Direct Debit set up despite no SIM sent and cancellation request.

[Anonymous]

After a year and a half of being messed around with my previous broadband provider I have a severe intolerance for shoddy customer service or at least what I perceive it to be.

Ordered a SIM on sim only 24 months.  Thinking it's quite a long time for a SIM only but it has the best price and Vodafone seems to have really good coverage in my area.

Sits confirmed with no despatch and account details come up with unexpected error.

Chat help very slow - tells me I need to wait for the sim to get into the account sections of vodafone.

Order Tracking - sits as confirmed with no despatch and date of expected delivery has lapsed 2 days.

Tried chat again - very slow - takes 4 to 5 minuted between repsonses.

Just tells me to have patience you will get your sim eventually.

I requested cancellation of the order and he says he has done that.

This morning SIM still not despatched and my bank account has a Vodafone direct debit set up on it.

Am I expecting too much or is this normal customer service these days?

I assume I will have 14 days from when the sim arrives to cancel without payment and I can delete this direct debit?

[Anonymous]

I explained all that had gone on and I was staying with my current network and the very nice lady on the phone couldn't apologise enough.  Sounded genuine and I believed her.

I explained my intentions where to move household over to Vodafone but decided to hold off for now and she offered a good deal on 2 additional sims for my daughters and I accepted.

Out of 6 interations with Vodafone:

1. Negative experience with web ordering SIM.

2. Negative with online chat (outsourced)

3. Nice chat with lady in store via chat, she didn't resolve the issue but I understand she couldn't.

4. Unpleasant experience in store initially but did get sim card.

5. Second chat with online again from a store who said she was personally embarrassed to hear my experience.

6. Lovely genuinely friendly woman on phone who offered me extra deal on 2 new lines as I did want to move to Vodafone from o2, she said she was sorry for all I had experienced and it's not what she would want for the company, she'd been with Vodafone since age 16 and has worked for them for 13 years......  Sounded a bit like myself in the company I work for. (Not tech, media or comms related)

I thought in a balance of probabilities (3.5 positives out of 6) that I was unfortunate to the time of year online and a rude individual in store - one person in a store and 3 local stores I could visit if necessary.

Thank you for your responses and advice along the way.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @Anonymous 

I agree not a fantastic start and I'm sorry to see you've cancelled.

The Live Chat Agents will be dealing with multiple connected customers hence the possible delay in response time I think.

I think there maybe demand to sim despatches and postal deliveries due to the time of year 

If you've cancelled then the direct debit which is auto set up should drop off.

If it does not then you should be able to do this manually via Internet banking or by speaking with your bank once your100% sure the Vodafone contract is cancelled.

Yes a person does have 14 days as a cooling off period.

The Vodafone Social Media Team's via Twitter DM or Facebook Messenger can clarify things.

Link back to your thread here including your forum username so your not having to repeat yourself.

Contact-us-for-account-specific-queries. 

Maybe they can smooth things over and get things back on track for you to stay with Vodafone.