Vodacom breach of promise and unfair business practice

<p>I believe the network has handled my account *********ly and have exhibited unfair business practices to my detriment, resulting in extreme financial prejudice to my detriment.</p> <p> </p> <p>On the 30th of April 2016 my 2gig data contract was due to expire, I went into Vodacom to upgrade this to a 3gig data contract.</p> <p>The person in store accidentally cancelled my contract, and asked me to come in the following day,</p> <p>The next day (01/05/16) the system was down, I left my contact details with the consultant and arranged to see him the following day,</p> <p>Despite having my details and knowing the system was down the store consultant failed to contact me and I went in again (02/05/16) only to be told the system was still down.</p> <p>On the 3rd of May 2016 (my fourth consecutive day) I was given the handset and told activation would take between 24-48 hours.</p> <p>On each occasion I was made to wait in a queue that took between 45min to an hour before I was seen, despite the consultant seeing me stand in line.</p> <p>I believe that this indicates Vodacom’s indifference to both my time and financial constraints (travelling costs)</p> <p> </p> <p>Notwithstanding the above, in the 40days that followed I contacted every department in Vodacom begging for assistance,</p> <p>I was instructed by Vodacom employees to purchase data in small bundles as once my contract come through all existing data and airtime will be wiped away.</p> <p>As I result I have spent on estimate R800 on data for the month of May 2016. This is an amount I cannot afford and I have informed Vodacom employees several times of this fact.</p> <p>Notwithstanding the above Vodacom has REFUSED to expedite this matter and has vehemently taken a stance on refusing to give me feedback.</p> <p>I have given assurances by several Vodacom’s employees in managerial positions that this matter would be resolved “by end of day”, this was in May 2016. All of which have been dishonoured.</p> <p>I have complained on facebook to no avail, and have attached a few correspondence that I received via email. My query still unresolved.</p> <p>I have been in store no less than 20 times and The store Manger AZI from Eastgate can confirm the same,</p> <p>As neither Azi nor Baldwin at the Eastgate store have ever honoured their promise to return my call necessitating the same.</p> <p> </p> <p>I have explained to the store the cost I am incurring and that the same is uneconomical for me as I am spending what it would cost me for a year on the 3 gig contract in a single month.</p> <p>Notwithstanding the above the store has been completely apathetic. I personally called Vodacoms legal department on several occasions to request them to remove the “pre-legal” status</p> <p>From my account to process the contract as I was informed telephonically by the sales department that this was the problem. Despite assurances by each legal consultant that this was done,</p> <p>It took several more calls, The legal team also failed to follow up with me despite assurances that they would investigate why “pre-legal” can’t be removed.</p> <p> </p> <p>I then called the technical department on a dozen of occasions where I was given conflicting advice (It is no longer on “pre-legal” contact sales to process/</p> <p>Your number is on prepaid there is no problem/ You have a 2gig contract contact data services to get your 2 gig/ You must liaise with legal we cannot assist you, they will log a complaint)</p> <p>This exercise has resulted in hours of my time being wasted as each and every department passed the buck. Customer service has refused to assist me.</p> <p>Each time I call into customer service the consultant will not place me through to a manager unless I explain my problem, after this is done the customer service rep insists on “helping me/ investigating the merits of my claim”</p> <p>Before I can be put through to a manager (You’re on prepaid, so what’s the problem? But I told you, you are on prepaid? If you want a contract you must go in store, we can’t help you here)</p> <p>Promises of Manager who will return my call – which never materialise.</p> <p>When I insist I will wait as it is blatantly clear Vodacom employees are forbidden to return a call, I am asked to stay on hold for 30 mins – 1 hour.</p> <p>Thereafter the team leader assures me he will personally look into the same, resolve the query and call me back with feedback – (Spoiler – it doesn’t happen)</p> <p> </p> <p>In regards to customer care you cannot speak to the same person even if you ask for the person by name, They can Not call you back as this is disallowed (only a team leader can – which I have unfortunately not experienced as yet)</p> <p>Further customer care cannot follow up a matter for you, you must do that yourself (How? By calling in everyday completing the security clearance and logging the same grievence)</p> <p>Also your security clearance expires after 24hours thereafter a new customer care rep must assist you.</p> <p> </p> <p>Today after 43 days, much tears and begging – I literally cried several times in store and on the phone (Nobuhle in legal agreed with me that Vodacom sucks and seemed very apologetic – she still didn’t call me back as promised though), numerous expensive trips in store, an unprecedented inconvenience, and sever financial damage to my bank account, Azi called to say she gives up I must port my number to another network and can I come drop of the device that I took. Further I must go to standard bank and reverse the unauthorised debit orders myself. As I have been charged in both May 2016 and June 2016 for 2 gigs of data, yet I received NO DATA. This was raised to numerous customer service representatives and managers.</p> <p>All of whom assured me my query would be resolved and the debit reversed- this has yet to take effect. I informed Azi she can fetch the device from me.</p> <p> </p> <p>Please can you investigate this matter as I would like compensation for the financial damage I incurred as a result of Vodacom and the representations/ omissions made by Vodacom’s employees.</p> <p>I would also like to see Vodacom reprimanded in some way for this unfair business practise.</p> <p> </p> <p>Any indulgence provided by me toward Vodacom is not to be construed as a novation of any of my rights, which are reserved.</p> <p> </p>