Grievance Against Vodacom- "Poor Customer Service, No Integrity

I have been a Vodacom subscriber for over 16yrs. I am coming to you with this grievance as I have received the most disgusting service from Vodacom, which breaches consumer rights.

On the 13th April 2023 I received a call from Vodacom Rewards informing me that I am one of the numbers chosen for one of their rewards products, since I have been a customer with them for many years. The agent was Mr. Aldin Pillay (I do not recall his first name). He proceeded with his pitch telling me it was a laptop that came with a sim with 5gig data for the day and 5gig data for the night. The product would only cost R399 per month for 24 Months. Currently I have two Vodacom contracts that have 2 lines under the same number. Both these contracts end in 2024. I told him that I cannot afford to take out another contract and when he told me about this, I was under the impression that this was like a prize not a sales pitch. He proceeded to inform me that he could cancel both my contracts, substituting them with this new line that he was selling me and I would only then pay R399.

I questioned this and said I think I will need to call customer service to verify this. He proceeded to say they are employed by Vodacom to run this service for them and he can then go into my profile and do this for me whilst on the phone, because I told him I am not taking anything extra until those lines are cancelled first. This would mean I am paying less, which as a customer I would prefer. He went into my profile and put me on hold as “he cancelled my existing contract”. I asked him numerous times if this was indeed the case because I would only take this product if those other 2 lapses. He told me that from May 2023 I would only be paying R399 and nothing extra. We concluded the call once I was satisfied with that, he had told me and we finalized everything.

The laptop arrived the 20 April 2023 by RAM *** and as I was activating it, I noticed that I had to RICA the sim card. I then called Vodacom customer care and they then told me there was no need for that that the line was already activated. Since I was on the line with them, I thought let me also enquire about my next instalment and if everything was in place as per the sales agent I spoke to. Vodacom Customer care then told me no this was in addition to my contract with them, meaning I was going to pay more in total. I obviously was angry at this and wanted to sort it out and explain to them what happened. They told me that I would have to call Vodacom Rewards directly.

The next day I did this and was informed that the matter would be taken to the legal department where they would listen to the recording and revert back to me. I was told the matter would take 3 to 5 working days. I was given this case number, RCO386445. I called them on the 4th day of the case number because I had received notification that it would now take 3 days for them to get back to me. I then called them myself only to find out that they had the response from the legal department already and hadn’t called me to inform me of the outcome.

Bearing in mind that while all this is happening my cancellation window period is on the 5th day when they are supposed to get back to me and at this point, I don’t want to incur any extra costs. The consultant then told me that the matter was ruled in my favor and that I was correct in what I had said regarding the sales pitch of the consultant. I then told them if this is the case then the laptop is mine and I should then only be paying the R399 what I was told and agreed on by the sales consultant.

She then told me this is correct and they would send the recording to Vodacom Cancelations Department for them to process. The reference number for this was RCO389856. From past experience, knowing how now these” people” Vodacom” operate I then called the cancellations Department and asked to deal with their Manager/ Team Leader. I was then put through to the manager by name is Mason. I then relayed my entire story again and he told me that this matter would be escalated for me and I told him I would not be paying more than I was told to pay because this is what was said to me and the case is in my favor. I was told I would be called back and the matter would be escalated before my debit date. The reference number given was EC-1LYL-2WC40J.

On the 12 May 2023 while in meetings at work I kept on receiving persisting calls from an unknown number. I eventually called the number back to find out that it RAM a courier services company advising me they were coming to collect the laptop from my place of residence. Now you can imagine my surprise I was informed the CASE was in my favor but now they coming to collect. I was not notified prior to this nor was I told by Vodacom. I asked the RAM driver what was happening and he told me that he was at my residence to collect the laptop. Being inconvenienced I then gave it to RAM. I was then given the reference number, #COL***2. I asked him who sent him. He gave the email address of lady Simangele Mthembu from Vodacom Rewards. I then called them immediately and couldn’t find Simangele. A consultant checked my profile and informed them they were told to collect the laptop as part of the cancelation. My question then was why collect the product to process the cancelation because all you need is the line as the case is in my favor therefore the laptop goes nowhere.

I had to phone Mason the manager again and in fury ask him what was happening. He explained that to cancel the line they had to retrieve the product. This then meant that everything they had told me about the case was not true, this showed “Lack of Integrity, giving misleading information and False marketing. THIS WAS VODACOM BREECHING THEIR AGREEMENT. Based on the information supp**** and phone call they were breaching their agreement as this was a binding contract between myself and them when Mr. Pillay made the call to me.

The madness continues, on 15 May 2023 my installment went off and it included the price of the new product as well as my existing product. I called Mason "Manager" again and asked what happened because he had told me that they would escalate the credit. He then told me that it would only be credit for the following month as this is how they operate. I then mentioned that it’s easy for them to send me from pillar to post as If I was in the wrong and then call on policies and procedure to me. Not once have a been behind on my Vodacom payments.

So, as it stands, they will not be carrying what is due to me. They just opted to retrieve the laptop and cancel it on my behalf yet the case ruled in my favor. “They are saying that it was wrong of the sales guy to tell me that I could get my existing contract taken over by the new line he was selling me.

Based on this information above and VODACOM confirming that the case was in my “FAVOR” as customer I’ m entitled to the agree price and the laptop (Which VODACOM needs to return) with the consultant, irrespective of how misinformed or wrong the consultant was, it is VODACOM’s duty to train and employee competent consultant who will give correct information.

A perfect example is the recent Woolworths customer who paid R0.08 for a tray of chicken which normally costs over R120. That was not the customer's fault,, they gave the wrong pricing and the customer paid R0.08c for it as they stipulated on the pack.

Irrespective who made the error or how *********** the merchandiser or sales person was the price indicated is still binding. This here is the similar situation where a sales consultant decided to make sale by misinforming, misrepresenting and deceiving the customer. Unfortunately, I want what was agreed on in the recording the R399 price, cancellation of the existing lines and the return of the laptop.

Nothing about how they are in the wrong and would do their duty to me as the consumer. I have asked them to send me the recordings but they informed me that they would request them and can’t send them to me directly not I if can go to Vodacom store and retrieve them from there once they have uploaded them on my profile. Unfortunately, this is a case where I will not leave any stone unturned. The next Step is the CONSUMER OMBUDSMAN.

For far too long these corporate giants have taken customers for a RIDE and using policies and procedures to worm their way out of complaints and cover their incompetence’s.

I will await you feedback