Vodafone have had nothing short of a shocking few months. Network issues, Class action claims, a groundswell of support behind the #VodaFail label and concept, and just generally a whole stack of bad PR!
You’ve gotta feel for the people behind the scenes trying to make this better, a company the size of Vodafone doesn’t go off the rails in a heartbeat, it takes time to stuff things up – so, imagine having to try and work out firstly how to fix it, but then how to communicate that!
This morning, CEO Nigel Dews took the extraordinary step of posting a video message on a special site for customers – you can view it here:
http://www.vodafone.com.au/personal/aboutvodafone/customer-update/home/index.htm
click CONTINUE READING for More details and thoughts
Some of the key messages I heard in his video address.
The message on their website is pretty clear:
We are truly sorry for this.
How did this happen? The short answer is that last year we were growing fast, and when some problems arose we responded too slowly.
Here’s a more detailed summary of what Vodafone claim to be doing to win you back.
| Initiatives | Status |
| Network | $1bn investment (from merger to end 2011); new network; 2,500 sites being built or upgraded; engineers working intensively |
| Stabilising the network | Underway – unstable software replaced |
| Accelerated building of new 3G (850MHz) network | 386 new sites added. 1,500 planned for 2011 Better coverage, faster data speeds and better for smartphones |
| Upgrade of current network – more capacity and new coverage areas | Underway – work largely complete in CBD and other congested areas |
| Replacement of equipment in Radio Access Network with Huawei | Equipment in 8,000 sites to be replaced in next two years |
| Long Term Evolution (LTE – 4G) | Trials complete, rollout as devices and demand there to support |
| Service | More staff; better customer information; better and faster resolution of issues |
| 300 additional staff joined Vodafone Care to provide quicker response times | Trained and responding to customers now |
| Call back option | 70% of our customers are using our call back option if they prefer not to wait on hold (the call back service is available if the wait time is 3+ minutes) |
| Easier to find information about network and service information | A new section on www.vodafone.com.au details network and customer updates |
| More detailed information about the current network performance in your area | Customers can now search by postcode or suburb to check what’s happening with the network in their area. The site shows outages as well as congested (or very busy) sites |
| New coverage maps | New coverage maps with more information about new sites being built and upgraded, and known black spots is coming soon |
| New online customer forum | New customer eForum is launching shortly, for customers to post comments, reviews and tips |
| 24 month warranty on all handset and mobile broadband devices including iPhones | All mobile devices are covered by a 24 month warranty including Apple iPhone |
So, will this work?
Only time will tell – I know that only yesterday I had someone tell me that following a phonecall to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsmen (TIO) last week, they received an SMS from Vodafone advising them they were now able to leave their contract with no fee (Details below). While it’s pretty telling when a company ‘lets customers go’, its certainly the right thing to do in these circumstances.
Below is a copy of the letter sent to a VodaFone customer just this week, following his complaint to the TIO – No Liability admitted, but in terms of basic customer service goodwill – It’s a win.
Pretty comprehensive response detailed above – what do you think? Can it help? I’d love to know your thoughts. Comment below, or email me!
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts two popular podcasts, EFTM and Two Blokes Talking Tech. He also appears on over 50 radio stations across Australia weekly, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show each day and appears regularly on A Current Affair.
Father of three, he is often found down in his Man Cave.
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