No Transfer of Ownership

Hi,

I would like to share my delightful experience with you and like to have your thoughts on it:

At the start of December 2017 I go to my local Vodastore to request a Transfer of ownership of two contract on my personal name onto my business as I only use these lines for business purposes and pay them from my business account so it only makes sense it is done the right way.

I was informed by this store they are not able to process these types of requests and I would have to go to a Vodacom Direct, the closest being Canal Walk. Great, I Love going to Canal Walk (insert sarcasm here).

One day, I wake up feeling optimistic and fearless, ready to take on the world. I take the time out of my life and put my work on hold because this has to be done at some point and this was the time. I gather all the Fica documents I usually give suppliers and off I went.

At Canal Walk I had to make sure I had the correct store so I go up to the first guy I could find in the Vodacom Store and I tell him what I would like to achieve, he kindly advises me they are not the correct store and i had to go to the other Vodacom Store, feeling slightly foolish I thank him and I go looking for this store. It was upstairs somewhere and when I walked in and told them why I was there they seemed bewildered and confused. They told me that only Vodacom Direct can handle these enquiries and I told them I was sent to them by the other store.

We were off to a great start...

SO I got back to the "real" Vodacom store. This time there was a small gentleman at the door handing out numbers, I was relieved because surely if he handles the ticketing system he should know what's going on in the store. He first asked me what I was there for and I confidently told him, he wasn't sre what to do so he went to ask, I didn't understand why it seemed like I was the only person in Africa wanting to do this and I started doubting myself, I have to say my anxiety was kicking in a little. The gentleman got back and gave me a ticket with a number on. Here we go, I'm in the shop and someone is going to help me.

I don't think I can truly capture the emotion of the following moment but I'll try; As I am standing there waiting for my number to appear on the screen for about 10 minutes, the gentleman who gave me the number approaches and apologised but said he has given me a ticket for the incorrect queue, he gave me a new one and I was quite happy he picked up this little mistake before I got to the wrong person.

So I stand around waiting for this new number to appear and you know how you after a while start realising the people you came in with sort of get less and less and new people join the queue and they also get helped but you are still left standing waiting for your number to be called and you panic because you think you blinked and missed your number. This all happened during the next hour and a half. Eventually the one sales consultant who noticed I was sitting there for a long time apologetically came up and said if I have been helped. I said no and she offered to check my number. It was GONE. Somehow the ticket got lost in the system and never registered in the queue. I was annoyed because to be honest it's not that pleasant in the store, you can only look at so many screen protectors and cases for your phone before you want to move on with your life.

The sales consultant went to the guy who issued me a ticket and came back with a NEW number! A NEW number starting from the back of the queue guys. I didn't know what to say but I was already going to pay the small parking fees charged by Canal Walk so I got comfortable and waited my turn.

Just as I was about to re-dedicate my life to christ my number was called and I have never been so excited. I was greeted by a consultant and explained my enquiry. I said to her that I would like to transfer my account currently on my own name onto my registered business. She went off and got some forms. After a while she returned with a form and a piece of paper listing the documents she would need from me. I had them ALL, and I was so thrilled. Until... She looks at the list of documents required from the business and she says "We need a ID number of your business", I did not correct her by being condescending or patronising in any way and simple said: "You mean the Company Registration Document" and she said: "No ID number". I left it thinking I am being so stupid, how dare I question someone who's Job it is to handle these types of things.

I hand her all my Fica documents, enough to open a Business Loan at a Bank. She had no Idea what a CK document was because she asked me what that was and I just knew this is no easy task. I must be asking for the impossible.

She hands me the forms and without explaining to me which parts of it to complete she says I must complete it and got onto het mobile phone while I was filling in the form. She was on her phone even when I asked about certain parts but I pushed through. After completing the forms I handed it back to her with all the supporting documents, while she was checking them a manager walked past and she asked him to check if everything was there, he quickly checked and asked her where the "Transfer of ownership" page was, she went to the back office and came back with this piece of paper. I completed it and that was it, Amazing. So I thought. I was then told that Vodacom only handles about 100 of these a month and because of a backlog it might only be processed by MARCH 2018, MARCH 2018! It took me a while to accept this but ok, I'm just happy the ball is rolling, I just didn't know it was going uphill.

R50 parking later, I'm on my way home. 2 Days later I get a call, the application was INCOMPLETE and I would have to return to the shop. Maybe if someone only got off their phone and assisted me when I was there this wouldn't have been necessary. As I was wiping my tears of sadness and anger, accepting I have lost faith in Vodacom I agree to return because I didn't have to wait in the queue, I had an appointment set with someone.

So I return to Canal Walk where they claim they "Merge everything into a Majestical Setting". I get to the consultant who calls her manager who in turn apologises for the inconvenience because the consultant is new and doen't have the experience to deal with Business applications. I accepted it because we all start somewhere and it's not completely her fault she doesn't have the training and support from management to do her job properly. Also she's working retail which doesn't motivate you to be pro-active and a little ambitious to try and better oneself.

Back to the INCOMPLETE forms. They needed my Initial on one page and a letterhead for the Business indicating this request is in fact real. I drove 30 km to initial one page and had to e-mail a letterhead. R10 Parking to Canal Walk again. At this point I just accepted my fate and walked off with my tail between my legs like a dog that has just been kicked.

I e-mail the form on the 27th of December 2017 and that was basically the last I hear from them. I know this process is going to take some time as I was told so I call them around the end of February with no luck, a few times the consultant was out to lunch, I left a message and send a e-mail. I called again and she was off sick. Life happens and I waited a few more day, kepping in mind it wasn't March yet.

Beginning of March, I call again. The consultant isn't available and I was starting to get concerned over the general health and safety of this consultant so I ask for her Manager so I can see whet's going on. The operator at the store is very reluctant to put me through to any managers, doesn't matter how hard I try. I explained what I have been busy with and the operation says she will get a store manager to call me back. No one called. A few days go by and I try and call again, the Manager wasn't available at the time. I left another message. Later that day I missed a call from the store and when I called back I was denied the opportunity to be put through to the manager. I got angry and started speaking in a higher than normal pitch to the operator. I got through to the manager. He apologised and said he will get the Customer service manager to call me right back. I received a call back and was starting to feel better. The manager explained that he doesn't have all the details but will get the information from the consultant and call me back. I was feeling relieved that someone was looking into this for me.

WEEKS go by. I called again but now I have names so when I explain to the operator I get put through to someone. The consultant told me she has an update but will have go get the file and call me back. She actually called me back you guys.

My Application was DECLINED, she said to me "Your application was declined due to the credit score being low, You will have to contact the ITC". I asked if this was Vodacom's ITC department and she said "No, the ITC" I could tell she has no idea who TransUnion is so I didn't tell her, I'm sorry. I wasn't in the mood to be education people that day.

Now, here we are. Disappointed and sick of Vodacom. It's been a good relationship over the past 10-15 years (giving you R24000 annually to use your service) but at some point you have to end a bad relationship so as soon as my contract is up. I will make it my life mission to never ever, as far as I can have any Vodacom service for as long as I live.

I will smile again one day, perhaps, when you finally get bought out or rescued by another company because you have gone bankrupt and I will walk past the store remembering how you treat customers.