Vodacom
Reviews and Complaints

On July 31st I called Vodacom and informed them that I do not wish to renew my contract which was to terminate on August 10th 2016. Vodacom, however, told me that my contract will effectively only terminate on August 31st.
I have been on this Vodacom Contract and have retained the same number since the last 8 years. A few months ago I made arrangements and brought it to Vodacom’s notice that my account will be paid on the 9th of every month.
Each month after the 1st day I usually receive a voice automated message enquiring the date by which Vodacom will receive their payment. This ensures that my phone does not disconnect and once I make payment I receive an acknowledgement of payment from Vodacom, however this month, the very next day after informing Vodacom of my decision to discontinue with the contract, my line was suspended by the afternoon of August 1st.
 Since August 2nd I have been calling Vodacom with no resolve.
 On one of those days during that week I was told that Vodacom’s systems were offline and that they assured me a call back which never materialized.
 I then made payment Of R600, which was actually more than the amount due, on August 8th at Checkers Store, Gateway in Durban.
 I called Vodacom the next day and was told that because it was a public holiday I had to call back the next day to get hold of “subscriber collections”
 Then the next day when I do get hold of subscriber collections I was told that I had to wait an additional 48hrs before my line could be re-instated. This was on Wednesday the 10th of August.
 On August 12th I once again called subscriber collections and was told that the matter will be escalated to the I.T department, That the consultant at subscriber collections could not call me back nor could I get a confirmation message or email that the matter is escalated yet on their system they can clearly see the numerous times I have called in with no resolve.
 I have called Vodacom on many days during this period multiple times per day as whilst on the call with consultants my calls would abruptly disconnect.
 I called Vodacom today the 13th August 2016 and was told the same that matter will be escalated to the I.T department. That nobody knew why my line was still showing up as suspended.
It has been 13 days now that I have been without communication which is especially imperative when I am not at my residence. Vodacom has done a great disservice “creating much inconvenience and jeopardizing the safety of a longtime loyal customer”. I have just about 2 more weeks for this contract to effectively terminate and “cannot be happier at this fact”, however although I have no usage of my contract minutes and data I will still be expected to pay the full monthly installment. This comes off as ”daylight robbery”. Vodacom HAS NO VALUE FOR their Customers!

Disgruntled Vodacom Client
Mr Naidu
[protected] / [protected]

I phoned in with a data enquiry the consultant on the line was not friendly at all and not paying attention to what i was saying after tying to explain my problem for the fourth time i request to be transferred to another consultant after the current consult got extremely rude and just disconnected the line.

We traveled out of the country, realizing there was no roaming services coming through. We were unable to contact Vodacom until we have a phone available to call. I also tried to use the "promise to pay service" online, but failed to work when we reached our destination as I was only able to use wifi spots in this country we were visiting. Very limited. That is why we always have one number on roaming. I got the opportunity today to make the call to Vodacom to sort out the roaming problem and make use of the "promise to pay". Including (above all) receiving an invoice which is more than double our normal spediture as we did not receive a sms that the data on one number was used up earlier in last month. So we never knew we had to buy more bundles. Luckily I had a very nice lady that will escalate the problem. However the next lady I dealt with regarding the "promise to pay" service, basically told me that our lines were locked this morning, and we have to pay most of the bill immediately to get in unlocked. I explained that I have been trying to use the promise to pay online but wasn't working therefore I am calling in from an international number to make the promise to pay, I will even pay R1000 today and the rest later the month, due to business being slow this winter. She kept on hammering about having to pay nearly the full amount as even if I pay the R1000 it will not be unlocked. What is then the point of the "promise to pay" service? I have used the promise to pay service and have never experienced this treatment and unethical was of using the service available.
She kept saying she is trying to help when she wasn't, because it is. It the way the service works, plus telling someone they must pay amount they do not have available is not helping.
Problem solving is what I do all the time, and surely trying to solve a problem is when you are trying to help. Not telling and forcing someone on your point that is not even ethical to the service available.
We normally spend anything from R3000 to R5000 a month at vodacom, if not more at times with roaming. Being a loyal client since beginning of 2008, supporting the brand. What we spend is nearly someone's salary, or close to. Then being treated like this just really works me up and feel disrespected.
But I understand it has to do with the person dealing with me as well. I am always so thankful when I actually get someone on the otherside that truly ry to help, and I thank them tremendously plus I will always give a good rating. But so many times I am sure people get someone like this that are just so not helpful and disappoints.
This person now has caused us to be stranded without communication when we return in the country on the road. Which is unacceptable. When if something happens to us and we have to call urgently. All our phones and date lines all locked.
This person has truly stressed me out so much I am unable to do what I needed for the day, which is costly. We have so much to deal with regarding our business and so many things happening at the same time, which is something this person clearly did not understand when I tried to explain.
I require a solution and needs this to be sorted out ASAP. I need someone from Vodacom who is in management position and has a solution for us to contact me on email as I can't receive calls as roaming is not working and our lines are locked.

I sent a cancellation of my contract from Cape Gate Vodacom store on 31st May 2016 and the very last payment should have been 30th June. But they still billed me on 30th July 2016. I have called cancellations plus customer care about 8 times and STILL I am getting sms's and emails telling me to pay that amount.

I have reference: 1_[protected] plus 1-[protected]

These reference numbers were to log my issue. So sick and tired of trying to sort this out.

Contacted Vodacom today for a contract on my mother account, and Vodacom could just contact her for confirmation - because she's not clued up this all these phones and internet. It's all fine, and I understand that the account holder needs to contact the provider themselves. But this is what I don't understand - this makes no sense! - When Vodacom wants to sell us a contract they go out of their way to make the sale - firstly they contact my mother to offer the deal... then my mother askes Vodacom to rather contact me, her daughter, because I'll know if this contract they offer will be beneficial to our needs, and of which Vodacom do contact me! So why is it that Vodacom's consultants go out of their way when they have an offer but "we" as the client can't get the same service when we phone for additional contract?

On the 19th July 2016, I phoned the telsales deptartment to enquire about my upgrade that was due on 04/08/2016.
I requested a contract where I can have free 1G data per month as I do not want to use a mobile router for my 1 G data and I wanted a Huawei handset.
I was promised that it is no problem. I was told about the special that was just launched for R199 per month with R200 airtime and the 1G data.
I received my phone 2 days later with no data..
I phoned Vodacom to enquire about my 1G data per month. I was told that they have changed to a new sysem and cannot pick up anything about my data and that I only have a contract with R200 airtime. They will logg a call. I phoned again on 07/08/2016. Logged another complaint. Still no feedback. I was promised to get a ref no per sms and a phone call within 3 days.

I went to look at which deals I could get on an update to my contract with Vodacom at their Vodacom store in Pavillion today the 12th August 2016. My upgrade is due since September 2015. I, as well as 4 other customers, waited 15 minutes outside the store listening to the store manager preach to his staff in a staff meeting about "we will do anything". Really, the store is advertised to open at 9 yet we were made to wait, like idiots we did. Upon opening the store we were met with arrogance and disdain - fabulous customer service Vodacom! I had to wait a further ten minutes will the consultant logged onto his machine. He then proceeded to attempt to answer his ringing phone while I sat in front of him - did I become invisible? After he started talking to another consultant, ignoring me, and after finding out Vodacom packages are completing inflexible resulting in the customer having to pay additional for like everything, I walked out. I have been a loyal paying customer for close to 20 years, why do I stay with you?

Good day

I have worked for vodashop Middelburg in Mpumalanga and i am currently not working there anymore.I helped a client in the month of May 2016 Mr W Erasmus with an upgrade on cell nr [protected] which was on a 3GB topup package.The client said that 3GB is too little and would like to move to a 5GB package.I then moved the package to the 5GB with a laptop and router deal and the client left the store.After a month the client came back with a R25000 bill and one of almost R6000.To my surprise the package(3GB TOP UP) was moved to an open line 5GB.The client wasnt aware of this and thought it was on a top up the whole time.I made a mistake when processing the upgrade.I have called numerous times and spoke to hundreds of people but nobody seem to help me.I recieved a ref nr from vodacom to say it has been resolved and closed but still not resolved in any matter.I have spoken to some people from vodacom and the say the data charges can be reversed and the client would have to pay in bundle rates for the data used.This issue was not the clients fault and im trying to help even if im not working for the company anymore.My cell nr is [protected] if there is anything you need to ask

I called Vodacom on 1 July and raised a query on the data usage on 1 of the 5 accounts I have with them. The data usage on just 1 number was R5170 for 1 month only and I needed an explanation [protected]). I was promised feedback within 72 hours (ref: S3-Gox2x-Xs4N). Called again on 25 July and promised feedback within 72 hours (ref: S3-GOX2X-XSNG7). The call centre agent that her manager Kelly Terblach will call me the next day. No call to date. Called again on 12 Aug (ref: [protected]) and was told the query was closed yet I have no idea why not nor did anyone call me. So disappointed with this service. Seriously considering moving to Telkom when this contract expires. I want the total of R5170 reversed because I did not use data to that amount. Ask for all my statement to be mailed to my email address in Jan 2016. To date not emailed statement. Vodacom is taking there customers for granted. It is about time that I moved to another service provider.

I have been involved in a battle of months (since May 2016) about a free router that was delivered at my address. It was offered as a gift in April 2016 – no payment – after I had told the employee phoning that I am not interested in anything that would cost me money. NOT A WORD was said about the fact that this was the beginning of a 24 month contract. I never agreed to a contract, signed one, etc. Fact is: I have my own router and a contract providing 20 GB data per month and is therefore NOT interested in another router or contract. Furthermore I am a pensioner who lives on a strict budget. I do not enter into deals I cannot afford.

Great was my shock and surprise when I was billed at the end of May/June for "using" this router. A couple of days later I received the next bill to be paid by the end of July. Today I received the bill for the end of August. Once again I was billed for a router I never used or opened – and that was sent back beginning of July.

After a lengthy call (beginning July 2016) to Vodacom explaining this I was told to courier the unopened, unused router back to Umhlanga – which I did the same day (5/6 July). That meant more money: R171. Now I insist on the following:
1. Cancellation of the internet contract – which was not signed or approved by me;
2. Refund for internet services I did not use – from May till August;
3. Rectifying the June, July and August statements where I am once again billed for services I did not use – even after returning the unused router by courier.
4. Refunding me for sending back the router.

Please reply by e-mail. I am hard of hearing and, furthermore, it is highly frustrating to speak to an employee who cannot communicate clearly and audibly in Afrikaans (my preferred language) or English. Such calls are an embarrassment to the caller and receiver.

This is part of an e-mail sent to Vodacom. After seven e-mails to them, only replied by "auto response" no action was taken. One of the replies did add a reference no.: 003S~SCR4.

Philip du Plessis
[protected]
[protected]@webafrica.org.za

6 Antoinette Street
Amanda Glen
Durbanville
7550
South Africa

So I have been with Vodacom from 2014 since returning from abroad.

I have had the same package until a month ago when I upgraded ( 9 months after I was able to, since NO ONE at Vodacom though it necessary to send out the notification for upgrade) to a new package which was activated on 1 AUGUST 2016.

I received my Bill for July 2016 with a Data USAGE of R 999.73 including VAT - the problem is my DATA USAGE has never been more than R90-00 over the past SIX MONTHS (or longer, since my total Bill has never exceeded R1500 per month since I've joined Vodacom in 2014).

I immediately phoned Vodacom Customer Care to inform them that there is a HUGE mistake on the Bill - which is quite clear considering the trend present for the past half year and that I urgently want them to fix the problem and correct my Bill.

I started off speaking to Zanele Buthelezi, who were not helpful at all and after it became clear that she did not want to listen to my reason for wanting a correction, she transferred me to "Portia"in Solutions - I was on hold for a long time, after which the call was dropped and I had to phone Vodacom again.

In between, Madam Buthelezi phoned back, I informed her that no one answered in Solutions department, at which point the said she would transfer me again - that call was dropped by them again as well.

I then got through to another Call center person, to whom I tried to explain again what the issue is and asked that I be put through to a person who is actually able to assist and sort out the problem - she informed that a ticket was logged and that that is all Vodacom can do at this stage, nothing more.

I demanded to be put through to someone who can provide more assistance than telling me a ticket was logged - after all, that does NOT solve the problem in ANY manner!

I was then transferred to the "Accounts"department where I spoke to Camohele for about 30 seconds, he said he was going to transfer me to "DATA" - which never happened as he too, hung up on me.

I then phoned AGAIN to speak to another consultant names Tamere(sic) who confirmed what I already knew, a ticket was logged - I demanded to speak to a Manager or Supervisor, as the service and responses I received were not adequate to me as a Customer and I wanted to be afforded the opportunity to explain my unhappiness and the trend in my Bill which would clearly indicate that there must be a mistake on the side of Vodacom.

I was then transferred to one Denton Matthews, a Supervisor at Customer Service - I told him that he is person number 6 that I've been transferred to, that I've been transferred everywhere and that the phone has been dropped/put down in my ear by 4 people in Vodacom already - I was fuming.

I explained the trend in the Bill, informed him of my disappointment with Vodacom's service and asked what he was going to do to sort out the issue - he told me that "what could be done by Vodacom was done, they logged a ticket".

I informed that I am not satisfied with that, as it does not provide me with any reassurance or Customer Satisfaction on how the matter has been handled - I have been on the phone (interrupted as a result of the MANY dropped/cut calls) and want someone to assist in correcting the account.

I was furious as at one point, Denton tried to make me believe that, because I upgraded (from 1 AUGUST 2016) and had a "high tech android phone that uses a lot of data when the set up is done", my data usage went from R84-52 in June to R876-96 in JULY!

I then asked him whether he thinks I as a woman, or his customers in GENERAL, are stupid?! I know how to activate the "download on wi-fi only"button and did so IMMEDIATELY when I received my phone. I also have full wi-fi at work, where I spend 95% of my day...so that argument was FACTUALLY INCORRECT and OFFENSIVE to me!

He then asked me, since I knew that it takes 24 hours for the ticket to be finalised and a response given to me, why I was still talking to him, as there is nothing more to say...

I THANKED HIM FOR THUS CONFIRMING WHY EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN TO AT VODACOM THIS MORNING WAS SO UNHELPFUL AND NONCHALANT ABOUT PROVIDING CUSTOMER SERVICE - HE IS THE SUPERVISOR AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THAT REMARK, PROVED THAT HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE EITHER.

I then requested a copy of the recording of the conversation, which he refused (PAJA and Consumer Protection Act is obviously not something anyone at VODACOM has heard of...).

I ended the call, because after an hour of holding, trying to get assistance, being transferrd, calls dropped, people not at all interested in actually assisting a CUSTOMER who have been paying, without ANY issues, accounts form more than 2 years and now making a VALID query because there IS something wrong with the account - I realised that nothing would be done, as they DO NOT WANT to help me.

I have two colleagues whom, in the last 2 months have had the SAME problems with VODACOM accounts and upgrades. There is a problem with their new system, which VODACOM clearly doesn't acknowledge.

About a year ago I was due for an upgrade, only to find out I cant upgrade due to the staff having no knowledge of their new integrated system. The Vodacom decides to cancel my debit order without my convent, march of this year my contract suddenly gets cancelled and blocked. So now I've been handed over to lawyers because of vodacoms inconvenience. I also received a letter stating I owe Vodacom nothing. So now im standing in front of an incompetent person Minesh at the Vodacom store V&A because her manager Chris is avoiding me because he cant sort the situation out! Vodacom is a good network but with horrible staff!

I am a vodacom client and have been for the past 14 years, but the treatment I received from them in the past 2 weeks has left me shocked, I requested for my contract to be cancelled and moved to prepaid, but vodacom decides to delete my number all together, the number I have been using for the past 14 years everyone that knows me has that number, very insensitive of vodacom and to make matters worse when you call, the call center guys are not helpful, I get sent from 1 department to the next, 2 weeks later my issue is still not resolved to have my number back, I have a wifi modern with vodacom of which I want to cancel as well and just never deal with vodacom ever, since they very unhelpful, and when I cancelled my contract it was never in arrears for the past 5 years having been upgrading my contracts with vodacom.

Such a poor service, I have wasted my money all these years supporting such a company.

This was regarding an upgrade I made in June 4 whereas they there was no stock of the phone I upgrade to and that they have said I must be back on the following Wednesday. When I got there the phone is still not in stock. As per my knowledge they were not supposed to do an upgrade because there was no stock available. So they did it anyway. On more or less the 25 June I went back to the shop and still the phone was not there. So I said to reverse the upgrade I will go somewhere else.
I then waited another 5 days before it was reversed and could get an upgrade at another dealer.
I then received my account where they have charged me for the handset which I didn’t get and to find out that the upgrade was still not reversed. I pay now for a G8 Huawei, but received a P8 lite which free on my contract that I am currently upgraded too. When i saw the handset was charged on my bill I didn’t pay for it only for the rest of the contract. Now the phone is blocked because of short payment of handset which I don’t have.! I am battling now from beginning of July till now to get sorted and was phoning every day, but still nothing has been done about it.

I have immigrated. Before I left south africa I cancelled my contract and settled the amount quoted to me (At vodaworld in midrand) - reference number available.

However, I am now receiving multiple emails saying I am in arrears - this is not acceptable to me as I paid a large amount to vodacom and was advised (Just two days before leaving the country) that I have settled my contract with the company.

Please let me know who to contact about this asap.

Hi,

I did an upgrade on my phone [protected] and my wi-fi route with an call agent from vodacom.
For delivery he had my home address and I told him it would be beter to deliver at my work address and he told me it would not be a problem if ram couriers call me I could just give them me work address.
Ram called me and told me they must get authorization from vodacom.
I called vodacom and they said they are sending the email for authorization right now as we speak.
This morning of the 05/08/2016, I called Ram again and they said they have not received any email from vodacom and the man I spoke to gave me his name and number so I can call vodacom and ask them to call him so he can help me sort out this problem.
I called vodacom again and the lady from upgrades told me the email was sent. I told her to help by calling William from Ram Couriers on [protected] so that they can sort out what the probem was and she did not want to help me in any way. I told her I am going to cancel all my contracts with vodacom and she told me it is fine I can do that, but she won't call Ram Couriers.
This service I have received is not professional and I don't want part of a company that treats their customers like this.
Hope this letter will be taken seriously because this will make vodacom loose customers.

Thank you,
Regards,
MR. Raymond Esterhuizen.

On 2nd July I went to a Vodashop (10:00am) to do a sim swop. The lady behind the counter informed me that Vodacom offline, but that they should be up and running again within an hour. She took all my info and told me that she will do it as soon as Vodacom online again. I was told to turn phone off and wait 6 to 12 hours, then turn it back on and it should be done.
I then waited till the following morning, turned my phone on and it was not working. I then phoned Vodacom customer care, and Vuyo told me, she will synchronise the sim to my account, and that I must wait till 3:00pm to switch phone back on. At 3:30 I turned phone back on, and it still was not working. Then I again phoned them again, and again they told me that it is now done and I must wait another 3 hours to turn phone on. Again after 3 hours nothing. I turned phone off and waited till 8:00am this morning, yet it still was not working. I again phoned them and this time they transferred from one wrong department to the next. After I was transferred 5 times I got to another lady that said she will get Vodacom customer care to call me back because I am once again at wrong department. To date nobody has called me back from Vodacom and my sim still is not working. Also yesterday nobody from the right department could help me, because the whole department was given off to vote. I would have thought a big corporation like this will be more professional and that they would have staff working shifts on voting day. But I suppose then they have to pay overtime and that will cut into their fat bonuses.

Filled in form to transfer an account from my name into my husbands name in beginning of July. And guess what still not done. Something that we were told at the rime by cresta branch would take 3 days. Is now 2 months. Thinking that we should just cancell contract and go to mtn. When we queried the process were send from pillar to post. And every one is blaming the new system. This is just total rubbish. Get your act together. This service is going downhill fast

I have a disputed invoice over data charges with Vodacom from 30 June 2016.
It is now August and I have made several phone calls, spoken to every department from customer care, data services, solutions centre, I got told it takes 16 working days after my last phone call .Its now a month working days ...

Each department says the issue needs to resolved by a Data Technician, who will call me. But in three months this has not happened. I have received reference Numbers Via SMS ..open and closed but nobody has even taken the time to return or send the data information that I was charged R880 in one day usage and I was not even on my phone that day . I have done everything possible from my side, including many hours phoning in, keeping reference numbers but with no resolve. Each time the reference number gets closed and the process starts from the beginning.
Even sent a complaint with the GET CLOSURE service and they are no better .I have been a Vodacom User for almost 20 years and have never had this problem before ... What has Changed that you cannot receive the info you need or even a courtesy call to let you know that they are still investigating the problem ...Quick to take monies but not quick to resolve the issues and the theft of your money .I see it as blatant Fraud from their side . With the technology today one would of thought that they could tell you the same day what you have been charged for !

Vodacom needs to address their system flaw, hire more Data Technicians or new management under that department.
I have a right to know exactly what I have been billed for and what my account has been debited for .

I have a disputed invoice over data charges with Vodacom from May 2016.

It is now August and I have made several phone calls, online request, spoken to every department from customer care, data services, solutions center, collections services and their legal department.

Each department says the issue needs to resolved by a Data Technician, who will call me. But in three months this has not happened. There is no access for the public to this department. Now my line will be cut off because I refuse to pay the disputed amount, but then the Technician cannot call me back.

I have done everything possible from my side, including many hours phoning in, pleading, asking kindly, keeping reference numbers but with no resolve. Each time the reference number gets closed and the process starts from the beginning.

Now my line will be cut off after 15 years with the service provider and there is nothing I can do as I am waiting on service

Vodacom needs to address their system flaw, hire more Data Technicians or new management under that department.

Regards
D Greyling