WORST EXPERIENCE! AVOID VODACOM

I would give zero stars if I could. I recently had an incredibly awful experience with Vodacom and in the last few days as I’ve been talking to people realized that I’m not the first one to experience what I did. It’s so disappointing as I have been a loyal Vodacom customer for years, just like all my friends and family but after this whole debacle we all are unfortunately considering moving to a different network.

On 13 November 2019 I upgraded online. The reason I did my upgrade online is a) I am extremely busy working a full time job, a part time job and studying full time so spending an hour two in a Vodacom store isn’t an option and b) we don’t have a very reliable or efficient Vodacom store where I live so doing it online seemed like the best way to go – BIG MISTAKE. I upgraded before my contract was up and was willing to pay extra for the couple of months I had left on it because of Vodacom’s November deal – when you upgrade to an iPhone 11 you get an apple watch Nike series as well. Great deal right? I was super excited and did my upgrade, requested an iPhone 11 in yellow and minutes after finishing the upgrade online got a confirmation email that would my order would reach me soon. YAY. Two days later on the 15th of November I got a call from Vodacom to confirm my upgrade. Everything was in order and the gentleman I spoke to assured me I would receive both my iPhone and apple watch within 5 business days. A week later and no package so I call Vodacom. The lady I spoke to informed me that they didn’t have the iPhone 11 in stock at the time and as soon as they do it will be sent to me – together with my apple watch. “how long does it no5rmally take for stock to arrive” was my question. “2 to 4 weeks ma’am” Perfect! I can wait 2 to 4 weeks. Four weeks later and no package so I call Vodacom. I have the same conversation only this time I’m told stock takes about 6 weeks to arrive. A little less enthusiastic but still patient and understanding of the circumstances I thank the kind gentleman and tell him I’m excited to receive my new phone and watch. 6 weeks later – STILL NO PACKAGE. By now Christmas has come and gone and I’ve made at least 4 more calls to find out what is going on because at this point it’s getting little odd. Every time I just get the “no stock” answer but they also assure me every time that my order is on its way. Very frustrated I call Vodacom just before the end of 2019 and have to tell this entire story three times before I eventually get put through to a lady who informed me that Vodacom has never received any yellow iPhone 11 devices and they never will as it has been discontinued. WHAT?! Surely they could have told me this OVER A MONTH AGO??!!! Now this lady informs me I have to email Vodacom (btw I did twice and never got a reply) to cancel the order and start over but I won’t be getting the same deal. And this is kind of where I lost my cool and patience because why should I miss out on this deal because of Vodacom’s incompetence. That is not fair to me when it easily could’ve been avoided. Still on the phone with the lady who was very understanding and sympathetic she changed my order to get me a black iPhone 11 and still get the apple watch. Very grateful to her I hang up after she assured me I would get BOTH my iPhone 11 and apple watch within 5 business days. 5 days later STILL NO PHONE so I call AGAIN only to find out they cancelled my entire order. I have to start over. No deal. No watch. So I do the order. I get the confirmation call on a Thursday with the assurance I would get my package by the next week Friday as I’ve made it clear I am leaving town by that Friday. Friday rolls around and STILL NO PHONE! Eventually the phone arrived the following Monday without the apple watch.

Vodacom, you messed up. You took my chance at getting an apple watch. Your service is appalling and disappointing and you owe me an apple watch - getting one with my upgrade on the deal you did was (and is) the only way I can justify getting it seeing as I'm putting myself through university and working two jobs to do so. I am spreading this awful experience as far and as wide as I possibly can to prevent anyone else going through the ordeal that I did.