Vodafail.com - Looks like Vodafail to me.

Share Your Gain

84%

9554 Someone from ACT thinks their gain is Satisfactory at 31 Dec 2010 12:52:03 PM

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANYONE CONTACTING VODAFONE:

1) BEFORE PICKING UP THE PHONE WRITE DOWN THE DETAILS OF YOUR EXPERIENCE AND PROBLEMS IN FULL, AND THINK OF A FAIR SOLUTION (I DEMANDED 12 GIG OF DATA FOR FREE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE TO MY BROADBAND SERVICE)
2) CALL VODAFAIL
3) ANSWER SECURITY QUESTIONS AND GIVE THEM YOUR DETAILS AS REQUIRED
4) ASK FOR CALL OPERATOR'S DETAILS: NAME, CALL CENTRE LOCATION, EMPLOYEE NUMBER (THIS ENSURES THAT THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE AND THAT THEY WON'T "ACCIDENTALLY" HANG UP ON YOU IF THINGS GET TRICKY, LET THEM KNOW YOU'LL NOTIFY VODAFAIL SHOULD THE CALL DROP OUT)
5) STATE YOUR PROBLEM IN FULL. DO NOT LET OPERATOR INTERRUPT.
6) (OPERATOR WILL NOW COMMENCE MAKING EXCUSES OR DISMISSING YOUR COMPLAINT) AT THIS STAGE YOU CAN TELL THEM THAT THEIR EXCUSES ARE NOT NECESSARY, AND THAT THEY HAVE 2 CHOICES:
OPTION 1) THEY CAN GIVE YOU COMPENSATION (MAKE A SPECIFIC DEMAND AND STICK TO IT: E.G. 2 FREE MONTH'S PHONE USAGE, OR 12 FREE GIGS OF DATA - THINK OF THIS BEFORE CALLING)
OPTION 2) YOU WILL CONTACTING THE "TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY OMBUDSMAN", "THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY", "TODAY TONIGHT" AND "YOUR LOCAL NEWS PAPER". YOU WILL JOIN THE CLASS ACTION WITH LAW FIRM "PIPER ALDEMAN" AND SUE VODAFAIL BECAUSE YOU ARE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION
7) TELL THE OPERATOR TO GO AND TALK TO HIS/HER MANAGER
8) THE OPERATOR WILL COME BACK SAYING THEY CAN GIVE YOU SOMETHING SMALL (E.G $20 OFF YOUR BILL OR 1 GIG FREE DATA). IF THAT IS NOT TO YOUR SATISFACTION TELL THEM THAT THEY ARE FORCING YOU TO TAKE OPTION 2 AND THAT YOU WON'T ACCEPT ANYTHING LESS THAN WHAT YOU STATED IN OPTION 1
9)THEY WILL GO AND TALK TO THEIR MANAGER AGAIN
10) THEY WILL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU ASKED FOR AND TELL YOU THEY JUST WANT TO RETAIN YOU AS A CUSTOMER
11) SAY THANK YOU AND THAT YOU APPRECIATE THEM NEGOTIATING AN AGREEMENT, AND THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE AN "ANGRY CUSTOMER" BUT THEIR APPAULING SERVICE CAUSED YOU TO HAVE TO CALL THEM. LET THE OPERATOR KNOW THAT YOU HOPE NOT TO HAVE TO MAKE THIS CALL AGAIN

IF THEY DON'T GIVE YOU WHAT YOU ASKED FOR IN OPTION BE PREPARED TO TAKE OPTION TWO AND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT.

KEEP IN MIND EVERY SINGLE COMPLAINT TO THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS OMBUDSMAN RESULTS IN VODAFAIL BEING FINDED $190, SO THEY WILL BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU FREE STUFF TO STOP YOU FROM COMPLAINING. IF YOU RUN A BUSINESS YOUR COSTS COULD BE MUCH HIGHER THROUGH LOST BUSINESS REVENUE - IN THIS CASE DEMAND PROPORTIONAL COMPENSATION, AND IF THEY FAIL TO COMPENSATE YOU ACCORDING TO THE INVONVENIENCE CAUSED THEN JOIN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THROUGH LAW FIRM PIPER ALDEMAN

31 Dec 2010 01:05:57 PM: To whoever gives out this information, thanks so much.

31 Dec 2010 02:46:11 PM: your writing in capitals has made your post very hard to read...... netequite fail

31 Dec 2010 02:46:12 PM: awesome info, thanks

31 Dec 2010 07:33:34 PM: Just like to point out a few problems with your theory...

1, all Vodafone calls are monitored and screens can be seen, they cannot drop the call without someone knowing about it.

2 The operators are actually there to help, not to be abused by you.

3 Your info on the TIO is, in a word, wrong.

4 Vodafone is a company that would only make money through customer service considering that there are quite a few telcos around. There is a known issue and they are trying to resolve it. You will get a way better response by dealing with the situation calmly and remembering that you are dealing with a REAL person on the other side of the phone. How would you feel if every call you took in a day was abusive? Would you be more or less inclined to give said abusive customer what they want? I know that I personally would tell them to go away.

31 Dec 2010 08:54:32 PM: To "31 Dec 2010 09:33:34 PM": Thank you! Staff just want to help out customers without being abused or interrupted when we try to say how we can help the customer. We get some really great customers who understand that the network faults aren't the faults of retail frontline staff and sometimes we get customers who don't realize this and just want someone to vent at - and unfortunately that is us.

31 Dec 2010 09:15:36 PM: to the two vodafone customer service people who just posted here, it is your JOB to take the abuse, that is what you are PAID to do. You agreed to work for a company that has lousy service, thus you take the heat for it, if you don't like it, QUIT. - you big babies.

31 Dec 2010 09:31:57 PM: Uhh... no? Being abused isn't part of any job description that I've seen recently. We're just asking for respect but judging by your post I guess you're saying we don't deserve respect and should be treated like dirt? Right? Would you like me to come to your workplace and hurl abuse and obscenities at you for something that is completely out of your control?

31 Dec 2010 09:51:44 PM: I wouldn't have a problem with you coming into my workplace and abusing me - the products & services that I sell do what they're meant to do & I don't treat my customers like idiots, so I have nothing to fear from you!

31 Dec 2010 11:13:34 PM: to the vodafail employee, if you work in customer service then copping abuse for the failures of you employer is par for the course, regardless of weather or not it is in your job description. So if you don't like it find a new job instead of bitching about the 1 you have.

31 Dec 2010 11:20:49 PM: Nobody should have to put up with verbal abuse. In fact, dishing said abuse out is a CRIME and can in some cases result in the offender being charged and having to face a Magistrate.
Yes, we all get angry (and rightly so in the case of VF), but abusing the retail/call centre staff, who are just trying to put food on their table like the rest of us, is NOT the answer.

1 Jan 2011 08:53:16 AM: Agreed, the only thing that doing so will achieve is to make someone feel upset for something that isn't their fault, and yes it is anyones right to be treated with respect and courtesy, doesn't matter whether your at work or not!

1 Jan 2011 09:23:22 AM: VODAFAIL GETS FINED WHEN YOU LODGE A COMPLAINT TO THE "TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY OMBUDSMAN" ... THIS IS HOW MUCH THEY GET FINED(FROM TIO WEBSITE):

Classification fee per complaint (excluding GST)
Level 1 $31
Level 2 $260
Level 3 $475
Level 4 $2,250

IN 2008-9 THE AVERAGE FINE WAS $190

1 Jan 2011 09:24:56 AM: AND THERE IS THE WEBSITE IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME (SCROLL DOWN TO TABLE)

http://www.tio.com.au/

1 Jan 2011 10:13:10 AM: To the people that think abusing staff is the way to go, what planet are you living on. How is this going to help any bad situation and make it better? I do not work in customer service, or for this company. But I know that yelling and screaming at someone, is not going to sort things out.
Come on guys, everyone has a job to do & I dare say you will probably get a better result by being nicer. Seems like everyone is ready to stab the knife in, how sad!

1 Jan 2011 12:22:35 PM: To those staff who think that a normal human being, after fighting their way through the Lara crap, being put on hold for literally hours, and probably cut off several times, is going to stay civil when a person with an unintelligible accent tells them outright lies, while reading from a script, then they have another think coming. Of course you will be abused. If you don't like the heat, do yourself a favour and get a job where you can have some self respect, rather than peddling downright lies. You have a choice, unfortunately suckers like me who were sold a shambles, and told it was a working mobile phone system, are stuck with going through hours and hours of pain to get out of fraudulent contracts for a non-service which is worse than useless.

1 Jan 2011 01:08:05 PM: I would just like to point out a post from the creator of this site:

"We understand that this may be a frustrating time for customers however please remember to be calm and respectful to Vodafone employees and each other." ~

I am not a Vodafone Employee but rather a moderator for this site, and no human being deserves to be treated like rubbish just because of the actions of a company. Yes CSR are the frontline staff for that company, but you should treat them like you would your friends & family. Respect is a two way street.

1 Jan 2011 01:33:28 PM: y don u guys change mobile service providers instead of crying ur shit over here :P :D

1 Jan 2011 01:54:11 PM: to the idiot above who said that "why don't you guys change mobile service providers instead of crying your shit over here". have you ever stop to think that people who have vodafone as a mobile service provider are locked into a contract & therefore cannot get out of it withpout paying an early exit fee? obviously you are not with vodafone. how would you like to be put on hold for more than an hour, speak to someone that you can't understand because they don't speak a word of english properly, be put through to two different departmenmts & be hung up on while you are still talking? if this happens to you i'd bet that you would be singing a different tune.

1 Jan 2011 02:14:55 PM: to the idiot who posted above please do math and calculate ur rental and exit fee. if u dont know math get a calculator or even if thats not possible for you call vodafone , coz i don think u can get enough of it :P

1 Jan 2011 02:26:05 PM: and to the comment which said "obviously you are not with vodafone" yes i am not a moron like you :D :P

1 Jan 2011 06:59:08 PM: Whilst the theory behind having call pre-planned and being assertive and not letting the customer service script run you off getting your point across is good, i cannot believe that anyone would think that abusing the person on the other end of the phone because their company has 'issues' is anywhere remotely acceptable. I am not a Vodafone employee, yet i am a VF customer. And yes, one that is also having issues with the telco at the moment. But, this has been resolved to some extent at the moment, and the only way that this has been able to be done is by being polite and understanding of the high number of issues that they are having. Ever heard the saying, 'you catch more flies with honey'. I am in a funny position where i was sent out 2 iPhone 4's, and i called them (numerous times) to ask them to send me a bag to send it back. But back on track, I have come from a call centre environment, and ran a call centre a few years ago. Yes, you are frustrated. Yes, you have a legitimate reason to be upset, as you are paying, or being asked to pay your hard earned money. But, like you, the CSO's need to work, and VF is their job. They are accountable for the level of customer service and support that they give you at the time of the call, but at the end of the day, they are just one person is a very large, multinational company. They are not the decision makers. On the flip side, the CSO's have a responsibility to be polite and courteous back. And as for the hang-ups, i would be very interested to know in what cases they hung up in. Was the caller being rude and abrupt.

Please dont take this as me sticking up for VF. As i mentioned above, i have had my fair share with fustration from their processes and procedures. It just upsets me to see posts where people feel it is okay to be rude to call centre operators just because "its their job to be abused". Let me tell you, it isnt.

Happy New Year everyone! Smile, life is way too short.

1 Jan 2011 07:40:44 PM: and to the moron who wanted 12gb as compensation ..i wonder where is he goin to stick up his 12 gb when he cant use the services ...lol

2 Jan 2011 09:19:20 AM: As far as I can see the original post didn't promote abusing the Vodafone staff.

It advised a very direct approach at dealing with the issues we are experiencing with a clear solution which can and should be done in a polite and courteous manner.

Standing your ground and not accepting a poor solution to the problem is not, in itself, abusive behaviour. It is the manner in which you conduct your call that could be.

A clear and direct approach is the exact manner that the TIO uses when mediating between the Telcos and their customers so I don't see a problem with customers using the same approach when dealing with Vodafone direct.

2 Jan 2011 01:44:22 PM: TOo many people saying that this is abusing staff.
It is not abuse, but the only way to get some form of compensation and satisfaction from a faceless company that gives you nothing and takes you nowhere.
The only way to get action is to make someone feel like they are accountable, and if that means the Customer Service Operator, then so be it.
You have to get to a manager somehow, and complaining and taking details is the only way to get to talk to someone that can make an offer.

Well done mate, good info.

2 Jan 2011 01:44:53 PM: I too am a CURRENT VF customer, im facing some issues, but their being handled on a case by case issue - at the moment it's being investigated.
But none the less, I too actually work in customer service myself, and I quite like this job - I like the good and the bad - though, I have the flexibility to do whatever I desire, alike the manager - and im not the manager.
Everyone in the Customer Service business, even down at your local club/pub/restraunt knows what customer service is, and how to preform that Judy.
There is in NO job description in ANY customer service rolls that depict "to happily and willing fully handle ABUSE AND THREATS" - it does however state to handle 'complaints' AND THAT'S IT NOTHING ABOUT ABUSE.

Could we please, please, treat these people (may it be indians or what not) with RESPECT AND PATIENCE - their just putting some food on their table - it's a LUXURY to have a job in their world, and so is food and water - we call it a "necessity" to have food every day - but people last 3-8 days without ANY food - The human body can go over 20 days without food by the way -- MORE THAN TWENTY DAYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate it when my colleagues get hurled abuse, and I hate hurling abuse, or hearing anyone hurl abuse to anyone.

If you GIVE them respect, patience, and not hurl abuse, they will do what they actually can do to keep you happy, even if it means talking to their supervisor.
That way, everyone is happy, the the person goes home feeling like he made someone happy, whilst your actually satisfied with the outcome.

Please be nice :)

Have a good new year everyone :)

2 Jan 2011 08:43:37 PM: D:P Is a coward who gets his rocks off, by putting people down whilst hiding behind his computer.Grow up little man!!!

3 Jan 2011 10:37:09 PM: To all of you who think that abusing the call centre operator who is on minimum wage is a good way to get somewhere, yes you may be right but you obviously have no soul and a whimp when your not behind your computer or phone nor do you have an understanding of how the real world works. If the call centre operator trying to put food on the table for his family could fix the issues with the Vodafone network he would, if the 15year old girl at the supermarket could increase budgets to get more checkouts open at the supermarket she would, if the uni-student petrol attendant could control the prices of petrol she would. I have no doubt that Vodafone has failed it's customers (myself included) but hurling abuse at someone is not the way to go about it. Calmly and politely explain to them your current situation and don't say I know its not you fault but "I'm just going to scream at you anyway" So once you have grown up and spent a day in the real world then call Vodafone. For the record I do not or never have worked for Vodafone or in the telecommunications industry.

3 Jan 2011 11:54:44 PM: To the clowns that are on this blog claiming things like 'being on hold for x hours is not right so it is your god given right to snap it at the poor kid at the end of the phone" or even better, walking into a store and snapping it at the 21 year old uni student that work 2 shifts a week that only wants to work their 8 hours and go home; Or the stooge that claims they should close down - what about those poor people that have careers tied up in that place who have no control over any of these issues? I have mates that work there and they have nothing to do with the network and they are feeling the heat and do feel bad (they admit rightly so) but they shouldn't be the ones held responsible...that should be for the decision makers of the company - but to suggest that a company should close down due for this needs to wake up to themselves - or do we want to go back to the pre-2003 days of $300-$500/month bills for 100 minutes of calls and 200kbs of data (and ill start the clock now for the first idiot to respond with 'id pay that for a service that works' - no you wont so dont insult the intelligence of the people that read this blog

ALSO - rule of exaggeration applies for the princess that write on this site. if someone says they sat on hold for 3 hours, it really means 1 (still not right, but i love reading entries that the fictional authors of vodafail has produced...)

4 Jan 2011 03:47:05 PM: Dear "4 Jan 2011 01:54:44 AM",
what about the people caught in the QLD floods who couldn't call for help?
what about the people who do it tough working shift work in hospitals and cafes and missed out on work because they didn't get the call?
what about people who live far from their families and rely on a small gesture like a timely text message or phone call to bring some cheer into their day during the festive season (but who did not receive that call/text)

everyone with vodafone pays money to vodafone. vodafone takes that money in exchange for a service. they fail to deliver a satisfactory level of service, and have cost people emotionally and financially. it's not the fault of the call-centre operators - you're right - but who else can we speak to?

..if you really feel so passionately about saving the call-centre operators from the brunt of disgruntled consumers, why don't you stop whinging and go and get us the Vodafone CEO Nigel Dews mobile and home phone numbers and post them here... that way it will no longer gurleen, hamash and rajish getting our angry phone calls ;) we can all have a chat to 'Nig' instead ;)

4 Jan 2011 08:01:49 PM: Well, today really is special-to read that it may have cost Vodafone more than $150 more than what I was claiming from them, courtesy of the complaint unavoidably being raised to level 2, in spite of the TIO strongly arguing VF's position. It hasn't ended there. It didn't have to be that way at all. Tonight's dinner is a cold, sweet dish of revenge. That I am sucking up, and I share it with all other Vodafone victims.

5 Jan 2011 12:19:59 AM: Dear "4 Jan 2011 05:47:05 PM".. I hate to say this, but your argument is invalid.

"what about the people caught in the QLD floods who couldn't call for help? " - Ok... so let's say Woolworth's cannot cope with the amount of people buying food due to an expected flood. Does this give me the right to yell at the staff at Woolworths and the Store Manager?

"what about the people who do it tough working shift work in hospitals and cafes and missed out on work because they didn't get the call? " - If we're going to use hospitals in this example... I've been to a QLD hospital in the emergency department before. I've seen first hand the 5 hour wait for something as simple as a broken leg. They're obviously understaffed. But hey, I PAY (note that one also pays for VF services) for a hospital via taxes so I should get first class health care. But because I have no one other than the doctors to speak to, I MUST make my point heard and yell at them. I mean, I can't speak to Anna Bligh, so I'll just dish it out to the Nurse as well.

"what about people who live far from their families and rely on a small gesture like a timely text message or phone call to bring some cheer into their day during the festive season (but who did not receive that call/text)" - Have you ever heard of network traffic delay? Every network gets congested, and in some countries you can't even make calls for a period of time.

It's not whinging, it's just being fair. People on the lower levels of the heirarchy (retail store staff and call center operators) have no say in network investments. They can't say "Oh, Bill is having network coverage issues in Sydney" so I'll just tell Nig to build one there", so then how is it far that we hold them responsible for something out of their control.

(And for the record, I'm actually a high school teacher. I've found the best way to deal with VF in their call centers is peacefully and with respect.)

5 Jan 2011 11:41:04 AM: 5 Jan 2011 02:19:59 AM,

Yes, if you are unhappy about any product/service then respectfully informing the managers is an excellent way of giving customer feedback, and any company interested in the long term interests of the company would undoubtedly have a procedure in place to handle feedback and act on it. By giving the company this information you are actually helping them to make money (because they can then improve their service), which is why they exist in the first place. Yes, that's the same for any good/service: if you weren't happy with the hotel service, respectfully inform the manager etc etc. If employees, or indeed executives (in Vodafone's case) are behaving poorly, people deserve to know.

Now that this website exists shareholders in vodafone are all well aware of the terrible job vodafone executives have been doing over the last 12 months: spending big $$$$ on advertising at airports and the cricket when their core services (telephone and internet) are in shambles, and their secondary service (customer assistance) is, too, a disgrace.

Ripped-off customers deserve their money back, and get the distinct impression that Vodafone is trying to give them the run-around by making it as difficult as possible for them to speak to customer service and voice their anguish (lengthy waits to speak to customer service, langauge difficulties, rude operators, denial of problems even existing etc etc).

5 Jan 2011 08:52:14 PM: Any of you who think being irate to customer service will help fix your problems quicker are complete morons. Irate and abusive customers cause employees to hate going to work and increases absenteeism and turnover of employees. As a result call centre numbers will be down and hence increases call waiting times, causing more morons to get angry and yelling abuse and this cycle goes on and on.....(this is from personal experience in a call centre)

9 Jan 2011 04:34:50 PM: losing your temper with call center staff straight off the bat isnt the thing to do of course, but in my case, being on the phone for 1 and a half hours, passed around 7 different " useless" operators I am afraid the second last guy copped it from me when he said it was my fault( long story) finally the last person managed to sort it out, even though it wasnt in her department. then after offically writing a complaint I get a piss weak response from a customer service rep, and when told I was changing to another provider he said, thats up to you. the most important thing to do is take notes on every conversation you have, ( I was taking notes on the computer while on the phone then emailed it to myself after) get their employee number ( names normally are fake) and also get the conversation number and dont give up,

11 Jan 2011 10:48:12 AM: Vodafone employees are dirt. Abuse is the only way I've ever gotten what I wanted out of a 1555 call. If you don't like being abused, get out of there. You, unlike myself and other contract customers, can leave Vodafail anytime you like.

11 Jan 2011 04:17:06 PM:

16 Jan 2011 06:23:46 PM: Funny, if the customer service person is being abused then they know little about the job they are paid to do! A person who knows their product/service/customer service will turn the abuse around quite quickly and both will have a positive outcome(what can be done/what they cannot do). As with all VF staff that I have spoken to they are incompetent and know nothing about customer service or their product.
See their trouble shooting blog for an example of their staff replies.
I am someone who has been with vf since day one, have never received anything free from them and have just spent 3 hours on hold on the 13/1/11 to get hung up on, only to spend another 3.5 hours on hold to be told it will take them 72hours to fix. Only to be told after 72 hours that it will take a least a week. MY problem? Cannot log onto my VF.
They are a bad joke!

21 Jan 2011 03:14:09 PM: How many times has your call been accidently cut off mine are too numerous to mention and I am one who believed in attracting more with honey that abuse. They dont give a shit....

21 Jan 2011 03:40:53 PM: i hate assholes but i hate being put on hold for 35 minutes and counting EVEN MORE!! WTF IS GOING ON?? since when is it ok to make people wait for this long??
why was i transferred?? this is not an iphone issue. i have colleagues, friends and relatives with various types of mobiles with vodafone and they all have the fn data issues plus voice coverage issues.
i was promised coverage in my area but i am instead getting nothing for my $69pm
i dont make calls from my mobile but i browse a lot. that for me was the selling point so if my data coverage sucks then i am paying through my ass for NOTHING!!! i am still on hold after 40 minutes and i am getting angry. you people are turning a usually level headed person into a raging angry pms bitch now pick up the phone and stop reading the fn stories on the fn internet!!! i would get fired if i were stuffing around!

22 Jan 2011 05:31:07 PM: It's nobodies JOB to be ABUSED regardless Of your line of work. Period
Get real people

26 Jan 2011 05:58:43 PM: @22 Jan 2011 07:31:07 PM Unless somebody has paid for an argument and ddn't get one,then they can find someone who has "Abuse Me" on the door.
Otherwise, if you didn't like being treated like sh!t by Vodafone the company, then you have no excuse whatsoever for treating a Vodafone employee (or anyone else like sh!t.

7 Feb 2011 08:05:19 AM: I think I might just come down to your work and abuse you for the hell of it, cause I feel like it, and then I'll send 20 of my mates to abuse you

6 May 2011 04:27:00 PM: i m a VHA staff member and have one simple thing to say: show respect to gain it. we are not paid to listen to your abuses just becuase you are not getting what you are paying for. a golden rule for sane people: a patient customer will always get what he deserves. i don't want your 'responses' as i know it will be flaming and nothing less.

6 May 2011 09:54:01 PM: pfffttt please vodafone is the worst company i have ever been all they like to do is rip people off

26 Sep 2011 05:13:39 PM: i think we need an ombudsman for reporting abusive customers. Just because its over the phone doesn't mean its not scary and upsetting. I always go out of my way to manipulate the system for the benefit of the customer and i still cop personal attacks and abuse every now and then. Today for example i had someone get my name and employee number, tell me that they would get a friend that works for my company (not vodafail) to get more info on me so that they could hunt me down and make me pay. If this occured in the street or in a retail store i could call the police and report them for harassment and threatening behaviour. I see colleagues in tears daily due to the abuse received by customers. Fair enough some of them are crackheads and just venting their surplus testosterone but that makes it more scary, they dont know when to stop and if they hold on to your details and decide to be vengeful what can i do? carry on looking over my shoulder all for a bottom of the line minimum pay job? Fair enough i should get another job, but its a scary time to change jobs isn't it?
I wish we could report customers just like customers can report us. These people should be named and shamed. I think their friends and family would be shocked to hear the way they treat and threaten staff that have not caused their problem. The majority of people cannot be bothered complaining through the right channels and just want to yell at someone, and the personal attacks would take your breath away if you heard them. It's insane.
Think if it is your daughter/mother/son/brother on the phone taking this abuse. Maybe then you would rethink.
I really am going to do everything i can to implement a complaint register for industry staff. We need to get a record of these people and send a message that it is not tolerable.

11 Jan 2012 09:27:36 AM: Late last year, my family and I went on a holiday to Japan. Before going, I'd read somewhere on the 'net that International mobile calls from Japan only go through the 3G network (or, something like that). Not being sure of the accuracy of the info, I took my 2G phone to a VF store, showed it to a CSO and told her the info I'd read about 3G. I said, "Will this phone work in Japan, will my Japanese friends be able to call me and will I be able to call Aussie?" Yes! I was told ... no problems.

FAIL! No reception anywhere. I sent emails to VF and was initially told that they couldn't understand why we weren't getting reception. Eventually they came back and said that our model of phone wouldn't work in Japan (the 'net info was obviously correct).

I told them that, when I returned to Aus., I'd be changing providers as we'd distriibuted our ph. no. widely to contacts in Japan and this was a major inconvenience now. No response from VF.

When I got back, I did change ... just going through it now. However, I've just had a 'run-in' with them over a phone (un)locking fee. I was NOT on a plan with VF, bought the phone outright (a replacement for the original) and had owned it for more than 2 years. When I bought it, it was a straight, walk-in, point at it, pay by card, take the receipt and walk out - just like any retail transaction. I was NEVER told the phone was locked to VF. I would NOT have bought it if I had been told.

This is, pretty much a brief summary of my VF experience. I tried real hard to stay calm with the CSO's and, I think I did. They would have known I VERY annoyed though!

Apart from all of the above, I'd never had an issue with VF. If they'd got the Japan advice right in the first place, I'd probably be still with them now, using a 3G handset.