The Pre-order Farce

[edinscott34]

So like many others on here I have had nothing short of a nightmare with my pre-order of an iPhone 6s Plus 64gb Rose Gold,  below are the absolute nightmare sequence of events

Sat 12th 8:15am

I pre-order and pay for my iPhone 6s Plus 64gb Rose Gold,  and receive all the order confirmations by text and email immediately after the order confirming delivery should be on the 25th Sept. 

Monday 14th

I receive a delivery from DPD which is someone elses sim card,  with his name and address on the package - VF advise that this was sent in error and that DPD would collect it (Still not collected)

Tuesday 15th

I receive another sim card from DPD which this time is actually for me (VF advise that the sim has been sent in advance of the phone)

Wednesday 16th

I get an email saying my bill is ready,  this bill is for usage between the 13th and 23rd Sept (I still havent got the phone so shouldnt be billed yet),  advised on chat again this is an error and in fact the money wont come out my account,  the advisor even texts me to confirm this. 

Thursday 24th

Get another email saying my bill is ready,  this bill covers between the 23rd Sept - 22nd Oct (again these dates are wrong as up until then I wasnt due the phone until the 25th) - I go onto the chat and Im advised I need to phone as there appears to be a problem with my order

I call customer services and I'm advised that there has been some sort of problem with my order and VF have had to cancel my order and that they would need to do a reorder and then give me a priority delivery which would be no later than Monday (So no Friday delivery for me sadly),  also advised that they would correct my incorrect bill and that I wouldnt be billed until I get the handset

Friday 25th

I check my bank account and the bill for between the 13th-23rd which was meant to be cancelled has in fact come out of my account,  I again talk to vodafone who have no record of anyone cancelling or sorting out that error,  they credit my account for the amount I have been billed.  They also advise me that my new iphone would be arriving between 3-4pm on Monday

Monday 28th

I still havent received any notiication from DPD about my delivery so I again call VF,  I am then advised that they had in fact again cancelled the order by error (for a second time),  this time I demand that I talk to a manager who explains that they had technical issues with a number of preorders for the iPhone and that I had just been "unfortunate" that this had happened twice to me.......she then advises me that she will personally do the reorder herself and ensure it goes through,  however there was now a 4 week waiting list for the rose gold iphone 6s plus so realistically I wouldnt get it until the end of October,  she was unable to explain how this had happened and there was hardly any notes put on the system from my many other calls prior to talking to her.  She placed my reorder and credited my account with £50 as an apology for the inconvenience (and the fact I had taken time off for the promised delivery on the Monday)

I have now received the new order number and frustratingly now wait 4 weeks for my new handset 

Throughout this entire process I spent around 4/5 hours on the phone (most of which on hold), I was hung up on twice, I was given contradicting information on at least 3 occassions both on the phone and on chat,  and I paid for a phone on the 12th Sept which I will now not receive until the end of October,  even though they have given my order what they call "priority one" which means I should get my phone as a priority over other orders.  (the website and tracker are saying delivery between 1st-8th Oct, I was assured by VF that this was incorrect and that it would definitey be at least 4 weeks,  they are lying to customers and potential customers by stating these wrong dates)

In no world is this classed as good customer service,  and if Im ever asked if I would recommend VF I think the answer now would be very obvious.....also it would appear that VF never apologise,  at no point in this process have they said sorry 

[BandOfBrothers]

Hello edinscott34

Im sorry I meet you under these circumstances which I can only but imagine must be frustrating for you. 

Out Of all the  launches I've encountered and followed things seem to go into meltdown causing such issues for customers. 

You will see from other recent posts on the eForum that some others have been affected similarly too. 

I think we all understand and accept that things can and do go wrong but then it's down to how this is put right that counts. Sadly for you the result is being put back in the priority list. 

Im sure Vodafone do not want this type of service to happen and are wanting to put this right as amicably and reasonably as possible. The GoodWill Gesture being a way of showing they have got it wrong. 

I hope you get the phone of choice soon. 

[edinscott34]

The biggest let down throughout was the lack of consitency in the answers I was getting,  each different person would tell me something completely different,  I was hung up on twice and out of everyone that I spoke too only one person seemed genuinely interested in helping,  the other just wanted to get me off the phone rather than resolve the problem

Its a great example of how not to treat a customer

I also run a tech blog and the post I have put on here will be uploaded onto that blog soon

[tailwhip1984]

i feel your pain.

i got my phone on the friday, but only after i was told that i 100%, would NOT be getting it on friday, and it would be delivered on Monday at the earliest.

each staff member told me something different.

and now i have the phone, with my sim card activated, my price plan won't move over, it is still in limbo and nobody can fix it:

"I have checked the account and can see that your order for the 15GB price plan is in process. And the old price plan is still active."

but don't worry - someone is going to "escalate it" and it will be ready in 48 hours! yeah? i have heard that 6 times before.

 i was meant to have TWO call backs today from managers, regarding compensation, and have heard nothing at all.

[edinscott34]

I actually got to the stage when they said they would call me back that I would say "no, I'll stay on hold until you get an answer",  because the call backs would never happen and I would need to call back and explain the whole farce again to someone new.

[Lloyd102]

my word its as big as i thought! i got my phone and sim card but becasue they left my order open my sim card wont work, they have told me oh will take 24hr every day this week and nothing! i cancelled my contract with o2 to come to vodafone and from the start its been a headache from the beginining!

[baconandeggs]

Switched across from EE and was promised that I would have my 6s Plus on launch day. Hasn't even shipped yet.

EE had their faults but at least they were able to get orders out on time. I am still in my cancellation period with them and if I don't see my phone by the end of the week I will be getting back in touch with them.

[Lloyd102]

i was the same, i was promised to get it on the 25th reason why i switched. missold it tbh!

i was then told the 26th nothing came

then was told the 27th nothing came

then it arrived in store on the 28th and was sent to them via royal mail not DPD which was a little worried about!

and now my orders still open and sim card wont work until they close it and been told i have to wait another 48 hours

NOT happy at all with the begining of a new contract what a way to start!

[baconandeggs]

Missold - the exact word I used on the phone to them yesterday. i feel I have been lied to in order to gain my business.

Part of my job involves managing a fairly large voice & data contract with Vodafone and I have to say, it's getting difficult to not let this experience impact on that relationship as well!

[Lloyd102]

my o2 contact has now dropped off and is dead! so ive no phone use at all and my phone is still not in service with vodafone.

how hard is it to close a order ?