Do Vodafone actually want my custom?

wlv

Has anyone else experienced their mobile phone provider actively trying to dissuade them from continuing to use their service?

I have been a long time customer of Vodafone, of and on, for the last 10 years, and I pay about £36 per month. My contract is up fairly soon, so I contacted them to ask find out exactly when it expires and what my upgrade options are.

It took about a week for someone to get back to me, and when they did, the email stated 'we're sorry you want to leave Vodafone'. At that point, I had no intention of leaving, I just wanted to find out when my contract expires and what my upgrade options were. They were unable to tell me when my contract expires until I emailed them some personal information relating to my account (all this after I contacted them via their secure web form from withing my account page). When they did come back to me with the date, again it was 'we're sorry you want to leave Vodafone' and directed me to a web link for upgrades which doesn't actually work.

In the meantime, I spoke to an adviser via their web chat trying to find out what my upgrade options were. Again, they were unable to tell me when my contract expired, apologised for me wanting to leave Vodafone, despite me never stating that I wanted to leave. And, again, they directed me to a weblink for upgrades which doesn't work.

Well, after a week or so of toing and froing, I decided I'd had enough, and so I emailed Vodafone to terminate my contract. I've just had the automated reply through which again directs me a weblink for upgrades which, you guessed it, doesn't work.

I feel quite let down by Vodafone if I'm honest.

Anyway, does anyone have any recommendations for a mobile network who value their customers?

chanz4

why not call 191 free?

grumbler

wlv wrote: »

Anyway, does anyone have any recommendations for a mobile network who value their customers?

In my list this is far from being the top priority.
My top priorities are the price and the signal.

Paulingreenwich

Snap!! I'm in exactly the same position as you. I pay £31 per month and my contract is up at the end of this month. They have told me that although I've been a Vodafone customer for 15 years, I won't be entitled to any 'special' discounts when it comes to upgrading my phone.



You would have thought that they would want to keep their loyal customers but I think even Vodafone are struggling in the current financial climate. They have already done away with their early upgrade option, as a cost saving exercise.



I think in the current turbulent market the costs to make the components are gradually rising and import duty fees are on the up. The days of ‘special discounts’ for loyal customers are rapidly vanishing. It’s a shame really as I’ve never had a problem with Vodafone before. Maybe this could be the tipping point for Vodafone. What goes up must come down….

pigeonpie

In my experience there's no point in emailing Vodafone. When I have had a reply, it's been from India and didn't answer the question I asked.
Only way is to phone 191 retentions I think. Depends on who you get though, but it works better than email.

EssexGal_2

I think you are always going to get poor customer service sometimes, so whilst I'm sure they are not perfect, i have always had great support from t-mobile. Any time i am due to renew, etc, or have a problem, they always look on the system and see i have been a customer for years, and always give me really good deals as a result.

I would definitely recommend.

Guys_Dad

EssexGal wrote: »

I think you are always going to get poor customer service sometimes, so whilst I'm sure they are not perfect, i have always had great support from t-mobile. Any time i am due to renew, etc, or have a problem, they always look on the system and see i have been a customer for years, and always give me really good deals as a result.

I would definitely recommend.

See post #3. I would love to stay with Orange, but signal lets them - and T-Mobile down in my area, so I use Vodafone.

wlv

pigeonpie wrote: »

In my experience there's no point in emailing Vodafone. When I have had a reply, it's been from India and didn't answer the question I asked.
Only way is to phone 191 retentions I think. Depends on who you get though, but it works better than email.

I'm a bit hesitant to renew on the phone. A friend of mine renewed her contract over the phone with Vodafone and found she was on a different plan to the one she'd signed up to - one with less minutes than she'd agreed and no data, even though she'd signed up for a smartphone. It took about six months to sort out, and even though she eventually got her money back, was massively out of pocket for that time. Hence I want everything in writing.

wlv

Paulingreenwich wrote: »

Snap!! I'm in exactly the same position as you. I pay £31 per month and my contract is up at the end of this month. They have told me that although I've been a Vodafone customer for 15 years, I won't be entitled to any 'special' discounts when it comes to upgrading my phone.



You would have thought that they would want to keep their loyal customers but I think even Vodafone are struggling in the current financial climate. They have already done away with their early upgrade option, as a cost saving exercise.



I think in the current turbulent market the costs to make the components are gradually rising and import duty fees are on the up. The days of ‘special discounts’ for loyal customers are rapidly vanishing. It’s a shame really as I’ve never had a problem with Vodafone before. Maybe this could be the tipping point for Vodafone. What goes up must come down….

I'm not really after any special discounts, although that would be nice, I just want a competitive tariff and a new handset. I've had my current phone - an HTC Desire - for 28 months after renewing my last contract early. Whatever happened to 12 month contracts?

dil1976

Whenever I have upgraded with Vodafone i have asked for a email detailing the plan I am signing up to, always received it within a few minutes of ending the call.

So I wouldn't say it is always Vodafones fault, a simple request works, plus you can return the phone if you haven't used it and not received in writing what you are agreeing too.

latecomer

wlv wrote: »

Whatever happened to 12 month contracts?

New shiney phones get expensive so contracts got longer to take account of the extra money the networks need to make to cover the "free" phone.