Vodacom's Incompetence At It's Best!

<p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">On 8th March 17, I decided to upgrade my Vodacom contract from a Samsung Galaxy S5 / Uchoose Smart M Top Up to a Samsung Galaxy S7 on the same price plan. Daneel was my consultant and was knowledgeable, friendly and was happy to assist me. The Vodacom registration system was extremely slow and it took me 1 hour and 30 mins to complete an upgrade (strike 1!).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">Daneel took me through all the available price plans and after much discussions, I chose to stay on my current price plan which was no longer available. She was happy for me to stay on the same price plan and proceeded. I noticed that on my contract it stated, "SMART M" with the "Top Up Activation" box marked with an "x" to indicate my price plan, I queried this (3 times) with her and she said that I should not worry and that it was my old price plan. She made it clear that my old price plan was not available but I could carry it over onto my new contract - I was happy with the service as it will only cost me R100 for my new device. Daneel promised that my price plan would stay the same, I would just need to transfer everything from my S5 to my S7 accordingly.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">Working within a customer service environment myself, I was patient throughout the process as Daneel was patient with me. I agreed to pay the R150.00 administration fee, I swiped my debit card for it but before I did so, I said I wanted to purchase a few accessories. She insisted I swipe and I agreed to swipe separately for the accessories (inconvenient but I'm sure she wanted to share the sale or price of the accessories with her colleague which is not great from a customer perspective but helps with commission earnings as I presume), I then purchased a cover for my new Samsung Galaxy S7 and a screen protector. I paid for the screen protector +R289 and the phone cover +R220 - I paid whilst the goods were being opened. Whilst I was excited for the screen protector to placed on my new phone, the protector was cracked (strike 2!). The response was, "Oh sorry ma'am, I am unable to refund you, you may choose an alternative protector, Murphy's law - no more protectors for the S7 (strike3!). Willingly I took the S5 screen protector in another brand which cost me an additional R80 more although I just upgraded and needed a S7 screen protector but because they can't refund accessories (even cracked ones), I had to incur the cost - makes no sense as it wasn't my fault that it was cracked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">I was tired at this stage and wanted to leave the store - how does an upgrade take 1 hour and 30 minutes and then after purchasing a screen protector, I am told it cannot be refunded because it was cracked even though they took it off the shelf to sell to me, I didn't even hand it in my hand! </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">The last 25 days (8 Mar 17 - 2 April 17) was blissful on my new contract until I attempted to purchase a data bundle via cellphone banking and received an error code that my cellphone number was invalid. I then attempted to purchase data via Vodacom's App, again my cellphone number was invalid. Within the last 24 months, this process became a norm for me as I was used to purchasing online when I ran out of data. Because I am so reliant on my cellphone and price plan for work, I needed to get the matter sorted and took the 45 minute drive to the Canal Walk store. Daneel was available but was assisting a customer. Another consultant assisted me and told me regretfully that I was placed on the Smart M plan with an open line which is why I was receiving the error code. I asked if I was not placed on my original Uchoose Smart M Top Up plan and she said "no" (strike 4!). I expressed my dissatisfaction and asked if the mater could be resolved as I was losing time to work and needed the data, she told me I would need to wait 3 months to migrate to a new price plan (strike 5!). As I expressed my concerns with the service and the need for help, the manager chose to ignore my reaction and did not even come closer to check how she could assist, she allowed her consultant to be placed under pressure (strike 6!). </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">I left completely helpless and decided to call Vodacom when I got home. Just before <a style="font-size: 11.701pt; line-height: 140%;" href="calendar:T1:3pm">3pm</a>, <a style="font-size: 11.701pt; line-height: 140%;" href="calendar:T5:today">today</a> (2 April 17), I sent Vodacom a message to call me as their email service is not available. I spoke to Pheliswa in the Bellville Office who said that I can migrate to my old plan but only after 1 month (Come on , it's been 25 days!). Why did the consultant in store say 3 months and now a telephonic consultant says 1 month? (strike 7!)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">Pheliswa then told me that I would need to migrate - why, when Daneel promised me I was on the same plan even after I queried the name on my contract. She said it was the same and even marked the "top up activation authorization" with an "x" to assure me I have access to my same plan (strike 8!). </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">I requested to speak to Pheliswa's manager, she was in a meeting (Zainab Mohamed), I asked to speak to an alternative team leader but she said that there are no team leaders available and that operational managers does not work on a Sunday. She also advised that the shift ends at 15h30 so there is nobody whom I am able to escalate to and told me to rather go back to store. I asked for her surname but she said that was all she could give and refused to give me her staff number too (u-number) so that I could hold Vodacom and it's BPO partner accountable. I said that I would hold and wait. Pheliswa dropped my call (this is call avoidance and is a dismissible offence within the contact center industry - gross misconduct!) - strike 9! So much for wanting to improve their NPS scores! </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">I called Vodacom back and during this time, Pheliswa called me back to advise that Brenton/Brendon Matthews would call me back in 20 minutes, that was at 15h10, it is now 16h43 - not 20 minutes at all (strike 10!).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">I called back at 16h43 and was answered by an advisor in Johannesburg, namely Katano Mfolo (Team Leader: Tshepo / Ops Manager: Lebo – after searching these via the global address book, no results could be found. I gave Katano the benefit of the doubt as these could be their nicknames), after completing the security check, I was immediately placed on hold for approximately 10 minutes and she insisted I be transferred to the Upgrades Department (which is closed!) or be transferred to the Solutions Department – How can she not help me if Pheliswa could clearly give me my details via her system access? I requested to speak to her team leader, she placed on a lengthy hold yet again! She came back and like Pheliswa offered me a call back from her team leader, she could not provide me with a timescale and I made her aware that I had already been placed on 2 lengthy hold sessions. Once again, she placed me on hold. It is now 17h16…34 minutes on a call with Kotano and no potential resolution (her poor AHT and hold targets!) It’s 17h24, Katano comes back to me and offers another callback from her team leader, I decline and advise that I am willing to speak to any available team leader, she declines and says that her team leader will call her back. I make her aware that her AHT and hold is being impacted, she places me back on hold without asking. It’s 17h34 – 10 minutes on hold, no sign of team leader availability. Should I affect the abandon rate or not? I chose not too, I choose to hold. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">At 16h40, Refilwe Ma***we, team leader (Ops Manager: Masego Mothabi) attended to call, she tried to place me back on my old price plan but was unsuccessful, she escalated my problem and promised to call me back <a style="font-size: 11.701pt; line-height: 140%;" href="calendar:T5:tomorrow">tomorrow</a>, she agreed to send me the reference number via sms (not yet received by 18h02) but I am confident that I will receive it. Refilwe handled me in a decent manner and she really tried to help me before escalating my problem to the relevant department. She was the only one who apologized to me <a style="font-size: 11.701pt; line-height: 140%;" href="calendar:T5:today">today</a>. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">All I want is: </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">1. For my price plan to be migrated to my legacy price plan (before I upgraded on 8<sup style="font-size: 11.701pt; line-height: 140%;">th</sup> March 2017) without incurring costs</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">2. For Vodacom/BPO partners to invest in staff training especially conflict resolution in order to improve their efficiency and ability to resolve on first contact (in store and telephonic training)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">3. For their in store consultants to do what they promise </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">4. Lastly, to place their customer first</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">My request is not rocket science but it feels as though I am being handed the middle finger. I never raise complaints to Vodacom because believe it or not, I'm one of a few happy customers. You receive my direct debit payment on time. One small slip up and you ***** my Sunday afternoon due to a fault from your end. Not great. I've been a customer since 2002 - 15 years later and you have finally lived up to your expectations! Yuk!</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.701pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 140%;">10 strikes later and all I want is a price plan change - come on!</span></p>