Vodafone "Customer Service"

James Vertigan · 13-12-2006, 01:25

I've spent most of this evening (since about 10pm) trying to get through to Vodafone's "24 hour" customer service department to check to see if I had a roaming bar on my phone or not (I was going to do it earlier than 10pm but forgot!) as I am off to Canada tomorrow morning...

What I find amazing is that even at 1:20 in the morning I can not get through to a human in a 24 hour Customer Service department!

How many people do Vodafone employ to answer the phones (I believe they're in Newbury aren't they?) at 1am in the morning?

I'm going to give it another few goes tomorrow before I set off for the airport, and if I can't get through again then I might do something not nice!

intheknow · 13-12-2006, 02:38

Are you leaving it ringing, because as somebody who sits on the other side of these things people ring for 60 seconds and then hang up...

It's not like calling mum and dad where you wait for them to put down the remote and toddle to the phone, you are in a queue and all calls are answered, so don't keep trying foir a few minutes in a go otherwise you are getting to the flont of the queue and hanging up only to ring back and start again...

ravensbung · 13-12-2006, 03:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Vertigan

I've spent most of this evening (since about 10pm) trying to get through to Vodafone's "24 hour" customer service department to check to see if I had a roaming bar on my phone or not (I was going to do it earlier than 10pm but forgot!) as I am off to Canada tomorrow morning...

What I find amazing is that even at 1:20 in the morning I can not get through to a human in a 24 hour Customer Service department!

How many people do Vodafone employ to answer the phones (I believe they're in Newbury aren't they?) at 1am in the morning?

I'm going to give it another few goes tomorrow before I set off for the airport, and if I can't get through again then I might do something not nice!

Why dont you register for "my vodafone" on the VF website?
You can add and remove service bars and other things from there......

Last edited by ravensbung : 13-12-2006 at 03:08.

James Vertigan · 13-12-2006, 05:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by intheknow

Are you leaving it ringing, because as somebody who sits on the other side of these things people ring for 60 seconds and then hang up...

It's not like calling mum and dad where you wait for them to put down the remote and toddle to the phone, you are in a queue and all calls are answered, so don't keep trying foir a few minutes in a go otherwise you are getting to the flont of the queue and hanging up only to ring back and start again...

Yes - I leave it until it says "Sorry we were unable to connect your call" (or words to that effect) It's rather annoying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ravensbung

Why dont you register for "my vodafone" on the VF website?
You can add and remove service bars and other things from there......

I wasn't aware you could do that from the website - I'll have a go (don't know if it'll make a difference whether I'm a PAYG customer or not).

James Vertigan · 13-12-2006, 05:51

Well I managed to find the area of the Vodafone website to remove the bars and it does not look like I have a roaming bar in place (the only one it showed was an Adult Content bar). I still think it's bad though that you sit for ages in the queue for customer services and when they can't put you through to an advisor you just get cut off.

ravensbung · 13-12-2006, 06:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Vertigan

I've spent most of this evening (since about 10pm) trying to get through to Vodafone's "24 hour" customer service department to check to see if I had a roaming bar on my phone or not (I was going to do it earlier than 10pm but forgot!) as I am off to Canada tomorrow morning...

What I find amazing is that even at 1:20 in the morning I can not get through to a human in a 24 hour Customer Service department!

How many people do Vodafone employ to answer the phones (I believe they're in Newbury aren't they?) at 1am in the morning?

I'm going to give it another few goes tomorrow before I set off for the airport, and if I can't get through again then I might do something not nice!

Just read that again, VF have a few customer contact centres. One in Staffordshire, one in Trowbridge, one in Warrington, the obligatory Newbury and finally two specialist teams in Hayes and Essex.

stud u like · 13-12-2006, 08:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Vertigan

Well I managed to find the area of the Vodafone website to remove the bars and it does not look like I have a roaming bar in place (the only one it showed was an Adult Content bar). I still think it's bad though that you sit for ages in the queue for customer services and when they can't put you through to an advisor you just get cut off.

NTL cut you off as well. I was bloody annoyed at being cut off twice with "oops sorry we are too busy,phone again later". How very dare they!

intheknow · 14-12-2006, 02:52

Don't get me started on NTL, I'm confident they are only in the mess they are in now because of their terrible customer service, their business relies on them keeping the customers they have seeing and once they have them it's cheap to service them, it's getting customers and setting them up that's the expensive part. You would have thought they would have treated their customers like royalty considdering they only turn proffit if they get above the percentage of cusomers they need per area / vs cost to cable and maintain.

midlands_lad · 17-12-2006, 19:23

Sorry to hear of the problems you're having getting in touch. Vodafone do have a Warrington call centre which is open 24 hours a day, however from midnight to the morning there is a reduced number of staff.

Vodafone also have an email contact team if it's any help dealing with customer services while you're overseas. They can be contacted by going to www.vodafone.co.uk, selecting 'contact us' at the bottom of the screen, then 'email'.

Regarding setting up service bars, diverts etc through a 'My Vodafone' account, this service is currently available for online billing contract customers and won't show up on an online 'My Vodafone' pay as you talk account.

Orry Verducci · 17-12-2006, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by midlands_lad

Regarding setting up service bars, diverts etc through a 'My Vodafone' account, this service is currently available for online billing contract customers and won't show up on an online 'My Vodafone' pay as you talk account.

I was going to say I've never seen such a thing on My Vodafone. Does Vodafone have any intentions of putting this onto the PAYG My Vodafone, it would be convenient.

midlands_lad · 18-12-2006, 18:55

I know that pay monthly phones give a greater level of features compared to pay as you talk, for example, on my contract 'My Vodafone' number there's an option to manage call diverts directly over the internet (rather than using handset codes). The same level of control on diverts and a couple of other features isn't currently available on a pay as you talk numbers. I think if the network ever develop these features on a pay as you talk number we'd start to see a facility on 'My Vodafone' pay as you talk online management similar to that on contract.

Mark in Essex · 19-12-2006, 09:30

I must admit that I usually have trouble getting through to other large companies (NTL etc........), but I've never had a problem with Vodafone and I've been calling them quite a bit over the last 6 months.

I always get through within 2 rings once going through the automated system.

13-12-2006, 01:25	#1
James Vertigan Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Acton W. London & North Devon Posts: 1,969	Vodafone "Customer Service" I've spent most of this evening (since about 10pm) trying to get through to Vodafone's "24 hour" customer service department to check to see if I had a roaming bar on my phone or not (I was going to do it earlier than 10pm but forgot!) as I am off to Canada tomorrow morning... What I find amazing is that even at 1:20 in the morning I can not get through to a human in a 24 hour Customer Service department! How many people do Vodafone employ to answer the phones (I believe they're in Newbury aren't they?) at 1am in the morning? I'm going to give it another few goes tomorrow before I set off for the airport, and if I can't get through again then I might do something not nice!

13-12-2006, 02:38	#2
intheknow Banned User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bristol Posts: 4,837	Are you leaving it ringing, because as somebody who sits on the other side of these things people ring for 60 seconds and then hang up... It's not like calling mum and dad where you wait for them to put down the remote and toddle to the phone, you are in a queue and all calls are answered, so don't keep trying foir a few minutes in a go otherwise you are getting to the flont of the queue and hanging up only to ring back and start again... Last edited by intheknow : 13-12-2006 at 02:40.

13-12-2006, 05:51	#5
James Vertigan Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Acton W. London & North Devon Posts: 1,969	Well I managed to find the area of the Vodafone website to remove the bars and it does not look like I have a roaming bar in place (the only one it showed was an Adult Content bar). I still think it's bad though that you sit for ages in the queue for customer services and when they can't put you through to an advisor you just get cut off. Last edited by James Vertigan : 13-12-2006 at 05:52.

13-12-2006, 03:07	#3
ravensbung Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Essex Posts: 996	Quote: Originally Posted by James Vertigan I've spent most of this evening (since about 10pm) trying to get through to Vodafone's "24 hour" customer service department to check to see if I had a roaming bar on my phone or not (I was going to do it earlier than 10pm but forgot!) as I am off to Canada tomorrow morning... What I find amazing is that even at 1:20 in the morning I can not get through to a human in a 24 hour Customer Service department! How many people do Vodafone employ to answer the phones (I believe they're in Newbury aren't they?) at 1am in the morning? I'm going to give it another few goes tomorrow before I set off for the airport, and if I can't get through again then I might do something not nice! Why dont you register for "my vodafone" on the VF website? You can add and remove service bars and other things from there...... Last edited by ravensbung : 13-12-2006 at 03:08.

13-12-2006, 05:18	#4
James Vertigan Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Acton W. London & North Devon Posts: 1,969	Quote: Originally Posted by intheknow Are you leaving it ringing, because as somebody who sits on the other side of these things people ring for 60 seconds and then hang up... It's not like calling mum and dad where you wait for them to put down the remote and toddle to the phone, you are in a queue and all calls are answered, so don't keep trying foir a few minutes in a go otherwise you are getting to the flont of the queue and hanging up only to ring back and start again... Yes - I leave it until it says "Sorry we were unable to connect your call" (or words to that effect) It's rather annoying. Quote: Originally Posted by ravensbung Why dont you register for "my vodafone" on the VF website? You can add and remove service bars and other things from there...... I wasn't aware you could do that from the website - I'll have a go (don't know if it'll make a difference whether I'm a PAYG customer or not).

13-12-2006, 06:00	#6
ravensbung Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Essex Posts: 996	Quote: Originally Posted by James Vertigan I've spent most of this evening (since about 10pm) trying to get through to Vodafone's "24 hour" customer service department to check to see if I had a roaming bar on my phone or not (I was going to do it earlier than 10pm but forgot!) as I am off to Canada tomorrow morning... What I find amazing is that even at 1:20 in the morning I can not get through to a human in a 24 hour Customer Service department! How many people do Vodafone employ to answer the phones (I believe they're in Newbury aren't they?) at 1am in the morning? I'm going to give it another few goes tomorrow before I set off for the airport, and if I can't get through again then I might do something not nice! Just read that again, VF have a few customer contact centres. One in Staffordshire, one in Trowbridge, one in Warrington, the obligatory Newbury and finally two specialist teams in Hayes and Essex.

13-12-2006, 08:22	#7
stud u like Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street Posts: 40,105	Quote: Originally Posted by James Vertigan Well I managed to find the area of the Vodafone website to remove the bars and it does not look like I have a roaming bar in place (the only one it showed was an Adult Content bar). I still think it's bad though that you sit for ages in the queue for customer services and when they can't put you through to an advisor you just get cut off. NTL cut you off as well. I was bloody annoyed at being cut off twice with "oops sorry we are too busy,phone again later". How very dare they!

14-12-2006, 02:52	#8
intheknow Banned User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bristol Posts: 4,837	Don't get me started on NTL, I'm confident they are only in the mess they are in now because of their terrible customer service, their business relies on them keeping the customers they have seeing and once they have them it's cheap to service them, it's getting customers and setting them up that's the expensive part. You would have thought they would have treated their customers like royalty considdering they only turn proffit if they get above the percentage of cusomers they need per area / vs cost to cable and maintain.

17-12-2006, 19:23	#9
midlands_lad Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stoke on Trent Posts: 98	Sorry to hear of the problems you're having getting in touch. Vodafone do have a Warrington call centre which is open 24 hours a day, however from midnight to the morning there is a reduced number of staff. Vodafone also have an email contact team if it's any help dealing with customer services while you're overseas. They can be contacted by going to www.vodafone.co.uk, selecting 'contact us' at the bottom of the screen, then 'email'. Regarding setting up service bars, diverts etc through a 'My Vodafone' account, this service is currently available for online billing contract customers and won't show up on an online 'My Vodafone' pay as you talk account.

17-12-2006, 19:39	#10
Orry Verducci Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Soham, Cambridgeshire Posts: 2,774	Quote: Originally Posted by midlands_lad Regarding setting up service bars, diverts etc through a 'My Vodafone' account, this service is currently available for online billing contract customers and won't show up on an online 'My Vodafone' pay as you talk account. I was going to say I've never seen such a thing on My Vodafone. Does Vodafone have any intentions of putting this onto the PAYG My Vodafone, it would be convenient.

18-12-2006, 18:55	#11
midlands_lad Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stoke on Trent Posts: 98	I know that pay monthly phones give a greater level of features compared to pay as you talk, for example, on my contract 'My Vodafone' number there's an option to manage call diverts directly over the internet (rather than using handset codes). The same level of control on diverts and a couple of other features isn't currently available on a pay as you talk numbers. I think if the network ever develop these features on a pay as you talk number we'd start to see a facility on 'My Vodafone' pay as you talk online management similar to that on contract.

19-12-2006, 09:30	#12
Mark in Essex Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3,644	I must admit that I usually have trouble getting through to other large companies (NTL etc........), but I've never had a problem with Vodafone and I've been calling them quite a bit over the last 6 months. I always get through within 2 rings once going through the automated system.

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Vodafone "Customer Service"