Vodafone are notoriously bad for customer service

I tried to contact them over several weeks to try to transfer my mobile account from corporate to personal

They wouldn't even acknowledge me - so I took my account elsewhere.......

Thanks Kirsty. After already posting 2 complaints via the 'Contact us' section (on top of postal/phone/email complaints) I hope you can understand that I am by now a little cynical about trying directly yet again - and this thread is already almost a month old - however I do appreciate your response. I submitted a complaint to Otelo last week and am inclined to wait for their reply, but of course I am keen to reach resolution on this and will also forward you my details as suggested in due course.

Hi clairelj

I can understand your feelings here and would like to offer my help with your situation.

If you send an eamil from http://vodafone.co.uk/contactus with a link to this thread, your details and WRT135 in the body of the text (so that you are routed straight to my team), I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks

Kirsty

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

Thanks Jalexa. After several more emails Vodafone have agreed to refund the first two weeks of service when I only had a faulty dongle, but even when responding on that have not even acknowledged my outstanding complaint on service. I've checked Otelo's site and they do appear to handle customer service complaints, so I will now take this to them. Thanks again, clairelj

clairelj:

Is there anything I can do (apart from this!) when a company just won’t respond to complaints about service?

Just noticed your post. To answer your question, possibly.

It's not always realised that to just to be ignored is sometimes a good outcome. You are entitled to ask the telecommunications ombudsman Otelo, to investigate any complaint where you remain dissatisfied 12 weeks after first raising the complaint. Since you have an email acknowledegemnet that will be easy to prove.

Can't say whether it falls within the Otelo terms of reference, consult the Vodafone code of practice and enquire of Otelo. If the case is accepted Vodafone will be hit with a hefty case fee regardless of outcome, costs you nothing.

5 mins later - actually, having gone through to the link I realise that all it gives me is the company's registered address. That's where I sent my polite, assertive letter 3+ weeks ago addressed to the CEO, which has also as yet received no reply. The only difference is that I didn't actually name him. I guess I just have to try again now using the actual name...

Thanks, I'll try the link. I'd have replied to you earlier only I just couldn't get access on my dongle...!

The Chief Executive's name is Vittorio Colao at the link

http://www.vodafone.com/start/misc/contact_us.html

1 Write him a polite, assertive letter RD explaining the problem briefly with any reference you may have. Apologise (you want something from him) for troubling him and request that he passes this matter to the appropriate "troubleshooter". Close by saying you have been surprised and disappointed to receive such inappropriate treatment.

or

2 Phone up and be business like and polite to HQ switchboard and say "Please put me through to the chief exec's OFFICE. They will more than likely say why/is this business (as opposed to personal customer - say yes (without your business they'd go bust). Then say I would like his pa's email address as I cannot put my hand on it at the moment.

Try not to fall into the trap of taking the easy option and continuing by phone. And yes I've done both and in fact did the letter to the former chief exec with stunning results.

Is there anything I can do (apart from this!) when a company just won’t respond to complaints about service? After buying mobile broadband from Vodafone and initially receiving a faulty set, it took two weeks of almost daily phone calls, plus two visits to local stores (one abortive), to get a USB and SIM card that worked.

In that time I was consistently misinformed, passed around from team to team, had service commitments to me including ring-backs and deliveries not met (all clear training issues), spent literally hours in phone queues and was cut off several times. I constantly had to repeat myself (often several times per call) and chase, and no-one took any ownership or initiative. Overall it’s one of the worst examples of (lack of) customer care I’d had in a very long time and my frustration is compounded now by getting just no response to my complaints.

I’ve complained on-line (no response to complaint in May despite auto-acknowledgement email), responded to two automated phone surveys they proactively asked me to complete, and written to their head office. All I want is an apology, some genuine reflection and for my contract to start from the date I actually got a working USB. Whilst my USB only works first thing in the morning and last thing at night and then very slowly, ironically I was expecting that (only a “good” service level apparently) and resigned myself to it because it's probably largely the area, but I didn’t expect an almost full-time job for 2 weeks on what should have been so simple. In the short term I’m still a customer, but I will never buy anything from them or recommend them again.

NB with a 'good' service (steady green light) it's taken me 35 minutes just to log in and cut and paste this!!