The customer is not always wrong (at Vodacom)

I am as delighted as I was surprised by friendly, efficient service. Talk about going above and beyond, Chris Wilke at Vodacom in the V&A Waterfront spent around 2 hours understanding my problem, solving it and making sure that I understood. I was at my wit’s end after more than two months of being mucked around by another Vodacom branch and their selected repair company while trying to get an insured, faulty phone fixed or at least properly assessed. I was eventually advised to go to the branch where we bought the phone (V&A Waterfront). I emailed about an hour in advance and was greeted by the knowledgeable Chris as I arrived. Unlike his counterparts at other stores, Chris did not offer excuses and reasons why this must be my fault (the customer is always wrong). He listened and apologised, explained why we are not as well insured as we thought we were, and suggested a few possible solutions. I left with a new phone and another contract (to sell me air for a fortune) so not a bad deal for Vodacom, but also with a discount thanks to a trade-in on the old phone, an understanding of the terms of the contract and insurance, some tips on maximising the phone contract, and my faith restored.