Vodafone blog

The “Worst Customer Experience Ever”

This comment/message is intended for the new CEO Bill Morrow and his Executive Team and whilst it may present as somewhat “full on” I hope you all “read on”.

I have been a customer with 3 mobile for several years, my records if viewed will provide the specific detail.

A month ago I contacted 3 as I needed a new handset, I spoke to a lovely consultant who listened and noted my requirements and hence recommended that I take up a contract for a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, more than happy to take on board the advice, further that if I moved from 3 to VodaPhone (mind you I now openly refer to the company as VodaFAIL) I would have better coverage than previously experienced with 3 (mind you while it was somewhat limiting wherever I roamed I always found coverage, even if I had to stand on one foot and point the sky……..)

So here I am on Easter Monday two weeks after receiving my lovely new handset, and have spent more hours than I can now count on the phone to VodaPhone and 3 to advise that my place of weekend/holiday residence is on Macleay Isand, Southern Moreton Bay region of Queensland and has NO and NO and NO Vodaphone coverage!!! I’m thinking of buying a small plot and leasing it out to VodaPhone so that coverage can be “guaranteed”!

Yesterday Easter Sunday I spent approx 6 hours toing and froing between Vodaphone and 3 to explain that I just wanted to remigrate back to 3 as at least I had coverage with them. The import of this timing is I now have 4 of my 5 grandchildren here for the week and have had to once again take my husbands personal mobile to ensure that I have contact to parents etc etc.

All staff that I spoke to were polite and well mannered and appreciated my situation and wanted to help.

My issue, and I am by no means a racist, in fact lived in India as a young child where mother taught at the MGD school in Rahjastan, so truly feel and understand the Indian culture. The problem though is that when customer service is required to manage a disgruntled customer the cultural differences are magnified, for example the Indian staff are working to scripts, the irate customer an Aussie here in this instance, is speaking as politely as possible but full of all the colloquialisms only another Aussie could understand. After 2 weeks and endless ping-ponging backwards and forwards between staff/technician/etc etc, I had lost my ability to hold an articulate conversation.

Anyway the upshot of yesterday was that Vivek from 3 CustomerCare who truly truly understood my issue advised that he would speak with VodaPhone and negotiate to have my mobile number 0427641815 diverted to my husbands mobile that I’m currently using for the safety of my grandchildren 0418466743 until I get back to my permanent residence in Wynnum and formally remigrate to 3.

I had 2 call from Vodaphone staff who I gather were calling to effect this decision……………but they dropped out!!

As I write, I am no better positioned than I was yesterday or in fact 2 weeks ago when I made my initial call, and quite frankly am “over it”. I will ring again tomorrow and request to speak to an Australian CSR (how bizarre and totally appalling that I should have to be in this position that makes me feel truly racist and intolerant, but “them’s the facts jack”)

I’ve have just received my last 3 bill, which I won’t be paying, anyway my phone doesn’t work where I want it too. My husband who is with 3 with his personal phone is picking up my calls and will, I believe be billed for them. He is on a $29 cap, compared to me on a $49 cap, so I gather there will be a substantial bill. I won’t be paying anything until someone can give me the service and resolution to my problem. I also intend to log a complaint with the ombudsman’s office tomorrow.

As they say there is nothing as valuable as “word of mouth” well currently there are alot of people referring to VodaPhone as VodaFAIL along with alot of other suffixes starting with “F”

I will finish here with again applauding all staff that I spoke with over the last 2 weeks, I understand their plight, I was once a CSR for Telstra whilst finishing my degree and moving on to other positions of choice. Your staff are your greatest asset, however if you don’t consider the demographics of whom they may be dealing with and hence enlighten them accordingly through appropriate training, or make strategic decisions to not “off-shore” what is your greatest commodity, well my only advice is to go “find a paddle” or a “toothpick”, because you will always be “up the creek” or “pushing it up the hill”.

I hope that this is taken seriously and that someone contacts me on [personal details removed] my husband’s mobile to progress this matter to a mutually acceptable conclusion.

Tanja Goos
for now [personal details removed]

Reply

I have been a customer with vodafone since i was the age of 14 and am now 25 years old . I have been contacting vodafone since September 2011 as my reception keeps dropping out or i get no reception at all. I was told that they were upgrading the towers in my area and should be completed by November 2011. In November/ December i was still having problems so i called back vodafone and they said to me that they will give me 3 months half price and if the problem was still going on in this 3 months and after they will cancel my contract with no fees in order for me to go to a different service provider. In the 4 months after they stated that to me i was hospitalized 5 times due to medical problems and had no reception to call my husband who works away and to organize someone to pick up my daughter.
I
I called multiple times after that was asked if i can just promise to hold off going with a different service provider as they are trying to get this fixed so trying to be a loyal customer i did so.

I called on the 2nd May 2012 as my phone kept cutting in and out and then not getting any coverage after i had been trying to contact my husband in regards to my daughter who had to be rushed to hospital via ambulance but could not get in contact with him due to me again having no reception. After a very long 3 and a bit hours of trying to to speak to 2 people who did not speak very well English and could not understand what i was saying they admitted to me that there were problems with the tower in my area and they were trying to fix it. I told them i was thinking of going to a different service provider as my contract with vodafone had been voided a number of times with the promise in the contract that i will have the reception and the services i require and the supervisor stated to me that should be fine.

Today the 20th of May (today) I had collapsed due to a complicated pregnancy (22 weeks pregnant) and i tried to call my husband after this had happened and my phone had SOS ONLY on it at least since 4am in which my husband who works away as i stated calls me to say goodmorning. I turned off and on 3 times hoping this would make a difference but nothing happened. I then had to call vodafone yet again on a alternative number in which i was put on hold multiple times and been told they can give me a month free but i wanted to speak to the cancellations team.

The cancellations team stated to me there has to be another investigation ordered as they could not see a problem since November 2011 with the towers in my area. I told them that i want to get out of my contract as soon as i find another provider and they said once the investigation has been done and nothing shows up i will have to pay over $1000 to get out of my contract even though twice i was promised they will wave all fees due to the amount of problems i have had with vodafone. I was getting to the point that i was stressing me and my unborn child out, getting angry and was getting no where with no matter who i was speaking to as none of them were Australian and none of them could speak very good English or like i stated understood anything i was saying. I have been getting run around in circles for over 7 months with no luck.

I wish to speak to some in the highest position possible who works with vodafone about this. I am by myself at home with a 2 year old with a complicated pregnancy and i need a reliable service provider that i can make any and all emergency phone calls that i need to make with out having all of these problems.

Please someone help me

Reply

26/6/2012

Dear Mr Bill Morrow:

RE: Vodafone A/C# XXXX Broadband # XXXX; ID PIN XXXX. [edit personal details removed]

I had been a loyal customer of 3 Australia since 2005 till it was taken over by Vodafone recently. So I was constrained to become a customer of Vodafone on 21/06/2012 with the assurance that all the terms and conditions of my agreement with 3 Australia would be honoured in true letter and spirit. While undergoing the arrangements with your customer service department it was assured that the mobile phone service backed by broadband would simply replace the service of 3 Australia.

To my utter surprise it appears that I would not be provided with any email address from Vodafone as a provider even it was a part and parcel of my arrangement as a customer with 3 Australia. I definitely reserve the right to deem it as a breach of contract. Over and above, my broadband internet service is yet to be activated even if I was assured that it would be up and running in 4 hours. The activation process was intiated yesterday, i.e., 25/6/2012.

While contacted this morning I was told that Vodafone does not have any internet service all over Australia !!

This is a very unfortunate event. I was allured with promises which now appears to be divorced from reality. For this sort of Breach of Contract I feel contrained to cancel my contract with you. Please ensure that I am not charged or penalized for the cancellation of the contract because I was basically inducted as a customer under false pretext and assurance.

I am looking forward to an early intervention. Please confirm compliance. I believe as a long time customer of 3 Australia that the dubious ploy of your customer service department will bring about great peril for Vodafone.

Thanking you.

Sincerely,

Sayeda Nazrul

Reply

Hi Bill,
I had been with 3 since 2006 and moved to vodafone in 2010 assuming I will be getting a better service and value for my money. Trust me I got none.. The worst experience that I ever had. Vodafone charges high fees and promises many services which are not delivered. Is it fair to assume that Vodafone lures it’s customers in to sign a two year contract and then break all their promises?
I did a mistake by accepting a new contract (not signing, verbally accepting over the phone) with vodaphone however, I am assuming I have been mislead. Now I require a copy to my contract as per what I have agreed upon. All I am getting from customer care is a generic contract. what I require is a copy to the call so that I can listen and understand what I have agreed upon before taking things further if need be.

I have been advised by the customer care team that they will not be able to provide me a copy of the recording and if I require one I have to go legal. These are the words of your customer care team.
If you want me to go legal I can do that by going to the ombudsman and launching a complain.
I dont want to do anything of that sort as all I want to know is what is it that I have agreed on. Reading is different to what some has told me over the phone as the guy said to ignore what the lady will be saying when it comes to the cost of the pocket wi-fi as that will not be charged. This is my understanding and thats what I agreed upon. However when I received the bill you have charged me for the pocket wi-fi which I thought was given to me without any charge.

Would appreciate if some one can get back to me on this at your earliest.

Thanks
Gauam Malik

Reply

To Bill, CEO of Vodafone Australia: 0430 390 219

Hi my name is keighley williams, I have had a 3 plan phone /service for a 24 month period which the service(mins , calls etc) part of this finished on about approx July/aug last year (2011) something like that .

I was on a month by month contract and the phone and the plan cost me $20 +$20 = $40 pmth.

I flew to uk in July last year , and informed 3 that I would be shutting the service off, obviously I don’t need it I am uk, and will be for a little while yet.

I still needed to pay $20 a month for my handset , which was fine, until I realised I was still being charged after aug 2011 for service which obviously I don’t need !!!

I contacted the Customer Service Center who are unbelievably terrible at listening and spend far too much talking, the need to watch the ” The great marigold hotel”, then they can deal with clients outside of India, SCRIPTS DON’T DO IT !! You need a great listening ear, and understanding of what the client is actually trying to convey.

In my case I have forgotten the amount of hours (that I am paying for from the UK, at really inconvenient times ) I wasted speaking about this simple matter.

Nutshell: I keep paying $20 a month for handset until Aug or so this year, phone paid off done and dusted.

No more bills, phone not with three any more hasn’t been since Sept last year.

Unfortunately it couldn’t be this easy could it, so I kept getting bills for phone , service GST on service , since Sept last year (2011).

So I rang the call centre fore the I’v lost count what amount time , the person I dealt with said this was now over , my torture has ended and they will stop sending me bills , for an amount I clearly don’t owe.

But now I HAVE RECEIVED ANOTHER BILL AGGGHHHHHH !!!!!!

I will not being paying this on any other bill, I will never go with three or vodafone ever again (have been with 3 for 4 years or so) this is just ridiculous, please please please some one go through my records check all the phone conversations.

I would like to be refunded for the amount of money I have spent on the phone to Aus for this approx £20.

So you know the course of action from now is to delete every bill from 3, I will not even see the bill in my email, it will be deleted automatically.

Reply

As I do not want to display personal information on an open forum I will give you our corporate account number 649522765. When we changed from Vodafone to Telstra we were requested to return some handsets. Vodafone claim one was not returned for number ending 555. The person concerned swears he did take the satchel he received to the post office at the time. Two years later he has not got the receipt. Your collections said if we can not provide proof of return the only way we can get the adverse credit report removed was to contact ADR and pay the amount requested. I spoke to a person at ADR who confirmed that once paid the adverse credit report will be removed. It has now been several months and the credit report is still not removed. I spoke to Jay at ADR who informed me that they do dot remove credit reports only Vodafone can, when I enquired why I was told that it would be removed if paid by a member of ADR she replied that’s the way it as, implying they just say that to get paid.
I again call Vodafone biasness credit on 1300 652 952 and spoke to Ben. Who also confirmed you do not remove credit reports and this can not be done. A manager Rajita also informed me they will not remove the adverse credit
I am not accepting this and failing to reach a satisfactory solution from Vodafone will take all steps available to me to resolve this matter. Including but limited to complaints to all regulatory body’s

Regards
Manne

Reply

The worse telecommunications company I have ever dealt with. My sympathy to anyone tasked with making this company work.

Reply

Hello.

I have been with Vodafone for about 5 years now. When I first became a member I was underage and therefore my father was the person who applied and signed all the forms for ownership of the phone and was the person responsible for paying the bills for the plan I was on.

I am now of the age where I am able to take on the above responsibilities for myself. IE: Have the ownership of my mobile and be responsible for the paying of the bills for the plan.

Yesterday my father and I went to the store where we first applied for my current plan and asked the staff there if we could complete a change of ownership there, in store. We were told that, no, they could not do that in store for us but that they could make a request to Vodafone Customer Service for a change of ownership and that we would need to ring Vodafone Customer Service on 1555.

We returned home and rang Vodafone Customer Service on 1555. We were asked to quote our names, the reason for our call, our Vodafone pin number and the current mobile number we were enquiring about. We did so. We were then informed that the credit checks weren’t working that day and that we would need to call back tomorrow. We were given a code number to quote upon calling the next day so that the service people would know what information we required to give.

Today, I called the Vodafone Customer Service number again. I spoke to Customer Service Attendant, Steven, for a short while, giving all the requested details, before being told to “hold just one second please” followed by a prolonged period of silence. When Steven returned to the phone I told them that I had been given a code number to quote to him. After giving the code number I was again told to “hold just a minute please” followed by another period of silence and then the sound of the phone hanging up.

About 5 minutes later, my father tried calling Vodafone Customer Service on 1555. He went through the same process as I just had and quoted the code number. He was put on hold for 5 minutes before the person returned to the phone and again, as yesterday, informed him that for some reason they were not able to complete a credit check. He was told that I will be contacted by Vodafone Customer Service on my mobile sometime tomorrow.

The reasons for my frustrations are:

- To me, this should be a relatively simple process. It is the transferring of ownership of the phone from one person to another. I understand that credit checks need to be completed for legal reasons, however for this to be unable to be completed after 2 attempts, 24 hours apart, I believe, is unreasonable.

- I would like to know why I was hung up on by a customer service attendant whilst I was trying to complete this change.

- Why is it that I can not visit the store where my plan and mobile were activated and get this change completed? When the account was first set up, my father gave all of his account and billing details to an attendant at a Vodafone store who then entered them into a computer and activated the account. Fair enough if the store is not equipped to complete a credit history check, but surely they can put in some change of account and billing details?

I am becoming increasingly frustrated as this is, what I believe, a relatively clear, concise, request.

I was and still am happy to follow all the protocols that Vodafone requires to complete this request, however after a visit to a store and 3 unresolved telephone calls I am becoming quite annoyed.

If you could please give me the number or name of someone who would be able to really help me out with this I would greatly appreciate it, and still am happy to follow the protocols Vodafone requires such as credit checks, code numbers etc, so long as a result is achieved.

Thank you,

Stephanie Goulding

Reply

Date 21/02/2013 11.00PM
Dear Sir/Madam
My name is Chirag Shah and I am with “3” and Vodafone since last 5 years and my wife Darshani Shah is with “3” and Vodafone since last 4 years. I am writing this letter to highlight the customer service I had received today (I had never received this type of customer service in my life).
My wife had upgrade her plan from Au $ 30 cap to Au $ 40 on 20th of January 2013 and as per your policy she switched from “3” to Vodafone. Her phone stops working today afternoon at 3.00pm. When I came home from work at 4.30, she informed me about the same. First I call to HTC customer care at nearly 6.00pm (My wife have HTC ONE X phone), they told me to go any Vodaphone shop because we buy it from there. Next I call to Vodaphone customer care at 6.36pm and talk to one representative named Arfan (I am not sure about his correct name, sorry for that). He tried his best by giving telephonic guidance to fix the problem, but it doesn’t work. So he suggested to go any Vodaphone shop and they people will check the phone. But I requested him to transfer line to his manager. So he transfer the line to his manager/supervisor named Pawan, I tell him all story. After listening to me he offers me a new phone (same HTC ONE X). He told me that if you want we can send you new phone within 5 to 6 days, but it is not convenient for us because my wife would be without phone during that period and she is doing on call casual job, so there is a very high chance of losing job without having mobile phone. So on my request he told me to go any nearest Vodafone shop to swap my wife’s mobile ( Replacing a new phone if they have in stock). Pawan also assured me that you do not have to repeat story at Vodafone shop and simply get your new phone ( he told me that I note it for you in the system so Vodaphone shop person have not to inquire about your problem and not waste your time). Pawan also told me that I will call you 45 minutes later to know that whether they have that phone in stock or not, if they don’t have that phone in stock I will send you new phone. Vodafone shop at Chadstone shopping centre is 20 minutes’ drive from my place so I rushed to Chadstone shopping centre with my wife at 7.10pm ( leaving my 10 year old son alone at home considering we will come back within 1 hour.) and reach at Vodafone shop at right 7.30pm.

At Chadstone shopping centre Vodaphone shop, your customer service officer named YETTY met me, I told him about my problem and conversation with Pawan, he told me to wait about 15 to 20 minutes because all the person were busy. After 15 minutes I inquired again to YETTE about how long it will take, he replied me that you are 5th in the queue and may be 10 to 15 minutes more. At the same time I informed the YETTE that Pawan is going to call me any time soon to know that whether I get new phone from shop, I also informed YETTE that my young son is alone at home but it doesn’t make any difference to him. He told me that he can’t do anything but I have to wait until my turn( I am very sad to inform you that many persons who came after me had been served before me, when I tell the same to YETTE he told me nothing like that, so I request him to check video recording for confirmation than he replied shop don’t have security cameras.)
At 8.15pm (after45 minutes of arrival and requesting 3 times that my only son is alone at home) I ask YETTE about manager of shop, he replied me that she is on dinner break ( I can’t believe that if shop is closing at 9.00 pm and manager is on dinner break up to 8.30pm). At 8.30pm store assistant manager named LUCINDA come to me. I tell him all story again and also informed that my young son is alone at home. The most unexpected and unprofessional answer I listen in my whole life from any customer service officer “ It’s not my problem that your son is at home”. when I ask her that when I came at 7.30pm, YETTY told me that waiting time is 15 to 20 minutes and at 8.30pm still I am waiting. She replied we can’t give exact time. ( It doesn’t make any difference between 15 to 20 minutes and a person is still waiting after 60 minutes.)
Finally at 8.35pm one customer service person named Michael come to attend me. I told him to check on system giving my wife’s mobile number and pin. He checked in computer and then check mobile and tried to fix, but he can’t. He told me that you have to give mobile here and we will send it to repairs, they will fix the problem. When I told him that I already discussed the issue with manager Pawan by phone and he assured me to replace the phone, Michael replied me that it’s our policy that we can’t replace phone after 28 days. I discuss with him and argue with him about why Pawan agreed to me to replace the phone. He didn’t answer but refused to replace the phone.
When I told Michael that can you please give me in written that you can’t replace the phone, initially he was agree but when he starts writing, one of his colleague call him and take him away. When he came back he refused to write a letter, when I insisted he told me that we don’t have letter head or any paper. After that he agrees to send me e mail regarding return policy of store but later he also refused to do same.
At 8.50pm I and my wife left the store with normal dummy sim card to insert in any simple phone.I left the store with full of negative emotions, very bad impression and feeling total helplessness.
I cannot write down properly to realise my pain and emotions through which we have to suffer in last 6 hours because I can’t found appropriate words to tell the heart breaking experience from the customer service officers in Australia and by the company to whom you are faithful since last 5 years.
Point of concerns
(1) For YETTY 15 to 20 minutes and 60minutes doesn’t make any difference.
(2) For YETTY it doesn’t make any difference that 10 year old son left alone.
(3) For YETTE, I can’t understand why he lied to me that manager is not in store.
(4) For Lucinda (Assistant Manager) doesn’t make any difference of customer’s genuine problem
(5) For Lucinda, her approach was not satisfactory to me at all.
(6) I am still waiting for call from Pawan which he promised to do in 45 minutes at 7.00pm
(7) Why Michael refused to give in written of store policy which he is ready to give before someone call him
(8) Vodafone Chadstone store do not have security camera?
(9) Is there any difference in policy on phone and in store?
(10) Customer satisfaction make any difference to Vodafone?
Thanks
CHIRAG SHAH MOB: [personal detail removed]
DARSHANI SHAH :[personal detail removed]

Reply

Hi,
could someone please provide me with an email and reference number so i can send details of my situation with Vodafone.
Thanks
Tim

Reply

I am tired of dealing with you now. I am going to make it my mission to get the word out there how BAD vodafone actually are. SORT it out.

Reply

Mr Morrow
just in case you did not get my letter last may hers a copy,will i do not expect you to answer in person i would like a answer, your team tell me they can not id me even with all info given to them

Mr Phillip (Personal Details Removed)

Slacks Creek
Queensland 4127
21 May 2012

Dear Sir,
After using your services for over 14 years, I hear by finish with vodafone, which start down Batemans Bay when Telstra failed to provide a reasonable service and you filled the gap up till recent years where you fell behind around the the time you hired your computer phone answering system which reminds me of Nanny Fran on a bad day.

A couple of years ago I purchased a month to month broad plan of you needless to say I found it unreliable at my address as did my wife who used my old dongal .

Because I procrastinated I did not terminate the contract mainly be cause of the above mentioned auto phone system I dislike her that much. Around 8 months ago I received a letter that you notice I was not using my internet and it will be terminated yet I still received up dated bills and the only time your company has sent me a letter in 2 years was last week dated the 8 may 2012 a final demand letter. As a result our household is using optus home phone and internet bundle, My Mobil phone is with Amazsim, my wife and stepdaughter still use vodafone only because family still live in Batemans bay so where once there were 3 mobile phones and 2 internet using Vodafone as a carrier you now only have 2 phones. My wife just got a Optus sim for her new phone

Phillip Mccallum
XXXXXXXXXX

Reply

This email is intended for bill morrow

can you pleas explain to me why as an australian i cannot contact you or an other person who is in the vodafone heirachy her ein australia who can actually hear what your real customers are experiencing with your service. The best we can do is talk to mumbai and all they can do is read off their computer screens. no matter how high you go up the ladder the response is the same. They did say that they are not at liberty to disclose the details of their australian bosses.

why do you insulate yourselves from your customers? what are you affraid of? is this how you build trust in your brand by putting yourselves out of reach?

How can I be assured tha the people who make the real decision will hear my experience and want to improve for the advancement of everyone if you go out of your way to put a barrier between yourselves and your customers?

Reply

once again, VODAFAIL!!! still not impressed with your so called service. cant even log into my account online as your website apparently wont load. this is not good enough at all. just goes onto my list of more NEGATIVE things to tell everyone i know about your crappy company. another MAJOR FAIL VODAFAIL

Reply