Poor service delivery

I am writing this from an extremely disgruntled and overwhelmed place. As a loyal Vodacom customer I did not expect to be treated as if I am an inconvenience asking for professional and efficient service. The device in question was booked in thrice in the span of just over 1 year, November 2022 being the contract start date.

The first time I visited the Canal Walk repair store, the store consultant informed me that the phone coming off the hinges is not Vodacoms problem and that it is a general issue with the Samsung Galaxy Z-FLIP 4 and that they have had many Flip 4s returned.

I then had another encounter with the Vodacom repair store in Canal walk on 22 January 2024. To my surprise I saw was told by the floor assistant (who seemed quite annoyed with me) that THE DEVICE HAD WATER DAMAGE . I then requested to speak to a manager, however, I was informed that there was no manager in store and that the manager would contact me the next day. When I requested to speak to a technician, I was directed to another floor assistant who then created the job for my device to be booked in.

I called Vodacom repair store on 6 February 2024, to follow up as I have NOT received ANY correspondence besides an automated email on 22 January 2024 informing me that the device was booked in. The consultant advised that they have been trying to get hold of me via call and also sent an SMS with an invoice (WHICH I HAVE NOT RECEIVED). I had asked her to confirm the contact details on record and even went as far as checking my call history, emails and text messages as I thought that I might have missed the communication. To my surprise, she informed me that I have been quoted R14 000 for the repair- due to “PHYSICAL DAMAGE”. Which baffles me as the phone is still under a 2 year warranty and insured. To be quite honest, the phone is very well taken care of and has been COMPLETELY DEAD more than what it has been used. So I would like to know what “PHYSICAL/ WATER DAMAGE” Vodacom is quoting for. I am disgusted at Vodacoms poor service delivery! The device is not even worth the value being quoted for repair and I am expected to incur these costs. Even if I do manage to claim from insurance, I will be liable to pay a hefty access fee which is ridiculous as I have paid my contract on time, without any fail even though the phone has been of little to no use.

To my surprise, on 23 February a consultant called me to inform me that the device had been repaired and was ready for collection. I then proceeded to ask her about the costs as I had no prior communication from Vodacom, to which she responded that the phone was repaired under warranty. I told her I would then collect the phone that very evening. After arriving at the store, the same consultant that I had spoken to telephonically asked for my Job number and then went to collect the phone from the back of the store. She then asked me whether I disputed the quote and I said yes as I refused to pay the repair fee of R14 000 out of pocket. She then informed me that the phone was not repaired. I was infuriated as she had called me and informed me that the device was repaired and ready for collection. This was my worst encounter with any service provider to date. The consultant became aggressive and continued to argue with me that she did not mention that the device was repaired.

She also mentioned that the previous consultant “messed up” and that I have to make contact with the insurance in order to update my device information as the incorrect device was insured (which is absolutely ridiculous as I have not been informed about this before and I only ever had one Samsung product with Vodacom).

Quite frankly, it seems now as if Vodacom is running out of options to GET OUT OF COVERING COSTS THAT THEY ARE LIABLE FOR.

At this stage I am going to cancel ALL contracts as I want nothing to do with a company that causes me so much stress and anxiety. I am baffled by how I still have still not received any communication from a manager after each encounter I have had with Vodacom. This is APPAULING customer service. I do hope that I get a response or any sort of acknowledgement from Vodacom. I wish to receive the service that Vodacom offers when they sold the device contract to me.