Mistake by Vodacom staff member is costing my business money and is not being rectified

I upgraded my business contract at Vodacom Data Shop in Tygervalley on the 10th of January 2018. I was assisted by Hugo van Zyl at the store.

He showed me the Vodacom booklet for January 2018. The business deals in the booklet were valid for the period 7 January 2018 to 6 February 2018, according to the terms and conditions in the booklet. I explained to Hugo that I was currently on the Red Select+ package but I needed more data and minutes, as I was exceeding the data and minutes on the Red Select+ package and I also wanted to upgrade to a Samsung Galaxy Note8 handset.

I was paying a fixed monthly fee of R999.00 on the Red Select+ package that included the handset, being a Samsung Galaxy Note5, 800 minutes and 2 gigs of data. He explained that the best offer at the stage was for me to upgrade to the Red Classic+ package that would offer me a Samsung Galaxy Note8, 1200 minutes and 4 gigs of data for a fixed monthly instalment of R1299.00 over 24 months, as on offer in the Vodacom booklet.

I accepted the upgrade and he drafted the documentation that I signed. I did not thoroughly inspect the documentation, as I felt comfortable with his level of competency and service. I also did not have my glasses with me and could not see the details of what was written on the documentation.

When I received my invoice for February 2018 it showed that I was still on the Red Select+ package and were still being charged R999.00 for the subscription but in addition to that, I was being charged a handset instalment of R429.00 per month as well as being charged for exceeding my calls and data, totalling the amount of R1,596.04.

I contacted Vodacom that informed me that I had to go back to the shop, to have it rectified. I went to the shop and was told that Hugo was only working certain days and that I had to return the following day. I went back the following day and spoke to Hugo, who informed me that he had to take it up with the shop’s manager, who was not in and would contact me the next day. I waited several days, but not hearing from anyone, went back to the shop and was lucky to find the manager.

The manager informed me that too much time has lapsed, from the time of my upgrade and that I signed the documentation and that he could not do anything about it. I informed him that it was totally unacceptable to me and showed him the booklet setting out the deal and explained to him, that if not rectified, the wrongly entered into upgrade will cost me a lot of additional charges, over the next 24 months. I explained to him that the mistake was not on my part, but that of Hugo, the person who assisted me. I showed him the booklet, which I kept after Hugo gave it to me, on the day of the upgrade and that reflected the deal as explained. I explained to him that it would have been completely on-logical and stupid of me to do the upgrade in any other way than as advertised and that Hugo has clearly made a mistake in completing the paperwork.

I pleaded him for his assistance and he promised to be in contact with Vodacom and would revert back to me. I waited several days, but received no feedback. I went back to the shop several times and insisted with the manager to assist me and only after several attempts, did I get a response from the Vodacom Client Care Center at Tygervalley.

I still have no confirmation that the contract will be rectified and that the rectification will not cost me additional charges. I also do not have confirmation that Vodacom will refund me the amount that I have been overcharged over the last few months.

The charges for the last months were as follows: • February 2018: R1,596.04 • March 2018: R1,969.77 • April 2018: R1,649.99

This accounts to me being overcharged the amount of R1,318.80 for the first 3 months of the contract.

I have been a Vodacom customer since 1997 and I expect Vodacom to have the matter resolved amicably and to accept responsibility for the mistake made by one of their salespersons.