[Resolved]  Vodafone (Tamilnadu Other Than Rest Of Chennai) — Disconnection, Double charges, collection of excess amount and irresponsible customer service

Address:

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

I have been a Vodofone (TN) customer (Mobile # :[protected] for more than 10 years starting from the period when it was known as BP US West. Been having a very challenging time with Vodofone in the last six months. The episode started off when our company had submitted all proof of documents thrice as per TRAI, the Officer at the Vodofone Store (R.S.Puram, Coimbatore ) did not understand the procedure / documentation of Limited companies, disconnected the line arbitarily without any request from our end when all payments and documentation was in order. As it was a number that was being used for 10+ years and I was about to leave overseas on a business trip I was left with no alternative but to seek the help of another Vodofone store. The Vodofone store at Saibaba Colony, Coimbatore informed that they would re-issue the connection on a personal name as it would be easier to process. They charged an activation fee of Rs.550/- along with Rs.6999/- for my Black Berry. For reasons known to them the connection could not be activated on the personal name and they stated that they would revive the connection in the old ID but wanted a deposit of Rs.5000/- which I promptly paid on the spot. In total I had paid Rs. 12,549/- for already an existing connection. Inspite of paying Rs.12,549/- the connection was not activated and I was told the same would be up and running in 24 hours. My office kept on following up for 4 days but nothing happened. I was left without a phone and had to leave overseas and was assured that the phone would work. For over 4 weeks the phone did not work and on my return to the country the same state existed. On visit to Vodofone Saibaba colony store, I was informed that the line would get activated in 48 hours, it did not happen due to some technical issue with Black Berry services. After a couple of visits the line got activated.
In the mean while they served me a bill of approx Rs.2300 for a period when I did not use my BB and insisted on payment although I had paid Rs.6999/- as advance rental for the BB , they also charged me for the internet though it was packaged with the BB Plan. I had no option but to pay the money and then resolve it later just to retain the number. The subsequent month the problem did not get resolved and the served another bill for approx 2250/- which included BB charges for the month and Internet charges without adjusting for any past payments. Again was left with no option but to pay just to retain the number. By now , more than Rs.17500/- was paid for a actual usage of less than Rs.3000/-.
Inspite of several visits to Vodofone store, the issue remained and I was always told everything is handled and next month bill would be in order.
In the firstweek of September, my phone was disconnected without any notice and I get a call from their Payments team stating that my bill has exceed Rs.14,500+ and I need to immediately pay up if my line has to be activated otherwise the number would not be available. I rushed to the Vodofone Saiababa colony store and checked with the helpdesk, the person insisted that my usage was only Rs.450/- and there is enough balance and I need not pay. The line got activated back after 8 hours. The next day again the line was disconnected and a SMS was sent stating that I should pay up Rs.16,850/-. I was left with no option as I had a series of overseas client calls on the number but to immediately pay up Rs.16,850/- so as to make the line live. The line got activated after 6 hours. By now Vodofone had taken over Rs.34,000/- for an actual usage of less than Rs.4K. The very next day the line was disconnected with an SMS stating that Rs.6850/- had to be paid.

As there was no resolution coming from Vodofone store, I decided to pay up Rs.6850/- and then take up the issue with the Nodal officer. By now the total amount paid to Vodofone in four months was in excess of Rs.40,000/- when the actual bill is less than Rs.4000/-.

The worst part has been the attitude of Vodofone Customer care team. I have been repeatedly requesting for an appointment with their Nodal officer for the last 11 days over telephone and email. I have been made to talk to four different individuals who would always say they would get back but nothing would happen. This includes the Regional Customer Care Manager and Sr. Nodal Desk people. The sad part is I was told that I need to go to Chennai to meet their Nodal officer , when I requested them to send me an email with address and time for the meeting at Chennai nothing has come in yet. The fact is Vodofone's Nodal office for ROTN (Rest of Tamilnadu Circle other than Chennai) is located in Coimbatore as per Vodofone's website and TRAI's website lists the Nodal office for this Circle as Coimbatore. The Executive's mindset the customer can be fooled and if repeatedly ignored customers would give up. Yes, customers would give up but definitely would move on to other service providers.

I am not sure if Brand Vodofone would do this to a customer in the UK? I hope some one from Vodofone corporate cares for customers in India.