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When is a warranty not a warranty?

PaulSalk
4: Newbie

Way back in April, my daughter's iPhone 4, supposedly new less than a year previously, had problems. Since that time I have had and continue to have really major problems with getting vodafone's attention.

 

On Friday, I wasted another hour on the phone with someone from Customer Support. I have repeatedly been misinformed, and it appears that my initial attempts to lodge a complaint were blocked (I was told that this was only possible in a letter). So here is the letter I sent;

 

Customer Relations

Vodafone House

The Connection

Newbury,

Berkshire RG14 2FN

 

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to complain about (1) a faulty phone which should have been repaired under warranty and (2) the appalling customer service I have received.

My daughter’s phone (which is on my account)*specified in original* .This is an iphone4 bought, as we understood it, new. I had several problems, particularly that the internal earpiece did not work. It appeared loose, and I took it into Vodafone Bath, pointing out where we could see that the piece had come loose. They said, after a very long wait, that as it was still under warranty from Apple and I should take it to the Apple store. After a further very long wait, they said that the warranty was not valid as it had clearly been opened and “several components were missing”. They said that they thought it was a reconditioned unit, which would explain the changed. In any case, they would not honour the warranty, so I returned to Vodafone Bath. After a very long wait again, I explained this, and it was duly sent to your central engineering facility. After a greater than expected delay and a message being sent to the phone in your possession (despite my asking for messages to be sent to me). I was told that the engineers report (enclosed) indicated mechanical damage and therefore it was not covered by the warranty. The engineer apparently suggested that it may have been “sat on”. They included a photo (enclosed) which showed what we had originally drawn attention to. I pointed out that the unit was immaculate, that it was kept in my daughter’s handbag, there was no sign of external damage or distortion consistent with impact etc etc. To no avail. Eventually, the shop agreed to take the issue up with the repairing engineer, and an email was sent and I was copied into the email. You will see from the enclosed that this was a further series of nothing happening, and as I understand it from the most recent email, not likely to! In that it was suggested I take it up with Customer services, which I had done so previously. Fiona in customer services on 27th June said that she could do nothing because she had no records of my contact with the shop in Bath. After I pressed her, she looked into it and as far as a I could determine spoke with someone in enginerring, coming back with the previous line that as there allegedly was mechanical damage this voided the warranty. However, I could have it repaired for £300! After a protracted discussion which essentially went round and round the same script, I decided to make it a formal complaint and indicated this to her. She said that this could only be done in writing. I asked about email etc, but she was adamant that it had to be in writing which I found both odd and basically obstructive.

I have looked carefully at your complaints policy; your website says something rather different:

“If you're not happy with our service and would like to make a complaint, there are a number of ways to get in touch outlined below. (note: this as go into a shop or call 191) We aim to resolve all issues on first contact, but if we cannot we will escalate your call to a team manager. If the team manager cannot resolve the issue we will refer it to our dedicated customer relations team. In any event we will endeavour to resolve any complaint within one week. If we are unable to do so, we will notify you and provide weekly updates on progress”

Now I’m afraid that that was not what has happened here, so I suggest that as a matter of priority you change your website or retrain your staff.

I pay a great deal of money to your company and really don’t expect this kind of repeated fobbing off. I have also wasted an amazing amount of my time on this issue. Perhaps I should bill you for this?

I would be most grateful if you would deal with this as a formal complaint about (1) the handset which has now been unavailable to us for many months and (2) the really bad customer services provided both in shop and on the phone.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Professor PS***

Then I waited. No reply. just over two weeks from the letter being sent, I called 191....eventually a very nice man from Egypt sent me an email with the text of the letter (the letter itself arrived a week later!

 

Her's what the letter said:

 

 

Dear Mr.S*,

 

 

 

Thank you for writing to Vodafone.

 

 

 

This is in response to the letter you have sent us regarding handset issues.

 

 

 

I understand how frustrating this could have been for you and apologise if there has been any miscommunication from our end.

 

 

 

I assure you that we take customer complaint very seriously and we ensure proper feedback is given as and when required.

 

 

 

In order to resolve any customer issues we follow an internal escalation procedure. Whenever customers contact us with any issue related to their Vodafone account, we try to resolve the issue first. We only escalate an issue in case it is not resolved. I have already discussed the issue with my manager.

 

 

 

I am sorry about the trouble you faced with the handset. Vodafone does offer a variety of handsets however holds no responsibility for the phones performance. We are only able to help customers get the device repaired.

 

 

 

Vodafone will only repair agreement handsets that are under warranty and were purchased directly via a Vodafone channel. Out of warranty handsets may be repaired but will incur a charge.

 

 

 

If the phone has suffered physical or liquid damage, the warranty will not cover this. A charge might get applied for an out of warranty repair/replacement. I am afraid we are not able to override the decision taken by the repairs team.

 

 

 

They have agreed to offer you a replacement handset in exchange at a one off cost of £325.00. As a gesture of goodwill, we can credit your Vodafone account with £100.00. Please revert with a confirmation if you agree to this offer and we will apply the credit and place an order for a replacement handset at the earliest.

 

 

 

As our valued customer, we request you to co-operate and give us another chance to raise our bar to serve you.

 

 

 

I trust this helps.

 

 

 

Regards

 

Nathan (Surname removed for security)

 

Vodafone Customer Services

 

 

This was clearly boilerplate. Interesting to see that the cost had gone up by £25. Thats inflation for you . So i replied to the email address asking for contact details for Mr D, saying:

 

Dear Ahmed,

 

Many thanks for forwarding this to me. The printed letter has yet to arrive.

 

I also notice that Mr D has not included any contact details.

 

 

 

I would be most grateful if you would therefore forward this email to Mr D.

 

 

 

Dear Mr D

 

 

 

Thank you for your brief letter in response to my detailed complaint. I note that your response falls outside the target you set for dealing with complaints, which of course adds to my concerns about the way this has been dealt with by Vodafone.

 

 

 

I was a little shocked by the content. It is clear that you have used a template and provided standard answers, and have either not read my letter or are choosing to ignore it.

 

 

 

To simply re-iterate what I had been told in the shop and on 191 is simply not good enough. Please deal with the issues I raise; in particular I maintain that the phone was under warranty, that physical damage was not, according to the apple store, involved. Even the most cursory inspection of the phone itself indicates that it is in perfect condition and unmarked. Under tha sale of goods act Vodafone is responsible for correcting the faults which occurred within the warranty period.

 

 

 

Your offer of a replacement handset risks being derisory; Three minutes search indicates that I can purchase a new, sim free unlocked iphone 4s from a reputable shop for £199.

 

 

 

You also failed to address the customer service issues I raised.

 

 

 

I am surprised that, in the copy of the letter (which has yet to arrive physically) you do not indicate the options open to me should I not be satisfied with your response. Would I be right in thinking that this should now go to OFCOM?

 

 

 

I await your speedy response with mounting impatience. May I remind you that my daughter’s phone has now not been usable since April?

 

Cordially (signature)

 

I also sent it to the website for complaints, which indicated a reply within 48 hours. 52 hours later, a phone call from someone who had skimmed the letter. It was a long and frustrating call, I'm sure for him as well as me. Substance was he believed what the services folks said without question, so that was it. He also said that what the apple store folks told me must be untrue. However, vodafone aprarently cant communicate with apple.

 

 

Also nothing he could do about the second part of my complaint (regarding the terrible service) other than "provide internal feedback. Ha!

 

So phone out of action for coming up to 6 months, failures all round in communications from vodafone. And I'm again waiting. I said i wanted to take it to the next stage, at which i was told he would get back to me. Nothing so far.

 

Fact of the matter is that this has been a horrendous waste of my time with probably the most unresponsive customer service/complaints system I have experienced. A couple of false starts where it seems that someone in the organisation is going to take ownership, but then.....pfft.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Paul

41 REPLIES 41

Hartluck
12: Established
12: Established

Get a fault report from Apple (free) forward this to Vodafone.

Give them an appropriate amount of time to resolve,  If you remain unsatisfied there will be further external option available to explore.

 

**I would want a named persons email account as you have already submitted a letter via the post, To ensure quick resolution.

 

~~Clear eyes - Full Hart - Can't lose~~
“As wars come and go, my soldier stays eternal”

My comments represent my opinion which is not affiliated or sponsored in any way. 

Gemma
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi PaulSalk,

 

So we can check which team your complaint has gone to, please click here to send us your details.

 

Thanks,

 

Gemma

kids
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

As a matter on interest where can you buy a new unlocked 4s for under £200?

Sim free and unlocked are two entirely different things. A sim free phone will lock itself to the first network whose sim you insert, an unlocked phone will never lock to a network.

So, an update on this sorry sorry tale. I spoke with Customer Relations, went round and round a few times but eventually they said that they would deal with it if I obtained a report from the Apple Store. This took me right back to the original situation on April 13th when the vodafone store said i should take it to the apple store! Anyway, I got a genius bar appointment. I explain to the person there and quick as a flash he says "I can see straight away that this is third party display". He takes it away and comes back with a printout of the original report (from april) and a more detailed current one. What he and the report says is UTTERLY SHOCKING. Aparrently this iPhone is stuffed full of third party components. Surrprise is expressed that it works at all....it has been cobbled together by someone who didnt know what they were doing with non-apple components. The example they gave me is the battery...its the wrong colour. Apparrently the Apple batteries a distinctive. SO This raises all kinds of questions for me. 1. Why was a I sold a recconditioned phone as new by Vodafone? Sounds like fraud to me. 2. This phone has been with vodafone "engineers". The apple genius guy spotted IMMEDIATELY simply by looking at the outside that the display was not an apple part. How come the engineers didnt? Worse, the inside is aparrently an obvious complete mess...vodafone engineers perhaps cant see this? Or they didnt look? Or they know it was a reconditioned phone and wanted to fob me off? I'm not generally a conspiracy theorist being more a fan of the [removed accoring to House Rules] view, but this really makes me wonder. 3. Apple said "we have had a few of these funnies recently". Sounds like the vodafone supply chain might be a problem. Anyway, I take the report, scan it redy to send to Customer relations, a man called David Yate who said to send it to him as soon as I have it. So i call the number for customer relations  [removed accoring to House Rules] Has a recorded message, number no longer available, ring customer services instead. I ring customer services; can they put me through to customer relations. some music then.....customer services. Can they give me a direct line? no. Can they give me an email? no. Can they connect me....sure. More music then disconnected. thats 45 mins. I try later, same thing happens but I'm getting crosser so am escalated to a supervisor. She explains that there is no number for Customer relations, and customer services can'[t connect me to them. So, I ask, how can I contact them? You cant. Now I'm beginning to struggle with the twin concepts of Customer Services and Customer Relations as defined by Vodafone. She doesnt disagree. Gives me two options. 1. Go to an oneline interactive chat which she can point me to. Would I be chatting online with Customer relations? ER...no. Cusotomer services. We agree tht that might not get me too far. 2nd option....take the apple reports into a vodafone store. But....the vodafone store iwhere i started and they said I had to deal with customer relations direct. Anyway, its been another 45 minute sand i have to get on with the day job, so she agrees to email David Yate. I go. So far nothing coming back in. My complaint keeps getting bigger. Faulty handset. Missold handset as it is clearly reconditioned. Unbelievably bad customer services and repeated attempts to fob me off; kind of worked, as this all started six months ago! The person I spoke to most recently mused that, in my position, most people would have given up. Thats true, and you wonder how many more ot these dud handset vodafone is passing off on its customers in the confident knowledge that their returns and complaints system will protect them from ever having to do anyting about this. Nest stop the Consumer Association. Also i think trading standards, regarding the illegality/misselling component, Does anyone know which trading standards would apply...local to me or local to vodafone head office. Paul

Update on the update. After due consideration i have now sent the info to vodafone ceo, the consumer association and Bristol Trading standards. Still no call from Customer relations though....

Retired-Kay
Moderator (Retired)
Moderator (Retired)

Hi PaulSalk, 

 

Did you email us using the instructions Gemma sent previously? 

 

If so, please let me know the email reference number. It looks like #7555655. 

 

Kay

Not sure what you mean. I did email and was told that as the Customer Relations team were dealing with it, it should be left with them. Of course, as you can see from the message, the problem is that i cant contact them and they are not contacting me. please feel free to contact me or to contact them to contact me. I still have heard nothing, which is pretty amazing if you think about it.

Paul

I think vodafone customer relations have fled the country. No attempt has been maed to contact me. I understand that Customer services have sent emails to Customer relations. Customer services cant do anything when I phone them. I have had an email from someone monitoring this forum telling me that I used bad language; I apologies and asked if they could help me get someone to listen. No response. So, to summarise. I had a phone within warranty in April looked at by Apple, who said the warranty did not cover it. Vodafone engineers looked at it and said it was mechanically damaged therefore not covered. The only detail I was then able to get was that it had been "mechanically damaged from the inside". After 6 months and formal complaints, I'm told by customer relations to get a printout from apple; i have. But thjey cant be contact5ed to send it to them. And it says that the phone is a cobbled together reconditioned one, full of third party components "Its surprising it ever worked at all" said the apple engineer. So it was fraudulently sold to me by Vodafone. You wouild think, in the circumstances, that they might possibly want to look into this? And to speak with me? Six months is too long to deal with something which, apple tell me, is glaringly obvious. Vodafone complaints procedure, customer services and customer relations do not, in terms of my experience, seem fit for purpose. Now will someone please speak to me? Vodafone have my phone number, my postal address and my email. Paul

I have read your posts with both interest and dismay. I have been a Vodafone customer for around 15 years and I really don't know why. At one point my bills were between £300-500 a month (before data costs). Locked into the latest 2-year business contractt that ends in Feb 15 my Iphone 4s finally gave up the ghost 2 weeks ago.

 

You'd think that with the amount of money I have stupidly paid this company, they would be falling over themselves to offer me an immediate replacement so that i can continue to grease their oily bank accounts. But no.

 

The general on/off button stopped working. I discovered on many forums that seems this to be an extremely common fault but one, nevertheless, that Apple just refuse to recognise.

 

I found a way around this by creating a power button on screen, thanks to people on said forums but sadly a week after this the phone died, refusing even to charge.

 

So, into the Vodafone customer shop who agreed the power button problem was indeed extremely common. They sent it off for repair to Apple. Then we get a call to say that the phone has been repaired and we can collect on Monday. Off my wife gos to collect the phone for me and the shop says : - 'No you're phone hasn't been repaired as you have badly damaged it, so that if you want it repaired it will cost £150.00.'

Hang on, you said it was repaired?

Well its not

You said that you recognised the button thing as being a common problem

Yes but Apple don't and as the power button isnt working they wont even try to repair it unless you pay

But my contract is with you not with Apple

Then you need to talk to Customer service........

I think what we should all realise is that Vodafone are completely aware of all of the problems with these phones and have instructions on how to persuade loyal paying customers to just go away.

I am actually going to take a small claims case against them and see how far I get. I have been without a phone for too long and yet I have been paying for one. They gave me one of their 'store' phones to use as a replacement. Considering that phones are their business, you'd think they would have some decent spares that are of the same grade, no some steam poered vodafone-make piece of junk that i just gave up on.

I can buy a 2nd hand Iphone 4s from a decent store for £150-199 depending on size and they offer a 3month warranty. Why would i get another £30 a month contract with Vodafone who clearly hate my business. Sim free contract with any other supplier is about £10 a month.

Youre warranty is about as valid as their 'customer service'  Small claims court for alloof your used time, go and buy a sim free unlocked 4s. If we all did this they might actually employ a customer service team.