Using Vodafone International Saver while Roaming in Roam Free zone

[VcustomerLondon]

I am on Pay Montly with inclusive roam free roaming.

Before leaving, I checked this site:

https://support.vodafone.co.uk/Using-our-network/Going-and-calling-abroad/Calling-and-texting-abroad...

to see if I can use the Vodafone International Saver 500 while in Roam Free zone.

The website clearly says:

"You have inclusive roaming included in your bundle and you’re in our inclusive roaming zone

If you make a call to a country outside our inclusive roaming zone but within the 100 destinations covered by International Saver (for example, calling Argentina from France), this call will be taken from your International Saver minutes. Calls made within the inclusive roaming zone will be taken out of your roaming allowance"

Earlier this moth I travelled to Poland and Germany.

I made a few calls to a destination from the Vodavone International Saver 500 list, but outside

the roam free zone.

To my surprise, I was charged over 200 pounds for those calls.

I talked to 191, they first said they charges are legit, then said it's a glitch and that they will be cancelled.

As this did not happen, I talked to the online chat people. A kind if misinformed chat handler by the name of

Hitesh first said that the charges are legit again. Then consulted a manager and said, quote:

'Hitesh: Max, I'm sorry for the miscommunication.

I've checked this for you and can confirm with my manager that it is included in your bundle as you're on latest bundle.'

But he also advised this can only be resolved once bill generated. Absurd that Vodafone can generate charges on the app but cannot cancel them until billed. Vodafone has gone as far as to even disconnect my line altogether, I had to call them to get it reinstated.

Now that the  bill is generated, I tried contacting the online chat people again but they sound like a broken record keep saying the charges are legitimate. They ignored my requests to check the link provided.

The social media team are just as useless, first they said they'd help then called me to say charges are correct.

I sent them the link and screenshorts but got no reply.

Where do I go next other than taking Vodafone to court?

[donnyguy]

Hi there,

That sounds like an absolute nightmare. The best advice is for you to go to: www.vodafone.co.uk/complaints and register a complaint there (either by emailing or calling). Either way you need to get this on record and for someone to own it.

I've had many MANY experiences where live chat have given incorrect information and haven't had a resolve till a complaints team take ownership.

If it makes you feel any better, don't take it personally. You're not the only one to have problems and there is a lot of time, effort and money being invested in the background to put things right.

[VcustomerLondon]

Thanks but what about the Social Media team? They seemed helpful at first but now refuse to accept basic information from their own site, providing me with 'alternative facts' and asking me to check other links, should they not know better?

[donnyguy]

Like I say, don't take it personally. I don't think anyone goes to work in the morning with a view to upset the customers but they are limited by what they can see and do. This is why a complaints agent is the way forward as they have the time to look into what you're saying, get answers and then take corrective measures to rectify in a satisfactory way for the customer and the business.

Other teams such as live chat, social media teams and front line customer care are performance managed on getting people in, dealt with as quickly as possible and out again.

What you should do when you raise your complaint is document what you've been told and via what channel and ask the agent to investigate that also. Feedback is a gift and Vodafone as an organisation need it in order to improve.

[VcustomerLondon]

I am sorry but 'not taking things personally' is totally inaproppriate here

I have been caused distress and ansguish, my line disconnected, now 10 Vodafone staff all wrong about their own policies and cannot even agree to what they see on their own website. On to of that, Vodafone wants to rip me off to the tune of 200+ pounds

Yes, I should be all smiles and help Vodafone to improve! Yay!

[donnyguy · Accepted solution]

I think you're mis-understanding the point of my replies. Like I have said previously, I have experienced similar to what you're experiencing now but this is a forum, its full of other customers who are trying to offer you a little bit of guidance on how to resolve this.

I get it, you're upset. I would be too. But, logically all you need here is for this matter to be resolved. Front line customer care aren't doing that and therefore I've already posted the link for you to be able to register a complaint so someone who is a Vodafone employee will pick up your issue and resolve it.

I've read the link you posted, it seems quite clear to me that you're 100% in the right with this one as you're on a plan that includes global roaming (which you took out or re-graded to on or after April of this year) and you made calls whilst in a roam free country to a destination that is covered in the Vodafone International plan.

So I wasn't going to post my thoughts on why things had gone wrong for you nor offer any kind of excuses for the mis-information you seem to have been given. I posted a link for you to get a resolve.

I mean, you can wait for someone from Vodafone here to respond to you but best case scenario, you'll get routed back into the social media team and it seems you've been there, done that and got the t-shirt.

So back to my original point, register a complaint. Get this sorted. Get your apologies from them. I wasn't being flippant with my 'don't take it personally' comment. There's very clear issues within Vodafone (and other companies) that need resolving and by raising your issue as a complaint, you'll help get these issues flagged.

[VcustomerLondon]

I did misunderstand them indeed. Thank you for your help and support, all is clear. I will register a complaint and hope this will resolve the matter!

[VcustomerLondon]

Just received a final reply from the Social Media team. They completely fail to comment on the screenshots and links I sent them. I asked them explicitely to comment, they just ignore them and quote other sources that are to their liking. Any advice?

[ChazzD]

@VcustomerLondon

Have you been in contact with the Social Media team via email?

What’s your email reference number (#15xxxxx) from the automated response? We’ll chase this up for you.

[VcustomerLondon]

Not via e-mail. I have not been given a reference number. Sorry but who is "us"/"you" in this case?

The last message received via Twitter: @VodafoneUKhelp was from Matthew R,

completely ignoring the screenshots I sent, just referring me to T&Cs which he claims

say I should be charged.

Even if T&Cs say that, this does not invalidate  my claim - the FAQ section I based

my actions on told me the calls are included in the bundle.