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Scotty1986

315 posts

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#153756 6-Oct-2014 23:56
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This is not a rage post while currently waiting for a answer at 11.30pm on a Monday night (which I am), this is taking into account my years with Vodafone.

I can quite honestly say their call centres are the absolute worst I have ever had to deal with, with any type of service. When I get a interruption of service I'm not angry about that, its the impending phone call to some drone reading from a script after waiting for a unacceptable amount of time and normally not getting anywhere. The constant transfers to different departments, where you then must explain everything all over again because the notes from the previous call taker are not good enough. Only to be told they will call you back, which never happens. In-fact, that reminds me, I am still waiting on a call back from last week about a different issue "I personally will call you back tomorrow" Yeah right.

I just got fibre installed, I have never been through such a mess. I am not exaggerating, every single possible thing went wrong at every stage of the install. I am still waiting to get the plan I signed up for months ago. They could not even get my address right. If I listed everything that went wrong I would be typing all night. What I can tell you is that I spent over 10 hours on the phone in the last 2-3 weeks. The only way things got done is when I contacted the Vodafone reps on these forums. I feel bad posting this stuff about the company they work for, but I want them to know, that they are the only reason I am still with Vodafone, that, and I want all my services (Sky, internet, mobile) with one company, it saves me some money. But now I am asking myself if it is worth it? I have constant issues, right now I have no TV service. I understand the Vodafone reps on here probably don't want to comment on these issues, but I would love to know what they think, because they are being let down. {Wow! 23:54mins in to phone call "we cannot connect you to our help desk right now, please call back later!!!!! Click}

Vodafone, when is something going to be done? It is just no longer good enough. The wait times and some of your call takers are just not up to par. No where near. Also, I cannot understand most of your staff! I honestly think it may be worth your while to bring the call centres back to NZ, use it as a selling point. When I used to ring sky, they would say, "please wait while we connect you to somebody in our kiwi help desk" seconds later they would pick up.

To the Vodafone employers who help us out on these forums, thank you, but please inform your HoD's just how bad it is.

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konfusd
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  #1148799 7-Oct-2014 00:28
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A big part of the problem for me (disclosure: I'm an employee) is the internal segregation of customers on the ex-TCL platform... meaning only certain support staff can help depending on what "type" of customer you are even though it's all the same company! Life would be so much easier if the higher-ups hadn't been so eager to get rid of the TelstraClear brand.

(Edit: should probably also say that, from experience, the call centre support is better on the other "red" platform.)




I work in the Corporate/Government space for One New Zealand, but I know at least a little bit about a lot of things we do. I volunteer my time on here, and all opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.


 
 
 
 

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Scotty1986

315 posts

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  #1148811 7-Oct-2014 01:15
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Have tried again twice, got cut off first time, second time I hung up after 20 minutes. How many people are trying to call Vodafone at 1am?!

timmmay
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  #1148844 7-Oct-2014 07:45
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Vote with your business - go elsewhere. You're lucky they're open at 11:30pm at night, not many businesses are.



crewsaider
70 posts

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  #1148861 7-Oct-2014 08:17
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http://nzh.tw/11337992

Perhaps not going to get better anytime soon! I recently joined VF but nearly gave up after call centre runaround. Fortunately, found a tech "angel" who was knowledgeable and, most importantly, was understandable, to smooth the transition. Since then, I have found the VF Community forum a good source of help and problem solving. Hopefully, future thoughts of the VF call centre will merely be the subject of nightmares and not have to be faced in reality!

Jaxar
383 posts

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  #1148866 7-Oct-2014 08:29
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Do people really think call center reps read from scripts? I've never seen more than two sentences scripted at any given time and that generally only gets rolled out in response to VF appearing in the media and even then I've never needed to use one in all my years.




Please note: I have a professional bias towards Vodafone.

Inphinity
2759 posts

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  #1148871 7-Oct-2014 08:35
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I agree, it's ridiculous. I moved my personal connections away from VF about 2 years ago after similar ongoing issues with poor or non existent support that couldn't get fairly basic services working. We still have some business services with them for a variety of contractual and cost reasons, but it's still extraordinarily hard to get hold of anyone who can actually offer help when there's a problem. Certainly when dealing with call centres I don't expect 100% positivity, I've worked in call centres, I understand that some of the staff are literally just reading the script and don't even know what those big words like 'Hello' and 'connection' mean, but there's a line where it goes beyond "Oh, I got a new/undertrained person, I'll try again" and becomes "I wonder if I'll get the 1 person who has a clue?".

Their guys (and gals) on here do a fantastic job, and put the rest of their support structure to shame.


Jaxar: Do people really think call center reps read from scripts? I've never seen more than two sentences scripted at any given time and that generally only gets rolled out in response to VF appearing in the media and even then I've never needed to use one in all my years.


Maybe they don't these days? It's been over a decade since I was working in a call centre (went through 3 different ones, actually), but at that stage there were definitely scripts to go through, not necessarily specific wording of how to say hello etc, but of questions to ask and then which followups to ask depending on answers.

NonprayingMantis
6434 posts

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  #1148895 7-Oct-2014 08:56
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timmmay: Vote with your business - go elsewhere. You're lucky they're open at 11:30pm at night, not many businesses are.


This.





Zigg
280 posts

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  #1149024 7-Oct-2014 11:43
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You forgot to mention the aural assaut of Opshop and Bic Runga.... "But I do believe I might be having fun" they must be taking the you know what having that song playing, which you do cop at least 2 times if on hold for 30+ minutes.

ubergeeknz
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  #1149027 7-Oct-2014 11:46
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Zigg: You forgot to mention the aural assaut of Opshop and Bic Runga.... "But I do believe I might be having fun" they must be taking the you know what having that song playing, which you do cop at least 2 times if on hold for 30+ minutes.


Based on over 10 years in the contact centre industry, no matter what hold music you have, you will get complaints.  

But those complaints only really mean one thing.

on hold for 30+ minutes


Your service levels need to improve.

Andib
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  #1149042 7-Oct-2014 12:03
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Disclosure ex VF Employee here,

@konfusd is spot on with the split systems, 3 different systems, 3 different support teams. all with their own wait times. I did feel sorry for customers calling about their Cable (who signed up since it was vodafone) who called the standard VF number, waited 30mins then having to transfer them to the "Blue" queue for another 30minute wait.

I think the main issue for you is you're calling after hours, Yes they're open but it is the grave yard team, (Less than 25 people when I was still with them) supporting the entire country for mobile & Broadband




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zaptor
741 posts

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  #1149090 7-Oct-2014 12:48
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One of the things that irks me most is that level 1 will tend to make things up. What's wrong with simply stating "actually, I don't know what the real answer to your problem is", instead of pretending they have a deep technical understanding of how certain things work.

The level 2 level guys I've spoken to are much more, shall we say honest.

Seriously, if you just admit you've reached the limit of your technical expertise, and you really don't know what the problem is, then the next step (surely) is to either pass it onto someone else (level 2), or raise a ticket to keep track of the problem.

I hadn't called the VF service centre - for any technical problems, for some time, until just recently. I'd "forgotten" how bad they can be.

Jaxar
383 posts

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  #1149092 7-Oct-2014 12:48
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ubergeeknz:
Zigg: You forgot to mention the aural assaut of Opshop and Bic Runga.... "But I do believe I might be having fun" they must be taking the you know what having that song playing, which you do cop at least 2 times if on hold for 30+ minutes.


Based on over 10 years in the contact centre industry, no matter what hold music you have, you will get complaints.  

But those complaints only really mean one thing.

on hold for 30+ minutes


Your service levels need to improve.


You could play a playlist of my favorite songs and I'd just be upset at listening to them in such bad quality.

On the flip side though I have been on hold when there is no hold music and it is really disconcerting.




Please note: I have a professional bias towards Vodafone.

waikariboy
799 posts

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  #1149121 7-Oct-2014 13:26
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Im over there customer support, moved from slingshot and we have our internet working, but the phone has not be ported over, have waited over 7 weeks, and still nothing called up 3 times and the 4 time we get a person that speaks half English and tells us that we didn't ordered the phone. So in the mean time we are getting billed from slingshot and vodafone!




Balm its gone!


johnr
19282 posts

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  #1149123 7-Oct-2014 13:30
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waikariboy: Im over there customer support, moved from slingshot and we have our internet working, but the phone has not be ported over, have waited over 7 weeks, and still nothing called up 3 times and the 4 time we get a person that speaks half English and tells us that we didn't ordered the phone. So in the mean time we are getting billed from slingshot and vodafone!


DM me as many possible details and will get this looked into

Yabanize
2348 posts

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  #1149332 7-Oct-2014 17:45
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Andib: Disclosure ex VF Employee here,

@konfusd is spot on with the split systems, 3 different systems, 3 different support teams. all with their own wait times. I did feel sorry for customers calling about their Cable (who signed up since it was vodafone) who called the standard VF number, waited 30mins then having to transfer them to the "Blue" queue for another 30minute wait.

I think the main issue for you is you're calling after hours, Yes they're open but it is the grave yard team, (Less than 25 people when I was still with them) supporting the entire country for mobile & Broadband


Easy fix: An IVR where you enter your phone or account number and puts you through to the right place from that.

Or asking if they have cable, fibre, adsl, etc

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