Vodafone - not taking payment

[djohnson]

Hi. Anyone struggled to pay Vodafone recently? I literally can’t get them to take payment! According to my bank the direct debit is still set up fine and the issue is that Vodafone haven’t requested the direct debit since Sept. Vodafone are now chasing saying the account is overdue. I’ve tried updating the DD details on their site but it always just says unable to verify details (I’m 100% sure the details entered are correct and I’ve done it multiple times). I’ve tried making one off payments multiple times using various cards but the result is always the same, on a credit card it goes through but Vodafone refund it seconds later (presumably automatically given the timescale), on a debit card it goes through all the security stuff but then the Vodafone site says it’s failed. It’s absolutely not that there’s insufficient funds for either the original DD or any of the card payments I’ve tried. I’ve spoken with their call centre many times but it always ends the same, with them saying they’ll have to refer to the technical team who will contact me and then nothing happens. Slightly concerned I’m going to end up cut off and / or with a credit history problem before we find an answer. I’m tempted to send them a letter summarising these issues with a cheque via recorded deliver Any insight / ideas appreciated.

[Jon39]

That is awful.
Dreadful customer service seems to be almost standard these days.
Quote ironic that a communications business, refuses to communicate.

I like your idea of a cheque by recorded delivery. That ought to get some response, if sent to the right person.
I would be addressing it to a senior director at their Newbury HQ.
My choice would be Margherita Della Valle, Interim CEO.
Obviously she won't deal personally, but your letter should be passed to someone with a working object between their ears.

.........................................................

Recent news item - 5th Dec 2022.

The Vodafone chief executive, Nick Read, is to step down after failing to reverse a sharp fall in the company’s share price, as the telecoms company braces for steep cost cuts and potential job losses.

Read, a two-decade Vodafone veteran who has run the company since 2018, has been ousted after failing to get to grips with a more than 40% fall in the company’s share price during his four-year tenure.

Last month, the company, which has appointed the chief financial officer, Margherita Della Valle, as interim boss as the hunt for a new permanent chief executive begins, cut its annual profit forecast and announced a €1bn-plus (£879m) cost-cutting plan, including job cuts, to cope with soaring energy bills and inflation.

[Rob_125]

Frustrating. Have you tried contacting them via their social media....seemingly the best way to make progress with these companies sometimes.

[Red9zero]

Do you bank with Nat West ? I've had issues with some companies suddenly being unable to accept payment from a Nat West account. The companies seem aware of a problem,but Nat West say it's nothing to do with them. Payment from a different bank goes straight through though.

[Simpo Two]

Jon39 said:

Read, a two-decade Vodafone veteran who has run the company since 2018, has been ousted after failing to get to grips with a more than 40% fall in the company’s share price during his four-year tenure.

I could have achieved that easily, and for half the price!

[andrewh]

I ditched Vodafone about 10 years ago for EE,

[djohnson]

Thanks I appreciate all the replies.

[djohnson]

Red9zero said:

Do you bank with Nat West ? I've had issues with some companies suddenly being unable to accept payment from a Nat West account. The companies seem aware of a problem,but Nat West say it's nothing to do with them. Payment from a different bank goes straight through though.

Thanks. Yep I do. My bank account and all the various cards I’ve tied come from Nat West, so sounds like this might be the issue. I do have a business Amex which isn’t related to Nat West so will try making payment on that.

[anonymous-user]

andrewh said:

I ditched Vodafone about 10 years ago for EE,

Pointless information

[PM3]

Bank with Halifax and vodafone taking DD on the dot every month . Never had an issue with them for anything in last 12 years

[tescorank]

I’ve been with them for 20 years with a few phone and typical £600pm bill, went abroad and one particular phone had a bill for £150 and I was cut off without notice, the online robot passed me eventually after 30mins going through security each time to a human customer service person-who each time was literally abusive-contract finishes in a month then goodbye!

Read their reviews on Trustpilot. Absolutely shockingly bad.

Edited by tescorank on Monday 2nd January 01:28

[CSLM3CSL]

I've had this problem for years. I pay by credit card on the app now, I'm also with NatWest.

[alscar]

Assuming you haven’t changed any bank or indeed anything else and your bank has confirmed the existing Direct debit details are correct , if customer services don’t assist you then I would email their complaints dept instead.
As has been suggested you could do this at the same time as emailing their CEO who will almost certainly pass it down to the complaints dept anyway.
I certainly wouldn’t be trying to pay in other ways as imagine that will just confuse them even more.
Fwiw I have been with them for years and no issues with taking any direct debits.

[djohnson]

alscar said:

Assuming you haven’t changed any bank or indeed anything else and your bank has confirmed the existing Direct debit details are correct , if customer services don’t assist you then I would email their complaints dept instead.
As has been suggested you could do this at the same time as emailing their CEO who will almost certainly pass it down to the complaints dept anyway.
I certainly wouldn’t be trying to pay in other ways as imagine that will just confuse them even more.
Fwiw I have been with them for years and no issues with taking any direct debits.

Thanks. Agreed. They have acknowledged this afternoon that it’s a pervasive systems issue at their end and many Nat West customers are impacted. However it’s now appeared on my credit history as an overdue payment which is really annoying, so I’ll certainly be complaining.

[alscar]

Good luck and don’t forget to include all the reasons behind your complaint.
If it were me I’d start by saying that customer services have been useless and now thanks to them you have ended up with an adverse credit history for no fault of yours.
Include the bit about your Bank details being correct.
Thinking about this I would cc that CEO address or sent it to both e addresses at the same time.
I would ask for their urgent confirmation that they will arrange for the payment to be taken as usual from your bank and equally ask for your credit record to be restored to what it should be.

[djohnson]

alscar said:

Good luck and don’t forget to include all the reasons behind your complaint.
If it were me I’d start by saying that customer services have been useless and now thanks to them you have ended up with an adverse credit history for no fault of yours.
Include the bit about your Bank details being correct.
Thinking about this I would cc that CEO address or sent it to both e addresses at the same time.
I would ask for their urgent confirmation that they will arrange for the payment to be taken as usual from your bank and equally ask for your credit record to be restored to what it should be.

Thanks

[tescorank]

In all honesty the customers service is shambolic, yesterday I was on the phone again for 1.5 hours, 4 people 4 security test and as far as South Africa for the retentions department, I then went in the store to be told again to be told “nothing we can do” so kicked off like a mad man and started shouting louder and louder-low and behold all sorted in 10 minutes.

So 1 more phone to cut off in a month, I know where I’ll be heading and it’s quite refreshing ! This time going to videoing for social media !