Appalling customer service from Vodafone ... again

easy

I have been a vodafone customer ever since I bought my first mobile back in 1993 :eek:. Since 1996 this has been a business mobile account.

It has always been an up and down relationship, renewing contracts has always seemed a bit fraught, and I did once get free line rental/calls for a year, simply because I had soooo much to complain about regarding the way the account was handled.

Anyway, over the last year or so we have rumbled along, altho I ALWAYS seem to have problems accessing my online bills.

So I have sat down today to do my VAT return. Need my online bills from Vodafone, and can't get to the billing services server.

So, I rang them. I did get straight thru to an operator, who took my details. I explained that I needed to get at my bills and couldn't, and also said that I always seemed to have some problem or other accessing online billing.

Operator then chatted on for a few minutes about a TV programme he had seen, where someone said they wouldn't buy a particular make of truck again, because customer services from that company was so poor !!

Anyway, eventually he looked to see if he could get to my bills. Apparently he couldn't and asked "can I put you on hold for a few minutes while I check this out ?"

After a while, the line is ringing, and I've obviously been transferred to someone else. It's answered, and I have to go through all the security etc again, and then explain the problem. New operator then says "well I don't know why you've been transferred to 2nd line support. The servers down and we know about the problem" - he sounds quite annoyed

So I said " well obviously 1st line don't know about it, and transferred me to you so you could tell me. Can you tell me when it is likely to be fixed? "

"Oh well when this kind of thing happens, it's usually fixed by the end of the day" - he ended with a deep sigh - " so ... just try again later I suppose"

At this point, no-one has offered any sort of apology, and I'm a bit cross by this guy's attitude.
So I asked to be transferred to a customer services manager.

When I get thru to him I explained why I had rung, why I am a little annoyed, why I think the 2nd line guy's attitude is out of order. "Oh, fine" is his response !! I explain that I would have at least expect an apology, and he says "well, this happens sometimes". I accept it does, I occasionally encounter tech problems which affect my business, but I certainly apologise if it causes my customers any inconvenience.

I ask him if he can remind me when my contract is due to end. "Yep" he says. Checks my number, tells me it'll be March. OK, I'll be looking to move my account by then in that case. "oh, alright then".

Now I know it's partly that I'm annoyed cos I wanted to get all my bits together and get my VAT return done. But shouldn't customer service be better than this??

grumbler

Come on, you are toooo demanding. It's just a short delay with access to your bills and a missing apology.
Hundreds of customers keep experiencing far more serious problems with Vodaphone telephone CS and cannot get the problems sorted out for weeks and months, not days.
Vote with your feet unless you have some really good deal with them.

OneADay

I am not able to track my signed for package on royal mail all day today and yesterday - so I wait till they fix their site. :eek:

Another way of doing the VAT return is to look at your bank statements or keep proper records of expenses claimed.

izools

I must agree with OP though, Vodafone's online billing is sub-par and the CS experience he was met with is not appropriate.

Nonchelant, dismissive attitudes have no place in a professional customer facing environment and those who think it OK to carry on like this should be working in non-customer facing roles.

mobilejunkie

OneADay wrote: »

I am not able to track my signed for package on royal mail all day today and yesterday - so I wait till they fix their site. :eek:

Another way of doing the VAT return is to look at your bank statements or keep proper records of expenses claimed.

Bank statements are not VAT invoices.

OneADay

mobilejunkie wrote: »

Bank statements are not VAT invoices.

Well DUH!

Its possible to work out the VAT from the mobile phone payments and add it up and put it on a VAT Return. And later download the bills (for proof of VAT) when the site is up.

Techhead_2

OneADay wrote: »

Well DUH!

Its possible to work out the VAT from the mobile phone payments and add it up and put it on a VAT Return. And later download the bills (for proof of VAT) when the site is up.

No you can't. You'd have to assume that the amount shown on the bank statement was 1.20 x the ex-vat total of the bill. When, of course, its rarely that straightforward (eg insurance amongst other things)

OneADay

Techhead wrote: »

No you can't. You'd have to assume that the amount shown on the bank statement was 1.20 x the ex-vat total of the bill. When, of course, its rarely that straightforward (eg insurance amongst other things)

So do you have some prior knowledge of the OP's insurance? Some people get straightforward bills and can work out VAT! By the time this post ends, the OP has probably calmed down and got onto the site and downloaded their bill.

Vodafone

Hi easy,

It's disappointing to hear that you have been unhappy with the service you have received.

So that I can help, can you drop me an email to the address here with WRT135 FAO Heidi in the subject and include a link to this thread.

I will be more than happy to sort out your billing issue.

Best wishes,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

easy

OneADay wrote: »

Another way of doing the VAT return is to look at your bank statements or keep proper records of expenses claimed.

The invoices that I wanted to download ARE the proper records !!!

That's why I need to download and print them.

Technically one SHOULDN'T enter VAT reclaimable expenses on the VAT return unless one has the VAT invoice in their possession. So I can't properly complete my VAT return from Bank statements

My rant isn't about the fact that Vodafone had a technical problem, it's the fact that their "customer services" staff give the impression that they don't give a stuff about whether customers are dissatisfied or not.

mobilejunkie

OneADay wrote: »

Well DUH!

Its possible to work out the VAT from the mobile phone payments and add it up and put it on a VAT Return. And later download the bills (for proof of VAT) when the site is up.

Working out the VAT is no problem. Explaining to people who don't know much about being registered for VAT obviously is!