I am extremely disappointed with Vodafones lack of customer service. With absolutely no regard for consumer satisfaction, they have ignored my pleas for help in dealing with a very serious issue and have robbed me of almost 100 pounds.
At first I was misold a SIM only package, as I had my own phone through the carphone warehouse. Through fault of theirs and also VODAFONE, my SIM card was set up incorrectly. I was sold a package that for the first two months had unlimited data and 500 minutes worth of calls, plus unlimited texts. Within 4 days of usage of my new SIM I phoned VODAFONE customer service with the intention of changing my account details as I had recently changed banks. Unbeknown to myself, the call handler suggested I had wayward charges of an extreme amount for having only had the phone for 4 days.
The numbers I had called had all been 'inclusive' numbers of the permitted 500 minutes. Yet none of my minutes had been used - just charged calls and TEXTS and DATA, even though these were supposedely unlimited. I had made several calls to mobiles, some not even lasting 2 secs ( the 14th call operative I phoned, working for vodafone, to discuss the matter over a number of passing weeks) tried to fob me off with accusing me of making prank calls. I am 30 years of age, and having returned to the UK after 7 years of travelling abroad, I am in no way immature enough to 'prank call'. These were in actual fact, calls made to the same phone number at different intervals after having gone through to my contacts voicemail - charged at nothing less than 50p or above each time.
Absolutely ludacris. Anyway after learning of these atronomical charges on my account, I was entirely shocked and realised straight away something wasn't right with the account and/or the plan. I proceeded to cancel my plan after 5 days - well within my rights as a consumer, I was offered a 14 day 'no questions asked' return policy with the Carphone Warehouse, and a 30 DAY no questions asked 'see if you like us' policy with VODAFONE. Several phonecalls pursued for weeks on end of me calling tirelessy to speak with someone to sort out these charges which a) I couldn't even get someone from the call centre to explain to me where they came from, or what numbers/how much data I'd used and b) they wasn;t even able to tell the me the account balance as they didn;t have access to it on their computers. WHAT DAY AND AGE OF TECHNOLOGICAL EXCELLENCE ARE WE LIVING IN EXACTLY???
After having an operator hang up the phone to me after my initial explanation of reasons to the nature of my call (I will not call them a customer services advisor - as they failed to advise me with anything to do with my account and furthur more if that's what they regard as customer service they are in for a shock in the real world), I proceeded to call back again, this time again fobbed off with "call back next month when we have your statement to view" This was June 2016 - I was to wait until the end of JULY 2016 to find out what I apparently owed the company after inclusive calls, texts and data was use don my phone number in 4 days of having the SIM only plan.
Well that didn't sit well. But what did I do, called again in July only to be told there was absolutely nothing on my account in my nme, they had no record of me whatsoever, the screen was blank, I owed no money, not even a trace of several complaints I'd already made. ##~##??!! The lady whose name escapes me at this moment in time unfortunetly, she she would make a note on the system for me that I'd called (again) that no money was owing on the account as her screen was blank, and that there's no way to take any money could be taken from the account - as there was no account details. She said not to worry at all, she advised me I was well within my rights to cancel the sim only plan as I'd done it well within the 30 day scope and that if there was any more problems to develop someone from their office would call me. (I don't know how they'd manage to get in touch, she didnt stick around long enough to ask for an alternative contcat number, since I seized to exist with Vodafone).
Finally another 2 weeks later, the bank account was checked and sure enough two amounts of moneys had been debited from the account listed on my sim only plan for the totals of 19.00 pounds and 76.04 pounds. I was extremely angry with this as you can imagine. Two regular direct debit payments that were due to come out at the same time these debits were wrongfully taken meant there was insufficient funds available. Therefore the account recieved bank charges and footprints against it for default of payment.
I phoned VODAFONE for the final time, until I am writing this over a month later. I spoke with a man that told me his name was Jacob at the start of the conversation but proceeded to call himself Mustafa at the end of the telephone call. He listened and was the politetest member of the company I had dealt with this far, I expained, in it's entireity, the situation I was in with Vodafone. Mustafa in detail read out every single call and text I made, along with exactly how much data allowance I had used in the 4/5 days before cancellation. He listed how long each call was and what the exact cost was of each. I hae records that I wrote down indetail and also have him recorded on a device for parts of the conversation.
He informed me this would be escalated immediately and he raised a recalculation request in an instant as he could see I was nowhere near my usage cap offs of text/calls/or data so he said something was definietly wrong with the account and I shouldn't of recieved such charges. He also confirmed I should not pay for anything inclusive either as I cancelled the sim only plan within the 30 day trial.
That phonecall was made 30/07/2016 It's in actual fact 6 weeks later and I have still heard nothing, after being promised it would take no longer than 1-24 hours to hear a response from someone in the relevant department. Mustafa even took my persona mobile number to make sure he dealt with me directly. Well I'm sorry Mustafa, but I think it's a little over the 24 hours you promised to be in touch with regards to this case.
I am taking this to every level of unfair trading and the mobile network ombudsman to get a result from VODAFONE. I will not be calling again to discuss this. You contact me. You're brand name will forever be tarnished in my opinion. You're customer service is extremely poor and I am highly disppointed. I shall never, ever buy any of your products and I pity anybody that has just signed up on a contract with you. Shame on me. I will be getting a refund, in it's entireity and seeking legal advice against you.
Thanks for nothing VODAFONE
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