trend of negative reviews recorded by customers.
Reading all of the other reviews from other Vodacom customers, of whom most of them seem to have experienced the same frustrations and level of dissatisfaction, I think that it would be safe to say that Vodacom does not view any of their clients as valuable. In fact, the same reply to all reviewers, which seems to be a generic systems generated reply, is testament to this and does nothing to assure Vodacom customers of Vodacom's apparent commitment to customer satisfaction.
Unfortunately my issue has not been resolved and my view of Vodacom's consultants' blatant disregard for the very basic levels of satisfactory customer service has been further diminished by Vodacom's lack of interest in trying to resolve my query but just 'shrugged it off' and continued along your merry way.
Based on the number of dissatisfied customers' reviews compared to the satisfied reviews, of which the positive reviews are very few and far between, should be of concern to you, but it seems that Vodacom is quite content to continue with the upward trend of negative reviews recorded by customers.