Account Number : I12905376
Cell number: 0768500179
I am writing this letter to bring to your attention, my dissatisfaction of the poor quality of services provided by VODACOM. I am referring to the poor quality of service I received on the 4th of March 2021, from your incompetent staff and their poor performance.
To put context to my grievance: I was paying for the following products: WIFI (079 506 7575) laptop insurance and my cell phone (07685001790), and together they amounted to my monthly instalment of R1800 a month. In February 2021, I was due for an upgrade, however, I was not planning to upgrade until I was ready financially.
On the 4th of March, I called Vodacom Customer Care , to inform them that I wanted to cancel my WIFI and the laptop insurance, and also downgrade my 0768500179 number, of which I was informed that I will only be paying R99 monthly. By the end of March, I noticed that Vodacom is still billing me the same amount that I was paying before, despite the cancellation and the downgrade. The same billing continued till the of April 2021.
On the 2nd of May I made a Payment of R1000 at Vodacom Walmer Park mall in Port Elizabeth. On the 3rd of May I travelled from Port Elizabeth to Graff Reinet and noticed that my cell phone had been soft locked. On the 5th of May, I made a payment of R1600, and subsequent to that, I called Vodacom to enquire about the soft locking despite my payment. I also enquired from the consultant about the fact that I’m still paying for the products that I had cancelled ( WIFI, Laptop Insurance). Upon enquiring, she notified me that indeed I had cancelled the products on the 4th of March, but unfortunately, the consultant who was assisting me never actually actioned the cancellation of the products, as I requested. She then said she will do the cancellation of the 0795067575 number, and downgrade my number 0768500179 with airtime and data benefits to the value of R99 a month by the end of May. I was elated and further asked her to log a call for the refund of the money I had paid. She logged a call for the refund and this is the reference number for the refund: 1-34987424414648210.
Subsequent to the telephone conversation between the consultant and I, the consultant advised me to switch my phone off and on, as a way of facilitating its reconnection. Upon switching it on, I then realized that my line is completely disconnected, and that I’m unable to make calls nor receive them. That’s when my nightmare started, I immediately called Customer Care again, and I was sent from pillar to post, and was made to explain the same story to each and every consultant I was transferred to. All of them transferred me from one department to the other, but the matter continued to be unresolved. Amongst the 20 consultants that I have spoken to, one of them informed me that my 0768500179 has actually been disconnected\terminated, instead of the WIFI number 0795067575 and that they will sort it out.
This nightmare and huge inconvenience continued until I was done with my work trip and had travelled back to Port Elizabeth on the 7th of May. On the morning of the 8th , I visited Vodacom Green Acres (the Bridge) to sort out this issue. The consultant by the name of Zoleka, tried to assist me but the level of incompetence was appalling to Zoleka by her her colleagues. I then escalated the matter to the Branch Manager Diane, Zoleka’s boss, who was very rude and expected that I should be understanding when she told me that there is nothing that they can do and that they are closing as at 14:00. I left the branch without any assistance.
I would like to bring to your attention what I have endured during the disconnection of my line:
I have missed out on the communication between me and my team at work
I could not join important meetings on TEAMS as I’m using my phone for those kind of meetings
I missed deadlines, as I could not access my emails and act on them
Vodacom has waisted my time and the company’s time because, I had to spend hours on the phone trying to resolve this matter.
I was not able communicate with my family , my husband and kids in particular, during business trip to Graaf Reinet.
I further spent my petrol and time to visit the Branch for something that could have been avoided
I expect Vodacom to pay me R2 600 that I paid, when my phone was suspended, as I was not supposed to have paid to Vodacom, had Vodacom cancelled the products as initially requested. I also expect Vodacom to compensate me for the inconvenience it has caused for the days they disconnected\terminated my 0768500179 number.
I have been a Vodacom Customer for many years and have recommended it to many people. However, the manner in which my issue was handled was indeed disappointing and appalling. As I tabling this grievance to Vodacom, my phone is still disconnected.
Yours truly
Ntebaleng Ramphela Hlohlolo