Unprofessional customer service from Vodacom led me to change service providers

<p>I have been a loyal customer at Vodacom for the last 10 years, and 3 weeks ago, I was due for an upgrade, so I visited the Vodacom in Brooklyn Mall. There I was presented with various options to choose from. I was mainly interested in the new Sony Experia XZ, as displayed in the store and in the booklets of Vodacom as part of their newest deals. I requested a Sony Experia XZ immediately, to which they responded that they do not have in stock and they do not know when they will get again, but they refered me to the Menlyn vodacom stores. I drove over to Menlyn mall, and upon arrival at the vodacom store, there was already a queue. I waited for about 20 minutes before someone approached me. I asked them to check if they have Sony Experia XZ phones available, to which he said he'll go and check. He disappeared for 15 minutes and by that time my patience was wearing thin. He returned and said they don't have stock, but refered me to the other stores in Menlyn mall. The second vodacom store said they do not know when last they actually had a Sony and they don't think they'll get any. The third vodacom story in Menlyn just responded no and she turned around and walked away.</p> <p> </p> <p>By that time, I was already very fed up with Vodacom's service and their lack of enthusiasm to make a plan. I phoned Vodacom Brooklyn as a last resort and asked them if they could order me a phone. They said "no problem", and assured me that it would arrive either on Wednesday or Thursday. So I waited, and by Thursday I hadn't heard anything from them, so I called and the lady at the Vodacom in Brooklyn said that she doesn't know when it will arrive...she advised me to call again in a week and ask again...but she said that she'll probably say the same thing again. Later that evening, a guy from Vodacom Brooklyn phoned me to say that they do not have the phone. I asked him if he had any idea when they will be receiving new stock and he said he had no idea. I told him that I am considering moving over to another service provider as they also have deals on the Sony Experia XZ. He asked whether they had phones in stock to which I relp**** yes. He then told me that I should change to the other service provider instead. </p> <p> </p> <p>After that, I decided to cancel my contract at Vodacom with immediate effect. That whole process was just as painful. I contacted the Vodacom contract retention number and after various questions, the lady assured me that the contract is cancelled. Just to make sure that my contract had actually been cancelled, I checked at a Vodacom store in Menlyn Maine. There the lady said that my contract has not been changed and that it is the same as the past two years. I called the contract retention number again, to which he stated that he will send me an email in which the fee is indicated that is still outstanding on my contract as it technically only ends at the end of May. Up until today I have still not received any email from Vodacom. </p> <p> </p> <p>After 2 hours of waiting, I walked into one of the Menlyn Vodacom stores to find out how I can get an email and pay any fees still outstanding to be free of Vodacom. The very unhelpful man told me it is impossible to end the contract with immediate effect and that it will take a month. He then added that if I throw my toys out of the cot, I might get it right in 7 days. By this stage I was fuming. I phoned again and everytime I need to explain to the operator that I have tried to end my contract numerous times before. The lady who picked up the phone indicated to me that the previous guy I phoned did not ensure the cancellation of the contract with immediate effect, and only scheduled for a cancellation at the end of May.</p> <p> </p> <p>At last, she corrected it to end immediately, so that the number can be released after 24 hours. Thereafter I went over to the other service provider and signed my contract. The people were very helpful and had stock of the Sony Experia XZ as seen in the April 2017 booklet. </p>