26 Mar 2012 - Update Highest Rated Pain Stories Highest Rated Gain Stories Vodafail Local Facebook Page
Dear visitor,

Since its inception Vodafail.com has made a significant contribution towards raising awareness of the problems and issues faced by Vodafone customers.

Vodafone Australia customers have had the opportunity to voice their concerns, their fears and their troubles from every corner of Australia and beyond our borders. You have gathered the courage to stand up for your rights as consumers and to make your voice heard.

Each and every person who shared their story should have a sense of pride in this achievement and the changes that have occurred since the start of Vodafail.com.

More recently, traffic to Vodafail.com has declined significantly. Having achieved the goal of raising awareness and promoting concrete action in early 2011, we have now reached the point of closing Vodafail to new complaints. The site will remain online for as long as possible as a reminder and an example of what is possible when we share our experiences.

It has been a privilege to run this initiative and I'm am forever grateful for the help and support I've received. In particular I would like to thank Melissa, David and Travis for their continued efforts over the past 15 months. I'm also thankful and humbled by the support of ACCAN, Choice magazine and a wide range of media outlets, blogs and websites.

You can still browse existing stories and find out how to file a complaint if you are experiencing problems.

Until next time,

Adam Brimo

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15408 Someone from QLD thinks vodafone is EXTREME FAIL at 9 Feb 2011 02:06:57 PM
To the many other frustrated and fed up customers of Vodafone,

I would like to share my story in the event that it helps the cause.

Background: A Vodafone customer of 12 years, I was a bit dissapointed to encounter problems with my service having only moved from one major city to another (Sydney to Cairns). I cannot get any reception at all where I am now in Cairns (Kewarra Beach).

No Option: After letting it go a few months to see if it improved, with not even an iota of improvement, I decided I would finally call to enquire and possibly cancel the account if it could not be fixed. I clearly had no choice.

The Run Around: So I called Vodafone today. Went rhough several differnet voice prompts and still didn;t get to where I wanted. Finally, after being on hold forever I got through. The guy I spoke to (who I could barely understand of course!) told me that he would transfer me to "Connection Services" and if they said there was an issue and that there was no immediate action to rectify the problem then I would be waived the exit fee of $300 on my contract. He then transferred me to a lady in that section (again who I could barely understand!) who asked me some questions and did some checking.

The problem: Finally this lady came back to me and said yes it is an area that cannot acces any of the broadband services and it is a low GSM area. She then insisted she needed to transfer me to someone else.

The Pain: I advised this new guy that I was disappointed that after 12 years of Vodafone as a customer I unfortunately had no option but to cancel my account. He then advised me that I did indeed need to pay the cancellation fee. I protested, naturally, and explained what I had been told by the other departments and asked why I would pay an exit fee if I cannot use the phone?

The Pathetic Attempt to Justify: He said that on his little computer it said my area did not allow access to broadband services but I should still be able to make calls therefore the phone can be used. I told him that this was not the case, the phone did not get reception and I was unable to use it hence I would expect that Vodafone would waive the fee. The conversation then got more intense as he tried to tell me that because I ahd moved to an area where they had bad service that Vodafone could not help me. I asked how this was my fault? He said they cover 94% of the population and that there are just some areas they dont cover that well. I told him that Cairns was a major city and I would expect this response if I was living on the tip of Cape York! Again I asked how it is my fault that Vodafone cannot provied me service? He then went on to say that because I changed adresses that this was the problem and that all services are checked upon time of sign up to new contracts. He said they had only changed my new address with the first call I placed today. I told him that the local Vodafone Shop where I signed up for the new contract took my new details and updated it in the system. At no time did they inform me that I was in an area that had limited reception. No fault of mine that the change of address did not reach your records at Head Office; they certainly changed them in front of me and issued me with the paerwork.

The Audacity: He told me there was nothing they could do. It is not there fault that I am in a no coverage area. He said the best he could do was reduce the monthly fee. I was outraged, naturally, and asked why I would continue to pay for a phone I could not use? We then continued to go round and round in circles arguing and him trying to justify why it was not their fault. He then said the best he could do was half the exit fee to $150. By then there was just no way I was giving in so I told him this was ridiculous and I wanted to speak with a manager or their legal team. He said no and they would tell me the same thing he is telling me. I was further outraged. I said I would take the matter to the ombudsman and he said that is my choice.

The verdict: There is no way I am paying a fee. I only wish I could take them to court as this is the most ridiculous treatment I have ever recieed as a consumer. That's what 12 years of loyalty gets you does it!!! If I had known this was the way I would be treated i would've jumped ship years ago.

Thanks for giving me the chance to rant and vent!!! I only hope something comes of this and Vodafone is taught a lesson in customer service and consumer rights.

Kind regards,

James

9 Feb 2011 02:40:47 PM: James, I suggest you call the TIO about it now, they will take 10 days to get back to you, so may as well start ball rolling now

ashleigh