LOYALTY MEANS NOTHING TO VODACOM. YOU’VE EARNED THE EGGHEAD AWARD FOR WORST SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS.

<p>My nightmare began two weeks after I received my brand new contract phone from Vodacom three months ago.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have been a loyal supporter of Vodacom since (I think) 1994 (22years). I have always loved the Nokia phones because of its talk time. I think the only other phones I ever had was the old Motorola’s , Pioneers (Brick phones) and Ericsson phone. My previous phones over the last four years were the Lumia 920 & 1020. On my recent upgrade I was advised that Nokia does not manufacture their own phones and has been taken over by Micosoft. Exactly the same phone only different branding. So I took the Microsoft 950XL phone.</p> <p> </p> <p>Two weeks later I was back at Vodacom 4U. The battery life only lasted till 11am in the morning after being on charge all night. My consultant advised to close all unwanted apps and see what happens thereafter. Still the same problem. The phone was booked in for repairs.</p> <p>They did not have a spare phone for me so I used my wife’s spare phone in the meantime.</p> <p> </p> <p>My phone come back from repairs minus the battery and the back cover. I left the phone with them. It took them about a week to discover that they lost the battery and cover and was told that (Vodacom 4U) will replace the battery and cover (24 October 2016). The phone was rebooked in for repairs. Since then and up until the 2nd of November I only received SMS’S confirmed that the phone has been booked in for repairs with a JOB number. I enquired over the phone as to when they will receive the battery and cover and was advise that it’s on back order and that they do not know when they will receive it.</p> <p> </p> <p>In the meantime I had to give back my wife’s spare phone and had to buy a HUAWEI P9 Light for R 5100.00 in order for me to continue to run my business as I am self-employed.</p> <p> </p> <p>I decided then and there to write an mail to Vodacom 4U and copied in ********** ********** ********** to complain about the services and that I no longer want this phone and to please give me another phone instead.</p> <p>Here are some of their replies. QUOTE “Good day, Please assist and provide feedback to the client<br /> Thank you”</p> <p>QUOTE “Good day, Thank you for your escalation.<br /> Please rebook the device and send it to ARC.<br /> Kind regards”<br /> </p> <p>Since receiving these mails on 24th November 2016 I have received no further communication via e-mail from them. I then sent them another mail on 8th December which read “Good Morning, Can someone from Vodacom please come back to me with a detailed reply on the progress of my phone.</p> <p>Kind regards”</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Here’s there reply to me, QUOTE” Good day, The phone is at ARC right now they are busy with. Someone from ARC can advise what is going to happen to it.”</p> <p>Since then, NO PHONE CALL OR E-MAIL TO ME.</p> <p>Yesterday being the 23rd December 2016, I decide to go to Vodacom 4U for an update. The manager tried to assist me and even left a message for a lady at the repair centre by the name of Lindiwe to call me back at 15H00 as she was on lunch. No phone call. I called her back this morning at 09H15 and was told by the operator that she does NOT take calls and will leave a message to call me back. At 11H25 I called her back and got the same response. I then decided to call Vodacom Head office 011 ********** explained my predicament and guess where I was transferred to, VODACOM CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE. It took me a further three attempts to finally get through to someone called Happy and guess what, she could not help me but say we will escalate your request. She did however confirm that the phone together with the box and accessories is with the Vodacom Advance Repair Centre and will be dispatched.</p> <p>She gave me the number of the repair centre 011 ********** and immediately call them. When I gave the lady who answered my call the JOB number she instantly knew who I was. She told me that the phone and the accessories would be delivered to Vodacom 4U for me to collect. I asked her if the battery and the cover would be delivered as well. Her response was NO. It is still on BACK ORDER and that they only anticipate receiving it in the NEW YEAR. So I asked her “HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO USE A PHONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE A BATTERY AND COVER?” at which point she called her supervisor, explained the situation to him (I could hear this conversation in the back ground) and handed to the phone to him.</p> <p>Guess What? I am back at the point where I started at. Big FAT nothing with a repaired phone with NO BATTERY AND COVER. Somewhere in my correspondence with them, they FAILED to read my request to give me another phone. No mention of it what so ever. Christmas is gonna come and go, so too will New Year’s but I, will be left without my contact phone. Thank you Vodacom.</p> <p>If anyone from Vodacom reads this, here is the Job number: ********** 2. DO THE RIGHT THING AND CALL ME OR EVEN SEND ME AN MAIL WITH A POSITIVE RESPONSE.</p> <p>Your loyal customer for 22 years and very disgruntled customer for the past 3 months.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>