I was wondering where on the MyADSL forum to post this. I need advice on how to take this complaint further because my patience has run out! Below is the story, its a bit long but that is how long I have been waiting for this thing to be fixed.
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I recently (11/07/2009) took a contract from Vodacom for the new HTC Magic handset. I played around with it and overall it was an excellent smart phone, then when switching the phone of and on the phone got stuck on the boot screen. I took it in to Vodacom Menlyn (13/08/2009) to have the phone repaired and I was promptly notified that it will take 7 – 10 workdays if they have to send it to the “manufacturer” which in this case is Leaf (importer). The handset was inevitably sent to Leaf.
Almost two weeks later I received a notification that I can pick up the phone from Vodacom Menlyn (25/08/2009). The invoice stated that they replaced the main board of the handset. I was very excited to have the phone back. At home I played around with it again and found that the vibration function of the phone as well as the accelerometer (the hardware that makes the phone screen tilt as you tilt the phone) was not working. I again took the phone back to Vodacom Menlyn where I was told that the phone will be sent back to Leaf to be fixed.
Again, almost two weeks later I receive a notification that I can collect the phone from Vodacom Menlyn (07/09/2009). I went in to collect the phone and opted to test the device right there in the store. The invoice stated that the vibrator unit has been replaced. During testing I found that the vibration was indeed working only the accelerometer was still broken. I told the customer service clerk that I will not sign the papers and that they will have to fix it. I was informed that they will need to send the phone back to Leaf for another two weeks. I opted to go home and try to get the accelerometer working (search the internet for a setting or something that I have to switch on to get it to work – maybe the software had the accelerometer switched off).
Alas the problem could not be solved by me so I returned the phone to Vodacom Menlyn for a third time (08/09/2009). I explained the problem in detail to the customer care clerk. I also iterated that this was the third time the phone was sent in and that it is unacceptable for me to wait two weeks again for the phone to be repaired. The clerk informed me that he (and the Vodacom Menlyn store manager) will prioritise the repair as urgent.
Two weeks later I received the notification from Vodacom Menlyn that I can fetch the handset (21/09/2009). I again opted to check the phone in store and again, the accelerometer was still not fixed. The forms from Leaf showed that the phone passed a QA process. The software was wiped and reinstalled (all my previous settings was gone) so I can only assume that they reinstalled the software and deemed this action a valid fix. I asked to speak to the store manager and was provided with a temporary store manager and sub-store manager or something of the sort. I then proceeded to tell my story to said person who informed me that the handset again has to be sent to Leaf. I informed him that this is unacceptable. He in turn informed me in not so many words that the burden of swapping out the handset was not on Vodacom but on Leaf and that I have to submit the phone again and wait another two weeks before I can have a working phone.
This brings me to my current point of waiting. I am attempting to contact the Vodacom Menlyn store to see if the store manager has taken an interest in this story. I have also emailed both Vodacom and Leaf and as of the 22/09/2009 I have not received a reply.
I received a reply on 23rd of September from Vodacom. I was assured that they are in contact with Leaf with regards to my phone. I called Vodacom Menlyn again and was again not able to speak to the manager of the store because he was “at the bathroom” or “just left his office”. They assured me that my device was at Leaf and being taken care of by their best technician. I called Leaf and was promptly put through to someone that handles the Vodacom accounts. The individual took my details and checked their system. She then informed me that my device was not at Leaf but she will contact her manager and call me back.
I was called by the Leaf manager at about 16:00 on the 23rd of September. He apologised for the poor technical service from Leafs side and promised me a new device as soon as he finds where my current device is. He contacted me 25th September to inform me that my phone just arrived (on Friday) from Vodacom. He also informed me that he attempted to organise with Vodacom to send me a device directly (as it takes Vodacom one and a half weeks to ship a device from Pretoria to Johannesburg and back). Vodacom told the Leaf manager that he cannot send the device directly to me. The Leaf manager assured me I will have my device on Monday the 28th of September.
I received an email from Vodacom telling me that they heard from Leaf that they are handling the problem now. No offer to help, no apology from them, nothing. Just a statement saying that the Leaf manager will handle the problem.
My thoughts on this whole process are as follows: Even though this problem is mainly form Leaf, the complete lack of customer service from Vodacom is appalling. They continuously attempt to tell me that the problem is not on their side but on the side of Leaf. Now this may well be true, but I have purchased this phone from Vodacom, not Leaf. Vodacom is the company I am paying the money to receive a certain level of service. It is Vodacom’s responsibility to put pressure on Leaf so the device can be repaired and received back faster than “normal”. It took me personally informing Leaf of the problem and Leaf taking control of this to sort out the problem.
As of 25 September 2009 I have not yet received my handset. I only have assurance from the Leaf manager that he will speed up the Vodacom process to get the phone to me faster.
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Any advice on what to do with this?
Regards
koosbeer
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I recently (11/07/2009) took a contract from Vodacom for the new HTC Magic handset. I played around with it and overall it was an excellent smart phone, then when switching the phone of and on the phone got stuck on the boot screen. I took it in to Vodacom Menlyn (13/08/2009) to have the phone repaired and I was promptly notified that it will take 7 – 10 workdays if they have to send it to the “manufacturer” which in this case is Leaf (importer). The handset was inevitably sent to Leaf.
Almost two weeks later I received a notification that I can pick up the phone from Vodacom Menlyn (25/08/2009). The invoice stated that they replaced the main board of the handset. I was very excited to have the phone back. At home I played around with it again and found that the vibration function of the phone as well as the accelerometer (the hardware that makes the phone screen tilt as you tilt the phone) was not working. I again took the phone back to Vodacom Menlyn where I was told that the phone will be sent back to Leaf to be fixed.
Again, almost two weeks later I receive a notification that I can collect the phone from Vodacom Menlyn (07/09/2009). I went in to collect the phone and opted to test the device right there in the store. The invoice stated that the vibrator unit has been replaced. During testing I found that the vibration was indeed working only the accelerometer was still broken. I told the customer service clerk that I will not sign the papers and that they will have to fix it. I was informed that they will need to send the phone back to Leaf for another two weeks. I opted to go home and try to get the accelerometer working (search the internet for a setting or something that I have to switch on to get it to work – maybe the software had the accelerometer switched off).
Alas the problem could not be solved by me so I returned the phone to Vodacom Menlyn for a third time (08/09/2009). I explained the problem in detail to the customer care clerk. I also iterated that this was the third time the phone was sent in and that it is unacceptable for me to wait two weeks again for the phone to be repaired. The clerk informed me that he (and the Vodacom Menlyn store manager) will prioritise the repair as urgent.
Two weeks later I received the notification from Vodacom Menlyn that I can fetch the handset (21/09/2009). I again opted to check the phone in store and again, the accelerometer was still not fixed. The forms from Leaf showed that the phone passed a QA process. The software was wiped and reinstalled (all my previous settings was gone) so I can only assume that they reinstalled the software and deemed this action a valid fix. I asked to speak to the store manager and was provided with a temporary store manager and sub-store manager or something of the sort. I then proceeded to tell my story to said person who informed me that the handset again has to be sent to Leaf. I informed him that this is unacceptable. He in turn informed me in not so many words that the burden of swapping out the handset was not on Vodacom but on Leaf and that I have to submit the phone again and wait another two weeks before I can have a working phone.
This brings me to my current point of waiting. I am attempting to contact the Vodacom Menlyn store to see if the store manager has taken an interest in this story. I have also emailed both Vodacom and Leaf and as of the 22/09/2009 I have not received a reply.
I received a reply on 23rd of September from Vodacom. I was assured that they are in contact with Leaf with regards to my phone. I called Vodacom Menlyn again and was again not able to speak to the manager of the store because he was “at the bathroom” or “just left his office”. They assured me that my device was at Leaf and being taken care of by their best technician. I called Leaf and was promptly put through to someone that handles the Vodacom accounts. The individual took my details and checked their system. She then informed me that my device was not at Leaf but she will contact her manager and call me back.
I was called by the Leaf manager at about 16:00 on the 23rd of September. He apologised for the poor technical service from Leafs side and promised me a new device as soon as he finds where my current device is. He contacted me 25th September to inform me that my phone just arrived (on Friday) from Vodacom. He also informed me that he attempted to organise with Vodacom to send me a device directly (as it takes Vodacom one and a half weeks to ship a device from Pretoria to Johannesburg and back). Vodacom told the Leaf manager that he cannot send the device directly to me. The Leaf manager assured me I will have my device on Monday the 28th of September.
I received an email from Vodacom telling me that they heard from Leaf that they are handling the problem now. No offer to help, no apology from them, nothing. Just a statement saying that the Leaf manager will handle the problem.
My thoughts on this whole process are as follows: Even though this problem is mainly form Leaf, the complete lack of customer service from Vodacom is appalling. They continuously attempt to tell me that the problem is not on their side but on the side of Leaf. Now this may well be true, but I have purchased this phone from Vodacom, not Leaf. Vodacom is the company I am paying the money to receive a certain level of service. It is Vodacom’s responsibility to put pressure on Leaf so the device can be repaired and received back faster than “normal”. It took me personally informing Leaf of the problem and Leaf taking control of this to sort out the problem.
As of 25 September 2009 I have not yet received my handset. I only have assurance from the Leaf manager that he will speed up the Vodacom process to get the phone to me faster.
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Any advice on what to do with this?
Regards
koosbeer
