Vodacom ************* to do business with

Upgraded data contract to laptop/data contract in January 2019. Received laptop on 7 February and saw there is no CD Rom drive to load programmes – I called to cancel and Vodacom Service Desk logged a courier to collect. However a friend told me that she knows somebody that can assist with a USB CD Rom drive and I cancelled the courier. I had the laptop for 3 days and the laptop would not charge. I reported this to Vodacom Service desk and was told that the laptop must be replaced and that they would send a courier to collect – 5 day turnaround time. The courier never arrived to collect after many phone calls enquiring! I offered to take laptop in myself and was told that I must wait for the courier. I informed them that this is now a cancellation and was informed that the laptop must first be collected and then only can I cancel – of course courier never called. I spoke to a supervisor who told me that she will get a team leader to listen to the call recordings. She came back to me and told me that I cancelled the courier – really – after all my follow up calls?? She also told me that nobody in their call centre logged a courier to collect. I then decided to query on Vodacom’s facebook page and to my surprise was told that I must take the laptop to any Vodacom shop which I tried but was told that since I upgraded via Vodacom’s service desk I must take the laptop where I got it. This has gone on over a month now and was eventually given telephone numbers of manufacturers that I must contact. On 6 March at 19:00 I got a call from Vodacom’s Retentions Team and was informed that I am at fault and that if I want to cancel that I must pay cancellation fee. Again requested that they listen to the voice recordings and that I was not at fault. He told me that he will get back to me within 48 hours. Never heard anything back again. Continuous queries on Vodacom Facebook page seemed an absolute waste of time.

I eventually received the following message on Vodacom facebook page and I quote:

Vodacom Hi Helen. Our records reflect that you have been advised that this laptop has to be presented to the Supplier for a Repair assessment. These details were provided: For HP, Mecer & Acer: ********** . For Apple: ********** . For Dell & Lenovo: ********** .

Helen Dreyer Hi this is a dispute and is no longer about submitting the laptop for repair - things has moved way past that. Again I was refused my right to return the item within the 14 days return policy - no courier was ever sent. Please take the necessary action to cancel the contract and come fetch your laptop.

Vodacom We completely understand. You've mentioned that you only wished to return the item after you've received it back from our repairs centre. As you loaded software onto the device which caused harm to the laptop, this also goes against our return policy which states as follows: - The product is undamaged and in the original packaging. - The product is returned as a complete sales unit including all accessories and other promotional items if any

Helen Dreyer Can you please let me know when I mentioned that I want to return the item after I received it back from your repairs centre. I never responded to your prompts to take the laptop to the repairs centre - refer to my calls to the call centre where I was told that the laptop will be collected. The software I loaded is original licensed software - how can that damage the laptop. The laptop do not want to charge which is something wrong with the laptop itself and I am sure that I received a faulty laptop from the outset and you are trying very hard to cover your misconduct up with lame excuses.

I was asked if I would mind to take this matter further on messenger and off their facebook page to which I rep**** NO.

14 Day (working day) return policy means nothing. To insinuate that I have damaged the laptop by loading my programmes and also that it now is faulty and that according to your 14 day return policy the product must be undamaged!! I received it from you damaged – so how does it work – if you send faulty items to clients then they will all run into a wall as they cannot return the faulty items that has been sent to them as it is against your 14 day return policy and on purpose also not send courier to collect so that the client goes over 14 day return period and then to ignore all voice recordings.

By the way, Vodacom can just as well shut down all their recordings. You know what has been discussed and promised but not followed through by Vodacom – I requested transcripts of all my calls from January to date and have been ignored.

I have written a letter to Mr Shameel Joosub on 15 March and emailed to him and posted on Vodacom facebook page. I also received missed calls from Vodacom – rang at the most 3 seconds and before you can answer call is ended and then you get notified that they tried calling you and could not get hold of you.

I am not sure why there is so much push back when you want to return/cancel – must your staff pay their commission back if there is a return/cancellation? If so, what measures are in place to protect your clients from abuse. Clearly the call recordings are manipulated in your favour.