Vodacom stupidity

I have taken out a number of business contracts with Vodacom over the last couple of months.

Their customer service has been unbelievable to say the least. Whoever is running that part of their business has managed to provide a world class service, which I believe is unmatched globally. The call centre is really that good. Waiting times are negligible and the staff are extremely well trained, knowledgeable, courteous and proactive. Before you even start your journey with them, they have offered to call you back if the line drops etc.

Then they go and shoot themselves in the foot (make that both feet) by doing something that is beyond belief. I happened to call the business support number more than once in one day. On making my second call, there is a recorded message that says my number has been blocked from calling the business support centre due to an unusually high number of calls. i.e. two calls! The block has been instigated, I am told, to prevent *****ulent activity.

I am provided with two other numbers, one being a WhatsApp bot, which is like talking to a brick wall, and the other is a number which I am told is going to cost me R2/ min, for the privilege of speaking to Vodacom…to unblock my number because I have called their business support centre more than once!

I bite the bullet and call the number. A customer consultant answers the call, and it’s like I have got through to another world. Have I made an unusually high number of calls to the customer support centre today? Define an unusually high number of calls, I say. More than one, says the consultant! What did my calls relate to i am asked? Huh? Phew, that infuriated me.

How stupid can you get. Vodacom builds up all that customer loyalty and then literally stabs you in the heart. It’s going to take up to 24 hours to unblock my number I am told. That’s it, I have simply been cut off from any Vodacom support because I called their business support centre more than once in a day!