Vodacom Store Poor Customer Service

I bought a Samsung Galaxy A15 on 30 January 2024 (or 31st January) at the Vodacom Eikestad Mall store, in Stellenbosch, along with a fast charging adapter that was recommended to me for my device. In early November 2024, I started experiencing issues when I was charging my phone - my phone would sometimes take 2 hours or more to charge (it even got to a point where it took 8 hours) - so I took it back to the store and told them what was happening. Upon arrival at the store, the man assisting me tested my phone using my charger and it was working well (recall how what was happening only occurred sometimes) and I didn't have photographic evidence of what was happening so I was sent back home and was told to come back after 2 days if the issue persisted. Unsurprisingly, I was back at the store again but this time I made an effort to take screenshot everytime I charged my phone so I wouldn't be turned away again. When I told him what was happening again, he mentioned how it could be a software update and I told him that I had updated my software as soon as the notification came in so it couldn'tbe that and I even went as far as changing the place I charged my phone, so I showed the screenshot and he finally believed me. I was then told that the adapter was probably the issue (I bought a Supa Fly adapter from the store, originally) so he made me exchange my adapter for a Samsung resulting in me paying an extra R100 for my new adapter. Given what had happened the first time around, I asked what I should do if the issue still persisted and I was told to return the phone to the Eikestad Mall store and they would exchange it for a new one which would take 2 weeks but I told them that I was going home (Gqeberha) in 2 days so they told me I could go to a Vodacom Store back home.

Unsurprisingly again, the issue continued so I took my phone to the Vidacom store closest to my home (the one at the Boardwalk Mall) and without me finishing what I was saying, I was told to go the the Vodacom Store at Greenacres. I was really upset when I heard this as I would have to pay for an Uber to get there and back. However, I was eager to get my phone fixed so I went to the Greenacres repair store as I was instructed.

At the Greenacres store, I barely got through what I was telling and showing them (which was something that happened at EVERY SINGLE VODACOM STORE I WENT TO) before my phone was taken to the back and the repair man didn't even spend a minute to consult my phone or listen to the lady when he told the lady assisting me that there is an issue with my charging port so I was told that I should book my phone in. I didn't book it the same day but I ended up booking my phone or day or two after this. After booking my phone, my mom received a call a day or two after we booked it and they said he quote was +R1500. She was obviously shocked as we were told in the store that the issue was the port which surely doesn't cost that much to fix ( I am aware of the fact that my repairs can be covered by warranty if they aren't caused by me but this was a matter of being told the wrong thing not necessarily the price) so my mother asked why it would cost so much. She was then told that there is an issue with the battery which was news to us and that my screen was cracked which wasn't true and wasn't noted on the 'Device Inspection Confirmation and Accessories Booked' Form which my mom filled in with one of the employees. As you can imagine, my mom was livid when she heard this so my mom headed to the store during her lunch break and told them to bring my phone out. When the phone was brought to my mom, the back of the phone was taken off (only the screen was shown to her) so she told them to have it ready in the exact same condition that we brought it in by the end of her work day. At the end of my mother's work day, we both went to go collect my phone and noted that there were now dents on the sides of my phone which weren't there originally (I have brought this up to another store which I went to today but it doesn't seem to be a big issue in the eyes of your employees but I beg to differ as I sent my phone to be fixed so it should have come back in the same or a better condition as before, not with extra defects). Upon seeing this, we rejected the quote and took my phone. Surprisingly my mom was still contacted about the quote via email and call (which both times she rejected) and they further said my phone has been fixed and is ready to be fetched days to week(s) after I had taken my phone and had rejected the quote.

After this unfortunate experience, I thought I would wait it out until I went back to Stellenbosch so I can get a new phone instead and to ensure my phone isn't put in the hands of negligent employees. However, throughout December and now early January, I noted that my phone had gotten significantly worse since I had received it from the repair shop. My phone now didn't only have issues with it charging too long but now required me to charge it twice in a day, it overheats when I use it, it freezes while using it, the battery decreases significantly even when not being used and I frequently get kicked out of apps (I have more than enough space on my phone, my software is updated as well as my apps, and I have an antivirus app so it can't be a virus) which all weren't present prior to me sending my phone in to the Vodacom Greenacres repair shop.

The new issues arising was a cause for concern for me as it is a new phone and I rely heavily on my phone for school. Thus, I resorted to going to the other Vodacom Store (at the Summerstrand Village) on my neighborhood with the hopes that I can get assistance today. However, I was told to head back the the Greenacres store, I didn't get to finish telling ALL of the issues my phone faces and I was told that my charging port is faulty (apparently it's pushed back a bit) which contradicts what the quote mentioned (the new battery being required). Furthermore, I was told not to tell the Greenacres store about the mention of a faulty charging port which is really strange.