Vodafone's Disgraceful Customer Services

I have been a Vodafone customer for about 5 years as a contract and now a Pay as you go customer. I recently asked for a Sim Unlock Code to unlock my smartphone for use with another Sim from Giff Gaff as the tariff's on offer are far better than Vodafone's PAYG.
I started by doing a bit of research online about how to go about switching and came up with a plan to call them and ask for the code.
I called Vodafone and after paying 25p for a customer services call, I got to speak with an agent who told me that I would receive my code by email within 48 hours. Great I thought, that was easy......

Three days passed and I had received no email from Vodafone, I had been given a Reference Number (578183) so I called again and was told, "Sorry but that department is closed on weekends".

A little frustrated but still calm enough to be polite, I called again the following Monday. I was then told that the request had been sent for my code and it can take up to three days? But this has taken Five days I replied. The agent then said that she would pass the problem over to the NUC team who would elevate the problem.

Meanwhile I have made numerous posts on the Vodafone Customer Forums to see if I could get some help from the online community and the online Vodafone staff.

The forum staff replied to my issue, asking me to contact them with my details and that they would then call me to resolve the issue. I did as requested and sent all the information required but received no reply, no phone call, nothing.

I had a look at some of the other threads on their forum and came up with the conclusion that they just don't offer any help at all, they simply paste a pre-written answer into any post that requires a reply and lead people around on a merry dance.

I called them again yesterday and rather than waiting the 25 minutes that they said I'd have to wait, I opted for a call back. I placed my phone in front of me and didn't move. It never rang, after 35 minutes it buzzed a missed call notification at me? Vodafone must have called for less than 2 seconds and then hung up so that their agent could record the call as being made.

I made various further posts on their customer forums and have yet to get any response so I will call again this evening and get nowhere, what can I do?

I am now totally frustrated with a communications company that can't communicate with its customers. I want to complain to someone that might be able to help but Vodafone simply don't care. I read that OFCOM don't take individual complaints (Not useful) so that leaves the only option I can think of and that is to go on a personal campaign to slate Vodafone to everyone I know. That still doesn't hep me to get my Sim Unlock Pin Code!

Ok, so here are the latest updates on my plight to get a Sim Unlock Code from Vodafone:

15-09-2012 05:42 PM

Hi MarkThorn,



I'm sorry to hear you've had to chase this.



I'll pop you a PM so we can look to see what is happening for you. Once you follow the directions to get us your details we'll then look to call you, so there won't be a charge for speaking with us.



You can find your PM inbox here. If you can't access this link, please ensure that the box next to "Turn on private messages" is ticked on this page, and let us know if you need any further assistance.



Dave



18-09-2012 08:47 AM

Hi Dave,



See, there we go, to get into these forums to make a post I need to fill in a registration form which gives you all my details and in my post I note the Vodafone reference number that I was given by your agent when I first called.



At this juncture you have a disgruntled customer who is rather annoyed that STILL nothing has been done. Any reasonable person would think "Ok, we have the customers details and we know what the problem is, lets get it sorted so they don't get even more fed up".



But here we are and I'm still being asked to run around wasting time? NOT GOOD ENOUGH!



Mark.

19-09-2012 09:03 AM - edited 19-09-2012 09:04 AM

REF: 578183



And so it continues, I followed the instructions I was given above and still nobody contacted me? What is wrong with you lot? Do you try to upset people just for fun?



So, at the cost of another call to Vodafone I am now told that it is in the hands of the manufacturer? It can take up to 7 days? IT HAS BEEN 7 DAYS!



I am told that this issue will be escalated to the MUC Team? It might take another 48 hours?



I get the feeling that i'll be back here in 48 hourshaving yet another dig!



I thought I had experienced poor customer service before but this is an experience that excedes all others, never before have I had the displeasure of dealing with such incompetant people.



If this doesn't get sorted by tonight I'm going to start my own little Anti Vodafone Campaign.


19-09-2012 02:27 PM

Hi MarkThorn,



Thanks for your time on the phone. As discussed, once the investigation timescale has lapsed, I'll be back in touch with an update on your delayed NUC. If you need anything else in the meantime or would like to reschedule our chat to a later time, feel free to post it here and the moderators will alert me. :smileywink:



Cheers, Ben


19-09-2012 03:57 PM

Hello Ben,



Lets just hope that your reminder system actually works this time. In the meantime, while I wait for another day, maybe you would like to make a note of the following sugestions, they might help your Customer Services Team to improve their Customer Services.



Firstly, employ a system that will flag up a reminder when action is due for any particular customers issue. For Example:



1. Customer calls with a problem

2. You assure customer that problem will be solved within 48 hours.

3. 48 Hours later, check your systems to ensure that your promise to resolve the customers issue has been completed.

4. If not chase it up, or complete it.

5. Call or email the customer and explain the delay.



The trick to Customer Services is to make the Customer feel like you care by communicating at all levels.



Next, stop charging your customers to speak to you. It's a disgrace that you charge for your customer to speak to you to get a problem solved that is not their fault. When we spoke on the phone you said "Every company charges for PAYG Customer Services". That doen't make it right. Especially when a customer has to call numerous times for the same thing due to failure on your part. You also told me that you charge because it costs to offer customer services, well maybe Vodafone needs to take some of the 7.5 Billion in profits from 2011 and sprinkle a little on its Customer Services.




Finally, it was good to get a call from you, at least now I know that there is someone out there. However, you tried to reassure me that someone is looking into this problem with my Sim Unlock Code and said that there might have been a delay because the details of the phone were incorrect. The initial call was made a week ago, the details given were correct at that time and these were the details that were given to the team who were to retrieve the code for me, therefore there should have been no problem and no delay. That aside, you have now told me that you will call back once the 48 hour period has expired, that is fine, but what happens if the code is still not available? I am hoping that this time someone might attempt to do something about it before you call me so that I am at least given a glimmer of hope rather than just another 48 hours to stew some more?



Not holding my breath,



Mark Thorn.

Hi Elladaisy,

You are most welcome. I still have not had the problem resolved, no further contact has been made by them and I'm still unable to use my new GiffGaff sim card, it seems hopeless...