Vodafone responds to damning report
- — 21 January, 2011 10:38
Vodafone says it's working hard to improve its service following a damning report that outlined thousands of complaints ranging from patchy network coverage to poor customer service.
The telco giant on Friday responded to the 30-page report by Vodafail.com, which summarises accounts by 12,000 unhappy Vodafone customers.
"(We) have been working with customers that have contacted us directly to understand the exact nature of the issues they may have encountered and provide appropriate information and solutions," the statement said on Friday.
"We are pleased with our progress in optimising the network following our issues last year.
"While we will keep working and investing heavily in further improvements, drive testing results to determine actual network performance has been very encouraging."
Vodafone said there was a status page on its website which detailed its network investment by suburb and postcode - "to show what we are doing to improve and grow our network".
The telco said it had also increased staffing levels within its Customer Service Centres.
"We are committed to delivering a great customer experience and we're always looking for new ways to improve customer satisfaction," the statement said.
The Vodafail report was submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Friday.
It analyses thousands of similar stories from customers about hours spent on hold to Vodafone's call centre trying to make a complaint about its 3G network issues, including frequent call dropouts and delayed receipt of voicemail and text messages.
Customers said they were fobbed off by Vodafone customer service representatives who said there weren't any known network issues and the problems they were experiencing were related to their handset or SIM card.
In most cases suggestions to reboot the phone or get a new SIM card didn't solve the problem.
The report claims Vodafone seemed indifferent and failed to properly handle complaints.
Comments
Aleisha
Thu 16/02/2012 - 14:56
Oh My God!!! I have been running around for the last two weeks trying to solve my coverage issues with Vodafone.
I had my phone for two weeks and then the SOS only started. I had people trying to call me for hours saying that my phone kept going to voicemail. I went and got a new sim like Vodafone suggested and no change. I had booked an appointment to take my phone to Apple because apparently it can be the phone according to Vodafone. I have now cancelled this appointment and will fight my contract. I have a work IPhone with Telstra and it has perfect coverage and quick internet connection. Do not keep telling me its the phone or sim. Its not. Its you!!!!
Jacqui Birch
Wed 08/02/2012 - 12:13
I annoyed at myself for not investigating Vodaphone prior to accepting an upgrade from 3. My phone was activated on 07/02/12 the next day I have no service with SOS only appearing. I rang Vodaphone and they said to go into a store - not happening. I shouldn't have to waste my time going into a sore when it not my phone it's the network!! I am so disappointed and will be taking this further. What is the point of having a smart phone (or a phone at all for that matter) when I can't use it! Shame on you Videophone - more like VodaFail.