VODACOM - SHOCKING SERVICE !!!

<p>I had very quick and very good service when I intially requested to have a new contract opened. I asked that my prepaid number be ported over to the contract and I was assured that this would be done. I was also told that my contract would be included with the phone being delivered to me. It was not. I asked the courier and he said that contracts are never included in the parcels. The consultant I had spoken to said that my bank account would be debited 48 hours after I received my phone. I received two sms reminders that this would be done as well.</p> <p> </p> <p>I then phoned Vodacom to request that my new SIM be activated and was told to call back because their systems were offline. I said that I would leave my number and one of their consultants could phone me back. This never happened, so I had to call again. I was told that my new SIM would be activated and my number ported within 3 days. 3 days later, my new phone still could only make emergency calls and my pre-paid SIM was still working in my old phone. So I called AGAIN to find out what the delay was.</p> <p> </p> <p>The consultant I spoke to this time said that my contract HAD been activated, but on a different SIM card to the one that had been sent to me! He then said that they would have to do a SIM swop and that this would take THREE HOURS to activate. I told him that I would give them 15 minutes to sort out this problem and that they had to call me back.</p> <p> </p> <p>I got a call back shortly after, but after the initial greeting, I was put on hold. I hung up. I got two subsequent phone calls from customer care that cut off immediately after the initial greeting. I then proceeded to post requests to cancel on various Vodacom Facebook pages and also sent an instant message. None of these messages were ever returned.</p> <p> </p> <p>I subsequently phoned the cancellations department where a very arrogant young guy kept trying to convince me of how wrong I was. He also enlightened me to the fact that it is IMPOSSIBLE to port a number from pre-paid to contract and that, in spite of his TWO colleagues assurances to the contrary, it would never have happened. He also said that a refund of the money I had been reminded would be deducted every so promptly, would take up to FIVE MONTHS to refund to me, because "they have to follow processes". He also said that the cancellations process cannot go "all my way" and that he will prove it to me. I informed the consultant that I would go to my bank and reverse the charges, saving myself considerable stress and wasted time! </p> <p> </p> <p>After my "new" phone is collected within 48 hours, I will have to phone Vodacom again, because it is impossible for them to call me. FANTASTIC customer service!!!! They will have to log a service call with the "back office" to actually cancel my contract, since it's already been activated. Keep in mind that nowhere during the recorded conversation I had with a consultant is it ever mentioned that cancelling would be this enormous production! I simply got told that i could cancel within 14 days of receiving the phone, no questions asked. </p> <p> </p> <p>THIS is why I will be moving to CELL C!!!!</p>