Vodafone complaints

travel_freak · 20 September 2009 at 6:00PM

Update - not at all surprised to report that Vodafone continue to ignore my complaint - absolutely nothing from customer relations in Stoke more than a week on.

Nothing from Lee on this forum either - Lee why is this? You asked me to send my email to you which I did following your instructions. You have not bothered to reply to that email. All you have done is ask me to tell you my email address so that you can find out what happened to original email I sent before this which you claim not to have received. Well I received an automated reply from Vodafone at the time so find this extremely surprising.

Why haven't you answered the email you asked me to send? Why have customer relations not replied to the same email sent to them which requested a reply within 5 days? Simply posting on here to give the impression you are dealing with customers' complaints but not actually then following through is not going to help Vodafone's reputation any. It will however help my cause when I bring the entire history of this matter to the attention of the ombudsman.

xukc · 22 September 2009 at 1:04PM

I already posted on another thread earlier but I'm hoping for more response here. I am one very unhappy customer at the moment and it seems there is very little I could do, so any advice appreciated.

My new Blackberry developed a fault and stopped picking up network, unfortunately just a couple of weeks after the 28 days exchange period. I was told that it needs to be sent away for repairs. I went to pick it up from a Vodafone shop yesterday and was told that they couldn't repair it so had sent a refurbished one instead. I didn't really expect it and the staff were a bit off with me when I asked a few questions, so I just picked it and left. I am quite upset with the outcome as there is every chance that the handset might have been faulty from the start but I failed to recognise it and missed the 28 days. Never had a Blackberry before, I thought it was just me being clumsy with it while getting used to the touch screen. It didn't occur to me that it could be the phone not quite working properly until it got worse.

I am not happy to be 2 months into my 2 year contract stuck with a refurbished phone. I will take some convincing that the replacement is a new phone, close inspection tells me otherwise. I wouldn't mind a phone that's been returned by a customer within the 7 days but not one of unknown age/condition. I just got off the phone with Vodafone Customer Service and to be honest I felt like I've been spoken to like an idiot. I have been told that it's not my phone but still property of Vodafone for the duration of the contract, that should be grateful to receive a refurbished phone and if I wanted I could keep my broken one and so on. Not what you hear when they sign you up for a new contract, is it?

I am just asking for a bit of advice here as I would like to make a complaint but not sure what my arguments should be. It seems that Vodafone are following their policy but it doesn't make it RIGHT with me. Everyone knows that main selling point for the lengthy contracts are the shiny new handsets, so why should I be satisfied with a refurbished one 2 months into my contract? Also it is not right to tell me that the phone is free and should be happy with what I'm given, I will pay a few times for it over the contract.

Apologies for the lengthy post, still feeling upset from how I was spoken to both in the shop and over the phone. My problem is probably not on the same level as people being ripped off hundreds of pounds but I would still classify it as poor customer service and unfair practice. I just want to hear from anyone with a similar experience that thinks I could argue for a new handset. I don't want to accept a refurbished one but what are my rights?

xukc · 22 September 2009 at 3:52PM

kriptikchicken wrote: »

The contract came with a ‘free’ Blackberry Storm. From the onset it was evident that there was an issue with the phones ability to hold a signal. This manifested itself by being constantly in a state of SOS where other phones with the same SIM card had full bars. This had the effect of either not being able to make or receive calls ...

:eek:

This sounds exactly like my Blackberry Storm, mine developed the fault 6 weeks into the contract so I couldn't exchange it for a new handset and was given a refurbished one. (see earlier post) So not happy but unsure if I can do anything about it.

baldelectrician · 22 September 2009 at 9:53PM

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

Hi easy,

In an ideal world customers would never encounter problems with any company who provide them with a service.

However, as we'll all aware the reality is far different and while I we are certainly committed to providing great service to our customers sometimes things go wrong for a whole host of reasons.

In these cases the customer will sometimes feel that they have no other way of getting things sorted than to seek advice on sites such as MSE and while it's not ideal the Web Relations Team will try to spot these as quickly as possible and intervene wherever possible.

Hi grenville1,

As we're upto date with our emails I'm wondering what's happened to yours if you've followed the steps I've posted to other MSE members.

As oppose to asking you to send another email would you mind sending me a PM with the email address from which you emailed us and I'll try to locate your details that way and come back to you.

Many thanks,

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

In an ideal world things may be different.
My experience with VF is as bad / worse than some posted on this thread, but manure happens- it is how you deal with it.
I moved to Orange after the VF farce.
Now I am a heavy mobile user - I use around 2000 minutes a month, so my mobile has to take a lot of working. As such I normally go through at least 3 mobiles per year (breakdown issues)

This is where VF and Orange differ
I have / had paid insurance on both mobile companies, but Voda INSISTED I send it away for repair and I would see my phone back 7-14 days later- I was 'borrowed' a crap standby phone during this time which had few of the features I had on my N95 8Gb

With Orange I call and a courier picked up my phone and gave me a new / refurbished replacement.
I asked the VF rep why they don't offer that service ' We used to, but it was costing too much money'
Orange still do this (they are getting pickier about claims now), but you have a replacement phone within 24 hours - same day if you phone before 9.15 am.

Now, as I have said it is how you deal with it.
I have had 5 handsets in the past 3 weeks with orange. Their solution- offer a different model replacement (free and without extending contract) or a brand new phone on a new contract. They offered to cut the remaining 4 months from my contract and waive any upgrade fee.

Now you can see a pattern- same phone problems, but a different solution.

Poor show Vodafone:mad:

Well done Orange

Vodafone · 25 September 2009 at 6:39AM

James266 wrote: »

Hi Lee,
What is the Vodafone complaints e-mail address? I have looked on the website but all I can find is a form to contact customer support.

I was called up about having an upgrade and outright lied to, to get me to start a new contract even though my old one was not expired yet. I was told that the new contract would start and my old one would close but this did not turn out to be the case and all that happened is my contract has been extended. I have tried to talk to customer support about this but get the response that it is not their problem and was told to e-mail the complaints department.

I have written a long e-mail to explain the situation and what happened and would like and e-mail address to sent it to please.

James

misskool wrote: »

Dum dee dum...another vodafone complaint (sigh). I haven't been able to log and check my online bills for months, which was fine until I called 191 today and find that my outstanding amount is £50!!! My normal bill is £23 and so I don't understand what I've spent it on as I never ever use the full minutes and I have unlimited texts and internet.

And obviously, I can't get to my online billing to check and confirm they have applied my current discounted tariff correctly.

Anyone know what's going on with online billing and what I can do to actually view my bills?

Hi guys,

While I'm disappointed to read about your recent experiences here I'm confident that the Web Relations Team can get things sorted for you both.

If you could both send us an email using the 'Contact us' form on our website here we'll then be able to pick things up from there.

When sending it could you also included a link to this thread within the body of it and state the code WRT135 in the subject line to make sure it comes through to us.

Once you've sent it sent just update the thread so we know you've accepted our invitation.

NASA wrote: »

I dont think it is odd at all. Its quite a good thing IMO.

My experiences with Vodafone customer services are a bit mixed to be honest. The phone staff havent been as helpful as is required. My problem with my phone started about 5-6 weeks ago and had I been told exactly what I needed to do at that point I would hopefully have my phone back with me right now - I dont.

I posted about my experience on here and was instructed to send an e-mail to the Web Relations team using the code. I did so. Since then things have improved and I have to say that the guy that has been dealing with my case has been extremely helpful to the point where my 'local' store were contacted on my behalf to save me having to leave work to do so. I also now have a temporary phone while things are hopefully sorted out once and for all. Its hardly a great phone but at least it shows that there are people within the Vodafone company that want to get things right and have some concern when things go wrong.

The difference between the call-centre and the WRT is stark. I dont blame the CC staff though - its got to be a dreadful job.

Hi NASA,

Thanks very much for updating everyone on the developments with your case following our intervention.

It's always great to see folks taking the time to do this and at the same time underpinning the work we try to do in helping people on here and other forums.

All the best to you all.

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

Vodafone · 25 September 2009 at 7:08AM

UNCLE_BUCK wrote: »

I have been with vodafone for years and somtimes have 3 or 4 phones on the go within the family at any one time. They always say you can judge a company on if something goes wrong and how they run their customer relations......well.
I recieved a faulty PAYG phone for my daughter 3 weeks ago, and the customer care i have recieved is appalling. The customer service told me to go in the shop to exchange, the shop told me that because i brought off the web its not their problem. so back home to phone CS again to be told my only option is trading standards.:eek: !!!!!! how did it escalate to that so quick, wot a joke.

Hi UNCLE BUCK,

I quite agree that this seems to be a rather large, and unnecessary, leap in getting a situation like this resolved but thanks for bringing it to our attention here.

As you'd only had the phone for three weeks when you initially contacted us to report the fault an exchange shouldn't have been a problem at all.

If this's yet to be resolved since you posted could you email us your details following the instructions set out in my earlier post?

Many thanks and look forward to hearing from you.

travel_freak wrote: »

Update - not at all surprised to report that Vodafone continue to ignore my complaint - absolutely nothing from customer relations in Stoke more than a week on.

Nothing from Lee on this forum either - Lee why is this? You asked me to send my email to you which I did following your instructions. You have not bothered to reply to that email. All you have done is ask me to tell you my email address so that you can find out what happened to original email I sent before this which you claim not to have received. Well I received an automated reply from Vodafone at the time so find this extremely surprising.

Why haven't you answered the email you asked me to send? Why have customer relations not replied to the same email sent to them which requested a reply within 5 days? Simply posting on here to give the impression you are dealing with customers' complaints but not actually then following through is not going to help Vodafone's reputation any. It will however help my cause when I bring the entire history of this matter to the attention of the ombudsman.

Hi travel_freak,

While I agree that offering assistance on here and not following through does nothing to restore any lost faith I'd like to assure you that as we're update to date with our emails and should you still be awaiting a reply then I'm afraid yours hasn't come through to us.

To makes things easier for you I'll send you a PM with an alternative method through which you can contact us.

Rest assured that we are here to help and as soon as we have your details we can then begin to follow through on that commitment.

Many thanks,

xukc wrote: »

I already posted on another thread earlier but I'm hoping for more response here. I am one very unhappy customer at the moment and it seems there is very little I could do, so any advice appreciated.

My new Blackberry developed a fault and stopped picking up network, unfortunately just a couple of weeks after the 28 days exchange period. I was told that it needs to be sent away for repairs. I went to pick it up from a Vodafone shop yesterday and was told that they couldn't repair it so had sent a refurbished one instead. I didn't really expect it and the staff were a bit off with me when I asked a few questions, so I just picked it and left. I am quite upset with the outcome as there is every chance that the handset might have been faulty from the start but I failed to recognise it and missed the 28 days. Never had a Blackberry before, I thought it was just me being clumsy with it while getting used to the touch screen. It didn't occur to me that it could be the phone not quite working properly until it got worse.

I am not happy to be 2 months into my 2 year contract stuck with a refurbished phone. I will take some convincing that the replacement is a new phone, close inspection tells me otherwise. I wouldn't mind a phone that's been returned by a customer within the 7 days but not one of unknown age/condition. I just got off the phone with Vodafone Customer Service and to be honest I felt like I've been spoken to like an idiot. I have been told that it's not my phone but still property of Vodafone for the duration of the contract, that should be grateful to receive a refurbished phone and if I wanted I could keep my broken one and so on. Not what you hear when they sign you up for a new contract, is it?

I am just asking for a bit of advice here as I would like to make a complaint but not sure what my arguments should be. It seems that Vodafone are following their policy but it doesn't make it RIGHT with me. Everyone knows that main selling point for the lengthy contracts are the shiny new handsets, so why should I be satisfied with a refurbished one 2 months into my contract? Also it is not right to tell me that the phone is free and should be happy with what I'm given, I will pay a few times for it over the contract.

Apologies for the lengthy post, still feeling upset from how I was spoken to both in the shop and over the phone. My problem is probably not on the same level as people being ripped off hundreds of pounds but I would still classify it as poor customer service and unfair practice. I just want to hear from anyone with a similar experience that thinks I could argue for a new handset. I don't want to accept a refurbished one but what are my rights?

Hi xukc,

I'm sorry, and concerned, to read about your recent experience here and would like to take a closer look at things for you.

To enable us to do this could you also send us your details via email also following the instructions in my earlier post?

Many thanks and all the best to you all.

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

johnm1969 · 26 September 2009 at 12:18PM

Lee I have sent an e-mail through the contact us page on the VF website. I have included the required code and would greatly appreciate a response asap as this has caused a great deal of distress to myself and which VF have agreed is their problem but refuse to fix it.

Coded · 26 September 2009 at 4:31PM

Thought i would post here, to see if anyone could help me.

This time last year i phoned Vodafone to cancel my account, but then did convince me to stay with them @ 12.50 a month, with the same free text etc.

I phoned up today to cancel as im looking to go to Pay as you go, and to my suprise i was told i had another 6months of my 18 month cotnract left.....i explained that i hadnt agreed etc but the vodafone person didnt seem to care - "it says you have 6months left, if you want to cancel itll cost you £156" - now where on earth does this fee come from? if it was the remaining contract then 6 * 12.50 = 75 + this months bill its about £85.

I never agreed to a 18month, and never would have. I need to change because where my new job is i cant get a reception with vodafone.

What can i do in this situation?

Thanks to anyone.

Coded · 27 September 2009 at 7:54PM

Have emailed from 'contact us' with WRT in subject so hopefully will get someone from Vodafone that can help me out.

baldelectrician · 27 September 2009 at 8:08PM

Coded wrote: »

This time last year i phoned Vodafone to cancel my account, but then did convince me to stay with them @ 12.50 a month, with the same free text etc.

i was told i had another 6months of my 18 month cotnract left

i explained that i hadnt agreed etc but the vodafone person didnt seem to care

I never agreed to a 18month, and never would have. I need to change because where my new job is i cant get a reception with vodafone.

What can i do in this situation?

Thanks to anyone.

Tell them you will gladly pay the termination fee when they produce a recording of the conversation of you agreeing to a new 18 month contract.
If they can't prove you have agrees to it then they are on to plums- you can ask for a copy of the recording using a SAR (Subject Access Request) as they should have the call recording on file.

Vodafone complaints

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