Another Vodafone complaint, you couldn't make this up!

fsas180

Hi all-

Firstly I would like to say thanks to this forum, as I got the CEO's email address from it. This post is likely to be a bit long, but please bear with me!

Since I took my contract out in August 2008, I have had six, that's right SIX replacement BlackBerry 9000's, all because of the scrollwheel breaking. Not happy, I demanded a new device as I was sick and tired of having to take time out of the office to wait around at home, as nobody else is available to swap the phones. I asked if I could have the HTC HD2 as reviews were very good and the device looked great, and HTC have a reputation for building quality devices with few hardware defects.

I was told to go swivel by Vodafone and I had to have a new BlackBerry- OR ELSE! Whatever the point of that is. So December 30th I was expecting a BlackBerry 9700. It didn't show up. Next day, I took ANOTHER day out of the office and lost more earnings waiting for the device and look what I received - a BlackBerry 9520, aka Storm 2. Awful piece of machinary. I was then having to wait over new years day, and the weekend before I could get a working phone. I complained and customer services agreed to give me an HTC HD2, and I was delighted. For the time being.

The HD2 has a known software problem where it will quite frequently get SMS messages stuck in the outbox, and you have to reboot your phone for the SMS to send. I class that as unfit for purpose, so I called again. Not having it. I was put through to a manager, who said I have already had a replacement device, and I was only going to get a warranty like for like swap. I explained that due to forum posts this is an issue which affects all HD2's and swapping phones over won't help. She disagreed- and said, I quote, "if you bothered to look on the HTC website, there's a fix for the SMS issue" to which I replied "applied that, doesn't work for me, doesn't work for anyone, why don't you bother to do your job properly!". I told her I want compensation for now a total of 10 days loss of earnings and possibly more as I've missed clients phone calls amidst confusion, and had to buy a phone in the meantime (only a £25 basic Nokia job, but still! 9 days waiting for devices, plus the extra day when the courier never showed up. She said no, I hung up.

Tried again, and was through to someone else. They were a little more understanding, and after excellent persuasion from myself she agreed to let me have ANY phone I wanted in the Vodafone catalogue to say sorry. Which I thought was the least they could do. I said- iPhone please, all the other phones are naff and the only phone I really wanted, my BB 9000 suffers from repeated hardware defects. She said you can't have the iPhone. I asked why.

"It costs too much. If I give you an iPhone, we practically haven't made any money from your contract. We try and balance customer satisfaction but at the same time need to make sure we make a profit"

I was pretty annoyed at this point, and pointed out having a contract with Vodafone cost me 10 days work, plus £25 buying a phone (being an IT consultant having a phone like that made me look pretty stupid when I was onsite!). I understand they need to not give phones out to any Tom !!!!!! or Harry, but Jeez- give me some slack Vodafone, can you say you'd be happy if you were me?

Still, no budge. I had to settle for a BlackBerry 9700. Got the phone yesterday, and voila- the back button is defective.

This is the point I'm at now- I've emailed the CEO detailing what has happened and what I want- an iPhone as it's the only phone I really want apart from the BlackBerry, which I have lost total faith in. Not a big demand, it's just a phone! Being a customer of Vodafone for 9 years, and been thrilled with them up until now, I mentioned it would be a shame for me to leave. I will be getting an iPhone whether you give me one or I cancel my contract and go elsewhere to get one. They command good money and it would be a shame if I don't give it to Vodafone!

So in the meantime, any VF web team members hear my pain, the biggest regret of the whole lot is over a week of LOST earnings and no apologies... just arrange for me to get a damn iPhone, and put me out of my misery!

caffinebassman

Yeah, personally I think Vodafone are loosing it a bit at the moment they're concentrating on pumping out the iPhone (having lost the xmas rush to Orange and O2) that they are missing the fact that they're loosing loyal customers.

Personally, I've had about 7yrs (don't remember exactly) with them and have had very few problems but they have nothing to offer to keep me - will be ordering my PAC code next week.

gjchester

fsas180 wrote: »

Hi all-

Firstly I would like to say thanks to this forum, as I got the CEO's email address from it. This post is likely to be a bit long, but please bear with me!

Since I took my contract out in August 2008, I have had six, that's right SIX replacement BlackBerry 9000's, all because of the scrollwheel breaking. Not happy, I demanded a new device as I was sick and tired of having to take time out of the office to wait around at home, as nobody else is available to swap the phones.

So in the meantime, any VF web team members hear my pain, the biggest regret of the whole lot is over a week of LOST earnings and no apologies... just arrange for me to get a damn iPhone, and put me out of my misery!

Sorry if this seems negative but I'm not sure what you can get done about this. The CEO will probably never see the email, it will be read, filed and moved on by his PA.

You have no rights to replacement phone of a different type, if it's faulty the vendor has the choice or repair or replacement, NOT you. They have tried to replace the phone and if there is a continuning issue then there is a problem but as long as they swap the phone you have no further legal recourse.

Now you may have a claim for lost time but thats consequecial loss and lost income from missed calls would be hard to prove one way or another, and you already have had as a goodwill gesture get a new phone twice you are unlikely to get a new one.

So what if you have an old nokia, theres nothing "bad" about it, and if your really concerned about your image over functionality you need to think whats important to you and your job. The ability to make and recieve calls is more important than a flash smartphone, mind you I tend to put my phone on silent when with clients and they never see it regardless of what I'm doing. And lets face it a blackberry looks far more business like than an iPhone which every fashion junkie has by now.

As for an iphone, good luck, I'm sure Vodafone will let you upgrade if you pay the costs to upgrade, but at the end of the day other than good will I'm not sure you'll have any luck. You are in a contract (and you don;t say if the minimum term has expired) and you need to see it out, I'm sure you would not be happy if a client walked away from you mid contract saying "I'm off take it or leave it", and you'd fall back to the terms and conditions and potentially charge them termination costs. It you cancel the contract you'll be liable for the rental for any months left as a termination fee. You'll also find it nigh on impoissible to move your existing number to a new network if you don't pay any fee;'s they set, as they will not have to release the PAC number. If you had to change your number how would that affect your business? You my be better trying to get the termination fee reduced or removed as goodwill gesture, but as they've already exchanged a phone three times as goodwill you may be pushing it.

Good luck.

caffinebassman

gjchester wrote: »

You my be better trying to get the termination fee reduced or removed as goodwill gesture, but as they've already exchanged a phone three times as goodwill you may be pushing it.

Good luck.

gjchester, you seem to be quite aware of the legalities of the OPs situation - I am most definitely not, just a thought that occurred to me.

The OP had a phone which had a fault, Vodafone have had 3 attempts to rectify that fault and have not succeeded - doesn't this suggest that the phone Vodafone are supplying is either "not of merchantable quality" or perhaps "not fit for purpose". I wonder if that would be the case to argue.

Again though, just thinking out loud.

gjchester

caffinebassman wrote: »

gjchester, you seem to be quite aware of the legalities of the OPs situation - I am most definitely not, just a thought that occurred to me.

Nope, I did say in the paragraph above that I didn't know if they were still in the minimum term

caffinebassman wrote: »

The OP had a phone which had a fault, Vodafone have had 3 attempts to rectify that fault and have not succeeded - doesn't this suggest that the phone Vodafone are supplying is either "not of merchantable quality" or perhaps "not fit for purpose". I wonder if that would be the case to argue.

Again though, just thinking out loud.

I'd agree normally but the fact is the OP had six BB9000's, it was then changed at his insistance and he got an BB Storm, then a HTC HD2 and finally a 9700. All of these have problems, thats nine phone in sixteen months. Is the OP that unluckly?

I'm not saying this may not be a wide known problem, but given how Vodafone had been willing to do the repairs the OP can't demand a new phone. His only rights under the warranty are a repair or replacment at the vendors discression.

Was it fit for purpose, hard to say, are the six broken phones down to being treated harshly by the OP or a widely known problem? Given the BB is the phone of choice for business I'd have though anything like this would have been big news and RIM would have pulled out stops to fix it or risk upsetting there bread and butter customers. Maybe it is hence VF were willing to do all the replacments.

He's changed phone model three times as well as having six replacments of the initial model of blackberrys. A few breaks would be considered OK, breaking six phones and having issues with three others supplies suggest the OP may need to take greater care.

caffinebassman

gjchester - thanks for your thoughts. Interesting how these types of situations can fall one way or another - I hadn't considered the 16 month situation, you'd hope the OP had a 12 or 18 month contract and could just get out asap and go elsewhere for something more to their liking - still, I can also see where they'd be just a little peeved at that many faulty phones.

fsas180, sorry for hijacking your thread! Hope you get sorted out - personally I wouldn't hold my breath on getting an iPhone out of Vodafone though. Personally (as in fact I am) I'd be planning my exit strategy and looking for a new provider. Good luck anyways!.

fsas180

A good update for you all-

First of all I would like to say I treat my phones with care and respect, they are a part of me and I use them all the time. The BlackBerry 9000 has a well known fault with it's scroll wheel, where it physically seizes- RIM have changed the design of this on the newer BBs. My back button on my 9700 was like it when I got it, so no case of me not treating it right, the HTC was a software issue, so not down to me. So best not to assume things

I emailed the CEO and the next morning got a call from his PA, she called apologising for my situation and she said she can cancel my current contract (which is up for renewel in September this year), and give me this months line rental for free. On top of that, if I wish, I can take an iPhone contract out with Vodafone now and get the price plan tweaked and handset price reduced, which I have done so.

I can't express how happy I am with this, perhaps should have been done lower down but these things happen, I have been treated wonderfully by the retentions team (obviously) and even get the CEO's PA emailing me to make sure everything is OK for me.

So I've got me an iPhone now and the priceplan is the same as before, another commitment now but I'm happy. Top marks to Vodafone.

ashutes

fsas180 please help me and provide the email for the CEO as I am currently getting screwed in a very similar situation that you are/were in with a BB but I have the STORM1 AAAAARRRRRRRRRGHHH!

Vodafone

Hi There

fsas180 - I'm pleased to see you got a resolution to your query.

ashutes - I'd love to help. If you send me an email from here with a link to your post and your username I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Make sure when you send the email that you include the code WRT135 in the subject line so it routes straight to me.

All the best

Kirsty
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK