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Old 26-05-2011, 16:47
Richardcoulter
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After many years of resisting, I am now going to get a mobile 'phone. I want to buy a PAYG 'phone on their website and pick it up at their Wakefield store.

If I decide it's not for me I want to be able to return it to another West Yorkshire store for convenience.

I have emailed them NINE times for a simple answer!!!!

They come back assuming that I have already bought a 'phone and/or that it is faulty, go on about contracts and one even asked for my details to verify my identity so that he could go into my account!!!

They all have foreign names, so i'm assuming it's run by an overseas call centre who either can't speak English properly, are unintelligent or simply enjoy winding potential customers up!

Is this a true representation of what to expect and should I use another provider?
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Old 26-05-2011, 16:55
Thine Wonk
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Call them up, it's easier surely? not what I usually hear, I think they are normally one of the best at CS so you must have been unlucky.
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Old 26-05-2011, 16:59
Everything Goes
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Vodafone do have UK call centres. They use Hero TSC. I'm not sure about the email side of things.

Ive never felt Vodafones pay as you go tariffs to be particularly competitive.

As for non faulty phone returns on an opened product, I'm not sure what their policy is.
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Old 26-05-2011, 20:28
R Molehusband
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Can I just ask - if it's convenient for you to "maybe" drop the phone off at a different store, why not just get them to deliver the phone there in the first place?

And I don't want to appear a pedant or indeed overly sensitive, but I do find your second to last paragraph a tad cheeky. Since when did a foreign sounding name mean that the person must be abroad? Also, speaking from personal experience, the majority of foreign call centre staff certainly can't be called unintelligent. I'm sure they know how to spell Vodafone for a start, but there you go.
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Old 26-05-2011, 20:55
lexy_86
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After many years of resisting, I am now going to get a mobile 'phone. I want to buy a PAYG 'phone on their website and pick it up at their Wakefield store.

If I decide it's not for me I want to be able to return it to another West Yorkshire store for convenience.

I have emailed them NINE times for a simple answer!!!!

They come back assuming that I have already bought a 'phone and/or that it is faulty, go on about contracts and one even asked for my details to verify my identity so that he could go into my account!!!

They all have foreign names, so i'm assuming it's run by an overseas call centre who either can't speak English properly, are unintelligent or simply enjoy winding potential customers up!

Is this a true representation of what to expect and should I use another provider?

If you buy online and have it delivered you can still return it, as per the distance selling regulations. However, as far as I know it can't be done in store, as the item doesn't come from the same stock.

Vodafone are mostly UK based, although they have their tech team based in Egypt. It's likely you got an automated/scripted reply rather than an actual answer to your question.
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Old 26-05-2011, 21:11
ram jam
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Vodafone do have UK call centres. They use Hero TSC. I'm not sure about the email side of things.

Ive never felt Vodafones pay as you go tariffs to be particularly competitive.

As for non faulty phone returns on an opened product, I'm not sure what their policy is.
emails are done in india
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Old 26-05-2011, 21:13
Richardcoulter
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Call them up, it's easier surely? not what I usually hear, I think they are normally one of the best at CS so you must have been unlucky.
I would do, but I don't currently have a working 'phone.

Vodafone do have UK call centres. They use Hero TSC. I'm not sure about the email side of things.

Ive never felt Vodafones pay as you go tariffs to be particularly competitive.

As for non faulty phone returns on an opened product, I'm not sure what their policy is.
That's useful to know, thanks.

Can I just ask - if it's convenient for you to "maybe" drop the phone off at a different store, why not just get them to deliver the phone there in the first place?

And I don't want to appear a pedant or indeed overly sensitive, but I do find your second to last paragraph a tad cheeky. Since when did a foreign sounding name mean that the person must be abroad? Also, speaking from personal experience, the majority of foreign call centre staff certainly can't be called unintelligent. I'm sure they know how to spell Vodafone for a start, but there you go.
There are reasons why I want to do it like this, but I won't bore everyone with the details.

As all 10 replies have contained nonsense and look to have been written by asians, rightly or wrongly, I am assuming it is a foreign call centre who don't understand English properly. If you could see the replies you'd know what I mean. eg some have been addressed to "Dear Coulter". Despite them being informed of how rude this is, some continue to do it and have not apologised as they were asked to.

The only foreign call centre I have dealt with is Virgin Media and they are total idiots. It is now my policy only to deal with companies with UK based staff wherever possible.

They may be aware of how to spell "fone" incorrectly as the company marketing name, but, they are still idiots.

Allow me to give you two examples. If you worked there and received an email query from a customer about the POSSIBLE purchase of a PAY AS YOU GO 'PHONE and the fact that the customer MAY wish to return it if they had simply changed their mind, would you reply by stating the faulty product returns policy, or by asking for details of my contract?

I have received a message from someone who has experienced similar problems and will be leaving when his contract expires. I have also been advised to write back with instructions that it is only to be answered by a manager in the UK, so I will try that as a last resort before going elsewhere.
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Old 26-05-2011, 21:15
Richardcoulter
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If you buy online and have it delivered you can still return it, as per the distance selling regulations. However, as far as I know it can't be done in store, as the item doesn't come from the same stock.

Vodafone are mostly UK based, although they have their tech team based in Egypt. It's likely you got an automated/scripted reply rather than an actual answer to your question.
They have said that I can actually return it to the Wakefield store, even though I have repeatedly told them that I want to return it to another store. However, because of the nonsense that they have come out with, i'm not sure I can trust them to be giving out correct information anyway!
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Old 26-05-2011, 21:17
Richardcoulter
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emails are done in india
I suspected that it would be somewhere like that, thank you for clarifying the this.
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Old 26-05-2011, 21:29
R Molehusband
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Well rather than call them idiots Richard, if I were you I'd put it down to experience and use another network provider.

Indeed, fair play to you for persevering with them (if they were that bad) for so long.

I can't really answer your question regarding "what would I do if I worked there"; 1, because I don't work there, and 2. because I haven't seen what you've emailed them (and nor do I want to by the way ).
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Old 26-05-2011, 21:45
Richardcoulter
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Well rather than call them idiots Richard, if I were you I'd put it down to experience and use another network provider.

Indeed, fair play to you for persevering with them (if they were that bad) for so long.

I can't really answer your question regarding "what would I do if I worked there"; 1, because I don't work there, and 2. because I haven't seen what you've emailed them (and nor do I want to by the way ).
I refer to them as idiots because of there idiotic behaviour. Rather than allowing them to get away with it, I believe that management need to be made aware of what they are doing so matters can be dealt with (I am currently composing an email to this effect.)

This is because many people have invested money into this company and are being let down by people who couldn't care less in India.

I posted this to see if their stupidity was widespread, or just a one off (not that it should happen once).

The reply from management will determine if I shall use them.

Can anyone recommend a provider with good CS employees that is based in the UK?
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Old 26-05-2011, 21:51
TheBigM
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I think the more interesting human story is someone who is obviously technically adept (using email etc), has multiple businesses and can afford a maid has never owned a mobile phone in the last 13 years.

Also, I don't think mobile phones have the same returns policy as like clothes do. The only way you'd be able to do it is buying online/over the phone and then using distance selling regulations but you must have not broken the security seal on the box.
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Old 26-05-2011, 22:01
Everything Goes
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I refer to them as idiots because of there idiotic behaviour. Rather than allowing them to get away with it, I believe that management need to be made aware of what they are doing so matters can be dealt with (I am currently composing an email to this effect.)

This is because many people have invested money into this company and are being let down by people who couldn't care less in India.

I posted this to see if their stupidity was widespread, or just a one off (not that it should happen once).

The reply from management will determine if I shall use them.

Can anyone recommend a provider with good CS employees that is based in the UK?
O2 have UK based call centres. Worth a try I guess.

If you want to avoid offshore call centres then 3 and Orange are best avoided! Most of their customer service staff are offshore.
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Old 26-05-2011, 22:37
Helix
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I think O2 and maybe Tesco Mobile are the only ones with completely UK based customer services.
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Old 27-05-2011, 17:06
Richardcoulter
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Thanks for your replies

I am waiting for a reply to my complaint to management before I decide what to do.

The reason i've never had a mobile 'phone before is because I HATE them!

However, after being left without a landline, it made me realise how useful they can be as a back up, particularly in emergencies.

I still don't intend to use it frequently, so am going for the PAYG option.
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Old 27-05-2011, 17:16
Awshum-Yawn
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o2 offer exchange/refund within 14 days instore, no issues. Personal experience of the service.

I however can't vouch for Vodafone. They asked me to leave their store for carrying an o2 bag!
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Old 27-05-2011, 21:54
Richardcoulter
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Thanks, i've just posted in your thread about the attitude problem of certain employees of this company.
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Old 27-05-2011, 22:04
noise747
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i think you will find that all mobile phone companies have the same problem, they have all cut costs by so much that customer service goes out of the window.

Oh I forgot, this is the U.k, that is why there is no customer service
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Old 27-05-2011, 23:15
Awshum-Yawn
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i think you will find that all mobile phone companies have the same problem, they have all cut costs by so much that customer service goes out of the window.

Oh I forgot, this is the U.k, that is why there is no customer service
That's not true at all.

I have experienced some terrific CS from several companies that I use and continue to do... all have centres in the UK. I could quite happily detail them but it would detract from the thread.

Or maybe you're right as Vodafone is the only UK owned mobile operator. 3 is Chinese, o2 are Spanish and TMobile & Orange are French if I remember correctly.
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Old 27-05-2011, 23:41
Jeeooorghhhbbb
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You'll find that most UK networks have UK-based call centres for sales, but tend to offload after sales stuff (technical queries, email, general customer care) abroad. Clearly, it's more important to get new customers than look after their existing ones. As far as Vodafone is concerned, their emails are answered in India and technical queries are answered in Egypt. This means that your email response is usually only vaguely related to the question you've asked, and quite often isn't related to it at all, and if you're after technical help, you'll get much better assistance on here! Alternatively, use their own forum, which is UK-based and is very helpful. If their own staff aren't able to answer your question on there, there are a few forum fanboys (and girls) who seem to spend all their life on it and will be able to. Outsourced call centres deal with the main customer services queries, although as the staff are outsourced, they aren't directly employed by Vodafone. Vodafone do have some of their own call centres to deal with their more important customers (those who spend a lot and business customers).

With regards to buying a PAYG phone from a store, you are able to return it unopened to any store within 7 days. This is UNLESS you've opened it. In that case, you can't return it anywhere, apart from if it's broken.
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Old 28-05-2011, 06:48
noise747
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That's not true at all.

I have experienced some terrific CS from several companies that I use and continue to do... all have centres in the UK. I could quite happily detail them but it would detract from the thread.

Or maybe you're right as Vodafone is the only UK owned mobile operator. 3 is Chinese, o2 are Spanish and TMobile & Orange are French if I remember correctly.
i got to admit I have had some good service from UK companies, but very few and far between, most of them have been from small companies.

Larger companies don't seem to care once they sold you the product or service.

I only contacted Vodafone once in the 14 months I have been with them this time and that was okish.
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Old 28-05-2011, 06:50
noise747
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@Richardcoulter, if you don't need a mobile phone then I suggest you don't bother with one, because to be honest they are a pain in the back side.
Once you got one, people expect to be able to contact you at any time and if you don't have it switched on they wonder why.
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Old 28-05-2011, 10:56
Awshum-Yawn
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i got to admit I have had some good service from UK companies, but very few and far between, most of them have been from small companies.

Larger companies don't seem to care once they sold you the product or service.

I only contacted Vodafone once in the 14 months I have been with them this time and that was okish.

here's 2 examples:
Sky happily resolved two issues for me recently... call backs when promised and a happy resolution.

o2... superb sales service, and indeed when I came back with it faulty they replaced no quibble.
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Old 29-05-2011, 16:47
Richardcoulter
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You'll find that most UK networks have UK-based call centres for sales, but tend to offload after sales stuff (technical queries, email, general customer care) abroad. Clearly, it's more important to get new customers than look after their existing ones. As far as Vodafone is concerned, their emails are answered in India and technical queries are answered in Egypt. This means that your email response is usually only vaguely related to the question you've asked, and quite often isn't related to it at all, and if you're after technical help, you'll get much better assistance on here! Alternatively, use their own forum, which is UK-based and is very helpful. If their own staff aren't able to answer your question on there, there are a few forum fanboys (and girls) who seem to spend all their life on it and will be able to. Outsourced call centres deal with the main customer services queries, although as the staff are outsourced, they aren't directly employed by Vodafone. Vodafone do have some of their own call centres to deal with their more important customers (those who spend a lot and business customers).

With regards to buying a PAYG phone from a store, you are able to return it unopened to any store within 7 days. This is UNLESS you've opened it. In that case, you can't return it anywhere, apart from if it's broken.
I will be buying it from the internet and picking it up from a store if I decide to use Vodafone. If I decide I don't like it, I want to be able to take it back to a different store.

You wouldn't believe the crap the asians have been coming out with in response to such a simple question. I pity anyone who has to ask something difficult!

@Richardcoulter, if you don't need a mobile phone then I suggest you don't bother with one, because to be honest they are a pain in the back side.
Once you got one, people expect to be able to contact you at any time and if you don't have it switched on they wonder why.
Yeah, i've though of that. I probably won't give the number out except to very close friends and family to use in emergencies only.
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Old 03-06-2011, 13:51
Lee_Vodafone
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Hi Richardcoulter,

Apologies for the delay with us getting to this thread.

I did reply to you regarding this on the Consumer Action Group Forum yesterday and also emailed you via the address you used to register to the eForum with.

In order for me to assist you further could you come back to me as soon as possible?

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK
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