May 11, 2009 08:09 PM
2475 Views
After being customer of Vodafone for last 5 years, I had the msot unfortunate experience in the recent past.
Bad experience #1:
I had Vodafone live service subscribed on to my handset and such supposedly was able to send and receive MMS on my handset. I rcvd a MMS on 9th May.
I called up the customer care and asked why I did not rcv handset on ym mobile and the lady said to download the settings again by sending VL to 52586. I did accordingly. On 11th, when I tried viewing the MMS on my system- I rcvd message stating that no such msg exists. On again calling the customer care -- I was told that msg remains only for 24 hours and hence the msg was already deleted-------Now, this fact was never ever told to me on 9th May.
Also, after having downloaded VL seetings thrice on my phone---on 11th only I was told by the lady very rudely- that VL si not sufficient but for MMS--"MMS" msg needs to be sent to 52586.
Also, there were some more starting relevations--
MMS cannot be rcvd on the particualr handset unless you send a MMS from your phone first...weird right !!
MMS service works only between vodafone and vodafone........The other customers will get only on the best effort basis........but you will be charged as soon as it is sent from your phone !!!
Also, even though the other customer might have a compatible handset-- he will sometimes rcv the MMS on handset and remianing time he has to login onto net to see the msg......Now I dont understand how this works !! Sometimes you will get on phone !!!------How do they decide? By roll of dice...!!!
On asking the reason- I was told very haughitly by the lady that this is because anyways MMS is a complimentary service---------Wht the heck !!! They charge 3/- per MMS and then they say since you get monthly rent waived off....It is complimentary........
this is the worst of service attitude.........having talked to customer care several times before.....no one actually brought out these points...but luckily, since I was connected with a so called technical personnel-- I got all the details !!!
Bad experience #2
In past, I have already faced several billing mistakes on behalf of them (at last count more than 5 times in a single year)... and this is after Hutch was converted to Vodafone !!! I dont understand when they have computer for billing ...how can manual error creep in...Luckily these mistakes were related to discounts I was supposed to receive(on payment through cards) so it came under my notice..........and on complains they did resolve it.....but I wonder what if the mistakes are in my call-lists..When I asked this to the customer care executive once...he said Sir-you can match as we do provide detailed bill facilities--Now, they expect me to keep a record of thousand+ calls I have made and match it evry month with their detailed bill !!! Humanly impossible !!!
Bad experience #3
Infact, last year they promised me a disocunt of upto 5% on my bills on payment through credit card..Which they abruptly stopped at 3.75% in the month of Novemeber...ON calling the customer care , the lady said since there has been a policy change to cap discount to 3%- they have stopped the payments for those above it...and I should be lucky enough to get a discount of 3.75% in the month of November.............though on writing 4 mails back to back to vodafone care I did get the discount, but it leaves some important questions open:
Can an offer made my vodafone unilaterally changed as and when they deem fit ? I was promised 5% and then suddenly after an year they stoppd the discount altogether........Doesn't this amount to predatory pricing...luring customers with discount promise and then reneging on it...
I got my discount back on writing incessant mails to them-- but I am sure millions of customers under that disocunt scheme did not get the complete discount promised to them...
To put it bluntly, isn't this a cheating case on behalf of the company ? though the disocunt amount might be small(harldy 40-50 bucks difference) for most of the consumers-- but if it is done for large number of people-- their network spans millions of Indians(they themselves claim it)--- it is a fraud on a much larger scale...the final amount would run into several hundred millions?
Finally, whoever is using this service.........guys beware.......check your bills everymonth.....you never know when they take you for a ride
Guys !! please be beware of them.................
