Vodacom exhibits double standards

After being a loyal customer for over ten years at a high level contract (and not being in arrears) my account status was downgraded due to an old debt that resurfaced. The only reason it even cropped up was because I app**** for an additional service, otherwise the status quo would have remained intact. After being told that I no longer qualified for a package that included a smartphone, regardless of my account conduct with Vodacom themselves, I purchased a device from another supplier. I phoned Vodacom to cancel my contract having become thoroughly disillusioned with the so-called 'service' provider. At that point, I was put through to the retentions department who offered me the very phone I had just bought, in order to retain my account!! Having just paid cash for the very same device, of course, there would be no point in accepting this most surprising new offer. <br> So here's a tip - if you cannot get what you want, threaten to cancel your contract but don't buy a new phone before you do that - chances are you'll get one when they realise you're withdrawing your money. Accounts are valuable, it would seem, but only when you threaten to close them.