After a 15-minute wait, it was my turn to be served. The woman addressed me in English, so I explained what I needed. She did not understand. I tried again using different vocabulary. She still did not understand, but said she would have someone with better English call me back within two hours.
Someone did call me back and he did understand my need. Then he asked for my personal code. After explaining that whatever the code was, it was created in 2001 and not having a need for it in years, I had no idea what it could be. He said it would be on my original contract. “Great,” I said, “the contract was created in 2001. Do you know where your paperwork is from 2001?” As I finished that speaking that thought, I realized in 2001, he was probably in 5th grade so his work is probably in his mother’s keepsake box, so sure he knows the whereabouts.
I asked for a clue. He offered that it could be four digits. After exhausting every combo of 4 digits I would likely use, he suggested that I return to the Vodafone Customer Center to either get the code or have it reset. He was not able to do it over the phone.
Ron and I headed down to the Vodafone Customer Center on Monday, my birthday. Whoopee! What a celebration. I explained to the young man what I needed. He started to look up the information using our mobile phone numbers. Once he found out phone numbers he realized that this was a business account that personal accounts. This seemed to change things, he asked for our business papers. Of course I didn’t think to bring our business papers so I didn’t have them on me. He told me he couldn’t do anything without proof that I was one of the owners. I asked why my name was not identified with the account so that I could just show personal proof of identity and be done with it. He said that back when this account was opened in 2001 associate names with business accounts; when they change the system they never updated that information. Trying to keep myself from causing this man out, I walked out.
I went home and decided that I needed to get this done immediately; there were too many things hanging over our heads before we left. I picked up all of our business papers which is a folder containing about 50 pages and then headed back to the Vodafone Customer Center. The young man from earlier was gone and replaced by a young woman. After repeating my need to reset my password, she asked my telephone number. As she was retrieving it, I told her this was a business account. Without any other questions she immediately showed me the code that I needed. It was not a four digit code, but a six digit code. Had the man on the phone told me it was six digits I could definitely have told them the code without any hesitation. I asked her if it was possible for me to put the funds on vacation service while I was there. She said as I had been told before they did not have the capability of doing that at the service centers; I would need to call Vodafone to have it arranged.
I returned home and without further ado I called Vodafone again. Once again after going through various menus and being on hold for an unruly amount of time, I was speaking to a woman who claimed her English was not good enough to understand what I needed. Again I received the offer for a call back. When the call came, it was a young man’s voice which sounded vaguely familiar. With great ease I gave him the six digit code as he request in order to access the account.
The problem however came when I asked to have the phones put on vacation service. He didn’t understand what I meant. I tried asking to have the phones suspended for a time. He did not understand. Then I said “I’m going out of the country for three months I don’t want to use my phone during the time I am gone; therefore, I do not want to have to pay the bill.” Still he did not understand. I tried one more time, but honestly I have no idea how I reconfigured my wording, but he finally grasped my meaning.
I made sure to say I do not want the service to be put on hold until January 12. After a few minutes, I heard him gasp, and then he shared that he accidentally ended our service for that day. He continued “I hope I can get it changed before it goes into effect.” I said “I hope you do, otherwise are going to be disconnected.” The service will be disconnected for six months, even though I only requested it for 90 days. Their system is incapable of putting in an end date, but their default is six months. I was informed that when I return, I will need to call them again to have the service reactivated. Of course we will have to call from a landline, since our mobiles will be turned off.
Just one of the aggravating things needing to be done before leaving on a long trip.
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