I wanted to share my recent, rather frustrating experience with VI Vodafone Idea regarding a network coverage issue. On 12/08/2024, I lodged a complaint about poor network coverage in my office area(Reference No.: 4-165429112993). A supervisor from VI visited my office on the 13th or 14th of August, conducted a thorough inspection, and confirmed that there was indeed a network problem in the area. I even provided him with 10 additional VI numbers from my office that were facing the same issue.
However, despite the confirmation of the issue, the complaint was inexplicably closed on 16/08/2024 without any follow-up to check if the problem had been resolved to my satisfaction. As a customer, I firmly believe that a complaint should only be closed once the issue is genuinely resolved, and the customer is satisfied with the outcome. Unfortunately, from the 16th to the 21st of August, I did not receive a single call from VI to discuss the status of my complaint or to confirm if the network issues had been fixed.
On 21/08/2024, out of sheer frustration, I decided to send a port-out request to 1900. To my surprise, within just 5 minutes of sending the request, I received a call from VI’s retention team. I explained the entire situation to the representative and requested that the original complaint be reopened. Shockingly, the representative outright denied my request, repeatedly stating that the complaint was closed because a supervisor had visited me. When I asked if the issue had been resolved during the supervisor’s visit, the representative had no answer. After pressing the issue multiple times, he finally admitted that the complaint was closed due to a 6-day resolution period, not because the problem was actually solved.
I insisted on reopening the complaint, but the representative ignored my request. After a 16-minute conversation, I asked to speak with a manager. I was placed on hold and then informed that a manager would call me back. This call occurred at 5:41 PM from the number+91 22 50362100.
What followed was a series of frustrating calls. At 6:16 PM, I received another call from VI, hoping it would be from the manager as promised. Instead, it was another member of the retention team, asking about the problem again. I explained everything once more and ended the call. This call came from+91 22 50362163. Then, at 6:19 PM, I received yet another call from+91 22 50362100, again expecting to speak with a manager. However, it was the retention team again, asking the same question about why I wanted to port out. The same scenario repeated at 6:22 PM, 6:26 PM, and 7:28 PM, with calls coming from the numbers+91 22 50362163 and+91 22 50362100. Each time, I had to explain the entire situation to a new person, only for the call to end with no resolution.
Ironically, while my initial complaint about the network issue did not prompt even a single follow-up call, my port-out request triggered 5-6 calls from the retention team in quick succession. This raises a critical question: If VI is so eager to retain customers, why not focus on providing the level of service that would make us want to stay in the first place?
I have recorded all these calls and documented the names and departments of the individuals I spoke with. I plan to file a formal complaint against VI, including these recordings as evidence. It’s disheartening to see that such a large telecom company prioritizes retention over actual problem resolution. If this is the standard of customer service they offer, it’s no wonder customers are considering switching to other networks.
Has anyone else faced a similar situation with VI or any other telecom provider? How did you handle it, and were you able to get your issue resolved? I’d appreciate any advice or insights on how to deal with such a frustrating experience.