Where is my router?

[vegtable]

FTTP installed on the 27th (activation date) but no Vodafone router had been delivered. I spoke on chat to somebody who told me that Openreach had cancelled the delivery of my router (this sounds like a complete lie, blame anybody but us, how and why would Openreach cancel the delivery of my router)? After an hour and a half on chat I was promised a router would be delivered within 48 to 72 hours and that a manual order had been placed. No router, spoke to somebody else on chat yesterday morning who assured me a new manual order would be placed and a router would be sent and I would get an email confirming this shortly. No email has arrived so I can only assume the router is still not coming.

I know Vodafone customer service is legendry for all the wrong reasons but this is an absolute joke.

I think Vodafone's network is OK'ish but massively let down by world beating customer service incompetence.

I don't beleive that the broadband team are able to resolve why my router is not being sent and I really do not have the time to waste on chat for an hour+ at a time going through the same pointless process.

V

[vegtable]

If anybody from the admin team can help resolve this it would be appreciated as clearly the folks on chat are unable to successfully place a manual order.

V

[Beth]

Hi @vegtable! We're unable to access accounts of the forum as it's a public platform. In this case, we'd need to check your account over so I'd recommend reaching out to our Social Media team here. They'll be able to enter your account and see what's happening for you. Please select the option "Message an Advisor" and you'll be routed through to an agent 

[vegtable]

To update on this, still no router. Somebody from the social media support team is working on resolving this and I am getting status updates. The broadband order is stuck in an open state so all the time I wasted on chat with people manually ordering routers was never going to get anywhere.

Vodafone appears plagued with bad back office systems and poorly trained support staff. This must cost them a fortune. 

I am sure the current person will eventually find somebody who can get my order unstuck. Fortunately the network service itself is up and I did manage to pry the pppoe credentials out of somebody so I using the service on another router. However, many folks may not have an alternate router and enough gumption to configure it.

I am also concerned my Amazon voucher won't track now, so even if the router does turn up, I may well be out of pocket by £205. I guess we will wait to see on that one...

[vegtable]

I think the worst part is that trying to get this sort of issue resolved using as the usual contact us channels is an exercise in futility. Ranting on a public forum appears to be the only way to get Vodafone to provide adequate support ☹️

Still, fingers crossed a router well eventually be sent out....

[Jayach]

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@vegtable wrote:

Ranting on a public forum appears to be the only way to get Vodafone to provide adequate support ☹️

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What on earth makes you think that will make any difference? (other than allow you to let off some steam)

[vegtable]

Because you can then get a link to access the social media support team who are more inclined and capable and determined to help. The folks on regular chat follow a script and then give up...

[vegtable]

However, ask me again in a few days, if I still don't have a router I may change my mind. The social media support team have helped in the past after fruitless hours with the regular support folks.

[Jayach]

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@vegtable wrote:

 The social media support team have helped in the past after fruitless hours with the regular support folks.

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Your experience of the social media team is very different from mine then.

[vegtable]

Ok, it is a few days time and still no router. At least the social media team are providing status updates that they still have not resolved the issue 😐

Thankfully I can use the broadband service using my own router, don't have a landline as need the Vodafone router for that...it does go to show how bad Vodafone's backend IT systems are though. This isn't the 1st time I have had this kind of problem, had previous mobile order fail and required account reset to fix it.

The bit I don't understand is business model. I get that premium providers can afford to offer better service as they charge more money. However, for a bulk service such as residential broadband the margins are tight on the budget end, so every service that ends up requiring manual resolution must eat heavily into profits. It must come to a point where it justifies fixing the system.

To some extent people factor in poor service with a cheap price, but for many the hassle factor is too much. This is an industry with high levels of customer churn - probably more so in times of financial stress. I did reluctantly pick vfe knowing in all probability I would be pulling my hair out - but I am cheap. But at the same time, Vodafone are not building any loyalty with me, I will not feel compelled to stay with them in 24 months time when the introductory offer is over.