Disgraceful Vodacom & Vodacom insurance service

At the onset, I would like to express how extremely dissatisfied I am with the service that I have received from Vodacom, the Tygervalley datastore in particular as well as the insurer Vodacom utilises. If I could rate the service a zero (0) I would.

History

I submitted my phone to Vodacom East Gate, where I was advised that my phone would be replaced. Unfortunately, I subsequently moved to Cape Town and I was not able to complete the process in Johannesburg. However, the in-store consultant informed me that I will simply be able to continue the process in Cape Town.

Upon attending the Vodashop Tygervalley- Data store on the 16th of February 2019, I was informed that the process had to start from scratch. I was assisted in completing the necessary documents to be lodged to the insurer and other relevant persons. I was informed that it would take approximately seven (7) days. I had received notifications that the phone had been received by various Vodacom repair centres, but I was never provided with a quote, as I previously had experienced with the Johannesburg branch.

After the seven days had passed, I contacted Vodacom insurance in order to ascertain what the status of phone was. For 3 consecutive weeks, I followed up and each person told me that my phone would be replaced but they did not know the exact status of the phone at that moment as Vodacom had changed insurers. They further said they would call me back and up until this point - no one ever did. One personnel went as far as to say that there was a back log and that I was not the only person waiting for a phone. As far as I am concerned, as a consumer, whether you have changed insurers or not is not my concern, a contingency plan should be put in place so that customer services would not be affected. Further, someone telling me that I’m not the only customer waiting for a phone, is honestly the height of poor customer service.

Eventually I contacted the insurer directly. In her attempt to assist me, she contacted someone at the Tygervalley store ("the staff member") while I waited on the line. The staff member informed her that they could not assist me unless I knew who lodged my documents for me at the store. I informed the insurer that I could not remember the gentlemen’s name at this point in time, that is something they should be able to see on their systems, and my cell phone number and repairs job number should suffice. After relaying this to the staff member, the insurer reverted that the staff member had informed her that they are unable to assist me as the store was closing soon. It was roughly 16:55 on a weekday and I was already on the line. The staff refused to assist me. The insurer, noting my frustration, said she would call the store the following day in an attempt to assist me. The following day she called me, informing me that my phone was going to be replaced and that I could go to the store to collect on an agreed upon date. At this point I would like to note that I am somewhat in the business of rendering services to clients as well and at no point in my professional career have I EVER informed a client that I cannot assist them, because it’s time for me to knock off.

Upon the agreed upon date, I attended the where I was met with perpetual confusion. The initial staff that tried to assist me had no idea that the phone had to be replaced. I was subsequently assisted by the on duty manager, who informed me that my phone was not insured, as per an email which he had received, and there was nothing he could do as the insurer was closed on Sundays. I informed him that I had not received such an email and that I was extremely frustrated as I was being met with poor service at every point during this process. He stated that he would try to sort the matter out with the manager directly on Monday morning, and that such manager would call me. At no surprise to me, no one called on Monday. I tried to call, twice, around 16:00 and I was informed that the manger was busy and that they would call me back. I provided my telephone details. Needless to say, no one called me back. On Tuesday 02 April 2019 I called again, where upon explaining the entire history of this saga, the manager I spoke to assisted me. I was on the line when the insurer liaised with said manager confirming receipt of the quote and that the order for a gold iPhone 6 had been placed. I was also advised of the excess fee payable. The call abruptly ended. Upon calling the manager again she informed me that I could come and collect my phone upon paying the excess the following weekend.

On the 07th April 2019 I attend the store yet again, optimistic that my matter was now resolved. Again, I was met with confusion. I was informed that I couldn’t be helped, again, as the insurer was closed on Sundays, and they needed a quote. I relayed my experience of the 2nd of April and I simply could not understand how internal procedures and communications were this dysfunctional. Apparently the phone may have been ordered from a different store within the mall even though I had submitted my forms to a specific store?

It is April and I still do not have the phone I have been paying for on a monthly basis for the past 4 months, albeit it has only been at the Tygervalley datastore store for 3 months. I am so dissatisfied with the service I have received that I have decided that upon the term of the contract ending (end of April) I will be terminating my contract with Vodacom and utilising a different service provider. This is severely disappointing. Ever since I’ve had a phone, even as a minor, we have dealt with Vodacom. But the service I have received is truly appalling.

I could not be more unhappy with the disgraceful, pitiful, time consuming, emotionally exhausting, brand-damaging service I have received.