How not to deal with Clients

<p>We received our monthly invoice form Vodacom and with an monthly account of aprox R 1300.00 was suddenly over R 7000.00. The reason being - Local data charges were almost R 6000.00</p> <p>Contacted Vodacom to enquire on this and they advise that we had to make a specific request for itemized billing. Received reference number and submitted request which takes 48 hours.</p> <p>After 48 hour no response.</p> <p>Go into Vodacom center in Eastgate at 09h00 on the 17th Nov to get assistance. The consultant calls whoever they call and I then realize they going through the exact same process I would if I did this from home. What is the point of going into the store?</p> <p>While they are continually hanging on and being put from one department to the next (amazingly Vodacom staff seem to just accept this), I sit there staring at a sign that has a number of reasons to change to Vodacom - # 2 being – Impeccable Service – I don’t know if I should roll about laughing or start crying, but I suspect this statement is self-proclaimed.</p> <p>I start getting irritated after 1 hour and after being forced to cause a bit of a scene – Johan, the store manager comes to assist – and he makes a call, to what was probably the same number the lady who was assisting me as he is put though to several departments.</p> <p>While he is holding I explain that early in the month we received an SMS with a low data warning, and we choose to purchase an additional data bundle. There is was no notification after this – only the R 7000.00 odd account.</p> <p>I further explain that several months ago the service on the phone was suspended – no call no data, and when we went to check on what was wrong we were told there was a cap on the account and that the account could not go over R 1500.00. This was a cap to “protect” us from running up to high a bill.</p> <p>So if this is the case where then was the cap to “protect” us from this high account. He could not tell me as they were having trouble with their systems – I don’t think it is the systems.</p> <p>Now I start making several sms checks on when these 2 phone account are due for upgrade so in know when to just leave Vodacom – as well as my company phones. It is not a big bill in the scheme of things – but I can choose to spend my money where I get service and it will not be with Vodacom</p> <p>By this time I have to leave as I have a flight to catch but Johan assures me that he will take care of it and have it all sent through by the afternoon. Fantastic – it is in the hands of a manager and we should be sorted out.</p> <p>Fast Forward to 23 Nov and still nothing received. I call what I guess is the same number that the store called as I get put from one place to the next, no joy after one hour. I am irritated again and give up.</p> <p>I take carful note that if I feel that I want to *****ed around and made to feel like a complete idiot, to call to Vodacom – they are brilliant at it.</p> <p>Thursday 24 Nov – call to the Vodacom store and ask to speak to Johan, but he is busy on a call – maybe he is still holding on to sort out my problem from last week. I am told he will call me back.</p> <p>To my complete surprise my call is returned. After running through everything he is shocked that I have still not got anything (not sure how he can be shocked) – I’m still in shock I got a return call. He advises he will escalate this to a regional manager and will have answers by the afternoon.</p> <p>It is now the next day and still nothing.</p> <p>It really is quite pathetic! Impeccable service my ****!!!!!!</p> <p>Moving forward I will be going though the process of terminating all Vodacom accounts I have. Both personal and business as and when they come up for renewal.</p> <p> </p>