Rumour Confirmed: Vodafone to charge prepay customer $1 per call to help desk for assisted services

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Rumour Confirmed: Vodafone to charge prepay customer $1 per call to help desk for assisted services

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#146114 10-Jul-2008 14:05

cokemaster: Playing the devils advocate here. Could this be a good thing? Wouldn't $1 per call/issue mean that Vodafone would receive less calls / be able to hire more staff which means that people calling for genuine cases would receive better service? Particularly if there were saving to be made on call costs.

*ducks the eggs*

I have to agree that I think this should bring better service for genuine queries. If you weed out all of the low level calls that people could easily find out themself then you can better train your CSR's to deal with more complex queries.

That said, customers do (And should) expect a minimum level of service for what they pay. If Vodafone had been doing this since day 1 I think it would be acceptable, however lowering the bar now is just bad business.

allstarnz

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#146123 10-Jul-2008 14:27

perhaps if Vodafone offered better casual plans, they'd get more people on account.

Check out the sort of stuff that D2 Vodafone in Germany offer, with those sorts of rates, it'd be far more worth it. Has been that way since at least 2001.

All the more reason to stay with Telecom IMO. Now all I need is for them to hurry up and launch GSM, so I can buy better handsets.

robbypreb

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#146133 10-Jul-2008 14:55

They are essentially treating Vodafone NZ prepay customers as second class customers. They obviously want to bump people off prepaid onto their monthly plans, so they can get that passive monthly income. This is the same with the iphone, where they don't allow people to use it on prepay. Vodafone NZ do have problems with their billing, so are we going to be charged $1 everytime we need to speak to someone. The only time I have spoken to their support people, was to report a problem or to complain, so are we going to be billed now for this. Another example of a global company coming into NZ and ripping off NZers

I will be going to telecom when they setup their 3G network, if it is no more expensive, with my unlocked phone. At least telecom is largely NZ owned by NZ shareholders (at least 40%), so a lot of the money it makes stays in NZ, which is unlike vodafone, where their profits get shipped back to the UK. I have still got $200 of prepaid vodafone credit to use up before I do that = 200 calls to their support people in Egypt.

Has anyone mentioned the timing of this announcement. A day before their iphone launch, this is obviously no coincidence, as they obviously expect this announcement to get lost in all the iphone media attention.

robbypreb

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#146137 10-Jul-2008 15:03

adamj:
cokemaster: Playing the devils advocate here. Could this be a good thing? Wouldn't $1 per call/issue mean that Vodafone would receive less calls / be able to hire more staff which means that people calling for genuine cases would receive better service? Particularly if there were saving to be made on call costs.

*ducks the eggs*

I have to agree that I think this should bring better service for genuine queries. If you weed out all of the low level calls that people could easily find out themself then you can better train your CSR's to deal with more complex queries.

That said, customers do (And should) expect a minimum level of service for what they pay. If Vodafone had been doing this since day 1 I think it would be acceptable, however lowering the bar now is just bad business.

Yes, but having to deal with customers for simple enquiries, is just part of the service, and they are using the cheapest customer support systems out their, by subcontracting out to a developing country. They should also look at it as a marketing opportunity to try and sell other services when someone phones up. Vodafone NZ is really beginning to show their true colours now, as they try to make the most money they can out of NZers.

What NZ needs is regulation of the mobile market, and the more people that complain to the commerce commission the better, as it did make a difference with phone locking. The commerce commission warned them about it after they received compliants about it.

MikeGayner

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#146154 10-Jul-2008 15:20

What NZ needs is regulation of the mobile market

Settle down, Comrade. The last thing NZ needs is more regulation. And what exactly are you going to complain to the Commerce Commission about? They're not doing anything illegal, misleading or anti competitive.

xpd

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#146165 10-Jul-2008 15:32

Vodafones CS has gone downhill at a rapid rate lately.... this move is just enticing me to ditch my cellphone altogether. OK, so its not often that Id have to call for assistance, but at $1 per call id like some guarantee that I will actually get help from the other end and not BS'ed around like what normally happens.

So.. Motorola L6 anyone ?

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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manhinli

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#146166 10-Jul-2008 15:33

Here is what the free info line 440 says:

From the 1st of August 2008, all Prepay customers will be charged a $1 service fee to speak with a Vodafone customer service representative.

Our customers are now demanding an online service, 24/7, from anywhere in the world.

To meet this demand, we offer free options to manage your mobile via. online, 777 and text.

My Vodafone is a great way to manage your mobile service online. You can top up, check your mobile balance, manage your add-ons, view your PUK code, plus much much more. Visit www.vodafone.co.nz/myvodafone.

While you're there, you can check out all the things you can do via. your mobile through text. For example, freeTXT "BAL" to 777 to check your balance at anytime. By calling 777, you can follow the prompts to check your mobile balance, review your TXT2000 balance, top up your mobile via. credit card, purchase, cancel and change your add-ons, and always hear about the latest Vodafone promotions and offers - all at the touch of a button.

For more ways on how to manage your mobile, visit www.vodafone.co.nz/myvodafone

Unfortunately after a few calls to 440 (I had to make sure what was in the call), I realised by balance dropped from $12.01 to $9.60.... something's gone terribly wrong (but it's meant to be free!!)

Our customers are now demanding an online service, 24/7, from anywhere in the world.

To meet this demand, we offer free options to manage your mobile via. online, 777 and text.

That is total crap.

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PenultimateHop

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#146169 10-Jul-2008 15:40

Interesting. From what I remember, VFUK charge a fee to call a CSR (something like 40p?) as well.

However, there is the expectation that when you are paying for something, the service should be provided and top-notch. This is something the USA based airlines are now discovering with checked baggage fees -- people are getting MUCH angrier when bags are lost.

richms

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#146170 10-Jul-2008 15:43

I haven't even got the text yet.

Richard rich.ms

manhinli

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#146172 10-Jul-2008 15:52

For anyone who wants the audible version of the 440 info line call, here it is.

I'm going to call their call centre about the sudden credit bite.

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robbypreb

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#146179 10-Jul-2008 16:09

MikeGayner:
What NZ needs is regulation of the mobile market

Settle down, Comrade. The last thing NZ needs is more regulation. And what exactly are you going to complain to the Commerce Commission about? They're not doing anything illegal, misleading or anti competitive.

What are you talking about, NZ has the most uncompetitive mobile market inthe world, and the highest prices. The commerce commission are ALREADY heavily involved in accesing NZ mobile market, and were holding off regulation as there was a new entrant entering the market. The more people who complain, the stronger the case for regulation. If noone complained, then they would only assume that people were happy..

Look at the regulation of Telecoms fixed lines, it has already offered benefits.

I agree that the last thing NZ is more regulation, but in some markets where is VERY LITTLE competition, such as mobile, this has to occur.

AmooMan

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#146184 10-Jul-2008 16:13

Just had a incoming txt from vodafone..
............

"Fm 1Aug it will be $1 per call to talk to Cust Service on Prepay. You can still manage yr mob free online.For other ways 2manage yr mob&more info freecall 440"

............

Wow... what a week for vodafone it has been..

ahmad

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#146194 10-Jul-2008 16:24

manhinli: For anyone who wants the audible version of the 440 info line call, here it is.

I'm going to call their call centre about the sudden credit bite.

Good on you. And I think $1 is a bargain to get good quality data from an Egyptian call centre *all the way* to New Zealand, to get your 41c back!

manhinli

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#146195 10-Jul-2008 16:25

ahmad:
manhinli: For anyone who wants the audible version of the 440 info line call, here it is.

I'm going to call their call centre about the sudden credit bite.

Good on you. And I think $1 is a bargain to get good quality data from an Egyptian call centre *all the way* to New Zealand, to get your 41c back!

Yeah... but I think you missed out on one thing:

It was from $12.01 to $9.60!!!!!

A $2.41 difference!

But at least I don't have to get ripped off anymore yet, the $1 charge comes from 1st August.

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morphyoss

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#146251 10-Jul-2008 17:34

For $1 per call, i would expect top notch service, including no wait time and someone who actually knows how to help you, of course i'm dreaming as this is Vodafone we are talking about.

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