BlackBerry

[PoolQueen]

I have been a good customer with you for many years so just before Christmas you phoned me and said that as I was a loyal customer I could upgrade my pay monthly phone early. So I chose a Blackberry Curve for £15 per month with 500 free texts and 250 free minutes which didn't include calls/texts to other Vodafone phones. He man then told me I could have a second phone for the same deal so I asked him if I could have a day or two to see if any of my friends or family would be interested but he told me the deal only lasted another hour or two so under the pressure I told him I didn't want another phone. He said he could still send another sim card for free so I thought he may as well in case any of my friends might want it in the future.

I don't check my online bills often as I'm very busy and I expect companies like yours to charge me correctly but I did check my bill a few weeks ago and found I was being charged for this second sim card.

This is a copy of a typical bill I got last year -

For phone number XXXXXXX 903 used by MS xxxxxxx by Direct Debit on or after 3 November 2011

Total	£17.62
Usage charges up to 23 Oct
Calls		£0.00
Messaging, mobile browsing + data		£5.94
Service charges
YPL 24ESS 100m 500t VP     24 Oct to 23 Nov		£8.75
Video Calling     24 Oct to 23 Nov		£0.00
Total before VAT	£14.69
VAT at 20% on £14.69	£2.93
Total for this bill	£17.62
Total	£17.62

These are the bills I'm now getting -

 Total £40.40Total £40.40by Direct Debit on or after 4 January 2012

For phone numbers:
XXXXXXX903	£10.82
XXXXXXX 070                          xxxxxxxxxxxxx	£18.73
Total before VAT	£29.55
VAT charges
VAT at 20% on £29.55	£5.91
Total for this bill	£35.46
Overdue balance	£4.94

Total £41.22Total £41.22by Direct Debit on or after 3 February 2012

For phone numbers:
XXXXXXXX 903	£17.27
XXXXXXXX 070         xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	£17.08
Total before VAT	£34.35
VAT charges
VAT at 20% on £34.35	£6.87
Total for this bill	£41.22

Total £22.42Total £22.42by Direct Debit on or after 5 March 2012

For phone numbers:
XXXXXXXX 903	£15.39
XXXXXXXX 070  xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	£15.80
Total before VAT	£31.19
VAT charges
VAT at 20% on £31.19	£6.23
Total for this bill	£37.42
Overdue balance	cr£15.00

Total £56.60Total £56.60by Direct Debit on or after 5 April 2012

For phone numbers:
XXXXXXX 903	£34.26
XXXXXXXX 070           xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	£12.91
Total before VAT	£47.17
VAT charges
VAT at 20% on £47.17	£9.43
Total for this bill	£56.60

I also haven't been able to access any of the online services on my new phone. So I phoned Vodafone on the 18th March at 17:40pm to complain about all this and I was told I'd have to send the phone back (the operator assumed I'd had the second phone). I told her I couldn't send it back as I was given the upgrade for being loyal and I didn't have the second phone, also I'd sold my previous phone to a friend so if I sent it back I wouldn't have a phone at all. She insisted I send it back so I asked to speak to her manager. She wouldn't let me but she went and spoke to her and her manager agreed to give me special exemption to keep the phone. I then said I want a refund for the overpaid bills as I was on a £15 per month contract and again she said they couldn't do that as I had the second sim card which I'd told the original operator I didn't need but again she spoke to her manager and again they gave me special exemption and said I would get it with the original 500 free texts and 250 free minutes. This I copied tonight and you can see I still only get 100 minutes -

• Minutes 82  minutes used 18 minutes remaining
• Text 62  texts used 438 texts remaining
• Data
  
  If you have not opted into GPRS, This will not be available
• Charges not covered by your price plan £0.34

Also it still says on my price plan in my account-

My plan

Monthly cost
£10.50(Inc. VAT)

Your Plan comes with 100 minutes + 500 Texts with Vodafone Passport.

And as for the internet access she said it was set up for my new sim card and she would change it to my existing sim card which still hasn't been done, so I emailed them on Tuesday from their web site explaining all this and asked for a refund and compensation for not getting what I was promised and got this reply -

"Hello XXXXX,

Thank you for contacting Vodafone Customer Services.

I regret the level of service you received from us as this is not the way Vodafone believes in serving its customers.

Your comments about the disappointment are highly appreciated and this will be used as a feedback for our future business.

The incident you have highlighted will not only assist us in improving the service we provide in the future but it will also be used to further develop and improve our ongoing training program.

Whilst this does not in any way detract from all the frustration you have suffered, it should definitely help to prevent a re-occurrence.

However, in reference to the email, we would unable to offer you any credit or compensation at this moment.

I apologise for the inconvenience caused to you.

Kind regards,

Murtuza (surname removed for security)
Vodafone Customer Services"

I hope you can help in this situation as I have wasted a lot of time trying to sort this out which I shouldn't have to. I did email Otelo about this complaint but they replied saying I have to give you a chance to resolve this with me before they will take any action.

[Antweir55]

Hi, Obviously this is not the way anyone wants to be treated by any company, the main problem is that it has taken you a few months to get in contact with Vodafone and from any point of view this is not good, Under distant selling regulations all companies are required to offer seven days cool off period so within this time you would have been refunded and would have avoided this hasstle. In regards to Vodafone saying you have a additional handset, with the new sim card you would have got a invoice which would detail what has been dispatched. I can understand why you are annoyed but from any point of view, for this to be identified a few months later, the help Vodafone can do is quite limited because, as far as they are concerned your happy with the actions that has been done. Next time always remember to keep a eye on your online account, I always do this incase something appears that doesn't look right. Also if a advisor says something's going to be done and it hasn't, call them back and explain that you have been promised something that hasn't been done... or pop into a Vodafone store. Hopefully you will get is sorted out soon, Good Luck Thanks Ant

[DaveCD]

Hi PoolQueen

Thank you for your post and a very warm welcome to the eForum.

I see there has been some excellent advice provided by Antweir55 (thank you).

The email you have had from our customer services is very nice but in my mind does not address the issue or resolution and so I can take a look at this for you please follow the Private Message that I have sent to you and either myself or one of the team will be in touch as soon as we can.

You can find your PM inbox here.

Many Thanks

DaveCD

eForum Team

[PoolQueen]

Yes thank you Ant. I have done as Dave has asked in his PM so hopefully this will get sorted soon.