Problem: Delayed Billing for Contract Data usage for December 2007

[Big Kriss]

Its not a case of hating Vodacom...Problems have arisen which,because of the size of the company does not always work as efficient or smoothly as we all want..

I really have been extremely happy with Vodacom for a number of years now..Only reason for going PP is to cut out this aggravation when it does sometimes occur..

 

[vodacom3g]

Amazing that Vodascam hasn't blamed Eishkom for the mess.

A poll on which of the two is the most hated big company in SA would be interesting!

Actually, we normally just blame Telkom, who in turn blame Eskom (I saw).

So you're not so far off.

Big Kriss is, of course, quite right. Anyone (you, me, companies) stuff up from time to time, however much everyone would want everything to be perfect. But we live in a human world.

Someone like Vodacom (who have 10's of millions of customers), will always at any point in time have someone affected. Even if it's a fraction of the user base, it still counts for lots of people. And of course, we only get vocal when something goes wrong. Just human nature.

That's just the reality. It's easy to point fingers at companies like Vodacom but it always makes me wonder just how perfect those are who likes to 'hate' companies. No one's perfect. Last time we had that, there was a big star in the sky but I don't know of any new stars in the last 100 years. So probably everyone on this planet at this moment are normal human beings who can (and do) fail from time to time.

I would implore anyone who 'hates' (what a negative and destructive word ) any company to not do business with such a company.

So if you hate a corporation, for your own sanity and self respect, I beg you; don't support it. After all you need to face the mirror in the morning.

The beauty of the local industry is that you can vote with your feet. Any company worth it's salt knows this and does try and provide a decent service. Even if it does not always appear this way.

 

[Bugzee]

I ran out in Dec whilst on 500 a month.Went over to 1 gig 1st January.

On my most recent bill dated 3/02/2008 i found an additional data cusage chartge for R293.00 ?? On enquiring with 155 I was told this wa late billing for December 2007 ??
They told me that subscribers were informed although I did not receive anything??

 

[vodacom3g]

I ran out in Dec whilst on 500 a month.Went over to 1 gig 1st January.

On my most recent bill dated 3/02/2008 i found an additional data cusage chartge for R293.00 ?? On enquiring with 155 I was told this wa late billing for December 2007 ??
They told me that subscribers were informed although I did not receive anything??

They probably sent an SMS to your data number.

 

[Antonf]

Anyone (you, me, companies) stuff up from time to time, however much everyone would want everything to be perfect. But we live in a human world.

Yes, but the attitude that goes with the stuff-up is the issue here.

Someone like Vodacom (who have 10's of millions of customers), will always at any point in time have someone affected. Even if it's a fraction of the user base, it still counts for lots of people. And of course, we only get vocal when something goes wrong. Just human nature.

Agreed, but when my stuff-up impacts on my customers in a big way (returned debit orders, etc.) I will go out of my way to reduce the impact. I won't just dump R11k on a bill that's generally around R500.

What would it have cost Vodacom to bill customers at in-bundle instead of out-of-bundle rates? Vodacom turned an opportunity for a great PR exercise into a model PR disaster!

...it always makes me wonder just how perfect those are who likes to 'hate' companies. No one's perfect.

I didn't make or see any claims about anyone being perfect??? I am human and I certainly make many mistakes (including not going for PPDB when my contract ended!), but maybe someone else is perfect. I repeat, it is not the mistake, it is the attitude...

I would implore anyone who 'hates' (what a negative and destructive word ) any company to not do business with such a company.

I canceled my contract with Vodacom.

So if you hate a corporation, for your own sanity and self respect, I beg you; don't support it. After all you need to face the mirror in the morning.

Can whoever at Vodacom decided customers will be billed at ridiculous rates for Vodacom's mistake face him/herself in the mirror??

The beauty of the local industry is that you can vote with your feet. Any company worth it's salt knows this and does try and provide a decent service. Even if it does not always appear this way.

Hear the patter of my feet...

Unlike some of the other customers here, I was only affected to the tune of R105. It is no great shakes, what got to me was the attitude. Yes, I did phone 155 and when through the "log a query" joke. More than a week later I have not yet had the courtesy of any feedback whatsoever...

 

[vodacom3g]

Hear the patter of my feet...

Hope you're still reading this, (problably hanging out in one of the other forums by now! )

Never nice to loose any customer, but I can respect your views on this.

I do know that Vodacom tries to help (I remember we once had a whole radio team trying to get you better coverage in Cape Town), but unfortunately these things happen.

In any case, we did stuff up, so I truely wish you the best, trouble-free service with your new SP.

 

[Antonf]

I am still here as I had to give a month's notice. Somewhere in these forums you will read that the only two times I got joy out of Vodacom were results of your much appreciated interventions. (I can't find the post, but I am happy to repeat - the only two times I received joy out of Vodacom were results of V3G's interventions) If your attitude and strive for customer satisfaction was typical of Vodacom's I am sure it would have been a different company to deal with. (A query to Vodacom in December 2007 about almost no reception at my second home was logged, and no follow-up was received.)

1. I wanted a new phone rather if I "upgraded" my data contract. V3G intervened, but Vodacom decided against launching the phone I requested (Nokia E70), so I never got the phone.
2. V3G arranged for a guy (not aware there was a team involved!) to test the signal at my home. I required an external antenna.

 

[Big Kriss]

"Vodacom turned an opportunity for a great PR exercise into a model PR disaster!"

V3G,You have to admit there`s some truth in this statement.....a lost golden opportunity to blow hot air up our a**es,dont you think?

 

[Grouter]

"In any case, we did stuff up" - V3G

Thank goodness - the first I've seen or heard of anything approaching a confession. Customer care, 155, various techs at call centre - none will admit there's been a problem at Vodacoms end.

I am currently wasting much of my precious weekend typing e-mails to vodacom attempting to wrangle myself out of a R500 mess which they have put me in. The usual "86400 seconds at 11:55 pm" and random seemingly manually inputted ad-hoc data usage figures. I am looking forward to april 2009 when my Vodacom 3G contract expires. I hope Neotel or, god forgive me for saying this, Telkom, are offering a decent ADSL service by then.

 

[Grouter]

...and now I see the "reports" tab is missing on vodacom4me. No way to look up an itemised account. Vodacom afraid more people might discover the delayed data billing from December and have time to complain before the debit orders come off at the end of the month?

 

[agerbon]

Just received my bill from Vodacom for an amount of R4407.77. How am i going to pay for this not sure. One thing for sure is i will be cancelling
my contract with them ASAP.

I Usually use around 5 gigs a month, but always get adhocs, i keep control of my usage at all times from the vodacom website. How the hell was i supposed to know that it wasn't working. I feel that i was robbed in a big way.

I was charged R2534.01 for out of bundle usage.

How could vodacom allow crap like this to happen.

 

[Grouter]

QUOTE Antonf: "Yes, but the attitude that goes with the stuff-up is the issue here."

"Vodacom turned an opportunity for a great PR exercise into a model PR disaster!"


Now a bit of time has passed and one allows oneself to get philosophical about this, I find I have to agree. This is perhaps what's annoying me the most. It's not the money, it's the attitude.

 

[dhez]

well i hope vodacom sort out these accounts cause it is impossible to fork outt R11000 for my normal R500 a month bill, where do they expect people to get that kinda money from??

 

[Lumox]

Another thing. Why will Vodacom worry about sorting out the problem when they know most people will give up and just pay, thereby making a few million rand extra profit for themselves.

 

[dhez]

hey guys just thought i will let you know a very nice lady from vodacom from the md's office called and offered a 50% discount on the bill, at least thats something and they take the time to make the effort for which I really appreciate. Thanks again vodacom3g and bob 2000 for your help.

 

[Bob2000]

...and now I see the "reports" tab is missing on vodacom4me. No way to look up an itemised account. Vodacom afraid more people might discover the delayed data billing from December and have time to complain before the debit orders come off at the end of the month?

Wanted to investigate my account today, and also noticed the report tab was gone. Apparently its a system error......

Anyway AntonF, you deserve a reward for the best complaint on hellopeter. I almost fell off my chair from laughing so much.

http://www.hellopeter.co.za/the_comment.asp?recid=133607

 

[Grouter]

hey guys just thought i will let you know a very nice lady from vodacom from the md's office called and offered a 50% discount on the bill, at least thats something .

But if you have been incorrectly billed for that amount, why should you be obliged to pay anything at all? Once again, a refusal on the part of Vodacom to admit they've made a cock-up.

 

[dhez]

yeah well 50% off is better than nothing, what else am i gonna do?

 

[Grouter]

yeah well 50% off is better than nothing, what else am i gonna do?

Did you use R11,000 worth of data? I think I'd remember that sort of usage... If not, why should you pay for it?

 

[dhez]

no my normal usage is R500, but the billed came to R11000. and my sis was there but she always used it with me and never came to that amount before. they itemised billing was all messed up. and the worst part is im not in sa to sort it out and wont be back for a while