Absolute ##~## show

[JamesNarey]

Since pre-ordering the S8 in March and receiving it in April, I have had nothing but problems with Vodafone. To start with, I was told that I would be put on a better plan, which turned out to be a SIM-only deal and my account would need reverting. Since then all that has happened I have been charged ridiculout amounts for my bill every month, sometimes over £200. I have spent hours upon hours upon hours to call centres with no sign of resolve since then. I was told last week that my line would need to be disconnected then re-connected in order to fix an issue on Vodafone's side of things, but that they don't actually know what the issue is. I have now been left with a phone that in no way works since Monday and the guys in the call centre in ##~## said that Vodafone have somehow blitzed my SIM and there is no record of it's number anywhere on the system. 4 months of the lousiest customer service, constant over charges and lack of a working phone, just a expensive and shiny paper weight. Once this issue is resolved, if they manage to pull their finger out that is, I will only be using the phone to ring other network providers and arrange a new contract. If they want this phone back, they can come and collect it, but it will be in pieces. 
Absolute joke this network.

[Tash]

I'm sorry to see this has happened @JamesNarey.

We'd like to get this sorted for you. So we can do this, I've sent you a private message with details to contact our team directly.

[chistery]

You need to start the complaints process. Give them 8 weeks or wait till they say "Deadlock" and go to the ombudsman. 

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/vodafone-uk/complaints/

They have to pay for every complaint they have not resolved, so it's likely to get fixed quicker once you invoke their own complaints process.

[JamesNarey]

Cheers. Just done that but 8 weeks is way too long for them to leave me with no phone and to be paying for a contract in which I can't do anything. 

[chistery]

I agree, but it should also bring better attention to it within Vodafone and this process is the only way to get a complaint to the ombudsman, which is likely to help resolve any issue to your satisfaction.

Networks are measured on the amount of complaints that get passed on, it doesn't look good for Vodafone if they have more than others.

[JamesNarey]

Thing is, I do not know how they're expecting to contact me as they can't call me and I rarely check any emails other than my work address :smileylol:

[donnyguy]

Then give them your work address? Or start checking your personal emails if that's where you want them to contact you.

Here's the thing with complaints (and this isn't specifically aimed at you), the advice you have been given is correct, by logging a complaint, it will be dealt with via their internal complaints process. If the complaint reaches ADR (goes a certain amount of time unresolved) or deadlock (you've exhausted your escalation routes internally but still can't reach agreement) then you can take it to the Ombudsman.

But... you have to be a willing part of this process as well. You can't raise complaints but then say it's going to be impossible to contact you. All that will happen is Vodafone will (rightly) attempt to contact you three times, they'll then perhaps send you a letter asking you to contact them. If you don't then your complaint will be closed after a set amount of time as no contact. This is acceptable practise and you wouldn't be able to go to the ombudsman in these scenarios as Vodafone would be able to show they've done what they can to get in touch.

So yes, definitely raise the complaint (or respond to the PM that was sent by Vodafone above) if required but do all you can to work with them to resolve the issue. So agree how they'll get in touch to put things right. 

[JamesNarey]

Oh, I have raised the complaint as well as respond to the comment.
Thing is, I have zero faith in there being any resolve anyway after hours upon hours wasted getting passed to different people and not one of them having a clue what they're on about.

[Gemma]

@JamesNarey - We want to help to get this resolved.

I’ve searched for your email via the address you’ve registered to the Community with and nothing’s showing.

If you’ve been in touch vis the private message @Tash sent, please let us know the email reference from the auto reply (it looks like #123456).

[JamesNarey]

@Tash
[Removed] is what I believe was used

[MOD EDIT: This post has been edited to remove personal content please see Community Guidelines]