Terrible service from vodacom for a prepaid sim swap

<p> </p> <p>Good day</p> <p> </p> <p>I would like to lodge a formal complaint regarding the disgusting service I have received at the hands of Vodacom. On 19 December my phone was ****** and I had to call Vodacom to block the sim. I was informed by the agent to get a sim card so that I can process the sim swap. I then purchased a sim card and called Vodacom on the Friday to process the sim swap but I was then informed that I needed a “3vd” simcard as my number used to be a contract but is now a prepaid and I therefore need this special sim to process the sim swap. Something I was not informed before by the previous agent I spoke to in the call centre. I then went to the vodashop in Canal walk and the agent at the vodashop informed me that I did not need this special sim card and that I should just bring in a copy of my id,proof of address and R20 to process the sim swap. I did not have these documentation with me as I had been informed otherwise by the call centre. I then went to the vodashop in n1 city with the documents I was told to bring with and they then informed me that I need to bring the affidavit that says that I lost my prepaid sim. Yet again I was told the incorrect information and wasted my time. I then went to the vodashop in strand street with the proof of address, id and the affidavit. This now my third visit to a vodashop to action a prepaid sim swap. I was then informed that my number shows on the system as a contract number even though the contract had been cancelled months ago and the number has been prepaid. I was then informed that my friend who took out the contract that I was using needs to come in to the Vodacom with me to do a transfer of ownership for this prepaid number before I can process a sim swap. Again no sim swap was actioned. I then went to the Vodashop on Saturday 7 January 2016 with my friend who owned the terminated contract and they informed me that as it is a pre paid number a transfer of ownership does not need to be done and they can just do the sim swap. Again I was given the incorrect information. This is now the fourth visit to a vodashop and still no sim swap was actioned.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>I then processed the sim swap and paid the R20 to do the sim swap and the agent who assisted me informed me that the sim swap had been processed. I then left my phone off for 24 hours but it did not work when I inserted the sim card. I then called customer acre and they informed me that the sim swap had never been processed and they then processed the sim swap and advised that I need to leave my phone off overnight and by morning the sim swap would be working but when I inserted my sim again it just said emergency calls and I could not access the internet or make any calls. I called Vodacom and the first agent said I should keep my phone off for 24 full hours and then check again as the sim swap is busy going through. I did this. Did not work. Called again and the next agent informed me after 15 minutes on the line that he cannot help me as I have a contract number EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT A CONTRACT. He proceeded to transfer me to the contract department where the agent informed me that from her side the sim swap looks like it went through and the problem must be with the sim card. I asked the agent if she could log a service request to be sure she said this was not necessary and after I explained how long I had been struggling with this problem she said that I had to go to the shop again and buy another sim card and she would call me back the next day. I bought the sim card and waited for her call. She never called me back. I called again that same evening and the agent placed me on hold and then dropped the call.</p> <p> </p> <p>Yesterday at around 14:54 I called again and the agent that I spoke to wanted to first transfer me to prepaid as soon as I informed him of this story and I told him the previous prepaid agent that I had spoken to told me that because the number shows up as contract on your system that the prepaid department cannot view the information. The agent then informed me that the system is slow but he will just check my number and gave it to him. He then placed me on hold for about 5 minutes not once coming back to me to inform me that he is still waiting on the system or apologize for the long wait. He then came back after 5 minutes and when I asked him what took so long as he was just checking the number and it should not take that long. He very rudely informed me that he told me that the system is slow and why am I asking questions. I informed him that it is my right as a customer and he does not need to give me an attitude before I could say anything further he dropped the line on me. I have been with Vodacom for over 10 years and have always been loyal to Vodacom. I used to even be employed by Vodacom at their head office but I have never in my life experienced such disgusting service. The call center staff are completely rude unprofessional and completely *********** and the vodashops are the exact same way but at least they treat you a lot better that the call center staff. I know that a prepaid sim swap is something that should go quickly and be done easily but I have been struggling for almost two months to get this done. This is pathetic and someone in charge needs to get this done immediately. People should know how much Vodacom’s service has digressed over the years. When I was employed at Vodacom you would have been fired for giving such bad service these days there are no consequences so the call center staff especially do not care at all how badly they treat the loyal customers. Please contact me urgently to sort this out.</p> <p> Current number: ********** 260</p> <p> </p> <p>Number to be sim swapped: ********** 651</p> <p> </p> <p>Regards</p> <p>Roy du Toit</p>