Vodafone doesn't like prepay customers. Ever-diminishing service!

Forums › Vodafone New Zealand › Vodafone doesn't like prepay customers. Ever-diminishing service!

crichton

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Topic # 14414 2-Jul-2007 17:15

Before the "Pit Stop" I could go online at Vodafone to check the balance of our four prepay phones. Now I can see only one phone. Inquiry of VF Customer Service brought the response - we don't do that any more. So they are quite happy to lose my prepay custom just for the tiny cost of the database entries for the balances of our four phones.
Did they tell me they were going to remove the access? No.
Did they make an apology? No.
Am I looking forward to someone else providing GSM service? Too right.

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Reply # 76621 2-Jul-2007 17:44

This is not the case at all call back and speak to someone else you have been misinformed sorry as I understand with the upgrade more options will be coming online for prepay and account customers.

crichton

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Reply # 76622 2-Jul-2007 18:01

Well, maybe you understand incorrectly.
The VF young lady took some considerable time to consult with her supervisor before telling me that I could no longer have my four prepay numbers accessible online.

johnr

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Reply # 76623 2-Jul-2007 18:12

I understand fully and advised you have been misinformed sorry,

The service to view prepay account balances online under a on account connection is still there with the system upgrade.

Trust me on this please

cranz

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Reply # 76632 2-Jul-2007 18:41

This function is definitely still available, I have my partner's prepay and my you choose account attached to the same website login. From the sounds of it you need to get customer services to re-add the prepay access to your website login. After 'pit-stop' I had to get my web account reset before I could view either

ajobbins

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Reply # 76636 2-Jul-2007 18:53

As discussed here in many threads there is a stong feeling from several regular members that Vodafone has been looking after their prepay customers more than their on account customers recently.

Please remember that On Account customers generate a lot more revenue, on average per connection, than Prepay users so it would make sense for Vodafone to look after these customers more carefully than prepay customers.

I'm not saying Vodafone should give bad service to Prepay customers however as a Vodafone customer who regularly spends around $100 a month on my personal connection I do expect to get better value and a higher level of service in return for giving my business to Vodafone.

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crichton

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Reply # 76764 3-Jul-2007 18:04

Talk about Vodafone giving service. The actual issue is that Vodafone took away a service - without warning or apology.
I can't agree with the logic about big spending entitling a user to better service. In those terms that would mean that because person A catches the bus to and from the city 3 times a day he/she is entitled to a better seat the Mr B who catches the bus to and from the city only once a day!
And maybe account holders have built-in discounts on phone charges, free minutes, cheaper texting, free monthly debit account &etc. Prepay means Vodafone has the cash in their bank account well in advance of when phone calls are made. The interest on that deposit must be worth something.

nzbnw

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Reply # 76772 3-Jul-2007 18:24

crichton: Talk about Vodafone giving service. The actual issue is that Vodafone took away a service - without warning or apology.
I can't agree with the logic about big spending entitling a user to better service. In those terms that would mean that because person A catches the bus to and from the city 3 times a day he/she is entitled to a better seat the Mr B who catches the bus to and from the city only once a day!
And maybe account holders have built-in discounts on phone charges, free minutes, cheaper texting, free monthly debit account &etc. Prepay means Vodafone has the cash in their bank account well in advance of when phone calls are made. The interest on that deposit must be worth something.

Any company in this situation should be looking after their On Account customers and offering a greater level of service. After all that’s what they pay for, and deserve. If you read through the forums, you will find that as of late Vodafone have been giving these customers a raw deal.

Should OA customers get a better seat on the bus? Absolutely.

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ajobbins

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Reply # 76774 3-Jul-2007 18:30

crichton: Talk about Vodafone giving service. The actual issue is that Vodafone took away a service - without warning or apology.
I can't agree with the logic about big spending entitling a user to better service. In those terms that would mean that because person A catches the bus to and from the city 3 times a day he/she is entitled to a better seat the Mr B who catches the bus to and from the city only once a day!
And maybe account holders have built-in discounts on phone charges, free minutes, cheaper texting, free monthly debit account &etc. Prepay means Vodafone has the cash in their bank account well in advance of when phone calls are made. The interest on that deposit must be worth something.

And so Business Class passengers on an airline should get the same service as economy passengers?

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crichton

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Reply # 76783 3-Jul-2007 18:57

Adam,
Excellent analogy! VF prepay customers pay more per phone call than on account customers, so prepay are entitled to better seats!

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Reply # 76784 3-Jul-2007 19:02

crichton: Adam,
Excellent analogy! VF prepay customers pay more per phone call than on account customers, so prepay are entitled to better seats!

Seeing that Prepaid Customers don't make as many calls, and OA customers have a higher ARPU then they deserve the Business Class Seats and Service.

nzbnw

freitasm

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Reply # 76785 3-Jul-2007 19:08

crichton: Adam,
Excellent analogy! VF prepay customers pay more per phone call than on account customers, so prepay are entitled to better seats!

Prepay customers generate an average of NZ$23.40 a month each, while On Account customers bring in NZ$122.80 (source).

It doesn't matter if the phone call is more expensive - Prepay customers just don't generate, individually, as much money as On Account customers do. They are simply not placing the phone calls in first place anyway.

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peejayw

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Reply # 76787 3-Jul-2007 19:11

Prior to and during the billing changeover (fiasco?) Vodafone has told us they will be able, once the changes have been made, to offer better services.
After 6 weeks without a basic billing enquiry service, that changeover has now reached its finish date (30 June).
I have been stalling a client, telling them to wait a little longer as Vodafone would soon have new plans to offer.
The waiting is over.......
"Hello, is that Telecom..?"

johnr

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Reply # 77046 5-Jul-2007 16:13

crichton: Before the "Pit Stop" I could go online at Vodafone to check the balance of our four prepay phones. Now I can see only one phone. Inquiry of VF Customer Service brought the response - we don't do that any more. So they are quite happy to lose my prepay custom just for the tiny cost of the database entries for the balances of our four phones.
Did they tell me they were going to remove the access? No.
Did they make an apology? No.
Am I looking forward to someone else providing GSM service? Too right.

Can you please provide a update and how you got on

crichton

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Reply # 77060 5-Jul-2007 17:30

I haven't "got on".
Frankly I have neither the time nor the courage to go through the whole process of waiting in a queue for ages with my ear getting hotter by the minute. And I can't quite figure out the words -
"This bloke john on Geekzone told me you are wrong".
No that doesn't sound convincing enough.
"No, despite the fact that you said I couldn't have my four phones on my 'on account' access, John says that I can."
It just isn't worth the hassle of trying again, especially when VF customer service person and supervisor were so positive in saying 'no'. And anyway I'm now convinced by all that I've seen here that prepay should be entitled to only the lowest level of service because they pay less.

freitasm

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Reply # 77064 5-Jul-2007 17:38

crichton: And anyway I'm now convinced by all that I've seen here that prepay should be entitled to only the lowest level of service because they pay less.

I think you got it wrong. You wrote that Prepay should get more because they pay more per minute, and I posted a rebutal proving that regardless of how much more Prepay customers pay per minute, it doesn't matter because they call less and On Account generates more - much more revenue.

I didn't say customers should be treated differently.

However, if you go back in some old posts you will notice that for the last 18 months Vodafone New Zealand has launched a series of plans, add ons and other features that were only available for Prepay customers.

So, what most On Account users around Geekzone are saying is that even though they generate a lot of money for Vodafone New Zealand, they don't get anything even close to the offers that Prepay customer have been getting for the last 18 months.

If there's any difference on how Vodafone New Zealand have been treating customers, it's on advantage for Prepay, not On Account. The voice is clear: these On Account customers want to receive similar plans, add-ons, etc.

Is it clear now?

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