Silo'd and defunct systems, with call centre agents unable to assist

<p>The story starts on 1 March, where I try and use the cheapest channel possible (for Vodacom), online, to manage my upgrade. Unfortunately, the system was down (although this information is not shown to the user) so the system just ran in an infinite loop. So I tried to use the online chat, to then be told that the system is in fact down, but if I gave her my number, she would call me back to complete it over the phone. Next day, no call (after having told a friend of mine that she was too pessimistic thinking that they would not call back). Tuesday, do actually get a call back, saying that the system was down on Monday too, which is why she could not call yesterday. GREAT. I can accept that. So we process my upgrade over the phone, and the process is not very painful. </p> <p> </p> <p>I was supposed to receive my phone on the 9th, but there was a power failure at the office, so I call to see if they can deliver it to my home where I will now need to work for the day. That requires an email to be sent to a different department, so I decided that 1 more day would not **** me, and changed the date to the next day, and waited. </p> <p> </p> <p>GOT THE PHONE, GREAT EXCITEMENT. Start setting it up, and notice that the speaker is faulty - it is breaking up. Disappointment beyond belief, I needed this handset for a company trip happening the next week, and had specifically gotten it for the fact that it is waterproof. </p> <p> </p> <p>Call the call centre. Suggest that I could just take this faulty unit back to a store and replace.</p> <p>VC: No mam, that is not possible. </p> <p>ME: Why? It is all Vodacom</p> <p>VC: The stores are franchised. </p> <p>ME: But surely you have the type of relationship with your franchisees that you can make a plan to make this go away? </p> <p>VC: No we don't. </p> <p>ME: So what do we have to do? </p> <p>VC: We need to come and collect the device from you, and then we need to cancel the upgrade, and start a new upgrade process</p> <p>ME: So once we start the new process, how long will it take me to get my phone? </p> <p>VC: 7 - 14 working days</p> <p>ME: But I need the phone for a trip next week. </p> <p>VC: Oh, no, we cannot do it that quickly. They do not work on the weekends. </p> <p>ME: Is there no solution we can come to? </p> <p>VC: No, we need to cancel and restart the process.</p> <p>That was a 45 minute call on Friday 10 March, which ended with me asking the manager of the call centre to please find a solution that he thought would please me and get back to me. </p> <p> </p> <p>I got no response. </p> <p> </p> <p>Get back from my trip, and call the call centre on Sunday . Another 45 minutes on the phone, where I am told that they will only be able to collect the phone on Wednesday because of an email to A and a process with B. </p> <p>ME: I have been a client of Vodacom's for 17 years, could you let me know how much I have spent with you in those 17 years? </p> <p>VC: No mam, we would need to put you through to the billing department to do that. </p> <p> </p> <p>ME: Have you been empowered at all to make me, the customer, satisfied? </p> <p>VC: No mam, we have to follow the process</p> <p> </p> <p>ME: If I went onto social media, do you think that I would get a different response? </p> <p>VC: I am not sure mam</p> <p> </p> <p>ME: Can I speak to a manager please? </p> <p>VC: He is busy, he can call you back</p> <p>ME: When? <br />VC: Tomorrow.</p> <p>ME: I am busy tomorrow, you saying that I have to fit into his schedule after having spent 2 hours trying to resolve your ****py systems? </p> <p>VC: Let me see what I can do... </p> <p> </p> <p>So at this point, I have spent 2 hours of my life trying to get this sorted out. Finally speak to someone called Tersius, who was courteous, but is still not empowered in any way to change the way that this conversation is going. He did offer, after he checked my spend, to add me to the VIP customer service club. Well, that's great I say, but why should all your other customers continue to get ****py service? </p> <p> </p> <p>I have been trying to get my phone for 22 days now. When I called the call centre again today to see where the courier is (no comms from them about when I should expect them, just have to wait around all day, ot even believing that they are going to come now...) I asked to speak to a manager, and got put on hold for 30 minutes, and they finally ended the call asking me whether I was satisfied. Clearly not, so now waiting to see if Vodacom pays any attention to these surveys that they run, and whether the person that actually calls me, will be able to solve my problem.... </p> <p> </p> <p>So here is the question Vodacom. Why are your systems and processes so archaic? If I buy something online at Woolworths, I can return it at any Woolworths store. Why not with you? Why have you not empowered your team to solve the problems that your processes create? Do you really only trust people to follow a script? I cannot believe that you will get delightful customer service out of that. And why, why why why are the ridiculously expensive channels the only ones that actually work? You did not notify RAM that I was going to be out of the country, and so you wasted 2 x call out fees, when you had the information that I was not going to be in town. Why do your online channels not work? They are consistently down. Actually when I called just now, I was told it was down, and I asked Daphne what we should do now, and her suggestion was that I call back in an hour. THAT I CALL BACK IN AN HOUR???? Where is the customer's experience taken into account in all your processes? </p> <p> </p> <p>RAM has now collected the device, and I expect that someone will call me back so that we can start another upgrade process.... But I am really unsure at this time.... </p> <p> </p> <p>Also, stop telling people to downlod the app. It does not work. Another place that you are pouring money into redesign after redesign and it cannot even do the basics. So disappointing. </p> <p> </p>