Pushed from pillar to post after 20 years of loyalty

Vodacom - you have really shown how important your loyal customers are to you. Recently I decided to change my contract and move to prepaid - however after visiting your store in Craighall Park Valley Centre, I signed up to your Smart Plus top up contract for R300 with 600 minutes, 600 SMS and 1GB data. I signed this on the 30th October, to be activated on the 1st November. The experience I have had since signing up this contract has been shocking. On the 1st November, when I noticed I could not call, nor I had data - I contacted the call centre only to find out that the Valley Store had placed me on the wrong package and I was due to pay over R900. I informed the call centre that this was incorrect and was told to visit the store where I signed the contract as Customer Care cannot assist. I proceeded to drive there and requested the store to change the package- which they had confirmed they would do so. Saturday 4th November, I was still unable to call and still had no data/SMS. I called the call centre again and was put through 3 different departments (each time, I had to explain my issue over, which was extremely frustrating). The last person I spoke to in the "sales team" told me that the contract had been cancelled and I was back on prepaid... and to sort this out, I had to go back to the store as the account is locked by the store. Upon complaining about my experience to this agent I was given the name of the CFOG Garry Haggle and received an SMS to confirm his telephone number and that by contacting him, he would assist me in reinstating my contract. So, let me understand this - the call centre can't help me because apparently the account/contract is locked by the franchised store (this is what I was told), but the CFO can help me reinstate it? Why do you even have a customer care, sales team then? when they easily pass on the escalations to the CFO? or redirect customers back to the store. What type of customer experience are you giving? I've been pushed from pillar to post - simply due to incompetency of your store staff which failed to activate the right contract. I was once again inconvenienced by having to travel to the store to sort it out. Only today, 6th November - am I able to call and I have the data. I am utterly disappointed by the lack of support, care and understanding received by the call centre and store staff. After being a loyal customer for so many years with subscription for my entire family - I didn't even get an honest apology, until I requested one. Let's not mention the inconvenience of traveling to the store 3 times and inconvenience for not being able to call for 6 days. I will be charged the normal R300 fee for the month, when for 6 days I was unable to use my services? Furthermore, let's not forget that I had 1G data loaded when I was on prepaid and moved onto the bring your own device contract which I've now last. Whilst you can state to have the best network, you have clearly demonstrated that customers experience is not your priority. You've manage to burn the trust of a loyal customer of 20 years with one SIMPLE contract transition thanks to your *********** staff at the store and lack of empathy & support from your call centre. Well Done!