Comments
Vodafone goes one step too far
So lat last year I got a call from Vodafone saying that I owed them for an overdue, unpaid internet plan.
Seeing as I never signed up for an internet plan, I questioned it.
Apparently the plan was signed up for by someone who USED to be on the account but at that stage had no authority at all.
Once they realised they had illegally allowed someone to signup for plans under MY account they sounded a little apologetic and agreed to can the whole thing (In my opinion they got off lightly).
So when I went to sign up for Orcon Internet and got declined for credit reasons because of a default from Vodafone, it took me about 2 minutes to realise they had mucked up again on the SAME incident.
Another few phone calls later and the Vodafone rep claimed there was absolutely nothing wrong with my account. At this stage I was furious (what a PAIN for a Monday morning – on top of the fact I’m still a little unnerved that they are letting people signup for plans on my account).
The frustrating thing is WHAT can I do about it? Just spend another couple of hours on the phone ‘sorting it out’ again?
Hello, my name is Natalie, I have a business called 
March 30th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Time to get this sort of stuff in writing. I had the same problem with TCL , It was one thing to sort out the account manager , It was another fight to get the debt collectors from calling me at work for a few more months.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Wait for vodafone to see this post and fix the situation, and then think – this isn’t fair, if I didn’t have a well-read blog vodafone would make me jump through hoops and hoops and hoops.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Yes fortunately the collection agency woman sounded all to used to this sort of problem and advised me to get names and dates and notes for everything now and to ensure they call me back once they have sorted it out.
If only we could bill these companies for the time we waste sorting out their issues!
Ben, if only this blog was read well enough to make Vodafone take notice. I’m too small fry to even care about.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
What says you cant bill them :) http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/Man-Bills-Phone-Co-for-Wasting-His-Time-Check-Is-in-the-Mail.html
March 30th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Ray has got it right!
Prepare an invoice for the time you spent today sorting this out, add a fair chunk of ‘materials’ sub-headed wear and tear on mental stability due to the very concept of being tagged as a poor credit risk. A profitable hourly rate for an owner at a top-flight business service provider is about $500 per hour, you can probably ask for $2,000 for the pain and suffering effects of discovering the erroneous bad credit
Send it to the Vodafone accounts payable department making sure the payment terms clearly indicate ‘payment required within 10 days to avoid prosecution’.
After 10 days, get a nice form from the small claims court, fill it in, send it to the court with the trivial fee they ask for and mail the Vodafone copy to the same address as the invoice went to (NB, the invoice will still be in the same place as the AP Dept won’t know what to do with it.)
On the appointed day, go to the hearing with all your documents and a sad smile. You will be the only one there as the summons will still be in the AP department. The adjudicator will award you what you have asked for, their not turning up is an admission of liability in Small Claims Court. You get the judgement – the court sends a copy to them, you send a copy to their legal department demanding immediate payment. They pay up as it’s cheaper than hiring and briefing a lawyer to instigate an appeal, for which they cannot claim costs or expenses.
QED.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
Ray, I had heard of that but didn’t know if it was just an urban myth.
Dave I think I might just do it. The reality is that it does cost an awful lot in lost revenue when you spend my time on these things. And when you just comply, Vodafone has no reason to sort their systems out so they STOP wasting people’s time.
I will wait until I hear back from Vodafone (as they promised) and if I don’t I will just add the extra time it took me to the bill.
March 30th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Go after them both, even if it gets resolved before then
Vodafone and the credit reporting/collection agency both need to bear the costs as well as the benefits of using your information.
Vodafone stuffed up, and have not resolved things, even now.
However the credit/collection agency is actually making money out of your dilemma, and they need to be reminded that making false claims about people is a very bad thing.
March 31st, 2009 at 8:32 am
Hi Natalie, I’m Vodafone’s external communications manager. If you want to send me an email about this I’ll get the team onto it straight away (I think you can see my email address – if not post back here and we’ll sort something out).
And please accept my apologies for this – not sure how it happened, but we’ll do our best to get it fixed.
Regards,
Paul Brislen
March 31st, 2009 at 9:03 am
Paul, I have just sent you an email explaining more of the situation – this issue was a fairly major stress level raiser, especially because of who you gave access to my account. It put me in a very bad position and caused me a great deal of worry. I have also given you the issue reference numbers.
Everyone else, I have asked Paul for some compensation for this. I am yet to receive a call back from Vodafone, which was promised once the issue was resolved. I have left it to Paul to determine what would be fair (if anything). To be honest, given the lack of caring I’ve received so far, I’m a little anxious that this is more of a ‘cover all bad mentions of Vodafone on the internet’ than an honest attempt to leave me feeling less hard done by.
But, in saying that, I will wait your reply to decide.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:19 am
I now feel vindicated. ;) Hahaha.
August 24th, 2009 at 5:01 am
Personally if I am travelling for more than a week in a country i find it easier to just buy a local sim card to use whilst in the country, most places they are inexpensive and it saves on high costs.