From Fairytales to Horror Stories

A tale of Swapping Service Providers

I really enjoy writing with a fairytale theme about what we do – Odoorella and Giants in the Cloud being my favourites!  I like happy, insightful stories and strongly dislike the moaning, whingeing gits who waste everyone’s time groaning and complaining rather than just getting on with life.

BUT…….

Then there was that great Vodafone Group Pubic (extremely) Limited Group.  I have been a personal customer for years – they are not perfect, but who is?  Three years ago, our business, Calibrate, became a software services business specialising in the Odoo Business Management solution.  Me and my two colleagues were working from home, so I put my mobile phone and home broadband over to the business.  I went into the local Vodafone shop and went through the long and joyous administration process.  The lady who advised and served me gave me the best deal she could, and went through the painfully slow logging of details into the system.  All set up and off we went into happy cloud and Apple iPhone 11 land.

There is a slightly warm feeling about buying from a British company, and seeing local people earn their commission from your transaction.

We have now moved into offices with the great EK Collective and grown considerably.  I wanted three new handsets for colleagues and tried to do this online – but the flashing adds, and repeated requests to log in to MyVodafone (which I did three times) put me off.  I tried phoning 191, and when through the security minefield, and the choice after choice after choice options and T&C’s swamp, caused me to lose patience, and I went back to the shop – which is very close to the office.

That was in January, I asked for the handsets, and the chap was very helpful.  It took 45 minutes, mainly waiting for the aged system to respond.  I said I had to leave in 15 minutes for a meeting – the assistant said it would take longer, so I had to leave it and go to my meeting.  I was surprised and a tad disappointed that they did not follow up with a call to invite me back.  I did get a few calls from their telesales department trying to sell me upgrades, but no personal touch.

I went back in April, and after a 20-minute wait, I was sitting at the desk with the same advisor who tried to help me in January.  He looked at my business account. Advised that I change the Broadband to a better deal as it was cheaper – I said “okay.”  He then gave great advice on the phones, and I wanted mine upgraded to the iPhone 16.  When he went through the painfully slow processing system, he eventually told me that as I am a sole trader, I was restricted to a maximum of four handsets, and I still had payments scheduled to November on the iPhone 11.  I stated quite clearly that I am not a sole trader, never have been, I was Director of a Limited company, and we employed ten people at that time.  He said he would have to register me as a completely new customer if I changed to a Limited company, I re-affirmed the legal status of the company, and he advised that in the interest of time he would keep me as a sole-trader, and I should pay-off the remainder of the current I-phone – I reluctantly agreed; then went through the painfully slow order processing. I thought about it, and commented on the speed of the system, to be told “it is too expensive to change, and a bit frustrating – but we have to live with it.”  I thought again – and said “no – cancel the whole thing – I will see my phone contract out and move when it ends.

I ordered handsets through Aerial Direct, which were delivered two days later under an O2 contract.

I moved my Broadband back to private, with Virgin Media, which has been very good.

Today I went through the painful cancellation process on Vodafone 191.  I was told that despite saying to the chap in the shop that the order was cancelled, I was committed, and had to pay a £500 cancellation fee.  More questions asking me to confirm that I am a sole trader, which I had to decide to continue.  The woman asked: “Do you want to pay VAT on that or not?”  - I know the basics of VAT and company status, and it is worth paying the cancellation fee for the joy of being free of them and their systems and processes.

We operate a service business where some customers may wish to swap to other solutions or service partners – if our clients move, we will make the transition as smooth and affordable as possible because we respect them, our competitors, and our economy.  When Odoo clients who have moved to us from trying to do it themselves, Odoo Direct, or other partners, we have enjoyed an equivalent level of respect.

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