Vodafonies

About 4 months ago I took out a new contract with Vodafone. I used their online store, chose my handset and selected an 18-month call plan which included 200 anytime minutes, 200 texts and their 'Stop the Clock' promotion. All this for the princely sum of £25 per month, which was £2 cheaper than a comparable O2 deal I was also eyeing up at the time. It was probably the £2 saving and the 'Stop the Clock' that swung this deal in Vodafone's favour.

Last month, out of the blue, I noticed that my line rental had crept up to £27 without warning. I dug out my email confirmation to double check the details and, sure enough, I had only agreed to £25 per month. I rang Vodafone to discuss my bill. I was slightly miffed that they had stolen an extra £2 out of my bank account without informing me beforehand, in accordance with their own pay monthly terms and conditions. It took a bit of explaining, what with the huge language barrier between me in Durham and their call centre 20 miles away in Stockton, but eventually we agreed that I would fax my order confirmation which stated the £25 price. I should have realised something was amiss then - the suggestion that I should fax it, when a multinational telecommunications giant should have computers slightly more powerful than a Spectrum ZX and capable of receiving a forwarded email.

I went to the fax machine, blew the dust and cobwebs away and after about 10 minutes of warm up time I was ready to send. About 10 minutes later on I realised that their machine at the other end had no intention of receiving my document. The next day I rang Vodafone again, regurgitated everything I had said previously and explained about my failed fax attempt. "Can you go and check the fax machine is working before I try and send it again?" I said the the chap on the end of the phone, "no problem" he replied and after 10 minutes of canned music he returned to tell me the fax machine was fully operational. I confidently strode down to the fax machine, the scent of resolution in the air, and tried to send my document again. Much to my frustration the same result ensued - my machine dialled, but the Vodafone machine didn't bother to answer. Unperturbed I headed to a second office and asked to borrow their fax - yet again there was no answer at Vodafone's end. On the third day I rang Vodafone again and got a different call centre. They had a fax machine that did work, but in the intervening fortnight they have failed to correct my account despite their hollow promises to the contrary.

So a simple message to Vodafone - improve your customer service. If I was to renage on the contract you wrote you would no doubt feel hard done by. If I refused pay the disputed £2 you'd have me put on a credit blacklist. Nobody is claiming that £2 is a lot of cash but what gives Vodafone the right to dip my bank account, like a thief in the night, without asking me beforehand? On reflection I should have gone to O2 after all.