# Leaving Vodafone and sharing my experience



## oopsbuddy (18 Feb 2009)

I have been a bill-pay customer of Vodafone for years now, and have been reasonably happy with them and have got several upgrades over the years, the last almost 14 months ago. I was told in September that I could request another upgrade in January. I am now told that I cannot have an upgrade, and they won't tell me why, nor when I can. Disappointing, but as I am out of contract now, I am free to leave if I want (...but I didn't really want to!).

Then I lost my phone at the weekend while travelling abroad, so I called Vodafone to check again if, under the circumstances, they would reconsider giving me an upgrade and I would take out a new 12 month contract? No! 

So I checked in the Vodafone shop, and for a NEW customer, the phone I want is €20 to buy, in exchange for a 12 month contract (at the same tariff as my current (expired) contract, but to me it's €130 on the same contract. 

So I spoke to a Customer "Care" supervisor (I felt sorry for the poor rep who kept having to check with the supervisor) and asked him to explain why a new customer could get the deal that I want, but as an existing and (presumably) valuable customer I have to pay over €100 more, and if I cancelled my contract, and walked in the door a week later and asked for the current new customer deal, what would happen? He told me I would be charged a €400 security deposit!! 

So after spending thousands of euros with Vodafone over the years, they would rather screw an existing customer, suggest that he is being dishonest and lose him, AND two other current pre-pay Vodafone customers in the house, rather than give me the same deal as a new customer walking in off the street whom they don't know at all!

Good business practice!!

Three new Meteor customers on the way, and three very-EX Vodafone customers. 

I also told the supervisor that I would share this experience with my friends - so I am!


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## Smashbox (18 Feb 2009)

Thanks for sharing. I got out of Voda a long time ago. Now with Meteor and happy enough so far.


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## Macattack (18 Feb 2009)

that is absolutely ridiculous!!


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## aetius (18 Feb 2009)

Not wishing to defend them, but isn't the deposit set against your bills initially ? (I do stand to be corrected here)


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## wheeler (18 Feb 2009)

This is typical of how vodafone works. 

I also moved (to Meteor) basically because of similar issues with Vodafone. Not because of pricing.

And since I have moved my monthly bills have gone down - BONUS!


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## CCOVICH (18 Feb 2009)

Has anyone managed to get a subsidised phone from Meteor/02/3 if they have lost/damaged their phone before they were entitled to an upgrade?


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## Smashbox (18 Feb 2009)

I haven't been in such a situation myself, so I couldnt say.


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## carrielou (18 Feb 2009)

I'm with Vodafone for God only knows how long. Over the past 3 years, I could ring up and ask for an upgrade. I might have to ring 2 or 3 times, and speak to different people, but someone always gave me the upgrade due to the amount of money we were giving them each month. We have 2 bill phones, 3 pre-pay, internet, all with vodafone. 

I asked them for an upgrade 4 times because I needed a phone for organising appointments and really thought the storm would be my answer. They absolutely refused point blank each time!

My contract is up on bill and modem, what would ye recommend.

I'm gonna just try again and see will they let me upgrade but I was talking to guy in local phone shop and he told me they were gone terribly mean with their upgrades!


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## oopsbuddy (18 Feb 2009)

Obviously any choice you make (of supplier or method of payment) will depend on your own usage, but the Meteor pre-pay option seems to be a good way to go, at least for me, and definitely shouldn't cost half as much as my monthly bills were costing! 

But getting back to my main point in the original post, the decision not to give me an upgrade (even though I was told before that I would be eligible in January!) was disappointing, but I can deal with that, and move supplier if I want, as my contract had expired. However, as an existing customer (for years) I would have to pay over €100 more for the same phone and contract as a complete stranger!! Or have a €400 security deposit imposed!?

The old saying applies - "it's easier to keep an existing customer than to get a new one", but the 3 Vodafone users in our house will all be Meteor customers by the weekend!

Carrielou, contact Meteor, 3 and O2 and ask them to spell out what deal they will give you for your package of phones, internet, etc. I'd say you'll be pleasantly surprised, and if you are, make sure you share your experiences too!


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## Sue Ellen (18 Feb 2009)

A look at www.callcosts.ie might help also to compare charges.


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## oopsbuddy (18 Feb 2009)

...Oh, and I forgot to mention too the irony of the prompt on the Vodafone website where they ask you: 

"Need a new phone now?

Was your phone lost or stolen, or maybe it took a painful fall? No matter the reason, give us a ring on 1907 and we'll help you out."


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## Vinnie_cork (18 Feb 2009)

I'm a bill mobile phone user with vodafone, I recently was offered home phone incl 200 mins calls to vodafone numbers, line rental and broadband for €29 p/m. €30 p/m cheaper for me than it was with BT.

I'm not a big bill user, I'd say €24 p/m. I'm happy with them..... and I dont have any connection to them (pardon the pun).


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## oopsbuddy (18 Feb 2009)

I was happy with them too!! Beware!


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## CCOVICH (18 Feb 2009)

Vinnie_cork said:


> I'm a bill mobile phone user with vodafone, I recently was offered home phone incl 200 mins calls to vodafone numbers, line rental and broadband for €29 p/m. €30 p/m cheaper for me than it was with BT.



Price goes to €49 per month after 6 months. Are the speeds and download allowances the same as you have with BT?


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## advisor (18 Feb 2009)

I had terrible problems with them after Christmas, and the Vodafone Store Manager told me "to go to meteor if i wasn't happy" I did just that taking two other customers with me.  Customer Care didn't give a toss either.


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## schmile (18 Feb 2009)

I had the same experience with Meteor. The result was that I cancelled my current bill pay account and opened up a one as a new customer. 
I hope you are happier with meteor although you will probably be waiting 18 months for an upgrade!


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## Dinny (19 Feb 2009)

My wife had the same problem last month. She was due an upgrade and they refused, but customer care told her to buy a prepaid phone and they would give her €80 of her bill going forward. 

This is what she done and yesterday Vodafone called offering her a free upgrade as well.


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## Smashbox (19 Feb 2009)

schmile said:


> I hope you are happier with meteor although you will probably be waiting 18 months for an upgrade!


 
I get one every 12 months with Meteor? No problems from me.


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## oopsbuddy (19 Feb 2009)

advisor said:


> I had terrible problems with them after Christmas, and the Vodafone Store Manager told me "to go to meteor if i wasn't happy" I did just that taking two other customers with me.  Customer Care didn't give a toss either.



The young lady in the Vodafone store I visited couldn't have been more helpful, and she also admitted it was ridiculous that Vodafone took that attitude over an existing customer. It's the pratt of a supervisor in the "Customer Couldn't Care Less" department that I took exception to.


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## AlbacoreA (19 Feb 2009)

Seems  like all of the network are only interested in new customers and not in retaining existing customers. You get the best deals by switching networks.  Doesn't make any sense to me. Admin alone must make it cost more money than it saves.


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## Qbot (24 Mar 2009)

It was great to read all your comments - am trying to leave vodafone to go to meteor bill pay and vodafone are being a right pain. Have been a customer for nearly 10 years and i am not happy. i am out of contract too. customer care couldnt give a toss.. am taking my business to meteor bill pay and dying to make the move. will be doing it next week!


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## Kine (25 Mar 2009)

Nice thread, I moved from vodafone to O2 simply because the bill option was cheaper.


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## oopsbuddy (25 Mar 2009)

I was with O2 once (first in fact!), but could never forgive them for charging me for accessing my voicemail! None of the others do!


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## bamboozle (25 Mar 2009)

vodafone i found were painful to deal with, switched to Meteor a few years ago, about 6 months into the contract, while killing time in a shopping centre went into a meteor shop, chancing my arm asked the manager for a free upgrade and they gave me one on the spot!


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## JoeB (25 Mar 2009)

Yes, in my experience Vodafone are terrible to deal with, they couldn't care less about their customers.


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## NicolaM (25 Mar 2009)

That's interesting.

I just tried to upgrade my phone with Vodafone, and was initially refused too.

I gave the same spiel about being a long standing customer etc, and said I wanted to speak to a manager (on the phone), and if I didn't get upgraded I was going to take my business elsewhere.

I was put on hold for ages, then they finally agreed the upgrade.

Voila! I've a nice new phone now, thanks to Vodafone 



Nicola


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## oopsbuddy (26 Mar 2009)

Well done Nicola, but my real point wasn't about the upgrade; as I said, I was disappointed to be told 'yes', then later told 'no', but I'm a big boy and out of contract, so could go elsewhere if I wanted (but ironically I was actually trying to stay with them!). 

My real gripe was what happened after that; a new customer could get a far better deal on a 12 month contract (€20 v €130) than I could as an existing one, and then to be told that if I left and came back later as a 'new' customer, to try and get the same terms, I would enjoy having a €400 security deposit slapped on my account! 

I am amused too by how many negative experiences other former Vodafone customers seem to have had.

Very poor and short-sighted business tactics in my view!


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## AlbacoreA (26 Mar 2009)

Same thing on O2 aswell new customers get a better deal than existing customer renewing contracts.


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## oopsbuddy (26 Mar 2009)

As I said before, there is an old marketing adage which says that it's easier/cheaper to keep an existing customer than to win a new one, but to expand on that, once a customer has been lost, it's REALLY difficult to get him back!


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## bamboozle (26 Mar 2009)

oopsbuddy said:


> As I said before, there is an old marketing adage which says that it's easier/cheaper to keep an existing customer than to win a new one, but to expand on that, once a customer has been lost, it's REALLY difficult to get him back!


 

studies in the UK have shown that people are more likely to get divorced during their life than change banks...


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## oopsbuddy (26 Mar 2009)

bamboozle said:


> studies in the UK have shown that people are more likely to get divorced during their life than change banks...



I have changed banks many times in the past, simply in pursuit of better terms, but the last time I suggested it again it nearly ended up in divorce! Changing all those DDs again would do her head in!


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## oopsbuddy (14 Apr 2009)

Just to follow up on this, a few weeks after moving three family user accounts from Vodafone to Meteor, the OH got a text from VF saying that they're sorry to lose her as a customer! I'm disappointed I didn't get that message!!  (I have sent them a letter!)


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