VODACOM MAKE YOU PAY FOR A MISTAKE THEY MADE

On the 29th of December 2022 I went to Vodacom in Randfontein to get the ITC number so I could go to the police to tell them that I had lost my phone. The consultant helping me picked up that I wasn't insured for the Samsung A72 I was using, the consultant who helped me on the previous claim did not update the insurance. As a result of this the device showing on their system was Samsung A7. He helped me get the ITC but told me, I'll need to go to Vodacom Westgate, the store that made the mistake. But they also helped me call the insurance to update the device. Amongst the people who helped me in Randfontein I remember Katlego because he is the one who helped me update the device.

Once I had found the case number from the police, I went back to Vodacom Randfontein because the guy who helped me update the insurance said maybe he could also help me with the claim. Now it was 30th of December. When he submitted the claim I was approved for R7600.00, which is way lower than the Samsung A72 I was claiming in respect of. I was told the insurance will calculate the betterment fee or the pay back premium amount and have it on Wednesday the 4th, since I was not happy with R7600.00. When I got hope I realised that whatever amount the insurance would come up with should not be paid by me because it's not my fault that a Vodacom consultant failed to do their job. I am neither the consultant, nor the person who hired the consultant. I never cancelled the insurance, and I have always known that the insurance if not cancelled it updates to the value of the new device. The how and why part didn't bother me because I knew it's done by their consultant, as long as I didn't cancel the insurance. On the 31st I went back to Vodacom in Randfontein to tell them I am not happy with paying whatever amount which is not access because it is not through my mistake that this inconvenience has been created for me. I paid all of my premiums, never reversed even one, by the time I lost the phone the sim card in it was the one insured on. Therefore it makes no sense that I should be the one paying all this. The consultant helping me called Vodacom Westgate, the first consultant we spoke to said they're checking something and left us on hold for over 30 minutes. We hung up and called again, but they refused to give us the name of the consultant we spoke to initially. Then there was a back and forth argument between the Randfontein consultant and Westgate consultant, the Randfontein consultant was explaining why they had to pay whatever the insurance comes up with since it's their mistake, not mine. Finally the Westgate consultant said I'd have to go to their store on Wednesday the 4th, for they didn't have the upgrade devices in the store.

Today is Wednesday the 4th, I went to Vodacom Westgate. I was there for over 3 hours, I was assisted by the assistant manager. Only today in my presence he called the insurance to understand if I am underinsured and why. I had to wait for him to do something he could have done before I got to the store since we had already called and gave them all the details on the 31st of December. The insurance gave him two amounts, one for betterment and it was above R2000, and the other was paying back the shortfall on premiums, he told them I'll pay the shortfall on premiums which is R629.09. I told them I wasn't going to pay any money except for access because even the shortfall is not my fault. I never underpaid my premiums. They debited my account every month and I never reversed and the debit order has never bounced. They took advantage of the fact that I currently am the one who is inconvenienced without a phone, they said without paying you'll not get help then. The assistant manager called a consultant without a nametag and said is the store manager. They agreed that they as the store made a mistake by not updating the insurance and the premiums. But said I should have checked if I was paying the right premiums, and because I never checked, then it's my problem, they're not paying. It's now my problem that Vodacom hires *********** consultants, who are negligent, and do not do their job right, and I have to pay for it. No ownership of the problem from the store assistant manager and store manager.

I haven't had a phone since the 27th of December to date, it's my life that is being inconvenienced, I then paid but told them I will file a formal complaint to their superiors and the ombuds, they appeared unbothered. After I had made the payment I sat and waited for over an hour to be told I still couldn't get the phone because their system was failing to update. I went back today, their system still hasn't updated.

I feel very inconvenienced and ****** by Vodacom Westgate. I took insurance so I never suffer such inconvenience, but here I am now. I want the store to pay back the money I paid for a mistake they made. It's not my fault that their consultant didn't do their job right. I also want them to pay for not respecting my time and life at large. They have no idea at all what that phone has disconnected me from and they certainly don't care.

Would recommend Vodacom to a friend or family member, nope. I would not recommend Vodacom even to my worst enemy. Vodacom Westgate, next to GAME is store that takes no responsibility for mistakes their consultants made.

Also, when I asked for complaints channels they gave me the ombuds email address, a process they know is long and tiring. Which means Vodacom has not made it easy for their clients to express their dissatisfactions, maybe it's because they just simply don't care.

Thank you.